pressure grops

Question 1

stats

Answer 1

Election campaign: Interest groups are
financially involved in elections. The NRA spent
$50 million on the 2016 elections in donations
and its own campaigns

Lobbying: Interest groups also have much
influence outside elections, through lobbying for
example. Around $3 billion each year is spent on
lobbying at federal level

Question 2

Why so much pressure group activity in the US?

Answer 2

access point
constitutional right
weak party discipline
frequent elections

Question 3

access points

Answer 3

more opportunities to get access to
government
Federal system: access points at federal and state level
National Right to Life lobbies the federal Congress
to support ‘pro-life; legislation.
In addition, in recent years National Right to Life
successfully lobbied state legislatures of e.g.
Texas, Alabama and Georgiea to pass a ‘heartbeat
bill’, limiting abortion to only the first 6 weeks after
conception, and in 2022, ban abortion altogether. - lobbed for coney barret
Separation of powers:
independent branches each provide valuable opportunities
to influence legislation - AMI

Question 4

eval of access points

Answer 4

However, changing things at state level can
be ineffective if overruled by federal laws/court decisions
(McCulloch v. Maryland 1819)

Question 5

Constitutional rights

Answer 5

The US constitution protects pressure groups and their
activities:
1st Amendment – freedom of speech, right to assembly - Snyder v. Phelps 2011 - religious groups
Citizens United v. FEC 2010

Question 6

eval of constitutional right

Answer 6

Interpretation of those rights depends on the Supreme
Court, and they can decide to restrict rights. Citizens United
was a 5-4 decision
These rights are more clearly protected than in the UK
because of the entrenched constitution

Question 7

weak party discipline

Answer 7

The weakly organised ‘big tent’ parties with lack of party
unity, means that individual politicians are more free to
provide access to pressure groups
West-Virginia Blue Dog Democrat Senator Joe Manchin has pro-gun views and was endorsed by the NRA, despite Democrat gun control positions

Question 8

eval of weak party discipline

Answer 8

However, because of polarisation, party unity is
increasing recently, and politicians within one party
tend to have similar groups supporting them (the NRA has
recently withdrawn support for Manchin, preferring
Republican challengers instead)

Question 9

How has pressure group activity been restricted?

Two key laws:

Answer 9

2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government
Act
2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Question 10

2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Answer 10

Bans interest groups (and companies) from
spending money directly on advertisement
supporting a candidate (instead of donating
money to a candidate) to avoid the restrictions of
FECA 1974

Question 11

2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act

Answer 11

Bans gifts from lobbyists to members of Congress
and their staff.
Prohibits senators from becoming Congress
lobbyists for 2 years.
Lobbyists have to publicly disclose all activities
HLOGA 2007 did not ban lobbying, restrict money
spent on lobbying, restrict access of lobbyists to
Congress, or restrict House Representatives from
becoming lobbyists

Question 12

There are other restrictions on pressure groups:

Answer 12

Checks and balances & separation of powers
Pressure groups balance each other out
Media: protected by 1st Amendment to uncover lobbying
scandals

Question 13

Pressure groups can use a range of methods:

Answer 13

Legal action
Demonstrations
Endorse candidates
Donate money
Direct action
Lobbying

Question 14

Legal action

Answer 14

The American Civil Liberties Union announced on Friday
that it will challenge President Trump’s third travel ban in court, arguing that the ban violates the US constitution and the Immigration and Nationality Act. - they lost. More powerful than in the UK:
In UK Supreme Court cannot overrule Parliament
In the US the Supreme Court can overturn an Act of
Congress

Question 15

demonstrations

Answer 15

Get much publicity, but does not change many opinions, especially in a polarised climate. Women’s March
Floods Washington
Jan. 21, 2017
Just one day after President Trump’s inauguration,
marchers from across the country gathered in the city to protest his agenda and show support of women’s
rights in a ‘Women’s March on Washington’. The
event grew has attracted an estimated 500,000 protesters,

Question 16

direct action

Answer 16

Blockades, boycotts, strikes, publicity stunts. Direct action can be cheap and accessible, facilitating pluralism
Several Black Lives Matter Protesters
Arrested After Blocking Freeway in Seattle
6 July 2020
However, it can cause harm, and it often
also alienates mainstream Americans - army of god involved with anti-abortion activity occurred in 1982. George Tiller was later assassinated in 2009 by Scott Roeder during a Sunday church service

Question 17

lobbying

Answer 17

There are more than 11,000 registered lobbyists in
Washington DC (Opensecrets.org)
Spending around $3 billion each year
Most lobbying firms are located on K Street – ‘K
Street’ refers to lobbyists

Question 18

Key evaluative points about lobbying

Answer 18

Lobbying is a typical method used by insider goups–
you need access to decision-makers to lobby successfully

Lobbying costs large amounts of money; the more
money a special interest group of company has available,
the more successful they will be. This creates the risk of
elitism

Lobbying involves the so-called ‘revolving door
syndrome’

Question 19

revolving door syndrome

Answer 19

eric cantor - $3.4M. When former government employees or members of Congress become highly paid lobbyists after retirement from office. Their inside knowledge and contacts are valuable for lobbying firms.
Why is this dangerous for democracy?
There is a risk of conflict of interest while still in office
It means influence is for hire 🡪 elitism
Of the 59 members of Congress who left Congress in January 2019 and found new employment, 32 were hired by a lobbying firm

Question 20

Iron triangles

Answer 20

A close working relationship between 3 organisations:
1) pressure group; 2) Congressional committee; 3)
government department. AMI worked with the house agriculture committee and the agriculture, nutrition and forestry

Question 21

What is negative about ‘iron triangles’?

Answer 21

It gets things done to the benefit of the 3 partners involved,
not always beneficial for the general public
What is positive about ‘iron triangles’?
Organisations with expertise on a topic work to get things
done – which is useful in a time of gridlock

Question 22

There has been legislation to try to restrict lobbying

Answer 22

2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
(HLOGA)
Ban former Senators from lobbying for 2 years
Ban gifts from lobbyists to members of Congress
Forces lobbyists to declare activities
Why can lobbying itself not be limited or banned?
1st Amendment rights – freedom of speech

Question 23

Argument: interest groups enhance democracy - pluralism

Answer 23

Interest groups represent citizens’ views
Especially citizens not represented by main parties
40 million members - AARP
Counter-argument
Interest groups influence may cause
over-representation of minority views
A group representing a minority may have
disproportionate influence - 84% of americans favour background checks at gun shows but the NRA had lobbid to remove them

Question 24

Argument: interest groups enhance democracy - inform

Answer 24

Interest groups inform citizens
Especially information government may want to hide - wiki leaks revaled iraq war logs - open secrets - campaign finance
Counter-argument
Information provided by interest groups may be
biased - As climate change becomes a focus of the US election, energy companies stand accused of trying to downplay their contribution to global warming. In June, Minnesota’s Attorney General sued ExxonMobil, among others, for launching a “campaign of deception” which deliberately tried to undermine the science supporting global warming.

Question 25

Argument: interest groups threaten democracy - buy

Answer 25

The risk of influence ‘for sale’
If groups with more financial resources are more
influential, this means influence can be bought, risking
elitism. Wall Street execs, employees spent $2.9 billion on campaigns, lobbying during 2020 election. Counter-argument
There are laws to restrict the influence of money
and restrict the ‘buying of influence’

Question 26

Argument: interest groups threaten democracy - direct action

Answer 26

Interest groups may use harmful methods, such as direct
action (which may be illegal or at least causes disruption on
purpose). -
Counter-argument
Direct action offers less wealthy groups or groups
that are outsider groups opportunities for
influence – it encourages a pluralist democracy