Interest groups and public opinion

Interest groups and public opinion

• 1.
  Interest Groups and PublicOpinion Local, State, and National Government
• 2.
  Interest Groups An interestgroup is a group of people who share common goals and organize to influence government. These groups spend a great deal of money and put a lot of effort into persuading government officials to support bills or policies the group feels will be beneficial.
• 3.
  Interest Groups areNOT Political Parties  ...They do not nominate candidates.  …Only concerned with a few specific issues and do not try to gain members with different opinions.  …Organized on the basis of common values rather than on geographic location.
• 4.
  Why belong toan Interest Group?  Economic self-interest  Beliefs, values, and attitudes  Social reasons  ***Most who join tend to be from upper income levels.
• 5.
  Types of InterestGroups  Business and Labor ( NAM and AFL-CIO)  Agricultural groups represent farmers. (Grange)  Professional Associations  Environmental groups  Public Interest groups
• 6.
  Major Special InterestGroups  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People http://www.naacp.org  American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization http://www.aflcio.org  American Medical Association http://www.ama- assn.org/  National Education Association http://www.nea.org/
• 7.
  Purpose and Methods ofInterest Groups  Provide Americans with additional Representation  Seek to Inform the Public and Officials of Issues  Letter Writing Campaigns  Media Campaigns
• 8.
  Checking for Understanding How are interest groups different from political parties?  What methods do interest groups use to influence public policy?  Why are interest groups more effective in influencing the government than are individual citizens?
• 9.
  Lobbying/Lobbyist  Lobbying is the process of making direct contact with government leaders in attempt to influence policy.  Lobbyists are the representatives of interest groups who conduct such work.
• 10.
  Political Action Committees (PACs) Another vehicle for interest groups to influence government is through PACs.  Organizations specifically designed to collect money and provide financial support for a political candidate.  Pros and Cons?