Interest Groups

Understanding Interest Groups

● Defining Interest Groups:

○ Any group or organization that seeks to influence government to achieve a goal
that aligns with the group's or organization's priorities.
● "Interest" Groups vs. "Special Interest" Groups:
○ Both terms refer to the same concept.
○ The term "special interests" is often used negatively to criticize a group's goals or
influence.
● Two Basic Types of Groups:
○ Public Interest Groups:
■ Aim to achieve goals that benefit society as a whole, rather than just
improving members' financial interests.
○ Private Interest Groups:
■ Focus on achieving goals that directly improve the financial or personal
benefits for their members.

Why Do Interest Groups Exist?

● Governments are powerful:

○ Their decisions can significantly impact individuals and groups.
● Laws, regulations, interpretations, and court decisions can help or harm your
interests:
○ These decisions often determine economic, social, or political outcomes.
● In free society you have the right to organize:
○ This right ensures that people can unite to express their concerns and influence
decisions.
● Group action is usually more effective than individual action:
○ Collectively, people have more resources and influence to advocate for change.
● Join forces to achieve shared goals:
○ Collaboration helps to amplify voices and achieve mutual objectives.
● Interest groups are both LEGAL and LOGICAL:
○ Legally protected and a rational approach to influencing government policies.

What Do Interest Groups Do?

 ● “Lobby,” “lobbying”:
○ A shorthand way to describe how interest groups work with government officials
to achieve their objectives.
● “Inside” strategy vs. “outside” strategy:
○ Different approaches to influencing policy and decision-making.
● Inside:
○ Directly working with government officials to advocate for the group’s goals.
○ Example: Personal meetings or consultations with policymakers.
● Outside:
○ Mobilizing public pressure to advance the group’s goals.
○ Example: Organizing campaigns or protests to gain public support.

What Does "Outside" Lobbying Look Like?

● Build public support for your cause:

○ Focus on power disparity and moral injustices to gain attention.
○ Public awareness campaigns:
■ Examples include initiatives addressing littering, smoking, or recycling.
○ Use documentaries or testimonials to spread the message.
○ Engage in civil, nonviolent protests to draw attention peacefully.
● Protest campaigns/social movements:
○ Organized groups advocating for systemic changes from outside traditional
institutions.
● Hope public outrage drives action:
○ The goal is to compel action by exposing abuses of power or unfair situations.
● Usually slow, indirect:
○ Changes take time and require a consistent effort to build momentum.

What Does "Inside" Lobbying Look Like?

Perfectly okay to do:

● Build and maintain relationships with government officials:

○ Examples include Members of Congress, congressional staff, heads of agencies,
and senior administration officials.
● Engage in meetings and provide information:
○ Offer insights, expertise, and comments on proposed bills or regulations.
○ Stay available for ongoing conversation and feedback to influence policymaking.

A bit more ... suspicious:

 ● Fundraising:
○ Donations to campaigns, PACs, and SuperPACs, as well as organizing
fundraising events.
○ Bundling: Combining many small donations into one significant contribution.
● Organize "junkets":
○ These are informational trips, often to desirable or luxurious locations, to promote
lobbying interests.
● Indirect services:
○ Providing perks like flights on private jets or other exclusive benefits that may
raise ethical concerns.

Other "Concerning" Inside Lobbying

A. The "revolving door":

● Definition:
○ When lobbyists become agency officials or vice versa.
○ Raises concerns about the appearance of impropriety, oversight issues, and
the access former colleagues or friends have to decision-makers.
● Not supposed to happen frequently under federal rules, but:
○ 1 in every 14 Trump appointments was a former lobbyist.
○ 281 lobbyists overall as of October 2019.

2008 financial crisis: a case study

● Example: Secretary of Treasury Hank Paulson

○ Former job: CEO, Goldman Sachs.
○ Bailout plan: Included giving $700 billion to investment banks, including
Goldman Sachs.
○ Congress had no oversight of the bailout money.
○ Funds were used significantly for investment banker bonuses, attributed to
their "talent."

Political Engineering

B. Political engineering:

● Definition:
○ Programs are designed to be easy to support and hard to eliminate, ensuring
widespread backing across states or districts.
● Examples:
○ DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
○ Head Start (early childhood education program).
 ○ F-35 Fighter Program:
■ Components manufactured in 45 states and by 1,400 suppliers.
■ $1.5 trillion projected spending over the program’s lifetime.
● Impact:
○ Voting against such programs equates to voting against jobs in a lawmaker's
state or district, making it politically risky.

Issue Networks

C. “Issue networks”

● Informal alliances:
○ Networks involve Congressional committees, companies, and bureaucracies
related to a specific policy area.
● Key elements:
○ Congressional committees:
■ Relevant committees, such as defense committees, often push for
increased funding or production.
○ Companies:
■ Corporations like Lockheed Martin advocate for building products (e.g.,
F-35) in their districts for economic benefits.
 ○ Bureaucracies:
■ Government departments (e.g., Air Force) request program continuation
to fulfill their missions.
● Dynamic relationships:
○ Constant communication ensures their ideas dominate policymaking.
● Key Note:
○ Changing policies leads to changes in the network. For example, eliminating
a program reshapes or dissolves the alliances formed around it.

What Works? Inside vs. Outside Lobbying

Inside Lobbying:

● Building relationships:
○ Establishing close ties with decision-makers to exchange ideas and gain
influence.
● Direct support:
○ Providing advice and resources to help decision-makers in their roles.
● Benefits to decision-makers:
○ Includes fundraising efforts, organizing trips (junkets), offering job opportunities,
or other perks.

Outside Lobbying:

● Public support:
○ Mobilizing the general public to advocate for the cause and build momentum.
● Sympathy from officials:
○ Aiming to gain the favor of elected or influential officials by showcasing the
movement’s legitimacy.
● Success over time:
○ Outside movements like civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQIA rights, labor
rights, and gun rights can succeed, though they often require long-term effort
and perseverance.

Why Doesn’t Everyone Just Do “Inside” Lobbying?

Challenges of "Inside" Lobbying:

● Requires significant resources:

○ Groups need staff, permanent offices, and time to maintain relationships and
engage effectively.
 ● Not all groups have access:
○ Business groups and major public interest groups (e.g., AARP, NRA) can
afford it due to ample funding.
○ Many public interest groups lack these resources, making inside lobbying
infeasible for them.
● Ordinary people face limitations:
○ They generally lack the resources or networks necessary to influence
decision-makers directly.

Major IG Lobbying Spenders (2010-2018):

● Top contributors include influential organizations such as:

○ US Chamber of Commerce: $1,506,125,680
○ National Association of Realtors: $546,116,083
○ American Medical Association: $393,194,500
○ Lockheed Martin: $255,304,170
○ Exxon Mobil: $254,862,742

How Do People Become Lobbyists?

● A lucrative area of politics:

○ Lobbying is one of the few areas in politics where individuals can legally earn a
substantial income.

Various Paths to Lobbying:

1. The "Revolving Door":

○ Former Congress members, government staff, and agency officials transition to
lobbying roles or return after serving as lobbyists.
2. Employed by a Company:
○ Professionals join a company's lobbying department or team to represent the
company’s interests.
3. Active in a Political Party:
○ Individuals use political party connections to establish relationships and gain
influence.
4. Public Relations Firms:
○ PR firms often work on lobbying campaigns to shape public and government
opinions.
5. "Shadow" Advocacy Groups:
○ Operate behind the scenes, pushing agendas without direct public visibility.
6. Become a Lawyer:
○ Many lobbyists are attorneys:
■ Represent multiple clients for lobbying purposes.
 ■ Operate on contracts specifying a set number of hours weekly for each
client.

The System Favors Wealthy, Organized Groups

● Over-representation of well-established groups:

○ Wealthier and more structured groups tend to have greater access and influence
in policymaking.
● Under-representation of less established groups:
○ Poorer or newer organizations struggle to gain similar attention or impact.
● Under-representation of "undefined" or "indirect" interests:
○ Topics that lack clear organization or seem abstract, such as environmental
concerns or quality-of-life issues, often go overlooked.
● Government prioritizes wealthy, organized interests:
○ Particularly in cases with low public interest, where citizens aren't actively
engaged or aware.

Examples of Underrepresented Issues:

● Right to Repair:
○ Advocacy for consumer rights to fix products.
● Preexisting Conditions and Healthcare:
○ Ensuring coverage for those with prior health issues.
● Prescription Drug Prices:
○ Addressing high costs in the pharmaceutical sector.
● College Loans and Bankruptcy:
○ Reforming rules that make it difficult to discharge student loans.
● Social Media Privacy Rights:
○ Protecting user data and privacy online.
● "White Collar" Crime:
○ Greater enforcement on financial or corporate wrongdoing.

Concluding Interest Groups

● Pursuing one’s interests is legal:

○ Advocating for specific goals through organized efforts is a legitimate part of the
democratic process.
● Interest groups are powerful:
○ Their influence can shape policies and political decisions significantly.
● Over-represent established, better-off groups:
 ○ Wealthy and structured organizations dominate over less affluent ones in
influence.
● Establish reinforcing networks:
○ Interest groups build and maintain relationships to strengthen and protect their
objectives.
● Most effective in low-attention cases:
○ They excel in advancing agendas when public focus on an issue is minimal.
● Non-rich groups CAN succeed:
○ Less established or less wealthy groups can still achieve their goals, but it’s a
slow and challenging process.
● Advocacy is essential:
○ If others actively push for their interests, individuals and groups must advocate
for their goals to ensure representation and influence.