October 24, 2005Early voting is beginning

today.

What elections are about to take place?

What issues are on the ballot?

If you could vote for Bill White, would you?

Why this date?

The Role of Interest Groups

• Interest groups are private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy.

• Public policies Are the things that government decides to do.

What interest groups do:What interest groups do:• Represent concernsRepresent concerns of common citizens. of common citizens.

(You can join one (You can join one !)!)• Help citizens Help citizens explain problemsexplain problems to public to public

officials.officials.• Raise public awarenessRaise public awareness of particular issues of particular issues

of concern.of concern.

• Serve as a Serve as a check on public officialscheck on public officials and and other interest groups. other interest groups. (So no one (So no one person or group has too much power!)person or group has too much power!)

Political Parties and Interest Groups

Nominations

• Political parties are responsible for the nominating process, while interest groups hope to influence those nominations.

Political Parties and Interest Groups

Primary Focus• Political parties are interested in

winning elections and controlling government, while interest groups are interested in influencing the policies created by government.

Political Parties and Interest Groups

Scope of Interest• Political parties concern themselves

with the whole range of public affairs, while interest groups tend to focus on single issues that their members are concerned about.

Assessment

1. What is the role of interest groups?

(a) Raising the interest rate

(b) Organizing party conventions

(c) Influencing public policy

(d) All of the above

ROBERT LONGORIA

Assessment

1. What is the role of interest groups?

(a) Raising the interest rate

(b) Organizing party conventions

(c) Influencing public policy

(d) All of the above

Reasons for Interest Groups

• Most interest groups have been founded on the basis of an economic interest, especially business, labor, agricultural, and professional interests.

• Some are based on a cause or idea, such as environmental protection.

• Some promote the welfare of certain groups of people, such as retired citizens.

Membership in Labor Unions

Labor Unions are a form of an Interest Group

3. What kind of an interest group is the National Bar Association?

(a) Religious

(b) Professional

(c) Agricultural

(d) Labor Union

Assessment

MARIA MORALES

Assessment

3. What kind of an interest group is the National Bar Association?

(a) Religious

(b) Professional

(c) Agricultural

(d) Labor Union

4. The AARP is what type of interest group?

(a) Agricultural

(b) Cause-related

(c) Professional

(d) Public-interest

Assessment

VICTORIA BOBMANUEL

Assessment

4. The AARP is what type of interest group?

(a) Agricultural

(b) Cause-related

(c) Professional

(d) Public-interest

What is the message of this cartoon?

October 25, 2005

Rosa Parks1913-2005

Rosa Parks, was arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance, but her lonely act of defiance began a movement that ended legal segregation in America, and made her an inspiration to freedom-loving people everywhere.

Propaganda• Propaganda is a technique of persuasion

aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors.

• Its goal is to create a particular belief which may be true or false.

• It presents only one side of an issue.

• Propaganda often relies on name-calling and inflammatory labels.

Political Commercialsas Propaganda

• Television has become the #1 source of peoples information.

• During an Election Cycle Candidates put out commercials to influence your vote.

• Are the commercials information or propaganda?

An important arm of interest An important arm of interest groups are…groups are…

• Political Action CommitteesPolitical Action Committees

• Their specific purpose is to Their specific purpose is to raise and raise and give moneygive money to to candidates. candidates.

PAC’sPAC’s

Candidates need lots Candidates need lots of money! of money!

For media coverage, to For media coverage, to hire people to work to hire people to work to get him known, for get him known, for travel and other travel and other expenses…expenses…

How do you think they How do you think they expect to get all that expect to get all that money?money?

What can be the problem with What can be the problem with all this?all this?

• Think about it…Think about it…

PACPAC PoliticianPolitician

Growth of PACs

Lobbying• Lobbying is any activity by which a

group pressures legislators and influences the legislative process.

• Lobbying can happen at all levels of government.

• Most interest groups lobby in Washington, D.C.

The individuals who actually The individuals who actually visit visit members of Congressmembers of Congress to try to get to try to get them to vote they way they want them to vote they way they want

are called are called lobbyistslobbyists..• Comes from waiting in Comes from waiting in

the the lobbylobby outside the outside the Senate and House Senate and House chambers.chambers.

• They must be very They must be very persuasive!persuasive!

Lobbyists at Work

Lobbyists use several techniques:

• They send articles, reports, and other information to officeholders.

• They testify before legislative committees.

• They bring “grass-roots” pressures to bear through email, letters, or phone calls from constituents.

• They rate candidates and publicize the ratings.

• They make campaign contributions.

What can be the problem with What can be the problem with all this?all this?

• Think about it…Think about it…

LobbyistLobbyist PoliticianPolitician

5. What is propaganda?

(a) A bill that has been vetoed

(b) A one-sided argument

(c) An objective description

(d) A scientific paper

Assessment

DONNA ANDREWS

Assessment

5. What is propaganda?

(a) A bill that has been vetoed

(b) A one-sided argument

(c) An objective description

(d) A scientific paper

6. How do lobbyists influence legislators?

(a) Campaign contributions

(b) “Grass roots” campaigns

(c) Publicized ratings

(d) All of the above

Assessment

JOHN PIZZITOLA JR.

Assessment

6. How do lobbyists influence legislators?

(a) Campaign contributions

(b) “Grass roots” campaigns

(c) Publicized ratings

(d) All of the above

Examples of Interest GroupsExamples of Interest Groups

• AARPAARP American Association of American Association of Retired PersonsRetired Persons

• NEANEA

National Education National Education AssociationAssociation

• MADDMADD

Mothers Against Drunk DrivingMothers Against Drunk Driving

ExamplesExamples

• Sierra ClubSierra Club

• Chamber of Commerce of the Chamber of Commerce of the United StatesUnited States

• AFL-CIOAFL-CIO• League of Women VotersLeague of Women Voters• Consumers Union Consumers Union • AMA AMA

American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical Association

ExamplesExamples

• NRANRA National Rifle AssociationNational Rifle Association

• NAACPNAACP

National Association for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Advancement of Colored PeoplePeople

• American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association

• National Council of ChurchesNational Council of Churches

ExamplesExamples

• ACLUACLU American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union

• CFRCFRCouncil on Foreign RelationsCouncil on Foreign Relations

• Common CauseCommon Cause• AAAAAA

American Automobile American Automobile AssociationAssociation

ExamplesExamples

• National Audubon SocietyNational Audubon Society

• MALDEF MALDEF

Mexican American Legal Mexican American Legal Defense and Education FundDefense and Education Fund

• Associated Milk ProducersAssociated Milk Producers

• International Brotherhood of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Teamsters

• Tulip Growers AssociationTulip Growers Association

What is the message of this cartoon?

October 25, 2005

Propaganda• Propaganda is a technique of persuasion

aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors.

• Its goal is to create a particular belief which may be true or false.

• It presents only one side of an issue.

• Propaganda often relies on name-calling and inflammatory labels.

Political Commercials

• Ike

• Daisy

• Ice Cream Cone

• We Will Bury you

• Ford Achievements

• The Threat

http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/election/

An important arm of interest An important arm of interest groups are…groups are…

• Political Action CommitteesPolitical Action Committees

• Their specific purpose is to Their specific purpose is to raise and raise and give moneygive money to to candidates. candidates.

PAC’sPAC’s

Candidates need lots Candidates need lots of money! of money!

For media coverage, to For media coverage, to hire people to work to hire people to work to get him known, for get him known, for travel and other travel and other expenses…expenses…

How do you think they How do you think they expect to get all that expect to get all that money?money?

What can be the problem with What can be the problem with all this?all this?

• Think about it…Think about it…

PACPAC PoliticianPolitician

Growth of PACs

Lobbying• Lobbying is any activity by which a

group pressures legislators and influences the legislative process.

• Lobbying can happen at all levels of government.

• Most interest groups lobby in Washington, D.C.

The individuals who actually The individuals who actually visit visit members of Congressmembers of Congress to try to get to try to get them to vote they way they want them to vote they way they want

are called are called lobbyistslobbyists..• Comes from waiting in Comes from waiting in

the the lobbylobby outside the outside the Senate and House Senate and House chambers.chambers.

• They must be very They must be very persuasive!persuasive!

Lobbyists at Work

Lobbyists use several techniques:

• They send articles, reports, and other information to officeholders.

• They testify before legislative committees.

• They bring “grass-roots” pressures to bear through email, letters, or phone calls from constituents.

• They rate candidates and publicize the ratings.

• They make campaign contributions.

What can be the problem with What can be the problem with all this?all this?

• Think about it…Think about it…

LobbyistLobbyist PoliticianPolitician

5. What is propaganda?

(a) A bill that has been vetoed

(b) A one-sided argument

(c) An objective description

(d) A scientific paper

Assessment

DONNA ANDREWS

Assessment

5. What is propaganda?

(a) A bill that has been vetoed

(b) A one-sided argument

(c) An objective description

(d) A scientific paper

6. How do lobbyists influence legislators?

(a) Campaign contributions

(b) “Grass roots” campaigns

(c) Publicized ratings

(d) All of the above

Assessment

JOHN PIZZITOLA JR.

Assessment

6. How do lobbyists influence legislators?

(a) Campaign contributions

(b) “Grass roots” campaigns

(c) Publicized ratings

(d) All of the above