文档介绍：Chapter 7
Interest Groups and Political Parties
Defining Interest Groups and Political Parties
What is an Interest Group?
anized group of individuals
who mon goals or objectives
who attempt to influence policymakers in all three branches of government, and at all levels
What is a political party?
a group of activists anize to win elections, to operate the government and to determine public policy
Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interest Groups – groups formed to promote economic interests
Business Interest Groups – business and anizations that attempt to influence government policy to their benefit
Agricultural Interest Groups- advocate for farm interests
enjoy disproportionate influence
Labor Interest Groups – groups that represent the working class interests
Public Employee Unions – interest groups that represent employees of governments, including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and teachers
Interest Groups of Professionals – interest groups that advocate for professional associations, like the American Bar Association and the American Medical Association
Types of Interest Groups (cont.)
Environmental Interests – groups that advocate for pro-environmental policies, including the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy
Public Interest Groups – groups that advocate the interests of the collective, munity
Single Interest Groups – narrowly focused interest groups
Foreign Governments
Interest Group Strategies
Direct Techniques
Lobbying - meeting officials and attempting to convince of your position on an issue; Lobbying also entails
Ratings – scoring legislators based on their votes in congress, then making interested constituents aware of those scores
Campaign Assistance – providing workers for political campaigns
Interest Group Strategies (cont.)
Indirect Techniques
Generating Public Pressure – trying to influence the government by using public opinion on an issue
Using Const