Homework: PP and IGs test on Friday

FrontPage: OL on your desk. Describe two ways that interest groups can influence public policy.

Affecting Public Policy: (aka)…Influencing the Decisions of Government

• What are the two ways that interest groups can influence the government?1. Influence the decision-makers…

2. Change the decision-makers

Similar to the way we can affect the Supreme Court’s decisions, but different as well…

L#@bying..

(#1 - influencing the decision-makers)

The Dirty Word in Politics:

Lobbying• What is lobbying?• Who are lobbyists? Why?– Lobbyist: Person who advocates on behalf of himself or

a client to pass a law or to make changes to a bill being considered in a federal or state legislative body, or to help shape policy in the executive branch and its regulatory departments. • Lobbyists can come from either the private sector or from a

legislative affairs department in a federal agency.

Lobbying• What can lobbyists do to try and make their case to

elected officials?– What must a lobbyist NEVER do?

• What can lobbyists do to have a direct effect on the bills placed before Congress?

• Why is lobbying controlled and monitored? – How is this done?

The Pros and Cons of Lobbying• Why is lobbying an important part of our

democratic process?• Why do some people have a negative view of

lobbying?

Homework: PP and IGs test on Friday

FrontPage: NNIGN

#2: Changing the Decision-makers: Influencing Elections

According to campaign finance laws (FECA laws of the 1970s), interest

groups, unions, and corporations are prohibited from directly donating money to campaigns or political

parties.They still spend a great deal on

lobbying, however:Amount spent on lobbying http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php

Top spenders on lobbyists:

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?indexType=s

Interest Groups and Donations

• But in order to still have a voice and be able to support candidates who will in turn support the IGs views, there is a way that IGs can still “give money” to candidates running for office– How do they do this?

Political Action Committees• What are PACs?• Who/what governs the actions of PACs

– Federal Election Commission (FEC)– Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BCRA) limits:

• To Candidate: $5000 per election • To Party: $15000 per year• To another PAC: $5000 per year

• Whom do PACs contribute to?• Incumbents: why?• Both candidates: why?• Running unopposed: why?

• Top PACs in 2008 election• Money raised by all candidates:

How do interest groups know which elected officials to support?

• They look at voting records and assign a “grade” or score depending upon whether the elected official supports their position…

– http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=53340