Term
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Definition
| organized body of individuals who share some goals and try to influence public policy |
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Term
self oriented interest group
(one type of interest group) |
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Definition
| seek policy goals that directly benfit own membership/group |
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Term
public interst group
(other type of interest group) |
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Definition
| seek public good/collective benefit that society will enjoy (benfits are not reserved/confined to group members) |
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Term
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Definition
interest groups that persue a collective or public good encounter the free-rider problem
groups must provide selective benfits:
-"purposive" or "expressive" benefits
-"material" or tangible benefits
-social benefits |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs anytime an interest group (or an individual) attempts to influence policymakers |
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Term
| james madison view of fractions |
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Definition
we do not remove the cause of faction/special interest. instead we try to control the effects of faction
-structure of government
-many competing interests in a vast republic
-madison's hope resurfaced in academic political science of 1950-1960's inoptimistic form, creating a pluralist model/theory of democracy (pluralism) |
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Term
| the pluralist model/theory of democracy |
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Definition
-public policy is product of many competing interest
-government acts like a referee in group struggle
*assumptions of model:
1.all relevant interest are rep
2. everyone joins and is active in interest groups
3. political power and reources are widely distributed throughout society
-THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE NOT MET |
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Term
group lobbying
(Direct Lobbying) |
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Definition
face to face exchange between the lobbyer and the lawmaker
-focuses on est. an ongoing, trusting relationship with government offical
-crediblity and reputation are key
-information is the major resource |
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Term
group lobbying
(indirect lobbying) |
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Definition
"going public" or "grassroots"; calling on public to send letters, etc.
-"good" lobbyists-expertise, experience, access, effective infobrokers |
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Term
| Political Action Commitee (PAC) |
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Definition
| a federally reg. fund-raising group that pools money from individuals to give to political candidates and parties |
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Term
| First way PAC contributes |
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Definition
| money is not given to affect the outcome of election but to gain access to and curry favor with the winner. PACs contribute to sure winners, to members of both parties sitting on commitees dealing with legislation they care about, and to newly elected members after the elections. |
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Term
| second way that PAC's contribute |
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Definition
| agenda to maximize the number of seats held by people sympathetic to their views changing reps rather than by persuading reps to change policies. these PAC's focus their money on close races where it is likely to make a difference. |
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