US Government Chapter Review Outlines: Interest Groups Are a Part of American Politics

Chapter number and title: Chapter 9-Interest Groups and their Influence

Outline: Interest Groups Are a Part of American Politics

Interest Groups are organizations of people with shared attitudes who attempt to influence public policy.
Joined for: Social, Economic, and Moral reasons
Effectiveness Depends on: Size, geographic distribution, cohesion, and intensity of its memberships
Criticized for: Individuals has too much influence over govt.; distorting the issues; damaging the effect of govt. officials; unethical practices
Praised for: Encouraging participation in govt.; provides useful info. to policy-makers; stabilized American Politics

Interest Groups Have Diverse Goals

Reasons for organization: economic concerns; business groups; professional associations; agricultural interests; labor unions
Formed to influence: civil rights; religious; and public interest groups. Single-issue groups are the main concern

Interest Groups Tactics

Tactics used to influence public policy: Hire lobbyists; electioneering; Political Action Committees (PAC); organize grassroots movements; litigation; initiative; referendum; and propaganda

Explain how the saying "The wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease" applies to interest groups.

Politicians will help out the interest groups who cause the most problems. Look how Congress reacts to the threats of the NRA. There is also a rapidly growing group of citizens calling for greater gun control. These special interest groups will be gaining influence as election time draws near. They also help interest groups with the most support. Politicians do this to get themselves support in elections.

1.Intrest group- a structured organization of people with shared attitudes who attempt to influence public policy.

2. Lobbying- efforts to influence legislation or other government decisions through personal persuasion.

3.Propaganda- often used negatively, to mean only false or misleading types of persuasion.