Overview
Key Definitions in American Political Science
P l u r a l i s m
A theory of government and politics emphasizing that many groups, each pressing for its preferred policies, compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace.
El i t i s m
A theory of government and politics contending that an upper-class elite will hold most of the power and thus in effect run the government.
Hyper-pluralism
A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government, seeking to please them all, is thereby weakened.
After completing the Interest Group and Bureaucracy Units, select an Interest Group and illustrate HOW the Interest Groups influences government to advance its target policy.
C.4.2.3 Theory of Interest Groups
C.4.2.4 Historical Development of Policymaking
The Instruction Materials on the Iron Triangle offered a variety of Interest Groups to select for this question.
C.3.2.9 Iron Triangles
What are the tactics Interest Groups use to influence the Congress, Presidency, Judiciary, and Agency.
This question is a focus on the Interest Group's lobbying tactics, not the Iron Triangle itself.
A review of the videos below (NRA-Khan) offer an insight into the behavior of the Interest Groups
Lobbying
- “Lobbying is the process by which interest groups attempt to assert their influence on the policy-making process.”
Lobbying Congress
Iron Triangles
- Work with Congressional Leadership
Committee Chairs
Political Action Committees
Make campaign contributions to key decision-makers
Lobby the Executive
Groups attempt to influence the formulation and implementation of policy
Influence President or key staff
Lobby the Judicial
Sponsor individual or group in litigation
ACLU pays for and represents client in SC
File Amicus Curaie
Influence the Solicitor General to take a case.
Influence Judicial Appointments to the bench
Interest Groups helped to oust Robert Bork- verb: Borked
Election Activities
Candidate Recruitment and Endorsement
Emilies List “Early Money is Like Yeast”
Provides seed money to recruited female candidates
WISH
Women in the House and Senate
- Get Out the Vote
Campaign Funding
Political Action Committees
- Quick Write Question:
What is the role and objective of the Interest Group in the process defined in the Iron Triangle?
- C.3.2.9 Iron Triangles(Click for information)
- Response Items:
- 1. Select an Interest Group to illustrate your answers. (click Iron Triangles Above)
2. Identify their target policy objective
- 3. Discuss the tactics they use to build and sustain membership and influence (Lobby) the Congress, Presidency, Judiciary, and Agency.
(This question is a focus on the group and its tactics, not the Iron Triangle itself)