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25 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Public policy
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All of the many goals that a government pursues in all of the many areas of human affairs in which it is involved
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Public affairs
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Events and issues that concern the public at large.
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Trade association
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An interest group composed of companies in the same business or industry (the same "trade") that lobbies for policies that will benefit members of the group.
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Labor union
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An organization of workers that tries to improve working conditions, wages, and benefits for its members
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Public-interest group
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group that seeks to institute certain public policies of benefit to all or most people in this country, whether or not they belong to or support that organization
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Propaganda
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Ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause.
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Single-interest group
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Political action committees that concentrate their efforts exclusively on one issue.
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Lobbying
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A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature.
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Grass roots
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Political activity that originates locally, or arises from ground level.
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functions of interest groups
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(1) raise awareness and stimulate interest in public affairs, (2) represent members based on shared attitudes instead of geography, (3) provide specialized information and expertise to government, (4) serve as vehicles for political participation, (5) provide additional checks and balances in the political process, and (6) compete with one another in the public arena
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criticisms of interest groups
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(1) some have disproportionate influence, (2) sometimes it's hard to tell just who or how many people the group represents, (3) many groups do not, in fact, represent the interests if the people for whom they claim to speak, (4) some use shady tactics that undermine our political system
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the two best-known general business organizations
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the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Chamber of Commerce of the United States
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examples of trade associations
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the American Trucking Association, the Association of American Railroads, the American Bankers Association, and the National Restaurant Association
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the AFL-CIO
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a big group representing the interests of organized labor, including some 100 separate unions
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examples of professional organizations
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the AMA (American Medical Association), the ABA (American Bar Association, the NEA (the National Education Association)
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examples of groups that promote or oppose causes
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the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, the Audubon Society, the National Right-to-Life Committee, Planned Parenthood, and the NRA (National Rifle Association)
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examples of religious organizations
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the National Council of Churches, the Anti-Defamation League, the National Catholic Welfare Council, and the Christian Coalition |
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examples of organizations that promote the welfare of certain groups
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VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), American Legion, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), and the National Urban League
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examples of public interest groups
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Common Cause and Public Citizen
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electioneering |
In order to accomplish their goals, interest groups need to get and keep people in office who support their causes. This is called _____. |
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litigation |
If interest groups cannot get what they want from Congress or the state legislatures, they may sue. Filing lawsuits is engaging in ______. |
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amicus curia (or "friend of the court") briefs |
written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a lawsuit |
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class action lawsuits |
Groups file this kind of lawsuit in order to enable a group of similar plaintiffs to combine their grievances into a single suit. A famous example is BROWN V. THE BD. OF ED. OF TOPEKA (1954). |
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free rider problem |
It seems logical that large interest groups would be more effective than small ones, but the opposite is true because groups with large memberships tend to have this problem. Since there are so many members, individuals tend to take advantage of the benefits but let somebody else do the work. |
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the "revolving door" |
slang term used to describe the practice of government officials quitting their jobs in government in order to become lobbyists who, in turn, use their inside knowledge and connections to benefit the corporations and groups for which they work by lobbying government |