Types functions and methods of Pressure Groups

Types / functions and methods of Pressure Groups in the USA

Types of Pressure Groups Type Example Business / trade American Business Conference Agriculture National Farmers’ Unions AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organisations) Professional American Medical Assoc Single Issue NRA Ideological ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) Group rights NAACP (National Association for the advancement of Colored People) Public interest Friends of the Earth

Functions of Pressure Groups Representation – citizens views heard n Participation – increase opportunities for n Public Education n Agenda building – attempt to influence agendas of political parties, legislators and bureaucrats. n Programme monitoring – scrutinising. n

Examples http: //www. nra. org/ n http: //www. prochoiceamerica. org/index. html n

What are the methods used by Pressure groups? Lobbying n Publicity n Organising grass roots activities n Litigation n Electioneering n

Methods used; Lobbying: Provision of accurate, detailed information to legislators and bureaucrats. ‘K’ street corridor – Washington DC. n Publicity: TV – issue advertising Eg. Insurance companies in Health care reforms US Term limits – defeat long term members; eg Tom Foley 1994 (House speaker) n Organising grassroots activities; Postal ‘blitz’ on congress. Marches / demos Extreme methods – setting fire to and bombing abortion clinics. n Litigation in the courts: 1954 - case of Brown vs Board of Education was brought to court by NAACP / ACLU 1967 – ACLU successfully argued against state bans on interracial marriage 1973 – Roe vs Wade n

Methods used; n n Electioneering; A result of 1970 s campaign finance reforms; limited pressure group donation. PAC is an organisation whose purpose is to raise and then give campaign funds to candidates for political office. 2002 – mid terms; incumbent House members : $176 million, challengers: $29 million n Senate: $43 million to incumbents and $15 million to challengers. n National Association of Realtors – gave $3. 8 million American Federation of Teachers – gave $4 million n

Examples of influence: 1954 - case of Brown vs Board of Education was brought to court by NAACP / ACLU 1967 – ACLU successfully argued against state bans on interracial marriage 1973 – Roe vs Wade 2001 - NARAL Pro Choice America spent $3. 4 million on advertising in 2006 – AIPAC secured foreign aid to Israel $2. 5 bn. Guarenteed loans until 2011 2006 – AARP had $1 bn revenue. Spent $23 million on lobbying. 2003 – AARP influenced US congress passage of Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Ac. 2007 – Divided we fail. Largest political campaign. Brownback / Mc. Cain / Huckerbee in national TV debate.