Can you think of an interest group?

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MOONLITE BUNNY RANCH CARSON CITY, NV

Brooke Taylor Making Her Case

Girls, Drinks and Cigars Since 1955

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INTEREST GROUPS FOR ALL ACTIVITIES

The Desiree Alliance is a diverse, sex worker-led network of organizations, communities and individuals across the US working in harm reduction, direct services, political advocacy and health services for sex workers. We provide leadership and create space for sex workers and supporters to come together to advocate for human, labor and civil righ for all workers in the sex industry. (www.desrieealliance.org)

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IN-CLASS POLL

Should Prostitution Be Legalized?

Yes No Not Sure

Add Comments if youd like to support your view:

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POLITIX POLLS 2012

Results 71 % (Green) Yes, it should 29 % (Blue) No, it shouldn't Grey=NA Aug '12 3,480 votes

Politix.com-August 2012

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ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty AIDS Action Council AIDS Policy Center for Children, Youth, and Families Affordable Housing Industry Information Affordable Housing.com American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging American Association of People with Disabilities American Association of Retired Persons American Consulting Engineers Council American Economic Development Council American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Source: HUD

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ORGANIZED INTERESTS: WHO ARE THEY?

An interest group is a formally organized association that seeks to influence public policy. Interest groups include diverse organizations such as corporations, labor unions, and civil rights groups that reflect the spectrum of interests that make up our pluralistic society. Better educated and wealthier Americans are more active in interest group politics.

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THE ROOTS OF INTEREST GROUP POLITICS IN AMERICA

By the early 1800s, voluntary associations were well established in the United States. Economic change and advances in transportation brought rapid growth in the number of voluntary and political organizations in the mid-1800s. Labor unions and other voluntary associations supporting workers appeared in the late 1800s.

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AKRONS RAILROAD INDUSTRY ERIE LOCOMOTIVE 534 SERVING QUAKER OATS PHOTO 1894

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PULLMAN ILLINOIS-COMPANY TOWN

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PULLMAN STRIKE

PULLMAN , ILLINOIS

Striking American Railway Union (ARU) members confront National Guard Troops 1894

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FEDERAL TROOPS DISPATCHED

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EUGENE DEBS

Eugene Debs making anti-war (WWI) speech in Canton, Ohio June 16, 1918 Initiated Pullman RR Strike in 1894

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TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE NYC 1911

146 dead, 129 women, dozens of teenagers

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IMMIGRANTS WORKED IN THE MILLS.. AND SOMETIMES DIED THERE

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NATIONAL CONSUMERS LEAGUE

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THE ROOTS OF INTEREST GROUP POLITICS IN AMERICA

The New Deal spawned hundreds of interest groups with a stake in federal policies. The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s led to an explosion in Washington-based advocacy groups. Advocacy groups protect individuals and their rights but have contributed to a more passive role for citizens.

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WHOSE INTERESTS ARE REPRESENTED?

The largest interest group is composed of trade associations, particularly business interests. Professional associations, labor unions, and education groups also maintain a strong presence in Washington. Virtually every nation in the world maintains a Washington office to oversee its relations with U.S. leaders.

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AMERICAN PLUMBERS ADVOCACY GROUPS

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WHOSE INTERESTS ARE REPRESENTED?

Over 40 percent of all Washington lobbyists represent business interests.

Many interests at the bottom of the economic spectrum enjoy minimal or no representation at all

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NATIONAL WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION NWRO

Disbanded in 1975

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US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON, DC

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POTATO ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

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ANNUAL SOLCAP MEETING CORVALLIS, OREGON NICHE INTEREST GROUP

The SolCAP project links together people from public institutions, private institutions and industries who are dedicated to the improvement of the Solanaceae crops: potato and tomato. Through innovative research, education and training the SolCAP project will focus on translating genomic advances to US tomato and potato breeding programs

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DETROIT AUTO DEALERS ASSOCIATION (1909) AAA/GLIDDEN RELIABILITY TOUR PARADE

Parades were very common then

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WHY JOIN?
Interest groups employ various incentives to sustain membership and commitment. Incentives include: material benefits; solidarity (building friendships and networking opportunities); and the individual satisfaction of working to make change. Contrary to rational choice theory, interest group leaders rank material benefits to be the least important incentives.

Leaders of all kinds of groups rank purposive incentives highest, with solidarity incentives close behind.

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ATTY. BEATRICE CANNADY TO SPEAK!

When in June 1928, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chose to hold its 19th annual conference in Los Angeles, California, it was the first time the Associations meeting was held in the West. W.E.B. DuBois was the major speaker. He was followed by a then relatively unknown young attorney from Portland, Oregon, Beatrice M. Cannady
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INTEREST GROUP STRATEGIES

A strategy is a groups overall plan; the specific actions it undertakes are tactics. Inside strategies emphasize direct personal encounters with public officials. Outside strategies are activities that show popular support for a cause and indirectly create public pressure on elected officials. Resources useful in advancing a groups cause include money, numbers, prestige, and leadership.

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NRA Lobbyists Schmoozing With A Governor

Former Governor Janet Napolitano (AZ) Second from Right

CITIZENS PROTEST UNION TACTICS STRONGSVILLE TEACHERS STRIKE

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STRONGSVILLE TEACHERS PROTEST SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

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LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Lobbying is increasingly the province of permanent and salaried professionals. Former government workers are well suited to be lobbyists. They have specialized knowledge in a policy area The have a thorough knowledge of the political process Former lawmakers and staffers often join firms that lobbied them when they were in government.

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LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Members of Congress value lobbyists because of the resources they provide, like electoral support in the form of campaign contributions and information. Opportunities for lobbying Congress have increased in recent years due to rule changes that make individual members more important. The expansion of the federal bureaucracy greatly increased lobbying aimed at cabinet departments and executive agencies. Small groups of experts called issue networks may dominate policy creation and implementation.

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ISSUE NETWORKS-YIKES!

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LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Congress has passed several laws regulating lobbying activity, including a ban on accepting gifts, meals, or trips from lobbyists. Congress has attempted to regulate campaign financing and political contributions by individuals, political parties, and political action committees (PACs) Interest groups often form tax-exempt organizations, or 527 groups, to engage in various political activities.

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LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Some interest groups initiate litigation (law as a tactic to advance their goals. Litigation is expensive, so groups with abundant financial resources are most likely to undertake it. Not me or the rest of us! Most of the recent important Supreme Court cases have been test cases brought by organized interests in an attempt to set new precedents.

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WESTERN RESERVE LAND CONSERVANCY

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TRUMBULL COUNTY AGRICULTURAL EASEMENTS

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WRLC STRATEGIST/LOBBYIST

Kathy Obert Hill

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LOBBYING INCLUDES LITIGATION

E.g., Recent SC Rulings re: 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms

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LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Grassroots mobilization involves organizing citizens to exert direct
pressure on public officials for or against a policy.
Mobilizing the grass tops involves setting up meetings between highprofile constituents and members of Congress.

Astroturf lobbying involves using deceptive practices and lack of

transparency to manufacture grassroots support for an issue.

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CITY HALL STEPS GAY MARRIAGE CEREMONY NYC MARCH 2004

Public Events to Show Controversial Action to Exert Pressure on Public Officials re: Policy

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MOBILIZING THE GrassTops

Rep. Sherrod Brown meets with Ohio Rural Development Leaders

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WORLD HEADQUARTERS FOR CITIZENS AGAINST NAKED ANIMALS C.A.N.E.

Astroturf Lobbying: Use of dubious or phony tactics to manufacture support for a cause

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Likely to Vote!

Brainiacs, Married and Churchgoing, Too!

LOBBYING AND OTHER TACTICS

Organized groups may form coalitions to expand access to resources and information, increase their visibility, and enlarge the scope of their influence. Protests, which have always been a part of U.S. politics, are the ultimate form of grassroots activity. Protest usually accompanies issues that are highly charged emotionally Protest is a common tactic among those with limited financial resources and little direct access to power (OccupyWall Street as an example)
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NON-VIOLENT PROTEST AGAINST TOXIC WASTE

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DOA or Beginning of A Movement?

2013-DOA Website Down Facebook Active (Sort of) What Happened?

AS YOU READ
What are interest groups and what types of interests do they represent? Why might someone join an interest group? What do interest groups do?

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HOT OR NOT?

Should public employees have to wait more than a year before they start lobbying their former employer?
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HOT OR NOT?
Should Congress ban all gifts from lobbyists to members of Congress or should they allow gifts as long as they are fully disclosed to the public?
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GET INVOLVED
In addition to their constituents, what interests do your U.S. representative and senators represent? How much money did they raise in the last election cycle and where did it come from? You can search financial records that reveal this information easily at www.opensecrets.com. The site provides access to the source of both individual and PAC funds. Once you have this data, you can check voting records to discover whether or not they voted for issues supported by major backers.

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GET INVOLVED
Find an interest group that addresses the issues that are most important to you and communicate with that group about opportunities for working with it to advance your cause. Does the group have a local chapter? If not, find out how to start one yourself and develop plans for taking your issue to your congressional representative on behalf of the organization.

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WHICH INTERESTS ARE BEST REPRESENTED?

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EXERCISING INFLUENCE: INTEREST GROUP TACTICS

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PAC SPENDING LIMITS AND REGULATIONS

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EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF PACS

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WHO GIVES TO REPUBLICANS? WHO GIVES TO DEMOCRATS?

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AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION RATINGS FOR SENATORS IN FIRST SESSION OF 110TH CONGRESS (2007)

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FOR REVIEW
What are interest groups and what types of interests do they represent? Interest groups are voluntary associations that seek to create and promote advantages for their members. They represent myriad specific interests, but those representing the wealthy and better educated are more numerous.

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FOR REVIEW
Why might someone join an interest group? Someone might join an interest group to receive material advantages like discounts for products or services, social support from others with similar backgrounds or interests, or because they believe strongly in a cause they seek to advance.

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FOR REVIEW
What do interest groups do? Interest groups try to influence government policies through tactics like lobbying, financing campaigns, filing suits in court, working to create grassroots support, protesting, and forming alliances with others to advance their cause.

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