tactics and methods of pressure groups

• what was the total federal lobbying revenue for 2016?

  just over 3.1bn dollars
• what is the issue-based model of participation which isn't pressure groups?

  social movements like the labour movement or women's movement
• how has the internet democratised access to pluralism and social movements?

  the use of social media means that movements can be generated from a tweet or a hashtag like #MeToo. it allows many people to get involved without having to have lots of money
• what was the Occupy Movement?

  • emerged during the end of George W Bush's second term - collapse of the banking and financial sectors
  • focused on economic inequality but it didn't cause any policy changes
• How do pressure groups interact and attempt to influence Congress

  Lobbying individuals

  • pressure groups will attempt to contact senators and representatives directly
• How do pressure groups interact and attempt to influence Congress?

  lobbying congressional committees

  • congress does most of its work in committees and pressure groups may want to influence only a specific area of policy making
• what is having insider contacts as a way to influence?

  pressure groups have offices in Washington DC that allow them to access the federal gov easily. they develop relationships and then use this to persuade them on legislative matters
• when is professional lobbying used most frequently?

  when pressure groups have lots of financial resources often through lobbying firms
• how can pressure groups have an influential role in campaigns?

  they can endorse a specific candidate
• how can pressure groups organise constituents during elections?

  they can organise them to write, phone, e-mail or even visit a member of congress to express their views on certain policies
• how do pressure groups get around the restrictions of hard money for campaign funding?

  they use soft money and direct it at PACS and super PACS
• how do pressure groups try to influence the executive?

  they seek to maintain ties with relevant executive departments, agencies and regulatory commissions
• what is revolving door syndrome?


  lobbying firms try to hire lobbyists who have previously worked within the executive branch or congress and they may return to political roles at a later stage
• what is the iron triangle?

  it is used to describe the close relationship between three key participants in the policy making process - interest groups, congress and the executive branch
• in the iron triangle how can interest groups influence the executive in congress?

  • by making donations to their election campaign
  • interest groups can use their influence over congress to put pressure on the executive
• in the iron triangle how can congress influence the executive and interest groups?

  • congress is responsible for funding gov departments and producing laws that affect those departments' policy areas
  • congress can influence interest groups as it may pass legislation that affects them
• in the iron triangle how can the executive influence congress and interest groups?

  • executive departments have considerable power over interest groups as they create the regulations that those groups must follow
  • the executive branch can also influence congress by setting the policy agenda and determine how the federal bureaucracy will implement congress's laws
• how has congress tried to regulate lobbying?

  through legislation such as the Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995 and the Honest Leadership and Open government Act 2007

  lobbying must be disclosed and there are tight restrictions on gifts from lobbyists
• how do pressure groups seek to influence the judiciary?

  • the judges have life tenure and they interpret laws - the American Bar Association evaluates the professional qualifications of nominees
• what does Amicus Curiae mean?

  friend of the court
• what are Amicus Curiae briefings?

  • pressure groups have an opportunity to present their views to the court in writing before oral arguments are heard
• what is the impact of amicus curiae briefings?

  • they influence the decision making process - justices have referred to them in their written opinion on cases
  • in 2019-20, justices mentioned 10% of the nongovernmental green briefs submitted to them