American Government
1st EditionGlen Krutz
412 solutions
Government in America: Elections and Updates Edition
16th EditionGeorge C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry
269 solutions
American Corrections
11th EditionMichael D. Reisig, Todd R. Clear
160 solutions
Criminal Justice in America
9th EditionChristina Dejong, Christopher E. Smith, George F Cole
105 solutions
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Terms in this set (43)
Railroads
Dominant economic interest in Washington D.C. during the post-Civil War Era
Union Pacific Railroad
Pressure was exerted by Oakes Ames for the construction of this
He also installed his brother Oliver Ames as president of this railroad in 1866
After the scam, Ames was censured & this railroad went bankrupt
Credit Mibilier
Front company that was a part of a financial scam to funnel money back to the railroads through their construction tracts
Interest Groups
"Pressure group/organized interest"
Organization of people with shared goals that tried to influence public policy through a variety of activities & are attempting to protect/advance their own interests
Most natural/influential form of public input into government
Examples: Writing to elected representatives to voice their opinion, joining an interest group, senior citizens securing cost-of-living (increase monthly SS check/AARP)
Jack Abromoff
He lobbied on the behalf of Native American tribes in their efforts to promote Indian-run casinos
He was also hired to represent the Native Americans to further promote casino developments. By doing so, he helped defeat federal legislation who would have placed a federal tax on these casinos
He spent millions of dollars to illegally influence politicians by offering free meals, free skyboxes, & free vacations
He was eventually prosecuted by the government for fraud & pleaded guilty
1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
Permitted casinos on tribal lands
Tom Delay
House Majority Leader that played a role in Abromoff's scams & was later shut down
Alex de Tocqueville
Wrote the book "Democracy in America"
Frenchman who toured the US in the early 1830s & was surprised about the way Americans were prone to organize in groups & use their associations for political process
Pluralism
Theory that public policy largely results from a variety of interest groups competing w/ one another to promote laws that benefit members of their respective groups
"the majority rarely rules"
Majoritarianism
Theory that public policy is a product of what majorities of citizens prefer
Focuses on public opinion, voting results, & mass representation to describe how democracy in America actually works
Robert Dahl
Architect of pluralist ideas
Suggested in "A Preface to Democratic Theory" that the American people are represented in government primarily through interest group activity
According to Dahl, the US political system offers a number of "access points" for any given group to provide input, such as Congress, executive branch offices, the courts, elections & the news media
David B. Truman
Advanced the notion that group activity & mobilization are natural consequences of shared concerns
Pros of Interest Groups
1. Interest groups provide all groups in society w/ an opportunity to win support for their ideas/positions. The vast number of interest groups represents a wide array of political opinions, economic perspectives & social class differences.
2. Humans seek out others who have ideas similar to their own.
3. Right of association is a basic right protected implicitly bt the First Amendment to the Us Constitutions, which affords people
the right "peaceably to assemble"
4. A wide array of diverse groups in society may organize & attempt to influence government. The system is fair in that it gives all groups an equitable opportunity to compete.
Cons of Interest Groups
1. Use of interest groups to make public policy is unfair because groups supported by the wealthy have far greater resources to promote their interests in the political
system
2. Large corporations exist to maximize profits. They dominate the interest-group system & tend to be ruthless in achieving their policy goals.
3. Amount of interest-group activity is so great that it has made it difficult to get things done in government.
4. Interest-group leaders are not elected, distinguishing them from many of the policy-making institutions that have been constitutionally ordained such as Congress & executive branch.
5. Interest groups work to
concentrate benefits for the few while distributing costs to the many.
Interest Groups vs Political Parties
1. Parties mainly focus on elections by endorsing candidates & working for their election office. Interest groups find other access points to accomplish their goals such as the courts, committee system & executive agencies.
2. Groups tend to focus narrowly on special issues or sets of issues. Major parties are all-encompassing & are guided by broader ideological ties approaching to governing.
Parties = generalists; interest groups = focused.
Social Movements
Example: Civil rights, consumer safety, women's rights, & environmental movements
Large informal groupings of individuals were often spawned directly from particular interest groups. Movements can be political, economic, & social.
Sons of Liberty
Gathered members, collected donations & organized protests to achieve the goal of American freedom from British taxation. Successful in their aims because they tied their actions to the economic interests of their members.
American Federation of Labor (AFL)
First broad-based national labor union led by Samuel Gompers
Established to advocate the rights of craft unions & ensure the terms of union contracts
Principal advocate for establishing a cabinet department, the US Department of Labor
1950s merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) to create the AFL-CIO
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
1885 for the purpose of advancing the interests of the manufacturing businesses
Opponent of AFL
Goals: higher wages, better working conditions, increased benefits, job security
Growth of Interest Groups
Most significant factor leading to an increase in the number of interest groups has been the overall growth in government
1. Heightened concern about social & political issues fostered a significant amount of new interest group activity
2. Escalating cost of financing political campaigns has increases interest-group activity
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Placed limits on individual & corporate contributions to political campaigns
Political Action Committees (PACs)
Raise money from individuals & provide a source of funding for candidates/political parties
Engage in "soft money" spending on advertising independent of candidates & parties
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Ruled that corporations may make contributions to PACs, which has facilitated the "super PACs"
3 Set of Actors To Produce Public Policy
1. Congressional
committees & subcommittees assigned to a specific area
2. Executive agencies of government that have the authority to administer policies in a particular area
3. Private interest groups have an interest in influencing that policy area
Iron Triangle
A three-sided network of policy-making that includes congressional committees in a specific policy area, executive agencies w/ authority over that area, & private interest groups focused on influencing that area.
Example: Pratt & Whitney
Issue Networks
Broader array of actors beyond legislators, bureaucrats & lobbyists who try to influence a particular policy area such as congressional staff people, journalists & other members of media
Reasons why people might join interest groups
1. Material Benefits
2. Purposive Benefits
3. Solidary Benefits
Material Benefits
Example: Salary increases, health insurance, magazine subscriptions, free products
Purposive Benefits
Rewards that do not directly benefit the individual member but benefit society more generally
Solidary Benefits
Satisfaction that individuals receive from interacting with like-minded individuals for a cause
What Makes Some Groups More Powerful Than Others
1. Size of membership (Larger = better/more influence)
2. Wealth of members (more = better)
3. Dedication of members to the goals of the group
Economic Interest Groups
Groups that exists to promote favorable economic conditions & economic opportunities for their members
Largest/most powerful groups, best organizes, most influential
Business Groups -- Trade Association
Focuses on 1 particular industry & members of the association are drawn exclusively from that industry
Looks out for the specific interests of a classification of businesses
Example: American Society of Travel Agents
Free Riders
Those individuals who do not join or contribute to an interest group that is representing their interests
Enjoy benefits of membership without cost
Labor Unions
Promote interests of American workers
Open Shop
Employees in a state must maintain the option of whether or not to join a certified union
If do not join the union, will not have to "pay the price"
Closed Shop
Taft Harley Act banned this
Requires union membership as a condition of employment in a unionized workplace
Union Shops
Require that employees in unionized workplaces either join the union or pay the equivalent of union dues to it after a set period of time
Noneconomic Interest Group
Public interest groups, issue or ideological groups, & government groups
Public Interest Groups
Promote the broad, collective good of citizens & consumers
Seek to promote political reforms that enhance the role of the public in the political process
Example: League of Women Voters, Common Cause
Ralph Nader made General motors publicly admit to the US Senate that the company ignored automobile safety problems
Issue & Ideological Groups
Example: Abortion, women's rights, environment, American Civil Liberties Union (civil rights) Christian Coalition of America (pro-life positions)
Broader focus than a particular issue or set of policy issues
Intergovernmental Lobbies
States, cities & governments organize collectively through a variety of interest groups such as these
Example: National League of Cities (interests of local government)
How Interest Groups Achieve Their Goals
1. Lobbying - How interest groups go about influencing government officials. Provide information to public officials with the hope that the info will convince the official to vote/act in a manner favorable to the group's interest. Seek access to members of Congress. Have knowledge/expertise. Communicate w/ public officials through written memos, policy papers, e-mail, or notes.
- Example: Individual offering money,
gifts, etc in return for a favorable action.
- Grassroots Lobbying - Interest groups communicate with government officials by mobilizing public opinion to exert influence on government action
2. Supporting Candidates/Parties in Elections -
3. Litigation -
4. Persuasion Campaigns
POLS 1101: Chapter 16: American Foreign Policy
41 terms
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SOCI 1101: Chapter 14
6 terms
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SOCI 1101: Chapter 13
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SOCI 1101: Chapter 11
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Verified questions
economics
A cut in income taxes is an example of A. an expansionary fiscal policy. B. a contractionary fiscal policy. C. an expansionary monetary policy. D. a contractionary monetary policy. E. none of the above.
Verified answer
algebra
*Determine without graphing whether the system of equations has exactly one solution, no solution, or an infinite number of solutions.* \ $$ 2 x-4 y=8 $$ $$ -2 x+y=6 $$
Verified answer
finance
Complete the following descriptions by writing in the blanks. **1.** Accrual of interest on bonds held as long-term investments requires a credit to ________ ________ . **2.** The controlling investor (more than 50% ownership) is called the , and the investee company is called the ________ . **3.** Trading securities are classified as ________ assets. **4.** Equity securities giving an investor significant influence are accounted for using the ________ ________ . **5.** Available-for-sale debt securities are reported on the balance sheet at ________ ________ .
Verified answer
economics
In your family, do you think tasks are divided among family members according to comparative advantage? If so, how? If not, how might the allocation of tasks be improved?
Verified answer
Recommended textbook solutionsGovernment in America: Elections and Updates Edition
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