Question

1. What are some activities that a typical lobbyist would do to influence government? In other word, what are interest groups’ strategies for influence?

Answer 1

What are interest groups?
Interest groups are Non-profit and voluntary organizations whose members have a common cause and consequently, they seek to influence public policy. Their activities and actions include lobbying the members of legislative bodies by contributing to political parties, work for electing sympathetic politicians, and undertaking covert or open propaganda campaigns. Interest Groups can be categorized into (1) Public interest group such as 'Friends Of environment' whose objective is to benefit people who are facing particular problem. (2) Professional association of doctors, lawyers and other professionals(3) Economic associations, such as chambers of commerce, trade unions, religious bodies, and (4) Special interest group (SIG).

1. Lobbying

What Is Lobbying?
Lobbying includes within its purview bringing pressure on policymakers for the purpose of gaining favorable policy outcomes. Lobbying includes using persuasion techniques i.e. using reports, informal meetings, protests, or other techniques to persuade and convince an elected official or bureaucrat to help in enacting a law, frame a regulation, or involvement in those activities that a group wants.

The Business of Lobbying
Lobbying in the United States is highly regulated. Moreover, Annual reports must be filed by lobbying firms and interest groups to detail expenditures used for lobbying activities. The importance of lobbying can be understood by the fact that The number of registered lobbyists doubled between 2000 and 2005. Adding further, in recent years, the number of interest groups has also increased directly in correlation with the big size and heavy influence of the federal government.

Many organizations lobby independently, while other organizations join a trade association, group consisting of companies in the same business or industry (the same “trade”) to benefit members of the group. The other way is that many like-minded groups in America remain unorganized, without an organization to represent them.

More about Lobbying
Lobbying activities are directed mainly at the national level: various committees of Congress that consider legislation. Then comes administrative agencies that are responsible for writing or enforcing regulations, and finally executive departments. Lobbyists use and depend on their personal relationships with members of Congress and the executive branch. However, Many lobbyists themselves have served in government. This means that The above-mentioned lobbyist have worked, for years, with the people they are now lobbying; giving them invaluable insights about how things are accomplished in Washington.

Moreover, Lobbyists are sophisticated professionals and do not say directly to senators, "Vote for this bill. instead, they explain with reasons why the bill is important to their constituency.

Criticisms
Lobbyists are criticized that they also play a role by influencing how laws are written and implemented. The word iron triangle that is also called cozy triangle expresses the ties among congressional committees, administrative agencies (whose funding is set by the committees), and the lobbyists working closely with both.

2. Grass-roots campaigns
Another way of influencing government is by marshaling and appealing to the public for support. Interest groups requested its members to write to representative and senator or even call them on the eve of an important vote. It also involves Direct mailing to people who are not members and soliciting for backing particular policy and a contribution. One instance of Grass-root campaign is that during the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), business and organized labor get on the back of major print and media advertising campaigns to rally public opinion.

3. Political action committees
Political action committees are those groups that are involved in raising and distributing money to candidates. They may have an alliance with an existing interest group, such as a labor union or trade association. However, they can be independent also. One instance of PAC is the change in campaign financing laws in 1971 that limited the amount of money an individual could contribute. The number of PACs has tectonically increased in the last 2 decades along with the amount of money they donate. As per prevailing law, there is a limit of $5,000 on PAC contributions to candidates for Congress.
Top PAC's in the United States are the National Association of Realtors, the American Bankers Association, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

4. Litigation
Interest groups can turn to the courts seeking remedy. For Instance, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organisation in the United States played a significant role in the landmark civil rights cases of the 1950s and 1960s. The Pro-life groups filed a suit in state and federal courts to limit abortions.

5.Disruption
Under this method, Interest groups opt for protests in order to disrupt the activities. Consequently, they gain publicity and apply pressure on the issues/ groups that they oppose. Disruptions can include strikes, pickets, riots, etc. For Instance, In the 1960s, student civil rights groups used sit-ins. The objective was to peacefully protest the Jim Crow laws.