Why have interest groups?

• One person = One vote• Lots of people = Lots of

Votes

• Interest group- a group of people who share a common point of view

What do interest groups do?

• They work together to influence public opinion (what other people think)

• They try to persuade others to think like them

Who makes up an interest group?

• Group of people who pull their resources to try to influence government– Time– Money– Skills

• Hire a person called a LOBBYIST to go to D.C. and talk to Congress people

Job of an Interest Group • Form a Political Action

Committees (PACs) to collect money from members of their groups to get people elected

• They go to court- suing on behalf of their members

• They lobby- try to influence lawmakers to support their beliefs

• Provide data and research to government officials to support their cause

National Organization of Women

• Equal pay for women- women earn 77 cents to a man’s dollar

• Legislation for breast cancer

• Pro Choice• Other women’s issues• Title IX- equal opportunity

in sports and in education• The National Organization for Women (NOW) web site

National Right to Life Committee

• No abortion• No corporal

punishment or death penalty

• No euthanasia-”pulling the plug”

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

• Equal rights for blacks• Eliminate racial

profiling

• Burying of N word• Brown v. Board of

Education• Jena 6• http://

www.naacp.org/home/index.htm

American Civil Liberties Union

• Protection of a person’s rights• Freedom of speech• Texas v. Johnson• Against racial profiling• American Civil Liberties Union - Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, Disability Rights, Drug Policy, Free Speech, HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, Immigrants' Rights, Lesbian & Gay Rights, National Security, Police Practices, Prisoners' Rights, Privacy & Technology,

Raci

National Rifle Association

• Believe in protecting a person’s 2nd amendment right to own a weapon

• No waiting periods for handguns

• Need weapons to protect a person from the government

Green Peace

• Protection of the environment

• No offshore drilling

• No Alaskan pipeline • http://

www.greenpeace.org/usa/

Chamber of Commerce

• Growth of business and small businesses

• Watch zoning of city– Residential

– Commercial

• Look to decrease corporate income tax (tax on a company)

•

National Educators Association• Support of teachers• Provide insurance if

sued• Against No Child Left

Behind and mandatory end of grade testing

• Encourage professional development and further education of teachers

American Federation of Labor

• A labor union• Pro worker• Raise minimum wage• Limit immigration-

compete with American workers

• Like tariffs- tax on imported goods because people are more likely to buy American

• http://www.aflcio.org/