Expert answer:Describe the difference and similarities between i
Solved by verified expert:Question 1 Describe the difference and similarities between inside lobbying and outside lobbying. Discuss laws and regulations that apply to each. Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Question 2 How has the news media evolved from the nation’s founding to what it is today? Discuss the various functions the news media has in American society. How well do you the media carries out these functions? Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Question 3 What are the advantages and disadvantages of having powerful interest groups in America? What makes some groups so much more powerful than others? Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Question 4 What are the two major types of interest groups and examples of each? Which of these types of interest groups tend to be more powerful? Explain your choice. Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.
unit_iv_study_guide_ag.pdf
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UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE
Interest Groups and
the News Media
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Identify the major types of interest groups and some examples of prominent ones.
Compare and contrast inside lobbying and outside lobbying.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of allowing organized groups to function.
Discuss the evolution of the media from the founding of the United States until today.
Explain the function of the news media within American society.
Discuss how the news audience has changed from the 1970s until now.
Reading Assignment
Chapter 9:
Interest Groups: Organizing for Influence
Chapter 10:
The News Media: Communicating Political Images
Unit Lesson
One of the most influential groups on politics is that of Interest groups. Interest groups come in many shapes
and sizes and spend lots of money to have access to those making policy decisions. Many lobbyists that work
for these interest groups were once politicians themselves and have friends and former co-workers still in
politics. This allows these lobbyists to gain access easier than most regular citizens. Foreign governments,
states, businesses and even citizens groups will lobby in Washington. Economic groups outnumber all other
groups in the policy-influencing arena.
Citizens groups such as the NAACP (National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People) and NOW (the National
Organization for Women) are groups that form for a cause
that is worthy or a purposive incentive. These, and other
groups like them, will often have broad agendas dealing with
what they perceive as moral issues. Many more citizens
groups have single-issue agendas such as The Sierra Club,
which promotes the preservation of scenic areas.
Due to financial considerations, economic groups will have
more influence over government officials than citizen groups.
In the last five to ten years, it has been easier for citizen
groups to gain members, as well as, donations because of the
Internet’s ability to reach lots of people. The Internet has also
made it easier for these same groups to organize faster. This
was seen during the activation of protesters in the MoveOn
organization who were protesting the Iraq war, and in the
various protests for democracy that broke out in the Middle
East in 2011-2012.
NAACP leaders with poster (New York World Telegram
& Sun, 1956)
In order to influence politics, a lobbyist must have significant contact with those who make the decisions.
Inside lobbyists have direct access to law makers and often supply them with information on policies that
show their group’s position. Money will often flow when inside lobbying is taking place. Inside lobbying targets
all three branches of the government, from giving needed information to members of Congress concerning
PS 1010, American Government
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various bills that “deserve” their attention, to pharmaceutical companies givingUNIT
“evidence”
of how
their own
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drugs work to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Lobbyists will even attempt
Title to influence the
appointments of court judges. There are triangles and networks that work non-stop to exert influence over
lawmakers and their decisions.
On the other side we have outside lobbyists who attempt to use public pressure in a grassroots effort to
influence policymakers. One of the biggest outside lobbyist groups is the AARP (American Association of
Retired Persons), which was founded in 1958 to protect the interests of those over the age of 50. When any
legislation comes up that would impact those 50 and over, the AARP kicks into action and starts writing,
calling, e-mailing, protesting, and even visiting their Representatives to let them know how they should vote.
From the moment a person decides that he or she wants to run for office, they must start raising money. Once
an individual is elected, he or she must spend a great deal of time raising more money to get re-elected. One
way for candidates to get money is through PACs (Political Action Committee). PACs are allowed to give
money to as many candidates as they want, but can only give $10,000 to any single candidate. “Super PACs”
on the other hand can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money but cannot give money directly to any
campaign. These Super PACs can do as much good as harm to any candidate they support. Super PACs
often use the money they get from donors to run expensive ad spots. Not all of the ads that these PACs run
are truthful or even helpful to the candidate they support.
Politics and the media have a love hate relationship. Some have made the statement that any press is good
press, but that is not always the case, as South Carolina’s Governor Sanford found out when news of his
disappearance to visit his out-of-country mistress hit the stands and the comedy circuit. At that point, every
good thing he had ever done was dismissed in the court
of public opinion, and the media tried to keep the
scandal alive and force him out of office (he refused to
go). In fact, Sanford later won a special election to
regain his old congressional seat in South Carolina’s
first Congressional District. He is just one instance in
a long line of politicians who have been embroiled in
scandal. While many leave office with their tails tucked,
there are still those who stay and weather the storm
until the media finds another target and forgets all
about them.
Walter Cronkite on television 1976 (Library of Congress,
1976)
The job of the press is supposed to be that of keeping
the public informed but also to attract an audience so
that they can gain profit. These two goals do not always
work to the benefit of the people they serve. In the early
days of mass printing, papers tended to be partisan,
backing one party or the other.
Sensationalism (yellow journalism) was also a big problem in journalism. In order to sell papers, the story
had to grip the imaginations of the public and keep them wanting more. It did not matter if the facts were
true or not.
Print media eventually turned to radio in the 1920s, and it was agreed that because there were so few radio
channels, those that controlled the airwaves had to give equal time to all sides/parties. In the 1950s, television
became the medium used by most to get their news, and the Fairness Doctrine made it law that both sides of
a view would be given fair/equal time. Once cable television and FM radio became popular, the Fairness
Doctrine was no longer needed and was rescinded. Today, we have even more opportunity to hear varying
views with the Internet.
Even with all of the channels that cable television supplies, the media is still considered the “gatekeepers” to
the news that we receive. No matter what news station you watch, there is very little variation on the stories
that you will see. The media will often set the agenda of what the population is thinking and talking about.
When we watch the news and see more and more stories about political corruption, we start thinking that
political corruption is getting out of control and that it is worse now than it has ever been, However, corruption
in politics has always been there, and it is just that the news outlets have brought it to your attention more.
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When this happens, the public starts crying that there needs to be reform in the
government
that we
UNIT
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need to “clean house.”
Title
Although networks say that they are unbiased in their reporting that is not always true. People cannot be
human and be unbiased, and this will show in how things are presented. People tend to look for the news that
will back up what they already “know” and “believe,” and fortunately there are enough news outlets today that
they can find what they are looking for. In the end, it is our responsibility to step out of our one-sided views
and seek to learn both sides of any issue.
References
New York World-Telegram & Sun. (1956). NAACP leaders holding a poster [Photograph]. Retrieved from
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NAACP_ leaders_with_poster_NYWTS.jpg.
U.S. Library of Congress. (1976, September 23). Walter Cronkite on television 1976 [Photograph]. Retrieved
from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Walter_Cronkite_on_television_1976.jpg.
Suggested Reading
Click here to view a PDF of the Chapter 9 presentation.
Click here to view a PDF of the Chapter 10 presentation.
PS 1010, American Government
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