Lesson on Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Aim: What is the "free-rider problem"? How are members attracted to voluntarily join a group and what role do lobbyist play?

Bell Ringer: Review journals 66 and 67 (5 min)

Objectives:

10.3 Identify the various resources available to interest groups and evaluate their role in interest group performance. 

Agenda:

1.  INTEREST GROUP ROLE PLAYING - complete and submit proposal (15 min)

2. What Makes an Interest Group Successful? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL6esUCYZGI

3. Journal 68 - How do interest groups raise funds? (according to the video) (10 min)

4. RESOURCES:

A: Maintaining Membership - What are some PR tools that can be used?

B: Members - What are some things an interest group can do to boost membership? Discuss what might persuade an individual to become active in an interest group. How does the internet and social media help?

C: The Free-Rider Problem - What are some ways to overcome the free-rider dilemma? What are trade associations?

D: Lobbyists - "The clients who hire me want to know what's going down the pipe. They want to be plugged into the system." Lobbyists can be full-time employees. What makes a good lobbyist? Why are they paid so much?

E: Political Action Committees (PAC) -  What is the maximum money a PAC can contribute to a candidate for Congress? What keeps Congress eager to respond to lobbyists?


PAC ASSIGNMENT (rest of class)

Research a PAC and list how much money they have contributed to and to whom. Be ready to present your PAC information.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_action_committees

Let's review Chapter 10:

Terms to know: interest group/lobby, lobbyist, agenda building, program monitoring, interest group entrepreneur, free-rider problem, trade associations, 


Home Learning:

1. Journal 69 - Many members of Congress soon enter lucrative careers as lobbyists. Should former members of Congress be free to become lobbyists once they leave office? Why or why not?

2. Journal 70 - Is there something inherently wrong about well-financed groups trying to influence governmental policy? Why or why not?

3. Read 10.4

4. Journals 61-70 will be graded tomorrow.