First shoot all the lobbyists? -- Origins and structure. Interests and interest groups ; Collective action and interest group organization ; Social movements (Trying to be interest groups?) ; Lobbyists and organization management ; A model of interest group advocacy -- Lobbying and influence. Lobbying Congress, the most permeable branch ; Executive branch lobbying ; Interest groups going to court ; Friends and foes of convenience ; Interest groups, elections, and campaign finance -- Representation in the interest group age.
Summary:
"Interest groups and lobbyists play a crucial role in how public policy is made in the United States' representative democracy. By helping citizens organize and pursue their self-interests in the political arena, interest groups and lobbyists are an alternative but very effective form of representation. However, the adversarial nature of interest groups often fuels voter discomfort with the political process. Interest Groups and Lobbying is an accessible and comprehensive text that examines the crux of this conflict. Pulling together two areas of interest group research--why advocacy organizations form and how they are able to gain influence in Washington, DC--Thomas T. Holyoke shows students the inner workings of interest groups in the United States. Using case studies to clarify and expand on the issues surrounding lobbying and group action in federal, state, and local government, Holyoke explores how we can use interest groups and their adversarial impulse to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.