Interest Groups Video #16:
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Video 18 |
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Video 17 |
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You should be familiar with the following Interest Groups. Basically, I want you to know the types of issues these groups are involved in and whether they are generally supporters of liberals or conservatives, or are non-ideological. If I gave you an issue, you should know which interest groups would be involved. The groups with an asterisk by them are ones you all need to know. You should be able to give examples of the techniques that such groups use to influence government policy. There are, of course, many more organizations, but one must draw a line somewhere. Use this list to pick an interest group for your assignment or feel free to pick another one that you’re interested in.
Scavenger Hunt on Interest Groups
Use the excellent site http://www.opensecrets.org/ to answer the following questions.
1. Now, use that same page and choose a Super PAC supporting your candidate for the Election Project. Click on them and then look for information about what that Super PAC has done.
2. How much money has it raised so far?
3. When you click on Donors, are they contributing the large amounts or are they giving smaller amounts?
4. Can you find any connection between the industries they represent and whom they’re giving to?
Use the excellent site http://www.opensecrets.org/ to answer the following questions.
- Go to this page on the site http://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/outsidegroups.php and click on the Campaign Committee for the candidate of your choice. Look at the report on how much the candidate has raised and how much money he or she has spent already.
- How much cash does the candidate have on hand?
- What is the percentage split between money raised in individual contributions and PACs and Super PACs?
- Now click on the tabs at the top for Geography, Industries, Donor Demographics. What conclusions can you draw from this information about your candidate?
1. Now, use that same page and choose a Super PAC supporting your candidate for the Election Project. Click on them and then look for information about what that Super PAC has done.
2. How much money has it raised so far?
3. When you click on Donors, are they contributing the large amounts or are they giving smaller amounts?
4. Can you find any connection between the industries they represent and whom they’re giving to?
- https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lookup.php Look up the group you’ve selected for your research assignment. (If you can’t find your group, try googling “opensecrets.org” and the name of your group. If you still can’t find it, choose another group for this scavenger hunt.)
- Scroll down to where it talks about Lobbying. What fraction of their employees previously worked in government and came through the revolving door to work there?
- What were the top issues they lobbied about?
- Use the tabs at the top to find out how much money they’ve raised.
- What party are the recipients of their donations mostly from?
- Can you conclude anything about the congressional committees their recipients are on?
- Check out “In the News” to see what your group has been up to.