Instructor's Manual to Accompany:
The World of Texas Politics
Chapter 4: Interest Groups in Texas Politics
Outline:
I. A Tale Of Woe: Bo Pilgrim embarrassed even the most jaded observers by passing out checks on the floor of the Texas Senate.
II. Interest Groups: American institutions that are normal, traditional, and troublesome.
III. What Are Interest Groups?: Interest groups are constitutionally protected organizations whose purpose is to try to influence public policy to serve their needs.
IV. Interest Group Techniques
A. Electioneering: Elect the right people to begin with.
B. Legislative Lobbying: Once you elect them, keep on talking to them.
C. Administrative Lobbying: It may be more important than legislative lobbying.
D. Litigation: Courts make policy decisions too.
E. Public Education: Is it education or is it propagandizing? Either way, it can be very effective.
V. Interest Groups And The Three Models: Are interest groups just one source of influence on public policy, or do they dominate it? The truth is probably somewhere between those extremes.
VI. Interest Groups In Texas: They are enormously important, and they tend to serve elite interests most effectively. However, interest group influence has changed from emphasizing entertainment of legislators and administrators to providing them information.
VII. The Seventy-Fourth Texas Legislature: A Case Study In Interest Group Politics New groups aiming at reform of the civil justice system successfully combined electioneering, legislative lobbying, and public education to win major victories over organized labor and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association in the 74th Legislature.
VIII. Summary And Conclusion: Interest group politics has changed along with the development of competitive two party politics. The old game is being played according to new rules.
IX. The End Of The Tale: Thank Bo Pilgrim for giving us the Texas Ethics Commission.
Summary:
Chapter 4 demonstrates that interest groups have been with us since the beginning of the Republic, and they occupy a legitimate place in American and Texas politics by augmenting area-based representation with functional representation. They work by trying to elect people to public office, lobbying the legislature and administrative agencies, litigating, and educating the public. Economic and business interests are the major sources of interest group activity, and their successes tend to support the elite model of Texas politics. Business groups are especially numerous, well organized, well funded, and successful in Texas, as the record of the 74th Texas Legislature demonstrates.
Discussion Topics:
1. In what ways do interest groups contribute positively to the policy making process?
2. What negative effects can interest groups have on the policy making process?
3. Can, or do interest groups get between voters and their elected representatives in ways that disrupt the democratic process?
4. Are there constitutionally acceptable ways of limiting the influence of interest groups?
Individual or Small Group Projects:
1. Go to your college or university library or write to The Texas Legislative Service, P.O. Box 100, Austin, Texas 78767 and obtain a current copy of the Texas Lobby Directory. What groups are the most numerous? What kinds of interests tend not to be represented?
2. Invite a lobbyist to come to your classes and explain what they do and how they do it.
3. Write or call the Texas Secretary of State and obtain the forms for forming a political action committee and form your own PAC.
Essay Questions:
1. Why do business and professional interest groups tend to have more success than public interest groups?
2. List and explain each of the various techniques that are used by interest groups.
3. Why was the tort reform movement so successful in the 74th Texas Legislature?
4. What kinds of interests tend to have little or no success in influencing public policy?
5. Why is there no interest group for welfare mothers?
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