Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

Choices and Changes is the most comprehensive examination to date of the impact of interest groups on recent American electoral politics. Richly informed, theoretically and empirically, it is the first book to explain the emergence of aggressive interest group electioneering tactics in the mid-1990s—including “soft money” contributions, issue ads, and “527s” (IRS-classified political organizations).

Michael Franz argues that changing political and legal contexts have clearly influenced the behavior of interest groups. To support his argument, he tracks in detail the evolution of campaign finance laws since the 1970s, examines all soft money contributions—nearly $1 billion in total—to parties by interest groups from 1991-2002, and analyzes political action committee (PAC) contributions to candidates and parties from 1983-2002. He also draws on his own interviews with campaign finance leaders.

Based on this rigorous data analysis and a formidable knowledge of its subject, Choices and Changes substantially advances our understanding of the significance of interest groups in U.S. politics.

1118953879
Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

Choices and Changes is the most comprehensive examination to date of the impact of interest groups on recent American electoral politics. Richly informed, theoretically and empirically, it is the first book to explain the emergence of aggressive interest group electioneering tactics in the mid-1990s—including “soft money” contributions, issue ads, and “527s” (IRS-classified political organizations).

Michael Franz argues that changing political and legal contexts have clearly influenced the behavior of interest groups. To support his argument, he tracks in detail the evolution of campaign finance laws since the 1970s, examines all soft money contributions—nearly $1 billion in total—to parties by interest groups from 1991-2002, and analyzes political action committee (PAC) contributions to candidates and parties from 1983-2002. He also draws on his own interviews with campaign finance leaders.

Based on this rigorous data analysis and a formidable knowledge of its subject, Choices and Changes substantially advances our understanding of the significance of interest groups in U.S. politics.

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Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

by Michael M. Franz
Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process

by Michael M. Franz

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Overview

Choices and Changes is the most comprehensive examination to date of the impact of interest groups on recent American electoral politics. Richly informed, theoretically and empirically, it is the first book to explain the emergence of aggressive interest group electioneering tactics in the mid-1990s—including “soft money” contributions, issue ads, and “527s” (IRS-classified political organizations).

Michael Franz argues that changing political and legal contexts have clearly influenced the behavior of interest groups. To support his argument, he tracks in detail the evolution of campaign finance laws since the 1970s, examines all soft money contributions—nearly $1 billion in total—to parties by interest groups from 1991-2002, and analyzes political action committee (PAC) contributions to candidates and parties from 1983-2002. He also draws on his own interviews with campaign finance leaders.

Based on this rigorous data analysis and a formidable knowledge of its subject, Choices and Changes substantially advances our understanding of the significance of interest groups in U.S. politics.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781592136759
Publisher: Temple University Press
Publication date: 03/28/2008
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 240
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

Michael M. Franz is Assistant Professor of Government and Legal Studies at Bowdoin College. His research interests include political advertising, interest groups politics, campaign finance reform, and mass media. He has published articles in American Journal of Political Science, Political Communication, Political Analysis, Political Behavior, and Social Science Quarterly. He is also the co-author of Campaign Advertising and American Democracy (Temple).

Table of Contents

Table of Contents


Chapter 1-Introduction

The Puzzle

The Argument

Data and Definitions

Book Preview 


Chapter 2- Election Law and Electoral Politics between FECA and BCRA

PACs and Hard Money

Soft Money

Issue Advocacy and Political Advertisements

527s and 501(c) s

The Changing Political Landscape

The Evolving Regulatory Environment

    Changes from Congress

    Changes from the FEC 

    Changes from the Courts

Conclusion


Chapter 3-A Theory of Emergent and Changing Interest Group Tactics

Set-Up

The Relationship between Goals and Tactics

    Ideological Context

    Partisan Context

The Relationship between Capacity and Tactics

    Regulatory Context

    Resource Context

Conclusion


Chapter 4-Putting PACs in (Political) Context(s)

Ideological Context

Partisan Context

Conclusion


Chapter 5-Understanding Soft Money

Soft Money from PACs 

Soft Money from States

Soft Money from Large Donors

Conclusion


Chapter 6-Following 527s and Watching Issue Advocacy

Political Television Advertisements

Contributions to Partisan 527s

Expenditures by 527s 

Conclusion


Chapter 7-Tracking the Regulatory Context

Advisory Opinions: Signposts for Tactical Capacity

    A Brief Defense of Advisory Opinions

Political Learning

Lenient FEC

    The FEC v The Courts

Conclusion


Chapter 8-Conclusion

What Do We Know Now?

Madisonian Majoritarianism?

Lessons from the 2006 Elections


Appendix A-PAC Ideology Measure

Data Sets

A Simple Model of PAC Donations to House Incumbents

Data Structure


Bibliography


Tables and Figures


Notes

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