For a taster of what you need to know and we will be assessing, this short vid is worth a view: www.youtubecom/watch?time_continue=39&v=LmsgtRbhu9Y
A great intro into the tactics of interest groups in US politics.
This 11 minutes explanatory video essentially assesses the 4 key tactics that interest groups use to try and influence politics - lobbying, elections, litigation & 'going public' - so have a paper/pen/lapton to hand:
Similarly:
As we have seen in the elections and parties topics the issue of money and interest groups is a key factor in the relative success or failure of interest groups. In 2010 the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens' United Case has seen a huge rise in money in US politics. So think SYNOPTICITY!
Below is a brief CNN clip which explains the immediate implications of this landmark case on the mid-terms in 2010, however the figures now involved in US electioneering and politics has mushroomed since this was made.
Watch this piece as a taster of where we'll be going on this topic (8mins) - it introduces 'Super PACs' (campaign groups affiliated, but not controlled by the major political parties) and the increasing role of individual detonators and '527' Groups (Not for profit organisations that have a right under Citizens' United to produce adverts at election time under the freedom of speech guarantees of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.