How Pressure Groups Influence The Executive

Techniques to Influence The Executive

Seek strong ties with relevant government departments, agencies and regulatory commissions. Regulatory agencies have been accused of having a cosy relationship with the interest groups

Trumps recent rollback of Obama-era climate change regulations via executive order can be explained by him having a number of oil-friendly billionaires in his cabinet (e.g. Rex Tillerson, former head of Exxon mobil was a cabinet member)

Candidate endorsements - Let Freedom Ring and Progress for America were two 527 groups that endorsed Bush. Planned Parenthood endorsed Clinton

Public advocacy - Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ran attack adverts questioning Kerry's Vietnam record

Funding - Super PACS fundraise on behalf of presidential candidates. The Great American PAC raised millions for Trump, as did Rebuilding America Now

Dark money groups have also allowed rich donors to give anonymously to "charities" in exchange for influence

Limits

Bureaucracy - very complex to get through and influence the executive

Term limits - second term Presidents aren't looking for re-election so they’ll often ignore pressure groups

Multiple pressures on Presidency - worldwide opinion is a bigger threat than pressure groups (e.g. Trump saying America may re-enter a new Paris climate agreement)

Presidential preference - Presidential ideology (e.g. left/right wing or liberal/conservative) can influence impact of pressure groups. Obama focused on environmental regulation, Trump wants to bring the coal industry back with "clean coal"

Other branches of government can block the President (e.g. Congress denied wall spending for Trump)

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