Chapter 10 Interest Groups and Lobbying
Citizens United - Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was a 2010 Supreme Court case
that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.
The Supreme Court ruled that associations’ spending on political campaigns is protected as a First
Amendment right.
collective good - a good such as public safety or clean air, often produced by government, that is
generally available to the population as a whole. Politics may be defined as that which determines
who gets what and how much of a collective good or even what should be a collective good.
elite critique - the proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those without
resources. Elite critics point out, for example, that both major parties receive most of their financial
support from wealthy business interests. Some corporate donors even provide funds to both parties.
pluralist - a person who believes many groups healthily compete for access to decision-makers.
The constitutional framework also provides many points of access in the three branches of
government as well as the federal system. The U.S. is sometimes described as a “pluralist
democracy” reflecting its diverse array of interests and open competition.
Citizens United - Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was a 2010 Supreme Court case
that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.
The Supreme Court ruled that associations’ spending on political campaigns is protected as a First
Amendment right.
collective good - a good such as public safety or clean air, often produced by government, that is
generally available to the population as a whole. Politics may be defined as that which determines
who gets what and how much of a collective good or even what should be a collective good.
elite critique - the proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those without
resources. Elite critics point out, for example, that both major parties receive most of their financial
support from wealthy business interests. Some corporate donors even provide funds to both parties.
pluralist - a person who believes many groups healthily compete for access to decision-makers.
The constitutional framework also provides many points of access in the three branches of
government as well as the federal system. The U.S. is sometimes described as a “pluralist
democracy” reflecting its diverse array of interests and open competition.
