Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process
by Michael M. Franz
Temple University Press, 2008 Cloth: 978-1-59213-673-5 | eISBN: 978-1-59213-675-9 | Paper: 978-1-59213-674-2 Library of Congress Classification JK2281.F73 2008 Dewey Decimal Classification 324.70973
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
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.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
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).
REVIEWS
"An excellent book, theoretically rich and empirically sound. Choices and Changes is interesting, understandable, and informative. Franz’s overall analysis is the most thorough of any book that I have read in the interest group literature. His extensive data analysis fills a major gap in the literature."
—Peter L. Francia, East Carolina University, author of The Future of Organized Labor in American Politics
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 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
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
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Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process
by Michael M. Franz
Temple University Press, 2008 Cloth: 978-1-59213-673-5 eISBN: 978-1-59213-675-9 Paper: 978-1-59213-674-2
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.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
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).
REVIEWS
"An excellent book, theoretically rich and empirically sound. Choices and Changes is interesting, understandable, and informative. Franz’s overall analysis is the most thorough of any book that I have read in the interest group literature. His extensive data analysis fills a major gap in the literature."
—Peter L. Francia, East Carolina University, author of The Future of Organized Labor in American Politics
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 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
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE