• Cartoon: "Campaign Finance High-Rollers" by C.P. Houston (124)
  
  
• Interest Groups in the Political Process (125)
  • What Is an Interest Group? (125)
  • Political Parties and Interest Groups (126)
  • Interest Groups and American Politics (126)
    • Decentralization of National and State Governments (127)
    • Decentralized party system (127)
    • De-emphasized ideologies (128)
  
  
• Organization of Interest Groups (128)
  • Organizational Patterns (129)
  • Membership in Interest Groups (129)
  • Leadership in Interest Groups (129)
  
  
• Classification of Interest Groups (129)
  • Economic Groups (129)
    • Business (130)
    • Labor (130)
  • Professional Groups (130)
  • Racial and Ethnic Groups (131)
  • Public Interest Groups (131)
  • Public Officer and Employee Groups (132)
  • Texas Power Groups (132)
    • Business Associations (132)
    • Christian Coalition (133)
      • Figure 5.1 Page 1 of the Christian Coalition's "Pro-Family Voter's Guide" (134)
  
  
• Interest Group Activities and Techniques (135)
  • Group Activities (135)
  • Techniques of Interest Groups 136)
    • Lobbying (136)
      • Photo: School children and Senator Mike Moncrief (137)
    • Electioneering (138)
    • Campaign financing by political action committees (139)
    • Bribery and unethical practices (140)
  
  
• Interest Group Power and Public Policy (140)
  • Interest Groups and Public Policy in Texas (141)
  • Interest Group Power Linkage (141)
  
  
• Pinpointing Political Power (142)
  • Figure 5.2 Interest Group Power Linkages (142)
  
  
• Looking Ahead (143)
  
  
• Notes (143)
  
  
• Key Terms and Concepts (144)
  
  
• Selected Reading: "A Guide to Lobbying" by the Texas State Teachers Association (145)
  • Becoming and Effective Lobbyist (145)
  • General Rules for Effective Lobbying (146)
  • Lobbying at the Legislature (147)