With Congress more partisan than ever, the White House eager to mobilize group support, the appropriations process in flux, and important interest group litigation in the courts, this volume confirms that navigating the complex world of inside-the-beltway politics is especially tricky. For interest groups, the name of the game is access. The Interest Group Connection’s twenty chapters show how organized interests gain that access in Washington. Brief and accessible readings explore the connections between lobbyists’ influence and American policymaking institutions and processes, as well as the crucial role interest groups play in organizing constituencies, protecting their rights, and giving them entrée into the political process. Given the current environment—new campaign finance laws, the prevalence of “527” committees, and a near-even electoral environment—the second edition provides an inside look at a changed political world.

With Congress more partisan than ever, the White House eager to mobilize group support, the appropriations process in flux, and important interest group litigation in the courts, this volume confirms that navigating the complex world of inside-the-beltway politics is especially tricky. For interest groups, the name of the game is access. The Interest Group Connection’s twenty chapters show how organized interests gain that access in Washington. Brief and accessible readings explore the connections between lobbyists’ influence and American policymaking institutions and processes, as well as the crucial role interest groups play in organizing constituencies, protecting their rights, and giving them entrée into the political process. Given the current environment—new campaign finance laws, the prevalence of “527” committees, and a near-even electoral environment—the second edition provides an inside look at a changed political world.