Trade Associations and the Growth of Government

 For next time, Drutman, ch. 9.

Trade and Business Assocs:  Collective Interests

• Sharing of info
• Services
• Government Relations
• Industrywide policy messages -- HIAA and Harry and Louise
• Industry image -- ATA and trucking

Political Assets

• Money (duh)
• Geographical presence -- are members in every district?
• Expertise

Examples

• PhRMA
• Antiracism controversy
• Council of Autism Service Service Providers
• US Chamber of Commerce
• Internal turmoil
• SCOTUS
• VICA
• National Association of Realtors

Self-Regulation to Preempt Government Regulation

• MPAA and film ratings
• RIAA and parental advisory labels
• Comics Magazine Association and the Comics Code
• MLB and drug testing

The most powerful and pervasive form of self-regulation is insurance.

• RIMS
• Trial lawyers v. insurance industry

Making sense of politics

• Defining specific action items
• Providing information: a feedback loop
• Uncertain costs
• Decreasing marginal costs of lobbying over time.