Interest Group Design provides an important analysis of a key aspect of our democracy at a time of crisis in our history. Through an in depth case study of Common Cause since 1970, Marcie Reynolds traces the evaluation of a significant national public interest group, neopluralism in America, modern day lobbying, and how interest group politics actually works in the 21st century. It is an essential read for students, scholars, and activists.
Dick Simpson, Professor, Political Science Department,
University of Illinois at Chicago and a former
Chicago Alderman
Dr. Marcie Reynolds presents a clear and objective depiction and analysis of the organizational design of a major advance in political participation, the citizens lobby, Common Cause. Reynolds meticulous research traces the entire history of this public interest group, from its design in 197074 by independent organizer John W. Gardner, to its present-day political activity. Interest Group Design: The Foundation and Evolution of Common Cause makes an important contribution to American political life by showing how citizens can exercise influence beyond elections.
Andrew McFarland, Emeritus Professor, Political Science
Department, University of Illinois at Chicago
This detailed and well researched book is more than just a history of Common Cause, though fans of its work will find a lot to like. Dr. Reynolds takes readers on a journey through the organizations changes, setting this in a broader context of civic engagement, interest group behavior and lobbying, and the broader political trends of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Drawing on original research utilizing archival records, survey data and interviews she effectively traces the emergence, crises and reinvention of this ground breaking public interest group.
Rebecca E. Deen, Associate Professor and Chair,
University of Texas at Arlington
Interest Group Design
In Interest Group Design, Marcie L. Reynolds examines the evolution of Common Cause, the first national government reform lobby. Founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, the organization gained influence with Congress and established an organizational culture that lasted several decades. External and internal environmental changes led to mounting crises, and by 2000, Common Causes survival was in question. Yet fifteen years later, Common Cause is a renewed organization, with evidence of revival across the U.S. Empirical evidence suggests how Common Cause changed its interest group design but kept its identity in order to survive.
Utilizing a mixed-methods approach to frame and analyze the history of Common Cause, Reynolds provides a lens for studying how key aspects of the U.S. political systeminterest groups, collective action, lobbying, and representationwork as environments change. She extends work by previous scholars Andrew S. McFarland (1984) and Lawrence Rothenberg (1992), creating a sequence of analytical research about one interest group spanning almost fifty years, a unique contribution to political science.
This thoroughly researched and comprehensive book will be of great interest to those who study political participation and organizational change.
Marcie L. Reynolds is a faculty member at Tarleton State University, Texas. Her research interests and community service center around civic engagement and increasing citizens understanding of, and involvement with, the governing structures that surround them.
Routledge Research in American Politics and Governance
18 Candidate Character Traits in Presidential Elections
David B. Holian and Charles L. Prysby
19 The Social Process of Lobbying
Cooperation or Collusion?
John C. Scott
20 Congressional Communication in the Digital Age
Jocelyn Evans and Jessica Hayden
21 Reforming the Presidential Nominating Process
Front-Loadings Consequences and the National Primary Solution
Lisa K. Parshall
22 Public Debt and the Common Good
Philosophical and Institutional Implications of Fiscal Imbalance
James Odom
23 Removal of the Property Qualification for Voting in the United States
Strategy and Suffrage
Justin Moeller and Ronald F. King
24 The Rise of the Republican Right
From Goldwater to Reagan
Brian M. Conley
25 Interest Group Design
The Foundation and Evolution of Common Cause
Marcie L. Reynolds
For more information about this series, please visit: https://www.routledge.com
Interest Group Design
The Foundation and Evolution of Common Cause
Marcie L. Reynolds
First published 2019
by Routledge
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and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2019 Taylor & Francis
The right of Marcie L. Reynolds to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Reynolds, Marcie (Marcie L.), author.
Title: Interest group design : the foundation and evolution of Common Cause / Marcie L. Reynolds.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2019. |
Series: Routledge research in American politics and governance ; 25 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019007111 (print) | LCCN 2019015669 (ebook) | ISBN 9780429276583 (Master) | ISBN 9780415014373 (Adobe) | ISBN 9780415014533 (Mobi) | ISBN 9780415014694 (ePub3) | ISBN 9780367192716 (hardback) | ISBN 9780429276583 (e-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Common Cause (U.S.)History. | Gardner, John W. (John William), 1912-2002. | Public interest groupsUnited States. | Public interest lobbyingUnited States. | Political participationUnited States. | United StatesPolitics and government20th century. | United StatesPolitics and government21st century.
Classification: LCC JK1118 (ebook) | LCC JK1118 .R49 2019 (print) | DDC 324/.40973dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019007111
ISBN: 978-0-367-19271-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-27658-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by codeMantra
To Kaleigh, Jonathan, and David
This project would not have been possible without the support and assistance of the Common Cause organization. Common Cause Presidents Robert Edgar and Miles Rapoport allowed me to research archives stored at the national headquarters and observe meetings, including National Governing Board plenary sessions. The staff invited me to organizational events and provided office space for me to work. The 2015 Common Cause Membership Survey was administered with their help. Several state office executive directors allowed me access to historical files and provided opportunities to observe ongoing campaigns. A number of leaders generously shared their time and expertise during our interviews. Concurrent with my research in the summer of 2014, historian Pauline Peretz conducted interviews with early Common Cause leaders. Her permission to use excerpts from those interviews added important perspectives regarding the organizations foundation, organization, and advocacy.
