Skip to main content
Standards·AP Government and Politics·Policy-Making·AP.USGov·AP.USGov.PMI
AP.USGov.PMI
AP Government and Politics · Policy-Making · Grade 11-12 · Sub-standard
Competing Policy-Making Interests

Multiple actors and institutions interact to produce public policies in American government. Factors such as self-interest, ideology, and constituency influence how interest groups, social movements, political parties, and the media affect policy.

College Board · AP Government and Politics · Official source ↗
53
Aligned lessons
0
Crosswalks
24
Primary alignments
5
Siblings
Parent
AP.USGov
AP United States Government and Politics

The College Board AP United States Government and Politics course covers constitutional foundations of American democracy, interactions among branches of government, civil liberties and civil rights, American political ideologies and beliefs, and political participation. Organized around five big ideas: constitutional underpinnings (CON), civic participation in a representative democracy (CIT), competing policy-making interests (PMI), methods of political analysis (PRD), and liberty and order (LOR). The AP exam includes multiple-choice, free-response, and a document-based question.

Principle content that aligns

53 lessons teach to this standard.

LessonCategoryAlignmentCoverage
The House vs. Senate: How They Differ
Two chambers, one Congress—discover why the House and Senate were designed differently and how their rules shape which laws get passed.
concept
6 min · beginner
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
How a Bill Really Becomes a Law
Congress introduced 20,000 bills but only 400 became law. Most die before ever reaching a vote. Understanding where bills really get killed reveals who has power.
mechanism
7 min · beginner
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Congressional Committees: Where Bills Die
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch shaped the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul in 2017. His committee held 23-hour markups over four days. By the full Senate vote, the most important decisions were already made behind closed doors.
mechanism
6 min · intermediate
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
The Filibuster: The Senate's Most Powerful Tool
Democrats held 50 Senate seats and passed voting rights legislation. Republicans blocked it with the filibuster. 50 votes wasn't enough. The filibuster is a Senate rule that functions as the most powerful check on majority rule.
case_study
7 min · intermediate
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Congressional Oversight: Checking the President
House Oversight investigated Hunter Biden for 15 months, spending millions. The inquiry produced no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden. Congressional oversight works through political will, not automatic enforcement.
mechanism
7 min · advanced
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Redistricting and Congressional Power
Alabama illegally packed Black voters into one district instead of two. The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against them. Alabama defied the ruling, so a federal court appointed a special master to draw fair districts.
comparison
8 min · advanced
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
What Are Interest Groups?
Hospital systems spent millions while patients flooded Congress with calls. The ACA repeal failed by one vote. This is how interest groups really shape policy.
concept
5 min · beginner
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
How Lobbying Actually Works
Tech companies spent $85.6 million lobbying in 2024. Meta led with $24.2 million. No major AI regulation passed. Companies successfully delayed federal rules while shaping state laws.
mechanism
6 min · intermediate
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
The Revolving Door Problem
Former government officials become lobbyists for industries they once regulated. Congress members take corporate jobs after leaving office. This revolving door creates conflicts of interest that shape policy decisions.
concept
7 min · intermediate
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Iron Triangles and Issue Networks
The defense iron triangle produced $771 billion in contracts for five firms from 2020 to 2024. Congress authorizes bigger budgets, the Pentagon awards contracts, and contractors donate to committee members.
mechanism
7 min · intermediate
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Corporate Power vs Public Interest
Pharmaceutical companies spend $380 million annually lobbying Congress. Drug prices stay the highest in the developed world. Concentrated wealth creates asymmetric access to decision-makers.
comparison
8 min · advanced
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Grassroots vs. Astroturf: Real and Fake Movements
When thousands protest, how do you know if it's real? Sometimes grassroots uprisings are corporate-funded campaigns designed to manufacture popular support. It looks real from a distance but it's plastic all the way down.
case_study
7 min · advanced
Primary
92%comprehensive
›
Principlecivic education through the news