Question 1

A main difference between iron triangles and issue networks is that

Accepted Answer

A)  an iron triangle includes members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, while issue networks bypass the judicial branch. 
B)  issue networks involve a stable group of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists, while iron triangles exclude lobbyists in an attempt to reach impartial decisions. 
C)  issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops. 
D)  issue networks, being less formal, rely on outside lobbying only, while iron triangles use inside lobbying only. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  an iron triangle includes members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, while issue networks bypass the judicial branch. 
B)  issue networks involve a stable group of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists, while iron triangles exclude lobbyists in an attempt to reach impartial decisions. 
C)  issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops. 
D)  issue networks, being less formal, rely on outside lobbying only, while iron triangles use inside lobbying only. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 2

Members of the ________ generate more mail to Congress than any other group.

Accepted Answer

A)  NRA 
B)  ACLU 
C)  NAACP 
D)  AARP 
E)  NEA 
A)  NRA 
B)  ACLU 
C)  NAACP 
D)  AARP 
E)  NEA

Question 3

"Agency capture" occurs when

Accepted Answer

A)  a regulatory agency funnels money back into the lobbying organizations that are seeking policy changes. 
B)  regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public. 
C)  the executive branch takes back control of a regulatory agency. 
D)  a regulatory agency must be dismantled because it has become corrupted. 
E)  an election results in the replacement of an agency's leadership through appointive positions under a new president. 
A)  a regulatory agency funnels money back into the lobbying organizations that are seeking policy changes. 
B)  regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public. 
C)  the executive branch takes back control of a regulatory agency. 
D)  a regulatory agency must be dismantled because it has become corrupted. 
E)  an election results in the replacement of an agency's leadership through appointive positions under a new president.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a typical interest-group function?

Accepted Answer

A)  supporting candidates for public office 
B)  addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues 
C)  working to influence policymakers 
D)  promoting public policies 
E)  working to influence legislators 
A)  supporting candidates for public office 
B)  addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues 
C)  working to influence policymakers 
D)  promoting public policies 
E)  working to influence legislators

Question 5

James Madison argued

Accepted Answer

A)  against all interest groups. 
B)  for the advocacy of self-interest free from all systems of restraint. 
C)  for regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances. 
D)  for the replacement of interest groups by formal political parties. 
E)  for a powerful judiciary. 
A)  against all interest groups. 
B)  for the advocacy of self-interest free from all systems of restraint. 
C)  for regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances. 
D)  for the replacement of interest groups by formal political parties. 
E)  for a powerful judiciary.

Question 6

The influence of interest groups through the courts occurs through

Accepted Answer

A)  initiating lawsuits. 
B)  lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench. 
C)  outside lobbying only. 
D)  PACs. 
E)  both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench. 
A)  initiating lawsuits. 
B)  lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench. 
C)  outside lobbying only. 
D)  PACs. 
E)  both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.

Question 7

An amicus brief

Accepted Answer

A)  is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling. 
B)  is a written document in which an interest group lays out its policy preference for targeted lawmakers. 
C)  prevents a lobbyist group from making campaign donations to policy makers over a specific issue. 
D)  provides evidence for prosecutors of an illegal monetary relationship between a lawmaker and an interest group or PAC. 
E)  prevents PACs from donating more than $5,000 to a single candidate during a primary election. 
A)  is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling. 
B)  is a written document in which an interest group lays out its policy preference for targeted lawmakers. 
C)  prevents a lobbyist group from making campaign donations to policy makers over a specific issue. 
D)  provides evidence for prosecutors of an illegal monetary relationship between a lawmaker and an interest group or PAC. 
E)  prevents PACs from donating more than $5,000 to a single candidate during a primary election.

Question 8

Under federal law, PACs can contribute no more than ________ per candidate for federal office in a primary election.

Accepted Answer

A)  $1,000 
B)  $5,000 
C)  $25,000 
D)  $50,000 
E)  $100,000 
A)  $1,000 
B)  $5,000 
C)  $25,000 
D)  $50,000 
E)  $100,000

Question 9

Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that

Accepted Answer

A)  cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it must be shared. 
B)  is provided by a public service organization. 
C)  is secured by the president. 
D)  is secured by Congress. 
E)  None of these answers is correct. 
A)  cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it must be shared. 
B)  is provided by a public service organization. 
C)  is secured by the president. 
D)  is secured by Congress. 
E)  None of these answers is correct.

Question 10

About ________ percent of people who regularly listen to National Public Radio do not donate money to their local station.

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  30 
C)  50 
D)  70 
E)  90 
A)  10 
B)  30 
C)  50 
D)  70 
E)  90

Question 11

Compare outside lobbying and inside lobbying.

Accepted Answer

Inside lobbying is based on close contac

Question 12

The air we breathe is an example of a

Accepted Answer

A)  private good. 
B)  negative externality. 
C)  material good. 
D)  mass-produced good. 
E)  collective good. 
A)  private good. 
B)  negative externality. 
C)  material good. 
D)  mass-produced good. 
E)  collective good.

Question 13

PAC contributions account for about ___ percent of total contributions to congressional campaigns.

Accepted Answer

A)  6 
B)  11 
C)  25 
D)  41 
E)  60 
A)  6 
B)  11 
C)  25 
D)  41 
E)  60

Question 14

An interest group that focuses on policy benefits for senior citizens would be an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  a philosophical interest group. 
B)  an ideological group. 
C)  a professional group. 
D)  a business group. 
E)  a single-issue group. 
A)  a philosophical interest group. 
B)  an ideological group. 
C)  a professional group. 
D)  a business group. 
E)  a single-issue group.

Question 15

In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison

Accepted Answer

A)  argued that the free-rider problem would hurt some groups more than others. 
B)  claimed that government could listen to all groups, but should only enact policies that promote the interests of majority groups. 
C)  worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest. 
D)  argued that government must restrict the activities of groups, so that political parties could act as the major instrument of democracy. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  argued that the free-rider problem would hurt some groups more than others. 
B)  claimed that government could listen to all groups, but should only enact policies that promote the interests of majority groups. 
C)  worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest. 
D)  argued that government must restrict the activities of groups, so that political parties could act as the major instrument of democracy. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 16

The situation in which individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  size factor. 
B)  free-rider problem. 
C)  special-interest paradox. 
D)  disincentive factor. 
E)  zero-sum game. 
A)  size factor. 
B)  free-rider problem. 
C)  special-interest paradox. 
D)  disincentive factor. 
E)  zero-sum game.

Question 17

The largest number of PACs are those associated with

Accepted Answer

A)  single-issue groups, such as environmental groups and right-to-life groups. 
B)  labor. 
C)  business. 
D)  agriculture. 
E)  foreign governments. 
A)  single-issue groups, such as environmental groups and right-to-life groups. 
B)  labor. 
C)  business. 
D)  agriculture. 
E)  foreign governments.

Question 18

A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is

Accepted Answer

A)  the American tradition of free association. 
B)  the extent of diverse interests in American society. 
C)  America's federal system of government. 
D)  the separation of powers in American government. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  the American tradition of free association. 
B)  the extent of diverse interests in American society. 
C)  America's federal system of government. 
D)  the separation of powers in American government. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 19

Economic groups have an advantage over noneconomic groups because

Accepted Answer

A)  they nearly always have larger memberships. 
B)  they are organized primarily for political purposes. 
C)  they have better leadership. 
D)  they have greater access to financial resources. 
E)  their members are committed to their causes. 
A)  they nearly always have larger memberships. 
B)  they are organized primarily for political purposes. 
C)  they have better leadership. 
D)  they have greater access to financial resources. 
E)  their members are committed to their causes.

Question 20

In an effort to overcome the free-rider problem, noneconomic groups have

Accepted Answer

A)  deliberately restricted the size of their membership. 
B)  joined up with economic groups. 
C)  convinced government to limit the distribution of public goods to those who have contributed to the group's efforts. 
D)  used Internet resources and computer-assisted mailing lists to target potential donors. 
E)  adopted taxes for nonmembers. 
A)  deliberately restricted the size of their membership. 
B)  joined up with economic groups. 
C)  convinced government to limit the distribution of public goods to those who have contributed to the group's efforts. 
D)  used Internet resources and computer-assisted mailing lists to target potential donors. 
E)  adopted taxes for nonmembers.

A main difference between iron triangles and issue networks is that

Members of the ________ generate more mail to Congress than any other group.

"Agency capture" occurs when

Which of the following is NOT a typical interest-group function?

James Madison argued

The influence of interest groups through the courts occurs through

An amicus brief

Under federal law, PACs can contribute no more than ________ per candidate for federal office in a primary election.

Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that

About ________ percent of people who regularly listen to National Public Radio do not donate money to their local station.

Compare outside lobbying and inside lobbying.

The air we breathe is an example of a

PAC contributions account for about ___ percent of total contributions to congressional campaigns.

An interest group that focuses on policy benefits for senior citizens would be an example of

In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison

The situation in which individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate is called the

The largest number of PACs are those associated with

A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is

Economic groups have an advantage over noneconomic groups because

In an effort to overcome the free-rider problem, noneconomic groups have

Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible Citizen

Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty and Self-Government

Federalism: Forging a Nation

Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights

Equal Rights: Struggling Toward Fairness

Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the Peoples Voice

Political Participation: Activating the Popular Will

Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns: Defining the Voters Choice

The News Media: Communicating Political Images

Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

The Presidency: Leading the Nation

The Federal Bureaucracy: Administering the Government

The Federal Judicial System: Applying the Law

Economic and Environmental Policy: Contributing to Prosperity

Welfare and Education Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need

Foreign Policy: Protecting the American Way

Filters

Exam 9: Interest Groups: Organizing for Influence

A main difference between iron triangles and issue networks is that

Members of the ________ generate more mail to Congress than any other group.

"Agency capture" occurs when

Which of the following is NOT a typical interest-group function?

James Madison argued

The influence of interest groups through the courts occurs through

An amicus brief

Under federal law, PACs can contribute no more than ________ per candidate for federal office in a primary election.

Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that

About ________ percent of people who regularly listen to National Public Radio do not donate money to their local station.

Compare outside lobbying and inside lobbying.

The air we breathe is an example of a

PAC contributions account for about ___ percent of total contributions to congressional campaigns.

An interest group that focuses on policy benefits for senior citizens would be an example of

In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison

The situation in which individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate is called the

The largest number of PACs are those associated with

A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is

Economic groups have an advantage over noneconomic groups because

In an effort to overcome the free-rider problem, noneconomic groups have

Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a Responsible Citizen

Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty and Self-Government

Federalism: Forging a Nation

Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights

Equal Rights: Struggling Toward Fairness

Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the Peoples Voice

Political Participation: Activating the Popular Will

Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns: Defining the Voters Choice

The News Media: Communicating Political Images

Congress: Balancing National Goals and Local Interests

The Presidency: Leading the Nation

The Federal Bureaucracy: Administering the Government

The Federal Judicial System: Applying the Law

Economic and Environmental Policy: Contributing to Prosperity

Welfare and Education Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need

Foreign Policy: Protecting the American Way

Filters