Question 1

Which of the following groups has the most favorable view of the National Rifle Association?

Accepted Answer

A)  Democrats 
B)  Independents 
C)  Republicans 
D)  Populists 
E)  people with no guns in the home 
A)  Democrats 
B)  Independents 
C)  Republicans 
D)  Populists 
E)  people with no guns in the home

Question 2

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo, interest groups argued that the rights to spend money on political contributions and expenditures

Accepted Answer

A)  were a protected form of free speech. 
B)  needed to be regulated to ensure a more level playing field. 
C)  would be more safely guaranteed if campaigns were funded through public monies. 
D)  posed a threat to the sanctity of a democracy if taken to excess. 
E)  were sanctioned by long political custom, even if they were not protected by the Constitution. 
A)  were a protected form of free speech. 
B)  needed to be regulated to ensure a more level playing field. 
C)  would be more safely guaranteed if campaigns were funded through public monies. 
D)  posed a threat to the sanctity of a democracy if taken to excess. 
E)  were sanctioned by long political custom, even if they were not protected by the Constitution.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about political protests in the United States is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Although protest is protected by the First Amendment, many Americans view protests as outside the political mainstream. 
B)  Political protests are generally used by groups who are largely shut out of the main centers of powers. 
C)  Protests sometimes entail risks such as injury, loss of freedom, and potentially even loss of life. 
D)  Since the wealthy and well-educated have other avenues of political participation, involvement in political protests consists disproportionately of poor citizens with few other options. 
E)  Protests usually arise in response to issues that arouse a great deal of emotion. 
A)  Although protest is protected by the First Amendment, many Americans view protests as outside the political mainstream. 
B)  Political protests are generally used by groups who are largely shut out of the main centers of powers. 
C)  Protests sometimes entail risks such as injury, loss of freedom, and potentially even loss of life. 
D)  Since the wealthy and well-educated have other avenues of political participation, involvement in political protests consists disproportionately of poor citizens with few other options. 
E)  Protests usually arise in response to issues that arouse a great deal of emotion.

Question 4

Of the following entities, which are barred from making direct contributions to federal candidates?

Accepted Answer

A)  super PACs 
B)  traditional PACs 
C)  candidate committees 
D)  party committees 
E)  There are no current limits for contributions to federal candidates. 
A)  super PACs 
B)  traditional PACs 
C)  candidate committees 
D)  party committees 
E)  There are no current limits for contributions to federal candidates.

Question 5

Persons who join an interest group out of a need for a sense of belonging are responding to

Accepted Answer

A)  monetary incentives. 
B)  social incentives. 
C)  relegated incentives. 
D)  fixed incentives. 
E)  idealist incentives. 
A)  monetary incentives. 
B)  social incentives. 
C)  relegated incentives. 
D)  fixed incentives. 
E)  idealist incentives.

Question 6

Of the following, which type of person is most likely to be successful as a lobbyist?

Accepted Answer

A)  a former government worker 
B)  an average citizen 
C)  a lawyer 
D)  a grassroots activist 
E)  a person with a lot of free time 
A)  a former government worker 
B)  an average citizen 
C)  a lawyer 
D)  a grassroots activist 
E)  a person with a lot of free time

Question 7

Which of the following statements about congressional reactions to contacts between members of Congress and lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Starting in 1946, lobbyists had to register with congressional officials. 
B)  In 2007, Congress passed an act effectively closing loopholes and leveling access to members of Congress. 
C)  A rash of scandals in the early twenty-first century contributed to congressional efforts to curb the influence of lobbyists. 
D)  Members of Congress can no longer accept outright gifts, meals, or trips from lobbyists. 
E)  Congress imposed rules in 2007 that mandated greater disclosure about the inclusion of earmarks in legislation. 
A)  Starting in 1946, lobbyists had to register with congressional officials. 
B)  In 2007, Congress passed an act effectively closing loopholes and leveling access to members of Congress. 
C)  A rash of scandals in the early twenty-first century contributed to congressional efforts to curb the influence of lobbyists. 
D)  Members of Congress can no longer accept outright gifts, meals, or trips from lobbyists. 
E)  Congress imposed rules in 2007 that mandated greater disclosure about the inclusion of earmarks in legislation.

Question 8

Which of the following types of interest groups currently has the greatest number of direct lobbyists?

Accepted Answer

A)  business groups 
B)  trade associations 
C)  unions 
D)  citizens' groups 
E)  professional associations 
A)  business groups 
B)  trade associations 
C)  unions 
D)  citizens' groups 
E)  professional associations

Question 9

What did a survey by the Congressional Management Foundation find about individuals' contact with their House members or senators in the previous five years?

Accepted Answer

A)  About half of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party. 
B)  The vast majority of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party, mostly PACs, and through direct contact from major parties. 
C)  Only about a quarter of Americans had been in contact with their House members or senators. 
D)  About half of those that contacted lawmakers did so through personal choice, without any prompting. 
E)  The vast majority of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party, mostly lobbying and advocacy groups. 
A)  About half of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party. 
B)  The vast majority of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party, mostly PACs, and through direct contact from major parties. 
C)  Only about a quarter of Americans had been in contact with their House members or senators. 
D)  About half of those that contacted lawmakers did so through personal choice, without any prompting. 
E)  The vast majority of those that contacted lawmakers had been prompted to do so by a third party, mostly lobbying and advocacy groups.

Question 10

What is the primary distinction between advocacy groups and other interest groups?

Accepted Answer

A)  Advocacy groups are more focused on specific policy goals. 
B)  Advocacy groups are much more dependent on grassroots mobilization. 
C)  Advocacy groups pursue broad policy goals but rely much less on local chapters and formal membership, if they have them at all. 
D)  Advocacy groups give citizens far more opportunities to participate actively, beyond simply writing a check to an interest group that they support. 
E)  Advocacy groups depend on broad participation to set agendas and formulate strategies. 
A)  Advocacy groups are more focused on specific policy goals. 
B)  Advocacy groups are much more dependent on grassroots mobilization. 
C)  Advocacy groups pursue broad policy goals but rely much less on local chapters and formal membership, if they have them at all. 
D)  Advocacy groups give citizens far more opportunities to participate actively, beyond simply writing a check to an interest group that they support. 
E)  Advocacy groups depend on broad participation to set agendas and formulate strategies.

Question 11

Interest groups may include

Accepted Answer

A)  corporations. 
B)  labor unions. 
C)  civil rights groups. 
D)  professional and trade associations. 
E)  All of these answers are correct. 
A)  corporations. 
B)  labor unions. 
C)  civil rights groups. 
D)  professional and trade associations. 
E)  All of these answers are correct.

Question 12

Why did the Citizens United and SpeechNow.org decisions drastically change the nature of expenditures to affect the outcomes of federal election campaigns? First address what the decisions legalized. Then examine how the decisions led to the ascent of super PACs. Finally, discuss the impact of super PAC spending in the 2016 presidential election and what the rise of the super PAC means for democracy in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The Citizens United and SpeechNow.org de

Question 13

Persons who join an interest group because they have an earnest desire to change the world for the better are responding to

Accepted Answer

A)  monetary incentives. 
B)  social incentives. 
C)  relegated incentives. 
D)  fixed incentives. 
E)  idealist incentives. 
A)  monetary incentives. 
B)  social incentives. 
C)  relegated incentives. 
D)  fixed incentives. 
E)  idealist incentives.

Question 14

Public interest groups are distinguished from other interest groups by

Accepted Answer

A)  their large bases of support. 
B)  their narrow policy goals. 
C)  advocating positions they believe are for the good of all Americans. 
D)  their ideological bents. 
E)  the fact that they clearly speak for the majority of the American people. 
A)  their large bases of support. 
B)  their narrow policy goals. 
C)  advocating positions they believe are for the good of all Americans. 
D)  their ideological bents. 
E)  the fact that they clearly speak for the majority of the American people.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Lobbyists can provide lawmakers with valuable information about the lawmakers' constituencies. 
B)  Lobbyists are likely to possess more technical expertise on a given issue than members of Congress. 
C)  Since lawmakers rely so heavily on lobbyists, lobbyists have found it easy to lie to get their way. 
D)  Lobbyists sometimes directly assist in drafting legislation. 
E)  Lobbyists can offer lawmakers electoral support in return for favorable consideration. 
A)  Lobbyists can provide lawmakers with valuable information about the lawmakers' constituencies. 
B)  Lobbyists are likely to possess more technical expertise on a given issue than members of Congress. 
C)  Since lawmakers rely so heavily on lobbyists, lobbyists have found it easy to lie to get their way. 
D)  Lobbyists sometimes directly assist in drafting legislation. 
E)  Lobbyists can offer lawmakers electoral support in return for favorable consideration.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increasingly, lobbyists are paid professionals who hire out their services. 
B)  For lobbyists, personal connections are extremely valuable. 
C)  Many congressional staffers leave their positions to become lobbyists. 
D)  There are no rules limiting the ability of former members of Congress to lobby, as long as the members have formally resigned their posts. 
E)  The relationship between the government and lobbying interest groups has been described as a revolving door because of the interdependence that has developed between them. 
A)  Increasingly, lobbyists are paid professionals who hire out their services. 
B)  For lobbyists, personal connections are extremely valuable. 
C)  Many congressional staffers leave their positions to become lobbyists. 
D)  There are no rules limiting the ability of former members of Congress to lobby, as long as the members have formally resigned their posts. 
E)  The relationship between the government and lobbying interest groups has been described as a revolving door because of the interdependence that has developed between them.

Question 17

In which of the following years was the number of people lobbying Congress the highest?

Accepted Answer

A)  1998 
B)  2002 
C)  2007 
D)  2017 
E)  2013 
A)  1998 
B)  2002 
C)  2007 
D)  2017 
E)  2013

Question 18

Discuss the history of voluntary associations in the United States. How widespread have interest groups been? What events and developments have led to their formation? When has their influence been strongest, and when has it waned? Are interest groups more or less prevalent today than they have been in the past?

Accepted Answer

Voluntary associations, also known as in

Question 19

Which of the following 2016 presidential candidates received money from super PACs during the election cycle?

Accepted Answer

A)  Jeb Bush 
B)  Ben Carson 
C)  Hillary Clinton 
D)  Marco Rubio 
E)  All of these candidates received money from super PACs. 
A)  Jeb Bush 
B)  Ben Carson 
C)  Hillary Clinton 
D)  Marco Rubio 
E)  All of these candidates received money from super PACs.

Which of the following groups has the most favorable view of the National Rifle Association?

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo, interest groups argued that the rights to spend money on political contributions and expenditures

Which of the following statements about political protests in the United States is LEAST accurate?

Of the following entities, which are barred from making direct contributions to federal candidates?

Persons who join an interest group out of a need for a sense of belonging are responding to

Of the following, which type of person is most likely to be successful as a lobbyist?

Which of the following statements about congressional reactions to contacts between members of Congress and lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

Which of the following types of interest groups currently has the greatest number of direct lobbyists?

What did a survey by the Congressional Management Foundation find about individuals' contact with their House members or senators in the previous five years?

What is the primary distinction between advocacy groups and other interest groups?

Interest groups may include

Persons who join an interest group because they have an earnest desire to change the world for the better are responding to

Public interest groups are distinguished from other interest groups by

Which of the following statements about the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress is LEAST accurate?

Which of the following statements about lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

In which of the following years was the number of people lobbying Congress the highest?

Which of the following 2016 presidential candidates received money from super PACs during the election cycle?

Citizenship: in Our Changing Democracy

The Constitution: The Foundation of Citizens Rights

Federalism: Citizenship and the Dispersal of Power

Civil Liberties: Citizens Rights Versus Security

Civil Rights: Toward a More Equal Citizenry

Public Opinion

Political Participation: Equal Opportunities and Unequal Voices

Parties and Political Campaigns: Putting Democracy Into Action

Media: Tuning in or Tuning Out

Congress: Doing the Peoples Business

The Presidency: Power and Paradox

Bureaucracy: Citizens As Owners and Consumers

The Courts: Judicial Power in a Democratic Setting

Public Policy: Responding to Citizens

Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting American Interests in the World

Filters

Exam 8: Interest Groups in America

Which of the following groups has the most favorable view of the National Rifle Association?

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo, interest groups argued that the rights to spend money on political contributions and expenditures

Which of the following statements about political protests in the United States is LEAST accurate?

Of the following entities, which are barred from making direct contributions to federal candidates?

Persons who join an interest group out of a need for a sense of belonging are responding to

Of the following, which type of person is most likely to be successful as a lobbyist?

Which of the following statements about congressional reactions to contacts between members of Congress and lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

Which of the following types of interest groups currently has the greatest number of direct lobbyists?

What did a survey by the Congressional Management Foundation find about individuals' contact with their House members or senators in the previous five years?

What is the primary distinction between advocacy groups and other interest groups?

Interest groups may include

Persons who join an interest group because they have an earnest desire to change the world for the better are responding to

Public interest groups are distinguished from other interest groups by

Which of the following statements about the relationship between lobbyists and members of Congress is LEAST accurate?

Which of the following statements about lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

In which of the following years was the number of people lobbying Congress the highest?

Which of the following 2016 presidential candidates received money from super PACs during the election cycle?

Citizenship: in Our Changing Democracy

The Constitution: The Foundation of Citizens Rights

Federalism: Citizenship and the Dispersal of Power

Civil Liberties: Citizens Rights Versus Security

Civil Rights: Toward a More Equal Citizenry

Public Opinion

Political Participation: Equal Opportunities and Unequal Voices

Parties and Political Campaigns: Putting Democracy Into Action

Media: Tuning in or Tuning Out

Congress: Doing the Peoples Business

The Presidency: Power and Paradox

Bureaucracy: Citizens As Owners and Consumers

The Courts: Judicial Power in a Democratic Setting

Public Policy: Responding to Citizens

Foreign and Defense Policy: Protecting American Interests in the World

Filters