Deck 8: Interest Groups in America

Question 1

Which of the following statements about the history of interest groups in the United States is LEAST accurate?

A) Although nineteenth-century women participated in campaigns for moral reform, they did not pursue a greater political role.
B) Before the Civil War, abolitionists created societies intended to pressure the government into adopting antislavery legislation.
C) The creation of a national railroad system went hand-in-hand with the emergence of lobbyists seeking government perks and favorable legislation.
D) In the late nineteenth century, many farmers reacted against economic change by joining interest groups such as the Grange.
E) The power and prominence of interest groups developed partly in response to the declining organizational strength of traditional political parties.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

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

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

Answer 2

A

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, the National Rifle Association

A) lobbied for legislative regulation of bump stocks.
B) announced that it would oppose any measure of any kind that might increase regulation of firearms.
C) proposed a ban on all automatic and semiautomatic assault rifles.
D) expressed a desire for greater regulation of assault rifles.
E) suggested it might consider legislation to regulate bump stocks but took no actual steps toward doing so.

Question 5

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

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 6

Public interest groups are distinguished from other interest groups by

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 7

The Bonus Army that marched on Washington to demand benefits from the federal government consisted primarily of veterans of

A) the Civil War.
B) World War I.
C) World War II.
D) the Korean War.
E) the Vietnam War.

Question 8

The primary distinction between an interest group and a political movement is that

A) an interest group concerns itself with only a small segment of society, while a political movement looks to improve everyone's condition.
B) interest groups are more narrowly focused on specific policy goals than political movements are.
C) interest groups have broader and more numerous support than political movements.
D) interest groups consist of formal organizations, whereas political movements consist solely of spontaneous gatherings.
E) interest groups focus solely on influencing politicians, whereas political movements focus solely on changing social norms.

Question 9

Interest groups may include

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

Question 10

Persons who join an interest group because it promises to offer them discounts on certain services are responding to

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

Question 11

Which of the following types of interest groups currently spends the LEAST amount of money on lobbying expenses?

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

In The Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that

A) the power of interest groups should be diluted by submerging their interests in a sea of competing interests.
B) a system of government must encourage the participation of interest groups in order to give each segment of society an equal voice.
C) interest groups were valuable as long as they were few and powerful.
D) interest groups threatened a free society and so should be made illegal to prevent them from forming.
E) interest groups were a threat to democracy because the majority should rule in all matters.

Question 15

A(n) ________ is any formally organized association that seeks to influence public policy.

A) political party
B) interest group
C) political movement
D) fraternity
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 16

What is the single largest sector of the interest group community?

A) education
B) labor
C) business groups
D) professional associations
E) single-issue groups

Question 17

According to most interest-group leaders, which type of incentive draws in the most members?

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

Question 18

Which of the following statements about interest groups is LEAST accurate?

A) While many interest groups pursue economic gains, a large number pursue more ideological ends.
B) Some interest groups represent organizations rather than individual citizens.
C) Interest groups have declined in size and influence in conjunction with the general decline in political participation.
D) The well-to-do and well-educated are better represented in interest groups than are the poor and needy.
E) Membership in interest groups tends to multiply the opportunities for political participation of the poor and those with lower levels of education.

Question 19

Which of the following types of interest groups currently spends the greatest amount of money on lobbying expenses?

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

Question 20

The 1950s and 1960s witnessed an explosion in

A) advocacy groups.
B) trade associations.
C) business groups.
D) education groups.
E) labor unions.

Question 21

The combined result of the 2010 Citizens United and Speechnow.org decisions is that super PACs

A) must be treated in the exact same way as traditional PACs.
B) are constitutional, but 527s are not.
C) can accept unlimited contributions and make unlimited expenditures in federal elections.
D) can accept unlimited contributions but can make only limited expenditures in federal elections.
E) can accept contributions no higher than $2,000 per candidate per election, but can spend as much as they want on any federal race.

Question 22

Generally speaking, small interest groups have what kind of advantage over larger ones?

A) intensity and cohesiveness
B) prestige
C) political clout
D) geographical distribution
E) financial resources

Question 23

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

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 24

In which of the following ways did President Obama expand restrictions on lobbying?

A) preventing all former executive agency employees from lobbying
B) reducing executive agency hiring of individuals who had recently lobbied
C) prosecuting former executive agency officials who lobby after leaving the administration
D) placing caps on the number of lobbyists that can be registered in Washington
E) eliminating the ability of lobbyists to approach members of Congress on capitol grounds

Question 25

Which of the following statements about PACs is LEAST accurate?

A) The primary function of PACs is to collect money for political candidates.
B) Interest group members and lobbyists can contribute individually to a candidate and again to PACs that support the candidate.
C) PACs are not the exclusive reserve of one type of interest, but are employed by a variety of different groups.
D) The Supreme Court has struck down most of the McCain-Feingold Act's restrictions on PACs and campaign financing.
E) The amount of money that PACs can give to candidates is strictly limited.

Question 26

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

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 27

A skillful lobbyist would abide by all of the following guidelines EXCEPT

A) work primarily with one's allies.
B) recognize that measures are easier to defeat than to pass.
C) cultivate key committee members.
D) seek out and win over ideological opponents.
E) avoid conflicts on big issues and concentrate instead on writing the details to one's advantage.

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

The White House lobbies Congress primarily through the

A) Executive Office of the President.
B) Office of Legislative Affairs.
C) Office of Management and Budget.
D) White House Lobbying Counsel.
E) Executive Legal Advisory Group.

Question 30

The 2010 Citizens United and Speechnow.org decisions had the greatest impact on

A) candidates who want to spend their own money in their campaigns.
B) party committees.
C) candidate committees.
D) traditional PACs.
E) super PACs.

Question 31

Which of the following tactics is part of an inside strategy?

A) mailing flyers to a targeted segment of the local population
B) writing a letter to the editor of the local newspaper
C) orchestrating a protest outside a government building
D) meeting with a congressional staffer
E) organizing a sit-in inside a government building

Question 32

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

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 33

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

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 34

What is the primary difference between strategies and tactics?

A) Strategies focus solely on politics, while tactics embrace society as well.
B) Whereas strategies can be either inside or outside, tactics can only be inside.
C) Strategies are overall goals, and tactics are the specific actions taken to accomplish those goals.
D) Strategies are available to any movement, whereas only interest groups can employ tactics.
E) Strategies are employed by flexible pragmatists, whereas tactics are used by rigid ideological groups.

Question 35

Which of the following statements about issue networks is LEAST accurate?

A) They typically consist of lobbyists, policy specialists, members of Congress, and federal bureaucrats.
B) They are often open to groups with opposing interests.
C) They create permanent alliances based on the exchange of mutual benefits.
D) They are linked by shared expertise in a given area.
E) It is fairly common in Washington today for issue networks to dominate policy in a given area.

Question 36

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

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

Question 37

Agency "capture" occurs when

A) an iron triangle forms.
B) Congress begins to assume the regulatory functions that a federal agency is supposed to handle.
C) a regulating agency begins to control the actual industry or business that it regulates.
D) an industry begins to gain undue influence over the agency that regulates it.
E) lobbyists effectively run a federal agency, performing all regulation duties themselves.

Question 38

Which of the following statements about lobbyists is LEAST accurate?

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 39

Which of the following statements about "iron triangles," such as the military-industrial complex, is LEAST accurate?

A) In recent decades their influence has increased because the power of advocacy groups has declined.
B) They typically consist of united private interests, executive agencies, and congressional committees.
C) They help federal agencies get their proposed policies passed.
D) They make it easier for private interests to win lucrative government contracts.
E) They help members of Congress retain their seats.

Question 40

Of the following entities, which are barred from making direct 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 41

Which of the following trends is NOT visible in interest group activity today?

A) Interest groups rely on skilled professionals to make their case before government officials.
B) Many interest groups decide their agenda on a national level and ask members only for contributions.
C) Global issues are posing new threats that may change the nature of interest group activities.
D) Whereas interest groups were once controlled by the elite of society, the membership and goals of interest groups has expanded to consist predominantly of lower-class citizens.
E) Interest groups provide citizens with an accessible means of political participation that allows them to advance their views without great sacrifices of time.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about interest group coalitions is LEAST accurate?

A) Coalitions expand individual interest groups' access to resources.
B) Coalitions allow individual interest groups to enhance their visibility.
C) Because interest groups are driven purely by ideology, they never form coalitions with groups whose views are not the same as their own.
D) Government officials often prefer to work with coalitions because they show the possibilities for consensus on a given policy.
E) Entering into a coalition may require interest groups to abandon or deemphasize certain parts of their agendas in order to retain the support of their coalition members.

Question 43

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.

Question 44

Which of the following statements about interest group litigation is LEAST accurate?

A) Litigation is a means by which groups with little public support can advance their interests.
B) Oftentimes, important cases do not arise spontaneously but are, rather, test cases brought by interest groups trying to establish new precedents.
C) Litigation was an essential component of the early civil rights movement in the 1950s.
D) Litigation is relatively inexpensive, and so it is a favored tactic of small groups with few resources.
E) Sometimes, instead of filing suit themselves, interest groups will issue amicus curiae briefs in favor of another party engaged in a dispute.

Question 45

Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) rates members of the House and Senate based on their voting records and how they agree with the group's agenda. This rating system is known as

A) "heroes and zeros."
B) "winners and losers."
C) "good and bad."
D) "up and down."
E) "angels and devils."

Question 46

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

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 47

Explain why people join interest groups. What incentives encourage participation? Which of these incentives are most important? Which interest groups have been able to wield these incentives to elicit the most support, in either numbers or resources? Are the interest groups with the most numbers also the ones with the most money, or is there a notable discrepancy between these figures?

Question 48

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

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 49

Discuss the role of interest groups in American politics. What are their defining characteristics? What are the major types of interest groups? What purposes do they serve? Whose interests do they best represent? Are they beneficial to American society, or do they allow factions to pursue their own interests at the expense of the common good?

Question 50

Which of the following statements about the partisan leanings of various PACs is LEAST accurate?

A) Labor PACs tend to favor the Democratic Party.
B) Energy PACs tend to favor the Republican Party.
C) Pharmaceutical PACs tend to favor the Republican Party.
D) Trial lawyer PACs tend to favor the Democratic Party.
E) Most influential PACs court support by giving exclusively to one party.

Question 51

Which of the following types of interest groups is more likely to give to the Republican Party than to Democrats?

A) energy groups
B) environmental protection groups
C) lawyers and lobbyists
D) labor groups
E) ideology and single interest groups

Question 52

Which of the following examples best illustrates the principle of political disadvantage theory?

A) Small interest groups cannot affect policy because they cannot gain direct access to members of Congress.
B) Unpopular industries, unable to sway public opinion, try to win concessions through the courts.
C) Although attacking lobbyists and interest groups makes for a good stump speech, lawmakers who try to function without those groups find they can get little done.
D) As the power of a few interest groups increases, it will become increasingly difficult for new interest groups to gain influence in Congress.
E) If interest groups contribute money to both parties, their influence with the winning side declines, but if they contribute to only one party, their access might be closed completely.

Question 53

If a public relations firm "mobilizes the grass tops," it is

A) conducting a particularly shallow grassroots campaign that focuses on the most politically active citizens.
B) attempting to build up support only on the national level.
C) mining databases for high-status community leaders to contact legislators in key districts.
D) engaging in lobbying only for issues that are already widely popular on a national level.
E) attempting to influence only local races in hopes of effecting change that will "trickle up."

Question 54

Discuss how interest groups build support for favored candidates. What organizations are they allowed to create in order to influence elections? What limits have Congress and the courts placed on these organizations? Are these limits effective? Should there be limitations on how much money individuals and groups can donate to a cause, or do such caps violate First Amendment rights?

Question 55

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?

Question 56

Which of the following statements about grassroots mobilization is LEAST accurate?

A) Interest groups can be more effective when they have members spread across a broad swath of congressional districts.
B) Interest groups sometimes engage in astroturf lobbying, using deceitful practices to rally widespread support behind policies that benefit only a small section of society.
C) Interest groups sometimes rely on mobilizing the grass tops, focusing on the most influential members of a community.
D) Many interest groups build grassroots support by providing citizens with "scorecards" outlining how candidates have voted on key issues in the past.
E) Grassroots mobilization helps an interest group create the illusion of public backing, but this can rarely be translated into true political influence over elected officials.

Question 57

Describe lobbying as a political tactic. What resources must lobbyists wield to be effective? How do they build and maintain access to government officials? How has Congress tried to regulate lobbyists' activities, and how successful have those measures been? Do lobbyists have too much influence over policy formation, or do they provide a necessary function the government cannot do without?

Question 58

A four-year study revealed that the most common outcome of lobbying is

A) maintenance of the status quo.
B) passage of new and influential legislation.
C) dramatically reduced regulatory control by executive agencies.
D) incumbents being unseated from office.
E) reduction in the power of executive agencies.

Question 59

Which of the following is a characteristic of astroturf lobbying?

A) lobbying for a set of unidentified interests
B) intense transparency
C) lobbying exclusively for corporate interests
D) lobbying to executive officials instead of members of Congress
E) wide grassroots cultivation