Deck 9: Interest Groups: Getting Their Share and More

Question 1

Perhaps the most influential conservative Christian organization in the U.S.today is the __________.

A)Southern Christian Leadership Conference
B)National Council of Churches
C)Christian Coalition
D)Anti-Defamation League

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Organized movements of persons who make collective claims on other are called __________.

A)protest movements
B)factions
C)social movements
D)interest groups

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?

A)a consumer rights group
B)a professional association
C)a labor union
D)a group representing a state government

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Consider the "Who's Getting What?" box.Which of the following is an example of rent seeking?

A)a farm organization lobbying for subsidies on agricultural commodities
B)an environmental organization lobbying for clean air legislation
C)a union taking part in contract negotiations
D)a civil rights organization holding a demonstration

Question 5

Why is it significant that business/economic interest groups have more lobbyists in Washington,D.C.,than other types of groups?

A)Some people fear that government may disproportionately favor business interests in policy making.
B)It has become difficult for other types of organizations to establish a presence in Washington,D.C.
C)The business lobby has contributed to the widespread problem of bribing elected officials.
D)By providing a model for other groups,business lobbyists have enhanced the political influence of public interest and other organizations.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a professional association?

A)the AFL-CIO
B)the American Association of Retired People (AARP)
C)the American Farm Bureau Federation
D)the National Education Association

Question 7

What did James Madison identify as the most prevalent special interest in politics?

A)economic interests
B)civil rights
C)social justice
D)access to education

Question 8

Which of the following best describes the evolution of organized labor movements in the United States from 1950-2000?

A)increase in membership across the board and increased political influence
B)increase in membership across the board and significantly less influence
C)decline in industrial union memberships mixed with increases in government union memberships and similar influence compared to past decades
D)decline in memberships across the board but increased political influence

Question 9

In the early 20th century,the main focus of most women's organizations was to __________.

A)obtain the vote
B)change divorce laws
C)make abortion legal
D)demand equal pay

Question 10

MADD and NARAL are examples of __________.

A)public interest groups
B)labor unions
C)ideological organizations
D)single-issue groups

Question 11

How does the textbook define the term rent?

A)charging an interest group for knowledge one has gained while working in the government
B)benefits that are offered to members of an interest group
C)giving or offering anything of value in an effort to influence government officials
D)payment for a good beyond the marginal cost of its production and supply

Question 12

A(n)__________ is an interest group that pursues liberal or conservative agendas.

A)labor union
B)environmental group
C)trade association
D)ideological organization

Question 13

How does the interest group system differ from the electoral system?

A)Interest groups offer more direct representation of citizens' policy preferences than electoral politics.
B)Electoral politics offer more direct representation of citizens' policy preferences than interest groups.
C)Interest groups represent geographically defined constituencies,whereas the electoral system represents ideological and issue constituencies.
D)A single interest group represents many different interests,whereas an elected official provides concentrated and direct representation of one set of interests.

Question 14

Interest groups are important subjects of study in American politics because __________.

A)they are always successful in getting their demands met by government
B)they provide a venue for citizens to participate in government
C)most lobbyists eventually serve in Congress
D)they determine what issues get covered in the media

Question 15

Interest groups are often defended as a check on __________,or the tendency of democratic governments to allow the faint preferences of the masses to prevail over the intense feelings of minorities.

A)majoritarianism
B)constitutionalism
C)federalism
D)libertarianism

Question 16

What is a public interest group?

A)a group that conducts research and analysis on public policy issues
B)a group that expresses its political views publicly
C)a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole
D)a group that represents workers within a particular industry

Question 17

What is a trade association?

A)a coalition of public interest groups in a specific policy area,such as environmental policy
B)an organization that coordinates exchanges of information and resources among multiple interest groups
C)an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry
D)an organization that represents the federal government during the negotiation of international trade agreements

Question 18

A(n)__________ refers to an organization that seeks to influence public policy.

A)corporation
B)interest group
C)institute
D)congressional district

Question 19

James Madison defined a(n)__________ as a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.

A)faction
B)political party
C)social movement
D)oligarchy

Question 20

Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers?

A)public interest group
B)trade association
C)corporation
D)labor union

Question 21

The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.

A)free-rider
B)pluralist
C)collective good
D)group coordination

Question 22

Which of the following is an example of the free-rider problem?

A)an elected official accepting bribes from an interest group
B)an elected official relying on information from lobbyists
C)an environmental group struggling to raise funds for a "clean air" campaign
D)an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue

Question 23

Why is grassroots lobbying an effective political tactic?

A)Grassroots lobbying shapes public opinion,and elected officials are known to respond to public opinion.
B)Interest groups rarely engage in grassroots lobbying,so when they use this tactic,elected officials take notice.
C)Grassroots lobbyists collect and bundle together campaign contributions from multiple individuals.This results in one large campaign contribution and thus maximizes the impact of each contributor.
D)Grassroots lobbying depends on building personal connections with elected officials,who are more likely to listen to groups that they know and like.

Question 24

What is K Street?

A)a location outside the U.S.Capitol building where interest groups are allowed to hold protests
B)a location outside the White House where interest groups are allowed to hold protests
C)the primary location,in Washington,D.C.,of many powerful lobbying organizations and interest groups
E)the location of the House of Representatives office building

Question 25

Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free-rider problem?

A)an environmental organization working to pass climate change legislation
B)a labor union in a state where union membership is optional
C)a trade association representing a small number of firms
D)a trade association representing a large number of firms

Question 26

Giving or offering anything of value in an effort to influence government officials in the performance of their duties is called __________.

A)grassroots mobilization
B)bribery
C)coalition building
D)lobbying

Question 27

What is lobbying?

A)communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy position
B)conducting surveys to gauge public opinion on a policy issue
C)convincing potential members to join an interest group by offering them material benefits
D)fundraising for political candidates

Question 28

The Sierra Club and the Audubon Society are examples of __________.

A)education lobbies
B)women's groups
C)environmental groups
D)religious organizations

Question 29

Why are middle class/elite values most often represented through organized interest groups?

A)promoting middle class values is non-controversial and more likely to attract members
B)middle class values are the values are those to which all Americans aspire
C)most group members are professional,college-educated,higher-income persons
D)most group members are working-class and blue-collar women

Question 30

Which of the following is most likely to be governed democratically?

A)a public interest group
B)a single-issue group
C)a business group
D)a women's organization

Question 31

Which of the following is an activity that lobbyists regularly engage in?

A)answering e-mails from elected officials' constituents
B)speaking on behalf of elected officials at press conferences
C)providing elected officials with information about an interest group's position on an issue
D)providing legal counsel to interest groups in court cases

Question 32

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?

A)by introducing bills
B)by filing amicus curiae briefs
C)by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill
D)by providing technical expertise on policy issues

Question 33

You are the leader of an environmental organization working to address the problem of climate change.Given the free-rider problem,what would be the most effective way to get others to join your cause?

A)Describe the harmful consequences of global warming.
B)Explain how future generations will benefit from enacting climate change legislation.
C)Offer an incentive,such as a t-shirt,to those who join the campaign.
D)Publicly criticize those who don't join the campaign.

Question 34

Which of the following is an example of bribery?

A)a politician granting a meeting with one of his or her PAC contributors
B)a lobbyist offering payments to a member of Congress to insert a tax break into a bill
C)an interest group offering political support to members of Congress who vote a particular way on a bill
D)a lobbyist offering members of Congress free meals at expensive restaurants

Question 35

How does grassroots lobbying differ from other efforts by interest groups to influence governmen?

A)Grassroots lobbying focuses on cultivating relationships with elected officials more than other forms of advocacy.
B)Grassroots lobbying is more effective than other forms of advocacy.
C)Grassroots lobbying is more heavily regulated than other forms of advocacy.
D)Grassroots lobbying focuses on influencing public opinion to support groups' goals more than other forms of advocacy.

Question 36

You are the leader of a consumer rights group that has been unable to get a meeting with your elected representative in Congress.How could you get the attention of your legislator on the issues your group cares about?

A)Organize a demonstration in the representative's district and invite the media.
B)File an amicus curiae brief.
C)Draft a bill and introduce it in Congress.
D)Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

Question 37

Grassroots lobbying is best defined as __________.

A)building and maintain goodwill with the general public
B)inspiring constituents to contact their representatives
C)joining together interest groups to achieve common goals
D)using high-paid professionals to contact legislators

Question 38

In order to overcome the free-rider problem,many interest groups offer tangible benefits.What are tangible benefits?

A)the policies that interest groups help to bring about
B)gifts given to members of Congress in return for their support on legislation
C)benefits given only to group members
D)campaign contributions to elected officials

Question 39

The first women's organizations in the United States were formed __________.

A)just after the Revolutionary War
B)in the pre-Civil War years
C)at the end of the 19th century
D)during the Great Depression years

Question 40

Why do interest groups typically offer material (tangible)benefits to their members?

A)to foster greater diversity among group members
B)to encourage only the most committed supporters to become involved
C)to distract members from the groups' political motives
D)to overcome the free-rider problem

Question 41

What is an iron triangle?

A)a joining together of interest groups or individuals to achieve common goals
B)a mutually supportive relationship among interest groups,government agencies,and legislative committees
C)an activity directed at government officials with the hope of influencing their decision
D)a nonprofit tax-free policy planning organization that concentrates on policy development

Question 42

How do interest groups lobby the courts?

A)through letter-writing campaigns addressed to particular judges
B)by publishing editorials in major newspapers stating their views on cases
C)by bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens
D)by testifying before congressional committees

Question 43

Why are campaign contributions so important for interest groups seeking to influence government?

A)Legislators only grant meetings with interest groups that offer campaign contributions.
B)Campaign contributions help elect candidates who are friendly to groups' goals.
C)Groups can offer contributions in return for favorable votes on pending legislation.
D)Organizations seeking to offer input on a political party's platform are required to make campaign contributions.

Question 44

How does lobbying the executive branch differ from lobbying Congress?

A)Fewer interest groups lobby Congress than lobby the executive branch.
B)Fewer interest groups lobby the executive branch than lobby Congress.
C)Lobbying the executive branch has less impact on government than lobbying Congress.
D)Lobbying the executive branch focuses more on rulemaking,whereas lobbying Congress focuses more on pending legislation.

Question 45

In a lobbying network,which of the following would be considered an "inside" strategy?

A)advertising
B)contacts
C)demonstrations
D)membership mobilization

Question 46

Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to political candidates?

A)527 organizations
B)coordinating committees
C)501(c)3 organizations
D)political action committees

Question 47

Political action committees (PACs)are an attractive option for campaign contributions because __________.

A)they are allowed by law to contribute unlimited sums of money to political candidates
B)most other types of contributions were banned by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
C)they combine many individual contributions,attracting more attention from members of Congress
D)PAC contributions are tax deductible

Question 48

Members of Congress who receive contributions from political action committees (PACs)__________.

A)always vote in favor of the groups' policy positions
B)avoid voting on matters of concern to PACs so as not to appear biased
C)generally try to grant the PACs access to the members and their staff
D)typically receive negative publicity for accepting PAC money

Question 49

To which of the following might political action committees (PACs)invest their contributions in order to maximize their political influence?

A)members of the minority party in Congress
B)campaigns of challengers
C)campaigns of incumbents
D)candidates for state and local offices only

Question 50

When a case that an interest group is interested in,but not actually sponsoring,comes before a court,the group can __________.

A)meet with judges to explain the group's policy preferences
B)file an amicus curiae brief to present the group's analysis of the case
C)file an appeal to move the case to a different court
D)file a petition to get the group added to the list of plaintiffs

Question 51

A(n)__________ is a joining together of interest groups to achieve common goals.

A)iron triangle
B)issue network
C)political action committee
D)coalition

Question 52

In a lobbying network,which of the following would be considered an "outside" strategy?

A)calls
B)meetings
C)public relations
D)testimony

Question 53

How do interest groups lobby the executive branch?

A)by appearing at administrative hearings to offer information
B)by offering PAC contributions to agency heads
C)by filing amicus curiae briefs
D)by drafting and introducing bills

Question 54

An interest group filing an amicus curiae brief is an example of __________.

A)grassroots or outside lobbying
B)how interest groups influence elections
C)lobbying an executive branch agency
D)lobbying the judicial branch

Question 55

What is an amicus curiae brief?

A)a written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
B)a petition to remove a judge from a court case
C)a petition submitted to Congress in support of or opposition to a judicial nominee
D)a petition submitted to an executive branch agency,requesting a review of the agency's decision

Question 56

What is a political action committee (PAC)?

A)an organization within a political party that coordinates campaign events
B)an organizations that focuses on grassroots/outside lobbying
C)an organization that conducts voter registration drives
D)an organization that solicits campaign contributions and distributes them to political candidates

Question 57

This libertarian think tank advocates policies based on market principles and limited government.

A)the Center for American Progress
B)the Cato Institute
C)the Brookings Institution
D)the Council on Foreign Relations

Question 58

When Senator Cranston left office,he took a position as a lobbyist for the real estate industry on K Street.This is an example of __________.

A)the revolving door phenomenon
B)an iron triangle
C)a back-room negotiation
C)an issue network

Question 59

Generally speaking,political action committee (PAC)contributions have __________.

A)become increasingly important in congressional elections
B)decreased,following a growing movement of representatives who have rejected all PAC money
C)become less important in federal-level elections and more important in state-level elections
D)become more important in federal-level elections and less important in state-level elections

Question 60

Which of the following,if true,would indicate that grassroots lobbying is an ineffective political tactic?

A)Policy makers primarily work to satisfy the demands of their wealthiest campaign contributors.As a result,they rarely respond to broader public opinion.
B)In congressional elections,incumbent candidates win at a much higher rate than challengers.
C)The number of interest groups with lobbyists in Washington,D.C.,has increased over the past several decades.
D)The mass media tend to cover only the most dramatic and unusual news stories.

Question 61

The most viable commodity a lobby firm can offer its clients is a __________.

A)retired federal judge
B)former member of Congress
C)CEO of a major corporation
C)well-known celebrity or spokesperson

Question 62

In Federalist No.10,how did James Madison propose to overcome the problem of factions?

A)by banning the formation of interest groups
B)by discouraging citizens from expressing their political views in public
C)by adopting a system of direct democracy
D)by adopting a system of representative government

Question 63

How might pluralism serve to enhance democracy?

A)by requiring people to join interest groups
B)by ensuring that no single interest becomes dominant
C)by allowing policy makers to ignore the demands of certain organizations
D)by discouraging bargaining and compromise on policy issues

Question 64

Which of the following is an example of a faction,as conceptualized by Madison in Federalist No.10?

A)the media
B)an interest group
C)the legislature
D)the executive branch

Question 65

How does lobbying the executive branch differ from lobbying the judicial branch?

A)Lobbying the executive branch may involve grassroots/outside lobbying,whereas lobbying the courts typically does not.
B)It is much more costly for interest groups to lobby the courts than to lobby the executive branch.
C)It is much more costly for interest groups to lobby the executive branch than to lobby the courts.
D)Lobbying the executive branch focuses on pending legislation,whereas lobbying the courts focuses on overturning existing law.

Question 66

Coalitions of interest groups and governmental players who promote policy on a particular issue are called __________.

A)PACs
B)iron triangles
C)revolving doors
D)issue networks

Question 67

Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions in Federalist No.10?

A)He believed that factions pursuing their self-interest would work against the broader public interest.
B)He worried that factions were too focused on the public good and that they neglected to take care of their own needs.
C)He worried that the Constitution did not provide enough opportunities for factions to be involved in politics.
D)He worried that factions might prevent the Constitution from being ratified.

Question 68

Which of the following statements,if true,would undermine the theory of pluralism?

A)Members of Congress have become increasingly dependent on political action committee (PAC)contributions to fund their campaigns.
B)Political action committees (PACs)are not always successful in securing favorable government policies.
C)Membership in labor unions has decreased over the past several decades.
D)Individuals with shared grievances do not always come together to form interest groups.

Question 69

According to the Ethics in Government Act,former members of Congress are not permitted to lobby Congress for __________ after leaving that body.

A)one year
B)two years
C)five years
C)ten years

Question 70

This is one of the largest and most active interest groups devoted to legislation.

A)the American Civil Liberties Union
B)the Christian Coalition
C)the National Organization for Women
C)the Sierra Club

Question 71

How is lobbying the executive branch similar to lobbying the courts?

A)Both require a lobbyist to hold a law degree.
B)Both can involve lobbying related to the implementation of an existing policy.
C)Both are relatively rare,given that most lobbyists focus exclusively on Congress.
D)Both typically involve grassroots lobbying.

Question 72

If James Madison were alive today,he would most likely view the rapid growth of interest groups over the past several decades as a positive development.

Question 73

Interest groups are often criticized for failing to check majoritarianism in American politics.

Question 74

Political economists argue that rent-seeking behavior contributes to the efficiency of government.

Question 75

One way that interest groups can influence elections is by endorsing candidates.

Question 76

A legal dispute brought before a court is called __________.

A)legislation
B)an amicus curiae brief
C)a regulation
C)litigation

Question 77

Social movement claims are often directed against elites and are characterized by the participation of "ordinary people."

Question 78

Critics of pluralism would note that __________.

A)government decisions reflect the balance of competing interests in society
B)resources and political power are unequally distributed within society
C)individuals with shared grievances always form interest groups to press their demands upon government
D)government is too responsive to the demands of interest groups

Question 79

Which of the following statements,if true,would confirm the theory of pluralism?

A)Elected officials rarely take into account the views of interest groups.
B)The number of interest groups in Washington,D.C.,has decreased over the past several decades.
C)Elected officials seek out the opinions of multiple interest groups when creating policy.
D)Membership in labor unions has remained stable over the past several decades.

Question 80

Which of the following is an assumption of pluralism?

A)Only wealthy interests have influence over government decisions.
B)Government decisions reflect the preferences of elites.
C)Interest groups are integral to government decisions.
D)Policy makers care more about public opinion than interest groups' preferences.