Deck 11: Interest Groups

Question 1

How are interest groups legally protected in the United States?

A) Through labor laws
B) Through strong public support because there is little desire among elected officials to enforce laws that regulate them
C) Through the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right of the people "to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances"
D) Through most state governments, which do protect their rights, although the federal government bans lobbying by special interest groups
E) Through the U.S. Constitution, which creates and protects interest groups and vests them with powers to lobby Congress

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A Crédit Mobilier was

A) a means of financing purchase of automobiles.
B) a French banking conspiracy.
C) a financial scam designed to funnel money to railroads through their own construction contracts.
D) a scandal that came out due to the bribing officials to promote Native American casinos.
E) All of the above are true.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which theory says that public policy largely results from a variety of interest groups competing with one another to promote laws that benefit members of their respective groups?

A) Cooperativism
B) Majoritarianism
C) Pluralism
D) Capitalism
E) Legalism

Answer 3

C

Question 4

An organization of people with shared goals that tries to influence public policy through a variety of activities is called

A) a religious denomination.
B) an interest group.
C) a political action committee.
D) a government.
E) a corporation.

Question 5

Which of the following is an important difference between interest groups and political parties?

A) Interest groups tend to have a narrow focus on special issues, while major political parties are generally all-encompassing with more broad ideological approaches.
B) Interest groups are for-profit organizations, whereas political parties are non-profit entities.
C) Interest groups are heavily regulated by federal election laws, whereas political parties enjoy considerable freedoms and prerogatives.
D) Interest groups may contribute unlimited and unreported amounts of money to political campaigns, whereas political parties have strong restrictions.
E) Approved interest groups receive funding from the federal government, whereas political parties must raise their funds privately.

Question 6

Which of the following is one of the major differences between political parties and interest groups?

A) Contributions to interest groups are tax deductible, whereas contributions to parties are not.
B) Federal law makes it illegal for an interest group to entangle itself with politics and elections, while these activities are legal in the case of political parties.
C) Interest groups do not run candidates for office as do parties, though interest groups will endorse candidates.
D) Political parties are government agencies whereas interest groups are private entities.
E) Interest groups have very little influence in the development of legislation in Congress, whereas this is not the case for political parties.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of interest group activity?

A) Interest groups provide all groups in society with an opportunity to win support for their ideas and positions.
B) Joining groups and working for the interests of the group is a natural inclination of citizens and should be encouraged as a method of representation in our democracy.
C) Interest groups work to concentrate benefits for the few while distributing costs to the many.
D) The right of association is a basic right protected implicitly by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which affords individuals the right "peaceably to assemble."
E) The system is fair in that it gives all groups an equitable opportunity to compete.

Question 8

Unlike political parties, interest groups

A) are generally all-encompassing.
B) are guided by broader ideological approaches to governing rather than by a specific policy position.
C) try to appeal to as many individuals as possible.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 9

Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1835 book Democracy in America addressed, among other things, the existence of interest groups in America. What was Tocqueville's opinion of interest groups?

A) Tocqueville praised the extent to which interest group activity underpins the American democracy.
B) Tocqueville was very critical of interest groups and saw them as undermining the democratic process.
C) Tocqueville viewed interest groups as creating a para-democratic force that could work for good or bad.
D) Tocqueville viewed interest groups as nothing more than political parties.
E) Tocqueville was shocked at the negative influences and forces that these groups had over innocent citizens.

Question 10

Robert Dahl's "access points"

A) are a means for interest groups to provide input to influence government.
B) are a means for interest groups to compete for influence.
C) include Congress, executive branch offices, courts, elections, and the news media.
D) can be found in A Preface to Democratic Theory.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 11

Unlike interest groups, political parties

A) are generally all-encompassing.
B) are guided by broader ideological approaches to governing rather than by a specific policy position.
C) try to appeal to as many individuals as possible.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 12

Which of the following is the most influential interest group that lobbies for the needs of the elderly?

A) Social Security Administration
B) the Catholic Church
C) Blue Cross and Blue Shield
D) American Association for Retired People (AARP)
E) Congress

Question 13

Which theory says that public policy is a product of whatever the majority of citizens prefer?

A) Mass cooperation
B) Pluralism
C) Majoritarianism
D) Democracy
E) Conservatism

Question 14

de Tocqueville praised

A) the efforts of Americans at traffic control.
B) success of Americans at road construction.
C) how Americans used group activity in democracy
D) the high moral standards of Americans.
E) the reliance that Americans demonstrated to combat the ills and trials of life.

Question 15

What was the significance of Ralph Nader's work in the 1960s and 1970s?

A) Nader was a Socialist candidate for president who turned many Americans toward his ideology.
B) Nader recruited a small army of young college graduates to advance Socialist causes in the United States.
C) Nader was a staunch defender of growing corporate influence in the United States following the war.
D) Nader was an influential consumer advocate who recruited young activists to successfully challenge the safety and health problems created by large corporations during this era.
E) Nader led the student takeovers of many of the university campuses during this era in protest of American involvement in Vietnam.

Question 16

James Madison notes in Federalist No. 10 that "the latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man." This means

A) that latex and rubber are appropriate materials for outdoor clothing worn while camping.
B) that the tendency to band together to influence government action to promote shared interests is part of human nature.
C) that people should have patches sewn on their clothing to advertise factions.
D) that factions, a source of fiber, should be planted in nature.
E) that factions are best expressed in natural surroundings.

Question 17

Robert Dahl describes a number of "access points" for special interest groups to influence policy. Which of the following is NOT one of these access points?

A) Courts
B) Executive branch offices
C) Political party organizations
D) Congress
E) News media

Question 18

Unlike political parties, interest groups

A) focus narrowly on special issues or sets of issues.
B) appeal to those whose special interests are advocated by the group.
C) do not try to appeal to as many individuals as possible.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 19

Public support for interest groups is varied. James Madison, especially in his Federalist No. 10, argued that

A) interest groups are good for society because they give citizens alternative methods of influencing government.
B) interest groups, because they are dangerous, should be banned by legislation.
C) interest groups could not be eliminated without destroying liberty itself.
D) interest groups lead to insurrection in government.
E) interest groups are harmless methods of building camaraderie and fellowship among citizens.

Question 20

Which of the following illegal acts was committed by Jack Abramoff?

A) Offering members of Congress free seats in his skyboxes at major sporting events
B) Overbilling Native American tribes who employed him
C) Orchestrating lobbying campaigns against Native American tribes who employed him
D) Charging Congressional vacation airfares on his credit card
E) All of the above are true.

Question 21

Often an issue will gain significant support from across the spectrum of interest groups to the point that it becomes known as a movement. Which of the following would NOT be considered a social movement in American history?

A) Women's rights
B) Civil rights
C) Child labor laws and child protection
D) Prohibition of alcohol
E) Upgrading of the military

Question 22

A general characteristic of an interest group that may have a significant bearing on how powerful that group will be is

A) size of the group.
B) wealth of the members.
C) dedication of members to the goals of the group.
D) Options A, B, and C are true.
E) None of the above is true.

Question 23

Which of the following interest groups boasts extremely high number of members?

A) The Christian Coalition of America (CCA)
B) American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA)
C) The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC)
D) American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)
E) Both options A and D are true.

Question 24

Throughout American history, the most significant influences on the formation of public policy have been

A) government agencies.
B) influential members of Congress.
C) state governments.
D) leagues of municipal governments.
E) private special interest groups.

Question 25

The AFL-CIO, one of the largest labor unions in America and a major interest group, was instrumental in pushing for creation of a new cabinet-level agency to advocate for its interests. This agency is the

A) Department of State.
B) Attorney General's Office.
C) Department of Homeland Security.
D) Department of Labor.
E) Department of Commerce.

Question 26

The satisfaction that a group member receives from interacting with like-minded individuals for a particular cause is referred to as a(n)

A) purposive benefit.
B) material benefit.
C) fraternity.
D) solidary benefit.
E) bonding.

Question 27

In the post-Civil War economic boom, Samuel Gompers helped to create and lead the American Federation of Labor (AFL). What was the impact of this interest group on labor relations?

A) The AFL turned public sentiment toward the corporate owners and ultimately damaged worker morale.
B) The government rejected the legitimacy of the AFL as well as that of any other labor union.
C) The government responded to the labor union movement by protecting the corporate interests and banning the unions.
D) The AFL brought many smaller worker trade unions into a large interest group with increased political clout and ultimately won support in Congress for dozens of worker benefits.
E) Gompers and most of his supporters were eventually imprisoned.

Question 28

During periods of rapid growth in federal spending, such as the New Deal of the 1930s and the Great Society of the 1960s, what has been the corresponding response of interest groups?

A) As funding and services increased, there was far less need for advocacy; thus the number of interest groups decreased.
B) The number of organized and active interest groups increased significantly in order to advocate for or oppose the government's views.
C) Interest groups began to merge their organizations into the federal government's bureaucracy.
D) Interest groups disbanded because, in effect, they had been successful in advocating for the creation of the new funding programs.
E) There was little discernible difference in the organization or number of interest groups.

Question 29

Between 1960 and 2000, the number of official associations (interest groups) increased by about

A) 20 percent.
B) 60 percent.
C) 150 percent.
D) 300 percent.
E) 400 percent.

Question 30

Though they have created some controversies, many interest groups have a political arm that acts as an extension of their organization, referred to as a

A) political action committee (PAC).
B) political party.
C) corporate benefit.
D) socialist advocacy.
E) committee of influence.

Question 31

Three sets of actors interact to produce policy: congressional committees, executive agencies of government, and private interest groups. This grouping of actors and interests is referred to as the

A) impenetrable alliance.
B) congressional bond.
C) divine design.
D) iron triangle.
E) American brotherhood.

Question 32

Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the concept of labor unions as interest groups continued to grow. What was the relationship between these groups and the goals of the business owners?

A) Their differing goals, that of worker conditions versus maximizing profits, came into frequent and stark contrast.
B) The two groups were commendable in their ability to work through differences.
C) Congress intervened to enforce a peace.
D) The differences usually led to violent confrontations between workers and the police, who were sympathetic to the business owners.
E) The two groups ultimately had the same goal, which was the profitability of the company.

Question 33

One reason why interest groups are appealing is that they offer purposive benefits of membership, which are the rewards that benefit society as a whole rather than the individual directly. Which of the following is an example of a group largely driven by purposive benefits?

A) Sierra Club
B) American Medical Association (AMA)
C) National Education Association (NEA)
D) National Rifle Association (NRA)
E) AFL-CIO

Question 34

Though the United States Chamber of Commerce sounds like a government agency, it is in fact a private interest group. Which group does the U.S. Chamber of Commerce represent in lobbying for preferential legislation and funding?

A) Retail and wholesale employees
B) Consumers and their safety concerns
C) More than three million businesses
D) Wall Street investment companies
E) State government interests at the federal level

Question 35

The number of interest groups is large. How many Americans are estimated as belonging to at least one group?

A) Only about 1 percent, though the number of interest groups is large
B) Approximately 20 percent
C) Approximately 50 percent
D) Approximately 80 percent
E) Nearly 99 percent

Question 36

Which of the following best describes the relationship of interest groups to political candidates and elections?

A) Interest groups represent the primary funding mechanism for political parties.
B) Interest groups are de facto political parties in that their functions are identical.
C) Interest groups do not field candidates but have a vested interest in political parties, their candidates, and electoral outcomes, whereas political parties are created in order to field candidates for elective office and to influence policy development.
D) Interest groups and political parties are mutually exclusive as their purposes and motives are opposites.
E) Interest groups are strictly regulated by law, whereas political parties have little or no restrictions.

Question 37

Beyond an iron triangle, a broader set of actors who all have a vested interest in an area of public policy and try to collectively influence their policy area is generally referred to as

A) an issue network.
B) Congressional committees.
C) an emergent network.
D) executive agencies.
E) private interest groups.

Question 38

Often an individual will join and support a certain interest group to receive tangible advantages from that membership. An example is a teacher who joins the National Education Association with the expectation of salary increases. These advantages are referred to as

A) expectations.
B) long-term benefits.
C) perks.
D) material benefits.
E) intangible rewards.

Question 39

Which of the following was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of the manufacturing businesses?

A) American Federation of Labor (AFL)
B) National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
C) Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)
D) International Workers of the World (IWW)
E) American Telephone and Telegraph (ATT)

Question 40

Which of the following interest groups boasts a lower number of members but has an excess amount of wealth?

A) The Christian Coalition of America (CCA)
B) American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA)
C) The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC)
D) American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)
E) Both options A and D are true.

Question 41

Which of the following is NOT an example of an intergovernmental lobby?

A) The National League of Cities
B) U.S. Conference of Mayors
C) The Council of State Governments
D) The National Governors Association
E) Americans for Free Choice

Question 42

Groups that represent the collective interests of cities/states are called

A) public interest groups.
B) government interest groups.
C) single issue interest groups.
D) economic interest groups.
E) occupational interest groups.

Question 43

While membership numbers are important to an interest group, the wealth of its members is also important. Why?

A) Wealth always has more influence than numbers.
B) Wealth of membership impacts the level of financial contributions to campaigns for elected officials, thus balancing the offset of membership numbers.
C) Wealth is a reflection of the profession of the membership.
D) "Money speaks louder than words."
E) It is impossible to influence legislation without wealth.

Question 44

The law that requires employees to become members of the union as a condition of employment in unionized workplaces is called a(n)

A) closed shop.
B) open shop.
C) union shop.
D) solidary benefit.
E) material benefit.

Question 45

State laws vary in regard to mandatory union membership for certain categories of workers. Laws that allow an employee the option of joining a union are called

A) open shop laws.
B) closed shop laws.
C) compulsory laws.
D) union buster laws.
E) voluntary association laws.

Question 46

Groups that exist to promote economic conditions favorable to its members, and economic opportunities for its members, are referred to as

A) economic interest groups.
B) self-help groups.
C) self-interest groups.
D) business associations.
E) labor unions.

Question 47

The law that requires that employees in unionized workplaces to either join the union or pay the equivalent of union dues to it after a set period of time is called a(n)

A) closed shop.
B) open shop.
C) union shop.
D) solidary benefit.
E) material benefit.

Question 48

Which term is used to describe how interest groups go about influencing government officials?

A) Networking
B) Negotiating
C) Associating
D) Lobbying
E) Campaigning

Question 49

Which of the following would NOT be included in a list of economic interest groups?

A) Animal rights groups
B) Labor unions
C) Business and industry associations
D) Professional employee associations
E) Merchants' associations

Question 50

Since 1940, what has been the trend in labor union membership as a percentage of the total workforce?

A) It has sharply increased.
B) It has slowly increased.
C) It has remained about the same.
D) It has slightly decreased.
E) It has significantly decreased.

Question 51

Mancur Olson posited that, for interest groups,

A) a large membership makes elected leaders responsive to a group's concerns.
B) smaller groups are more likely to organize and associate because members can more readily see the benefits and see that people are more effective working together than the same number working independently.
C) a large membership has an advantage in raising funds to support its activities.
D) smaller groups can communicate more effectively through the "small group network" principles.
E) the larger the membership, the more direct benefits to each member.

Question 52

States, cities, and other governments organize collectively through a variety of interest groups, which are collectively referred to as

A) intergovernmental lobbies.
B) intergovernmental task forces.
C) intergovernmental coalitions.
D) intergovernmental collectives.
E) intergovernmental adaptive systems.

Question 53

An example of a powerful interest group that advocates for Second Amendment rights is the

A) National Rifle Association (NRA).
B) American Association for Retired People (AARP).
C) People for the American Way.
D) Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA).
E) Halliburton Corporation.

Question 54

Which government agency created in the early 1970s is charged with establishing workplace safety standards and enforcing them?

A) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
B) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
C) Employment Security Commission (ESC)
D) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
E) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Question 55

Noneconomic interest groups that focus on specific and sometimes very narrow perspectives and issues, such as abortion or capital punishment, are referred to as

A) public interest groups.
B) issue and ideological groups.
C) business groups.
D) opinion associations.
E) environmental advocacy groups.

Question 56

Noneconomic interest groups that exist to promote the broad, collective good of citizens and consumers are called

A) collective bargaining groups.
B) professional associations.
C) public interest groups.
D) ideological groups.
E) issue groups.

Question 57

Which of the following is NOT a primary reason that size of membership makes an interest group more effective?

A) The larger the membership, the more direct benefits to each member
B) A large membership has an advantage in raising funds to support its activities.
C) Large membership alone makes elected leaders responsive to a group's concerns.
D) There is "power in numbers."
E) It is recognized that a large membership can exert influence by endorsing, or refusing to endorse, a particular candidate.

Question 58

Groups that represent a large number of individuals, such as state associations of teachers, often allow those who do not join the association to reap the benefits of the group's efforts. These individuals are referred to as

A) scabs.
B) free riders.
C) picket busters.
D) leeches.
E) union busters.

Question 59

An interest group that typically focuses on one particular industry, with members of the group being drawn exclusively from that industry, is referred to as a(n)

A) trade association.
B) employee association.
C) economic association.
D) fraternity.
E) business and industry group.

Question 60

A well-known public interest groups that champions good government is called the

A) National Association of Farmers.
B) National Association of Workers.
C) National Organization of Women.
D) American Civil Liberties Union.
E) Common Cause.

Question 61

What guarantees does the First Amendment provide to interest groups?

Question 62

How do interest groups differ from political parties? How are they similar? Give some examples.

Question 63

How has the Internet changed how interest groups function?

Question 64

Discuss the free rider problem. Explain how it operates and explain the pros and cons of operating as a free rider.

Question 65

Compare and contrast the different types of noneconomic interest groups explaining the operations of each.

Question 66

Compare and contrast the different types of economic interest groups. Distinguish between those functioning on behalf of very large companies, professional associations, labor unions and trade associations. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Question 67

In regard to interest groups, what is the "iron triangle" of policymaking? What constitutes the three groups and what is the role of each group?

Question 68

What are some of the reasons that certain interest groups are more powerful than others? Name several of the most powerful interest groups in existence today. What factors may have led to their rise in American politics?

Question 69

Discuss the definition and purpose of a political action committee (PAC). By what limitations, if any, is a PAC legally bound?

Question 70

The most successful grassroots lobbying organization, with more than 40 million members, is the

A) American Association of Retired People (AARP).
B) Sierra Club.
C) Academy of Trial Lawyers.
D) Police Benevolent Association.
E) Conference of State Governors.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT a method that interest groups use to lobby for their causes?

A) Litigating
B) Supporting candidates
C) Grassroots lobbying
D) Persuasive campaigning
E) Boycotting their own businesses

Question 72

How do interest groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) use litigation and the courts to advance their goals?