Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

A)  a consumer rights group
B)  a trade association
C)  a labor union.
D)  a group representing alpaca ranchers A

Question 3

How do interest groups lobby the courts?

Accepted Answer

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 meeting with judges to express their views on cases. C

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

When a case that an interest group is interested in comes before the Supreme Court,the group can __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  meet with judges to explain the group's policy preferences
B)  file an amicus curiae brief in support of one side of the case
C)  appeal the case to a higher court.
D)  legally offer monetary incentives to the justices as long as the interest group is not a party to the case

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

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 for a small industry
D)  a national organization fighting for women's rights

Question 7

Which of the following is a pluralist belief?

Accepted Answer

A)  Only wealthy interests have influence over government decisions.
B)  Government decisions reflect the preferences of elites.
C)  A rough approximation of the public interest emerges from competition between groups.
D)  Policymakers care more about public opinion than interest groups' preferences.

Question 8

What does intensity contribute to the success of an interest group?

Accepted Answer

A)  Intensity often leads groups to advocate for more than they can realistically get,and the final result is that they get nothing.
B)  Intense interest group members often scare away other potential members with less intense beliefs.
C)  Politicians are more likely to listen to a group showing intensity.
D)  Intensity weeds out the free riders in a group,resulting in a more heterogeneous group.

Question 9

What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half century?

Accepted Answer

A)  Developments in technology made interest group activities easier.
B)  The increasing power of political parties led to more interest group formation.
C)  A decrease in the scope of government brought out interest groups seeking to protect their interests.
D)  Legal restrictions on lobbying activities were lifted as part of the New Deal.

Question 10

A(n) __________ refers to an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals.

Accepted Answer

A)  corporation.
B)  interest group
C)  iron triangle.
D)  faction

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)  a political action committee contributing to candidates from both major political parties.
B)  an elected official relying on information from lobbyists
C)  an environmentalist deciding not to join an environmental group but appreciating the group's environmental stewardship
D)  an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of a single-issue interest group?

Accepted Answer

A)  the National Abortion Rights Action League.
B)  the Chamber of Commerce.
C)  Common Cause
D)  the National Wholesalers Association

Question 13

Generally speaking,Political Action Committee (PAC) and Super PAC contributions have __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  become increasingly important in congressional elections
B)  decreased for incumbents but increased for challengers and open seats.
C)  become less important in federal elections and more important in state elections
D)  become less important

Question 14

What type of group is a trade association?

Accepted Answer

A)  an economic interest group
B)  a public interest group
C)  a public sector interest group
D)  a labor union.

Question 15

What is a trade association?

Accepted Answer

A)  an organization that represents the federal government during the negotiation of international trade agreements
B)  an organization that coordinates exchanges of information and resources among multiple interest groups
C)  a type of labor union.
D)  an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry

Question 16

According to James Madison,a __________ is 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.

Accepted Answer

A)  faction
B)  political party.
C)  single-issue organization
D)  special interest group

Question 17

What do right-to-work laws uphold?

Accepted Answer

A)  amicus curiae briefs
B)  workers' rights to collective goods
C)  the requirement that workers in a union shop must join the union.
D)  workers' freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union

Question 18

What is an iron triangle?

Accepted Answer

A)  a joining together of interest groups or individuals to achieve common goals
B)  a form of sub government composed of leaders of interest groups,government agencies,and congressional committees
C)  a nonprofit,tax-free policy planning organization that concentrates on policy development
D)  an organization that solicits and receives campaign contributions from corporations,unions,trade associations,and other groups.

Question 19

Which of the following is a typical way for lobbyists to seek to influence members of Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  by offering them money to vote a particular way.
B)  by filing amicus curiae briefs
C)  by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill
D)  by providing specialized expertise

Question 20

How did the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 affect lobbyists?

Accepted Answer

A)  It limited the number of hours each lobbyist could work during a single session of Congress.
B)  It required all lobbyists to join the Labor Union of American Lobbyists and Government Relations Experts.
C)  It set limits on how many lobbyists could be employed by a PAC.
D)  It required lobbyists to file a report detailing the sources of their lobbying income.

Exam 10: Interest Groups