Question 1

Which of these is a strategy that interest groups tend to avoid?

Accepted Answer

A) filing cases in the federal and state courts 
B) nominating a candidate to run for public office 
C) attending a public hearing on a proposed regulation 
D) meeting with lawmakers to discuss common interests

Question 2

Which of the following policies would be most likely to be considered a hot potato?

Accepted Answer

A) increased funding for cancer research 
B) a new law tightening requirements for purchasing a gun 
C) expansion of efforts to make the bureaucracy more efficient 
D) a new program providing incentives for companies to hire veterans

Question 3

The amount of money currently spent on lobbying the federal government is roughly $_________ per year.

Accepted Answer

A) 100 million 
B) 750 million 
C) 3.5 billion 
D) 9 billion

Question 4

Lobbyists often call themselves __________ to get around the registration and reporting requirements for lobbyists.

Accepted Answer

A) influence peddlers 
B) Congressional aides 
C) strategic consultants 
D) interest group managers

Question 5

Which group has the most influence over politics in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A) women 
B) senior citizens 
C) wealthy individuals 
D) racial and ethnic minorities

Question 6

The success of an interest group generally depends on how controversial its cause is.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which statement describes how France differs from the United States with respect to the interest group system?

Accepted Answer

A) French interest groups are publically accountable. 
B) French interest groups only lobby the executive branch. 
C) French interest groups operate in a more constrained atmosphere. 
D) French interest groups are informally controlled by the government.

Question 8

A strong state is necessary for a healthy interest group environment because strong states have __________.

Accepted Answer

A) a highly active citizenry 
B) high levels of economic achievement 
C) well-established relationships with corporations 
D) the ability to keep groups from acting outside the law

Question 9

The Tobacco Institute maintains a low profile by __________ rather than operating in ways that are obvious to the public.

Accepted Answer

A) quietly bribing politicians 
B) working through minor political parties 
C) funding research that supports its agenda 
D) supporting feel-good initiatives in the community

Question 10

Suppose you belong to a single-issue interest group with very little funding.Which of these is your best approach to influencing public policy?

Accepted Answer

A) expand your focus to multiple issues 
B) run a single candidate for political office 
C) perform high-profile acts of civil disobedience 
D) file an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court

Question 11

The courts are most likely to become an arena for interest group competition in a country __________.

Accepted Answer

A) where the rule of law is strong 
B) that accepts the corporatist ideal 
C) with a relatively weak central government 
D) that has a parliamentary form of democracy

Question 12

The National Rifle Association generally supports __________ candidates.

Accepted Answer

A) Democratic 
B) independent 
C) Republican 
D) third-party

Question 13

Which is a major shortcoming of a government that is heavily influenced by interest groups?

Accepted Answer

A) Minority rights will receive more attention than the broader public good. 
B) Public policy will be skewed toward the groups that have the largest membership. 
C) Political parties will become irrelevant because of greater public support for interest groups. 
D) Many people do not have the resources to organize into a group that can influence the government.

Question 14

In order to prevent interest groups from influencing politics,it would be necessary to curtail their __________.

Accepted Answer

A) right to bear arms 
B) freedom of expression 
C) ability to seek new members 
D) access to equal protection under the law

Question 15

What are two reasons that elections are so much more expensive in the United States than in Western Europe?

Accepted Answer

A) constitutional protections and the size of the U.S.population 
B) bureaucratic inefficiency and the strength of special interest groups 
C) the size of U.S.territory and the strength of the federal government 
D) the weakness of American political parties and the decentralized nomination process

Question 16

Interest groups typically approach __________ looking for a favorable interpretation of existing rules and regulations.

Accepted Answer

A) legislators 
B) bureaucrats 
C) wealthy donors 
D) third-party candidates

Question 17

Enron executives benefitted financially from the company's collapse.

Accepted Answer