Question 1

As in the U.S. Congress, most campaign contributions in Texas go to

Accepted Answer

A)  incumbents. 
B)  supporters of business interests. 
C)  Republicans. 
D)  political parties. 
E)  Democrats.

Question 2

One of the most influential professional groups in Austin is the Texas Medical Association.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

If an interest group "gets on the late train," it means

Accepted Answer

A)  the group's lobbyists are unable to gain access to key politicians until after all opposing lobbyists have been heard. 
B)  an interest group gives contributions after the election to a winning candidate the group had earlier opposed. 
C)  a political action committee donates money for a candidate in the general election but not in the primaries. 
D)  an interest group picks up on an issue only after public-opinion polling shows a great deal of support. 
E)  the group donates money to a campaign that eventually loses the election.

Question 4

Political action committees help interest groups bundle campaign donations.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Describe some of the different types of interest groups operating in Texas. Which ones have been the most influential? What are some interests that have been underrepresented in Texas?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe some of the different types of...

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

A)  the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund 
B)  the Texas Medical Association 
C)  Common Cause 
D)  Texans for Lawsuit Reform 
E)  the Texas Bar Association

Question 7

Interest groups are limited to lobbying the legislature; they CANNOT lobby executive agencies or the courts.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What was the problem Speaker Sam Rayburn identified with the "steak men" at the beginning of the twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

A)  They were politicians who were in the pocket of the cattle industry. 
B)  They were legislators who would "sell" their votes on a bill for free steak dinners. 
C)  They were legislators who would attempt to cut all the meat out of the budgets. 
D)  They were lobbyists who Rayburn said were full of "bull." 
E)  They were legislators who were in the pocket of the meat-packing industry.

Question 9

Most political action committee spending in Texas represents

Accepted Answer

A)  business. 
B)  labor. 
C)  single-issue ideological organizations. 
D)  consumers. 
E)  agriculture.

Question 10

Which U.S. Supreme Court case in 2009 created the opportunity for organizations that opposed powerful incumbents to NOT disclose their donors?

Accepted Answer

A)  Clinton v. Patriot Citizens 
B)  Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission 
C)  McCutcheon v. Federal Elections Commission 
D)  Bush v. Federal Elections Commission 
E)  Tea Party v. Federal Elections Commission

Question 11

The 8F Crowd was

Accepted Answer

A)  an influential cartel of political activists who wrote the Texas Constitution of 1876. 
B)  a loose but influential group of Texas businessmen. 
C)  the first Latino civil rights organization in Texas. 
D)  a group of corrupt politicians dependent on bribery during the early twentieth century. 
E)  a group of eight Florida businessmen who came to Texas hoping to get elected to the Texas legislature.

Question 12

Not all interests are equally represented in Texas politics. Describe which interest groups have the most political clout and why? What are some interests that are not well represented in Texas, and why is this the case? What have been some practical effects of these differences in lobbying power?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Not all interests are equally represented in...

Question 13

The largest and most effective public employee interest group in Texas is made up of

Accepted Answer

A)  firefighters. 
B)  police officers. 
C)  teachers. 
D)  justices of the peace. 
E)  autoworkers.

Question 14

Interest groups representing labor organizations dominate Texas politics.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

________ was the former Texas Speaker of the House who was indicted for taking an illegal gift from a law firm that specialized in collecting delinquent taxes for local governments.

Accepted Answer

A)  Gib Lewis 
B)  James "Pete" Laney 
C)  Bill Ratliff 
D)  Tom Craddick 
E)  Sam Rayburn

Question 16

Battleground Texas is the latest attempt by the Democratic Party to do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  identify potential Democratic voters. 
B)  identify potential candidates. 
C)  make voters familiar with Democratic positions. 
D)  make voters familiar with Democratic candidates. 
E)  increase voter turnout.

Question 17

Interest groups typically have more time, money, and expertise to offer politicians than do average citizens.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Texas trial lawyers frequently ally with

Accepted Answer

A)  the gas and oil industry. 
B)  pharmaceutical companies. 
C)  consumer interest groups. 
D)  public employee unions. 
E)  environmental groups.

Question 19

Interest groups are often powerful in states

Accepted Answer

A)  with a strong two-party rivalry. 
B)  dominated by one party. 
C)  that have a weak or nonexistent party system. 
D)  with powerful third parties. 
E)  with low voter turnout.

Question 20

Which of the following is the farmers' interest group that influenced the writing of the Texas Constitution of 1876?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Grange 
B)  the 8F Group 
C)  EMILY's List 
D)  the Texas Natural Resource Council 
E)  the Texas Farm Bureau Association

Exam 6: Interest Groups and Lobbying

As in the U.S. Congress, most campaign contributions in Texas go to

One of the most influential professional groups in Austin is the Texas Medical Association.

If an interest group "gets on the late train," it means

Political action committees help interest groups bundle campaign donations.

Describe some of the different types of interest groups operating in Texas. Which ones have been the most influential? What are some interests that have been underrepresented in Texas?

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

Interest groups are limited to lobbying the legislature; they CANNOT lobby executive agencies or the courts.

What was the problem Speaker Sam Rayburn identified with the "steak men" at the beginning of the twentieth century?

Most political action committee spending in Texas represents

Which U.S. Supreme Court case in 2009 created the opportunity for organizations that opposed powerful incumbents to NOT disclose their donors?

The 8F Crowd was

Not all interests are equally represented in Texas politics. Describe which interest groups have the most political clout and why? What are some interests that are not well represented in Texas, and why is this the case? What have been some practical effects of these differences in lobbying power?

The largest and most effective public employee interest group in Texas is made up of

Interest groups representing labor organizations dominate Texas politics.

________ was the former Texas Speaker of the House who was indicted for taking an illegal gift from a law firm that specialized in collecting delinquent taxes for local governments.

Battleground Texas is the latest attempt by the Democratic Party to do all of the following EXCEPT

Interest groups typically have more time, money, and expertise to offer politicians than do average citizens.

Texas trial lawyers frequently ally with

Interest groups are often powerful in states

Which of the following is the farmers' interest group that influenced the writing of the Texas Constitution of 1876?