Deck 3: Interest Groups and the Media in California

Question 1

Why did Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) have little impact on California?

A) California required the governor and legislature to review any donation from a political action committee (PAC).
B) California was the first state to ban political action committee (PAC) donations during a general election.
C) California did not allow political action committees (PACs) to raise unlimited funds before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
D) California allowed political action committees (PACs) to raise unlimited funds before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Campaign contributions enable a lobbyist to

A) control the legislative agenda in both houses of the state legislature.
B) gain access to legislators.
C) file amicus curiae briefs with the California Supreme Court.
D) prevent the governor from using his line-item veto.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In 2012, lobbyists represented approximately ________ interest groups.

A) 1,000
B) 1,800
C) 2,552
D) 3,468

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What California proposition spurred growth in governmental lobbying?

A) Proposition 13
B) Proposition 19
C) Proposition 187
D) Proposition 198

Question 5

Who made the following statement in Chapter 3: "To hell with the governor of California. I'm the governor of the legislature."

A) Earl Warren
B) Jessie Unruh
C) Arthur Samish
D) Pete Wilson

Question 6

What are some of the factors that have encouraged the growth of interest groups in California?

A) weak political parties, growth of government, and term limits
B) strong political parties, Proposition 13, and Proposition 140
C) the recall of Governor Gray Davis, the Internet, and Proposition 98
D) Proposition 11, the election of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and term limits

Question 7

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

A) National Football Association
B) Sierra Club
C) Blue Cross of California
D) Screen Actors Guild

Question 8

The elitist theory suggests that

A) the political system in California is controlled by a few wealthy individuals who can bribe political officials to change public policy and laws.
B) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a multitude of interest groups compete to control public policy.
C) there are one or two elite groups within California that have enough resources and influence to control policy and law enforcement.
D) there are many active interest groups, but the power rests in the hands of a few groups such as large national and multinational corporations, universities, and public policy institutes.

Question 9

What California political figure is credited with the quote: "Money is the mother's milk of politics."

A) Clay Jackson
B) Alan Robbins
C) George Deukmejian
D) Jesse Unruh

Question 10

In California, how many different categories does the secretary of state use for interest groups?

A) 11
B) 15
C) 19
D) 26

Question 11

Why should public interest groups be critically judged?

A) Public interest groups offer no benefits or solutions to problems within California.
B) Public interest groups are sometimes facades behind which private interests hide.
C) Public interest groups seek donations from foreign countries.
D) Public interest groups seek to eliminate elections and the judicial system.

Question 12

One of the difficulties that lobbyists face in trying to influence the executive branch in California is that

A) members of the plural executive are frequently recalled.
B) political parties are very powerful.
C) the governor has line-item veto power.
D) there are more than 85 agencies and 325 state commissions and boards.

Question 13

Who is credited with the following quote: "I wish government wasn't for sale like this, but the fact is you have to hustle to get your share. Local governments without lobbyists see the ones with representation doing better so they say, 'We need to get our butts on board and get one or they're going to steal everything from us.'"

A) Gray Davis
B) John Quimby
C) Arnold Schwarzenegger
D) Richard Riordan

Question 14

Interest groups make political contributions to candidates for public office through organizations that are called

A) political parties.
B) political action committees.
C) corporate network groups.
D) interest group networks.

Question 15

Public interest groups promote the concept that they

A) pursue their own selfish goals.
B) lobby for monetary benefits for their members.
C) work for the general good of the public.
D) are no different than other business organizations.

Question 16

The pluralist theory suggests that

A) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a few groups compete against one powerful interest group.
B) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a multitude of interests compete, with no one group or combination of groups powerful enough to dominate.
C) the political system is a chaotic market that fails to produce efficient government policies.
D) the political system is made up of many different interest groups, and most groups do not have the power to change the system.

Question 17

Why was Clay Jackson a controversial figure in California politics?

A) He was a member of the House of Representatives and provided more than a million dollars to recall Governor Gray Davis.
B) He was an influential leader during the Progressive Era.
C) He was an influential lobbyist convicted of a money-laundering scheme involving State Senator Alan Robbins.
D) He was an influential lobbyist who was convicted in the Savings and Loan scandal.

Question 18

In-house lobbyists differ from contract lobbyists because they

A) offer their services directly to the public.
B) donate more money to political candidates.
C) work only for a specific interest group.
D) focus solely on lobbying the executive branch.

Question 19

What are contract lobbyists?

A) They are employees of a trade, professional, or labor association and represent that group's interest only.
B) They are lobbyists that seek long-term contracts, usually five to ten years, for development and construction companies that build administrative buildings, courts, and fire and police stations.
C) They are advocates-for-hire and often represent multiple clients on a variety of issues at the same time.
D) They specialize in policy that involves the governor, president, and foreign heads of state.

Question 20

PACs are

A) Pollution Air Colloquiums.
B) Provisional Aqua Controllers.
C) Professional Aviation Consultants.
D) Political Action Committees.

Question 21

What role do interest groups play in California politics, and what methods do they use to influence elected officials?

Question 22

The Political Reform Act of 1974 was amended by ________, which set out campaign contribution limits for members of the executive branch including the governor.

A) Proposition 8
B) Proposition 13
C) Proposition 34
D) Proposition 187

Question 23

Because political campaigns require highly focused political messages, the media of choice to reach large numbers of citizens are

A) local newspapers.
B) national magazines.
C) highway billboards.
D) electronic media.

Question 24

What types of interest groups operate in California? How do they differ from one another in terms of whom they seek to represent?

Question 25

What is the maximum amount of money an individual, business, or interest group can donate to the governor's election campaign?

A) $5,300
B) $17,200
C) $21,300
D) $28,750

Question 26

What was the reaction of many citizens to the 2003 Los Angeles Times story about Arnold Schwarzenegger's inappropriate sexual behavior?

A) Many citizens thought the story was a good source of information to use when voting for a candidate.
B) Many citizens thought the newspaper was taking incumbent Governor Gray Davis' side.
C) Many citizens thought the newspaper made up the story to sell papers.
D) Many citizens thought the story was poorly written and lacked proper grammar.

Question 27

What theory, pluralist or elitist, more accurately explains how politics is carried out in California?

Question 28

What purpose do conflict-of-interest laws play? Are there potential situations that these laws do not cover?

Question 29

The California Political Reform Act of 1974

A) requires the governor and legislators to report campaign expenditures.
B) requires lobbyists and interest groups to report campaign and lobbying expenditures.
C) bans soft money to political parties.
D) bans all donations from insurance companies to politicians.

Question 30

Why is electronic media, particularly television, considered the medium of choice for those seeking public office in California?