POSI Test 3 (pt. 2)

Which type of lobbyists are private individuals who act on their own behalf?

"hobbyists"

Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options?

(1) filing amicus curiae briefs, (2) influencing the selection of federal judges, & (3) lawsuits

Which of the following would be considered outside lobbying activities used by interest groups?

(1) having group members send letters to their legislators, (2) organizing a protest on the steps of Congress, & (3) creating public service announcements to be aired on television

Examples of an inside strategy

(1) lobbying a politician & (2) giving policy-relevant information to a politician

Activity in Texas state politics by Hispanic Catholics is motivated by concerns about

(1) local services, (2) economic advancement, (3) abortion

Interest groups rely on what two main lobbying strategies?

(1) outside lobbying; (2) inside lobbying

What are some tools used by interest groups in electioneering?

(1) staging candidate fundraisers, (2) promising financial support for elections, (3) writing speeches, (4) recruiting candidates

Which of the following are considered reasons for Americans' broad participation in groups, such as volunteer organizations?

(1) the important of religion, (2) the prominence of public education, (3) a tradition of free association

The US provides a favorable environment for interest groups because....

(1) the tradition of people joining together encourages them to look to interest groups as a way of influencing policymakers, (2) the tradition of free speech and association means there are few legal barriers to the activities of interest groups, & (3) the separation of powers and federalism provide numerous points of access for interest groups to try and influence policy makers

What accurately describes ways in which interest groups can use litigation to advance their cause?

(1) they can sponsor litigation on behalf of their members, (2) they can file amicus briefs

Which of the following statements are true concerning interest groups?

(1) they can support controversial issues that lawmakers often avoid & (2) they broaden the range of issues that lawmakers address

What are three types of agricultural interest groups in Texas?

(1) those that represent commodity groups, (2) those that represent suppliers, (3) those that represent general farming interests

Examples of an outside strategy

(1) using televised advertising to promote a group's position & (2) grassroots letter writing campaigns

Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have ....

(1)2 a low chance of achieving their goals through elected officials & (2) faced legislative hurdles

In the 1960s, a newsmaker's sound bite was more than 40 seconds, whereas today it is less than ___ seconds

10

There are roughly ________ registered lobbyists who work in Washington.

12,000

Republicans are ____ times more likely than Democrats to say that Fox is their main source of news.

13

Texas first attempted to regulate interest group activities in ________, but that statute was never enforced.

1907

The effort of the writers of the Constitution to devise a governing system that would guard against tyranny of the majority resulted in which consequence?

America's system of divided power provides abundant opportunities for interest groups to achieve their policy goals

What are some examples of public interest groups?

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Organization for Women (NOW), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

Which of the cable news networks most fully treats news as a form of entertainment?

CNN

What was the reaction to CNN's coverage of Malaysian Airline Flight 370?

CNN's ratings jumped dramatically

______________ refers to the various activities in which interest groups engage to try to influence the outcome of elections.

Electioneering

Most lobbying efforts are concentrated

Every two years during the legislative session

The elimination of the ____________ _______________ meant that radio stations no longer had to air a conservative talk show if they aired a liberal one.

Fairness Doctrine

Which of the following media channels is most preferred by Republicans because of its conservative slant?

Fox News

_________- ___________, a characteristic of some interest groups, refers to the fact that the groups have members in all regions of the state.

Geographic distribution

One example of an environmental interest group is ...

Greenpeace

How does the Constitution deal with the issue of interest groups?

Interest groups are protected by the First Amendment

The process in which interest groups, the state agency, and the legislative committee create a policy is known as the ____________ _____________

Iron triangle

Which group representing Latino interests is the largest in Texas?

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

During Trump's first year in office, how did MSNBC approach the story of Russian meddling in the 2016 president election?

MSNBC focused on the story

Do private sector labor unions exist in Texas?

No

________ lobbying includes forming PACs and influencing the news media.

Outside

What is a regulation that affects Texas PACs?

PACs must create complete reports identifying every donor who contributed at least $50 to the campaign, (2) cannot contribute to candidates during a window that begins 30 days prior to the legislative session and ends 20 days after the session ends, (3) required to designate a campaign treasurer

_________ goods refer to benefits that are directly given to a particular individual belonging to an interest group.

Private

What is not an example of a state and local interest group?

State Board of Education

Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?

TX, CA, NY

Which of the following is an example of a specialized "educational" association?

Texas High School Coaches Association

What organization provides legislative staff assistance in research and info?

Texas Legislative Council

In Texas, which of the following has been heavily influenced by fundamentalist Christian groups?

Texas State Board of Education

Which group represents the largest agricultural interest group in the US today?

The American Farm Bureau

How does compensation for legislative staff in Texas compare to that of other states?

The Texas legislature provides more money for staff salaries than any other state.

What is the primary way in which Fox newscasts differ from MSBNC newscasts?

They choose different highlight stories

A blog called "Working Families for Walmart" appeared to be a grassroots effort to support the organization. What was it, in reality?

a blog authored by a public relations firm hired by Walmart.

What is the information commons?

a shared set of facts and ideas transmitted to Americans through the news media

Nonmembership organizations represent...

a single company, organization, or individual

The length of time within a TV story that a newsmaker speaks without interruption is called ...

a sound bite

What functions do news media perform?

act as a watchdog that scrutinizes official behavior; provide political info that attracts and audience; provide a channel through which political leaders communicate to the public

The news media's partisan function means that they...

act as advocates for particular viewpoints

In an attempt to influence court decisions, interest groups may file "friend of the court" briefs, otherwise known as ______ briefs.

amicus curiae

Which of the following industries have, in the past, dominated the Texas economy?

banking, oil, cotton, and cattle

Which of the following best describes why many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?

because contributing to candidates' campaigns can help gain access for interest group lobbyists

Which of the following media were subject to the FCC's Fairness Doctrine?

broadcast radio and TV

In-house lobbyists are employees of which of the following?

businesses or associations

What are some reasons why the amount of TV news the typical American watches has declined since the 1970s?

cable tv and other high-choice media became available; children stopped watching the dinner-time news with their parents

The responsibility of the Texas Ethics Commission is to enforce laws relating to...

campaign finance, (2) lobbying, (3) registration for certain interest groups

The first step in the process of electioneering is...

candidate recruitment

When a state agency becomes controlled by its constituency interest group it is referred as ___________________

capture

The type of interest group that addresses issues of concern to the general public and not just the group's members is called a(n) __________ interest group.

citizens'

_________ goods are those that belong to all people and cannot be withheld on an individual basis, such as clean air or water.

collective

The incentives that most noneconomic groups offer include...

collective goods

The media carry out a(n) ___________-___________ function when they disseminate info from political leaders to the public.

common-carrier

Most successful partisan radio and TV talk show hosts promote a ________ viewpoint.

conservative

Labor group political action committees typically favor contributing to which of the following groups?

democrats

The news media operate as gatekeepers, which means that they...

determine which events will be covered and which will not

An organization that collects dues in exchange for providing exclusive, members-only benefits is an example of a(n) _________ interest group.

economic

Interest groups need money for which of the following?

electioneering, public relations, lobbying, & paying full-time staff

Which of the following are considered lobbying efforts?

encouraging members of an interest group to contact legislators regarding legislation; (2) testifying before a committee hearing about the effect of proposed legislation; (3) working with members of the legislature to draft legislation

What accurately describes the Texas Municipal League?

focused committees, (2) highly organized, (3) influential members

Texas has a __________ government structure because power is dispersed to many state agencies with little or no central control.

fragmented

A person known as a(n) _____ rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.

free

Because individuals may benefit from the work of interest groups whether or not they participate in the groups' activities, some groups have difficulty recruiting members due the _______-______ problem.

free-rider

Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following?

giving money directly to political parties, giving money directly to candidates

Americans now have a __________ media system, where they can pick from a wide variety of outlets.

high-choice

Who or what can be a part of membership organizations?

individual citizens; businesses

Rather than using threats, interest groups tend to influence lawmakers by providing them with...

information that supports the group's policy positions

An organization that seeks to influence government decision making is referred to as a(n) _______________ _______________.

interest group

Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?

interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of the government.

A(n) _________ ___________ is comprised of various actors that all have interest and expertise in a particular policy issue even though they may disagree on what the outcome should be.

issue network

Which of the following are ways in which the Internet influenced politics?

it changed aspects of fundraising; it increased people's access to freedom of the press

The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission did which of the following?

it removed the restrictions on PACs' ability to spend money on campaigns

Which of the following are private goods?

jobs and retirement plans

Which type of interest group has little power in Texas compared to many other states?

labor unions

What is the most common technique used by interest groups to promote their interests?

lobbying the state legislature

What are some of the ways that members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists?

lobbyists: (1) testify at committee hearings, (2) identify bills that need their attention, & (3) provide info on specific pieces of legislation

All media outlets, whether broadcast, print, cable, or on the internet, that are in the business of creating and reporting original news stories are called the news _______.

media

Compared with Europeans, Americans are ______ likely to belong to a voluntary group or association.

more

During the era of "objective journalism" radio broadcasters were prohibited by law from editorializing while _______ were not

newspapers

What resulted from the invention of the power-driven printing press in the late 1800s?

newspapers were less dependent on gov't financial support, advertising generated more revenue, readership increased b/c papers could be sold at lower price

Most of the humor programs that focus on current affairs, like the Daily Show, are carried on...

nontraditional news channels

______________ journalism refers to news reporting that is based on "fact" rather than opinion and that presents both sides of a partisan debate.

objective

Most partisan internet sites also take the "_______" approach described in the Tufts University study.

outrage

American newspapers were originally _____.

partisan

The rise of partisan news outlets in the past few decades has contributed to an increase in...

party polarization

On social media, most people are likely to encounter....

people who agree with their political ideology

Early newspapers in the US relied on _______ __________ support for their survival, as they had so few readers.

political party

In Texas, how are public sector employee organizations classified, due to their inability to engage in collective bargaining?

professional associations

Interest group influence is particularly strong among _____ agencies that are responsible for overseeing the nation's business sectors.

regulatory

Capture theory argues that ________ sometimes focus more on the needs of industries than on the public interest.

regulatory agencies

The Texas Automobile Association seeks to protect and promote the interests of its member businesses that are involved in the sales of goods and services and thus is an example of a ...

retail trade association

How do interest groups try to directly influence government agencies' enforcement of public policy once it has become the law?

securing the appointments to boards and commissions of people who favor the interest group

Yellow journalism featured __________ stories.

sensationalized

The media's _________ function serves to alert the public to important events in a timely fashion.

signaling

Most citizens' groups are _______ interest groups because they focus on a specific issue, such as the environment.

single-issue

What do interest groups need to participate more effectively in group politics?

skills, contacts, and money

Stories about celebrities, sensational crimes, and scandals in high places were called _______ ________.

soft news

TV newscasts use a format in which the journalist acts as the ...

story teller

States with _____ political parties tend to have weaker interest group influence.

strong

An important feature of private goods is that ...

the group can withhold a benefit

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission involved which issue affecting interest groups?

the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections

In priming, who or what determines how people will interpret the information they receive?

the media

What machines revolutionized newspaper journalism in the early 1800s?

the power-driven printing press & telegraph

How does the party structure in Texas affect interest group power and influence?

the weakened structure of party competitiveness strengthens interest group influence

How did the Citizens United decision affect the Texas law prohibiting direct campaign contributions by unions and corporations?

these groups are now allowed establish PACs to fund election-related advertising

How do interest groups expand the range of issues that come to lawmakers' attention?

they focus on issues that may not have a broad impact; they focus on issues that may be controversial

Which of the following correctly describes members of the "inattentive audience"?

they usually know little about politics; their political knowledge tends to be inaccurate

What groups successfully lobbied the governor of Texas in 2013 over a bill that would have allowed employees alleging they had been subject to wage discrimination to sue their employers in court?

those representing businesses (employers)

What are main goals of interest groups' public relations activities?

to create a favorable image for the group & influence public opinion regarding a particular issue

Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs ...

to encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause.

What is the most important reason for lobbyists to focus on the governor?

to influence approval or veto of pending legislation

What is the chief goal of grassroots lobbying efforts by interest groups?

to mobilize supporters to advocate for their organization

The Good Roads Association is an example of a(n) _____________ association because it represents the specific business interests of highway contractors.

trade

What portion of all lobbying groups in Washington are business related?

two-thirds

Digital technology has especially enlarged the media's ______ capacity.

watchdog

The Washington Post's publication of a tape recording of Donald Trump making lewd comments about women is an example of how digital technology has increased media's ___________ function.

watchdog

The media serves a(n) _________function when it alerts the public to unethical or illegal activities by the government.

watchdog

During what period would most lobbyists likely focus on building knowledge and political capital?

when the legislature is not in session

When did CNN stop covering the Malaysian Airline Flight 370 story?

when the ratings dropped

Which term refers to the irresponsible and sensationalist approach to news reporting that characterized journalism in the early 1900s?

yellow journalism