TX GOV InQuizitive 6
Recent efforts to reform the __________ because of criticisms that it has been the subject of ______________ by the oil and gas industry have been __________.
-Texas Railroad Commission -interest-group capture -unsuccessful
In the 2020 legislative races, interest groups representing general business, energy and natural resources, and ideologies/single issues were the top three contributors, outside of candidate contributions to campaigns. Republicans received about $______ million total from these groups, and Democrats received about $_______ million in total.
39.7 13.9
Which of the following are changes in campaign financing allowed by the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?
Correct Answer(s) Certain types of interest groups can avoid having to disclose their political contributors. Incorrect Answer(s) Incumbents now have an opportunity to see which political donors oppose them for re-election. Citizens United helped curb the amount of "dark money" flowing in politics.
Which of the following descriptions of interest groups are accurate?
Correct Answer(s) Groups provide valuable research and education to policy makers and the public on specific issues. Business interests often have more influence than other interests. Groups that represent a narrow set of interests are often more successful than those that represent broad interests. Incorrect Answer(s) Interest groups that advocate for major policy changes are more successful than those that advocate for the status quo. Even when groups successfully organize large coalitions to achieve broad public interests, they rarely have a lasting impact.
Study the information in the table, and then determine which statements can be supported by the information
Correct Answer(s) Texans express less trust and have less engagement in their society and social structures than most Americans. Of all civic engagement activities, Texans engage in political ones the least. Low levels of involvement and volunteer activities correlate with low voter turnout. Incorrect Answer(s) Texas has a higher percentage of registered voters than the national average. While not active in politics or prone to having political conversations, Texans are more active in their communities and trusting of their neighbors.
Which of the following statements can be supported by the information provided in the table below?
Correct Answer(s) The Supreme Court decision in Citizens United vs. FEC (2010) led to a dramatic increase in campaign spending by outside groups in presidential elections. Republican candidates for president have been the most likely to benefit from the impacts of the decision in Citizens United vs. FEC (2010). Citizens United vs. FEC (2010) led to the creation of large and well-funded super PACs. Incorrect Answer(s) The Citizens United vs. FEC decision by the Supreme Court in 2010 caused a dramatic increase in spending by super PACs between 2004 and 2016.
What characteristics make former legislators effective lobbyists?
Correct Answer(s) They are often close to or friendly with other lawmakers. They have intimate knowledge of the policy making process. Incorrect Answer(s) They can draw significant salaries. They have shown their ability to win over the public through their previous elections.
Which of the following are examples of incentives that interest groups use to overcome free rider problems?
Correct Answer(s) discounts on insurance and travel listing an individual's name as a sponsor of an organization invitations to special conferences an organizational magazine or newsletter Incorrect Answer(s) denial of benefits that resulted from an interest group's lobbying
Select which individuals below may become lobbyists for interest groups through the "revolving door" without restrictions
Correct Answer(s) former legislators former executive branch officials former senior legislative staffers Incorrect Answer(s) former senior state agency officials
Texas ranked 39th in state government integrity according to the Center for Public Integrity, with the lowest scores being in which areas?
Correct Answer(s) holding legislators accountable enforcing ethical behavior disclosing lobbying activities Incorrect Answer(s) creating budgets
What are ways that political action committees (PACs) can engage in the electoral process?
Correct Answer(s) issue advocacy get-out-the-vote efforts campaign contributions Incorrect Answer(s) creating political parties running candidates
Imagine you are the chief professional lobbyist for a professional organization in Texas that represents public school teachers. Which tools are you most likely to use as a professional to try to get policies passed that support the interests of the members of your organization?
Correct Answer(s) provide volunteers for campaigns of candidates who support your positions hire a retiring legislator as a new part-time lobbyist for your organization share research data your organization has compiled about public schools Incorrect Answer(s) donate to candidates who disagree with your positions to persuade them run a smear campaign against agencies that oppose your organization's positions
What is the usefulness of "late train" contributions?
Correct Answer(s) to build a relationship with a winning candidate after the election to help retire campaign debt of winning candidates Incorrect Answer(s) to support a PAC to help elect a candidate in the Texas railroad commissioner's race
In any given election cycle, the Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) PAC, a non-partisan public educator organization, will give to both Republican and Democratic candidates running for various districts in the state legislature. What reality about interest groups and their electoral activities explains the behavior of this interest group and others who do the same thing?
Groups support candidates who align with their interests rather than partisan identities.
Read the excerpt from the textbook to determine the answer to the question below. When Representative Ken King (R-Canadian) introduced a bill regarding education on the House floor, Representative Abel Herrero (D-Corpus Christi) asked his colleagues in the House whether Raise Your Hand Texas had taken a position on his bill. At that point, one of them showed Herrero a text message showing that the group had supported the bill during the committee stage of the process. The scene from the state legislature illustrates which important point about the role interest groups serve in the policy-making process?
Legislators use support from groups as information cues on the quality of the legislation.
Which of the following is a primary criticism of the practice known as the "revolving door"?
Officials take action to improve their chances of lucrative lobbying futures.
What statement related to Texas's status as a one-party state correlates with reasons people give for not voting?
Republicans have won statewide for 25 years.
Read the excerpt and then answer the question that follows. "...ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Counsel) is a group that helps craft and standardize various conservative and pro-business policies so they can be pushed in state legislatures across the country. It has facilitated collaboration among state legislators, businesses, and conservative think tanks and advocacy groups to craft many 'model bills'—bills those legislators can introduce in their home states, and perhaps get passed into law. In recent years, about 1,000 of ALEC's model bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country and around 200 usually become law, the group has estimated."- How ALEC helps conservatives and businesses turn state election wins into new laws, Andrew Prokop, Vox, March 27, 2015. What is it about the nature of state government and state legislative offices that makes the scenario described in the
Small size of staffs and low funding give groups more ability to promote draft legislation to friendly policy makers
Because Texas has low rates of ____________, individual effects on the Texas political process are likely to be _____.
civic engagement, low
Because of their significant influence in Texas, Republican candidates must pay close attention to the issues that are important to which subset of voters?
evangelical Christians
Texas is near the top of the nation in measures of social connectedness that lead to civic engagement.
false
The rights to associate with others and to petition government are not guaranteed by either the U.S. or Texas Constitution.
false
What is the single biggest benefit of interest groups to policy makers?
information
Influential political scientist E. E. Schattschneider once stated, "The flaw with the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent."Which of the following best expresses what he meant by this?
interest groups represent issues important to higher socioeconomic groups
The small staffs and limited office funds of most legislators often lead them to rely on _________ to provide ________ of legislation that legislators can tweak to make their own.
interest groups, first drafts
An advertisement from a political action committee intended to attract support from the public by promoting a position, like the ad detailed in the transcript from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is known as what?
issue advocacy
Read the following quotation, and then answer the question that follows. I recommend trying this kind of grassroots organizing for a week or a year, or a month or a lifetime—working for whatever change you want to see in the world. Then one day you will be talking to a stranger who has no idea you played any part in the victory she or he is celebrating.—Gloria Steinem, cofounder of Ms. magazine and American feminist leader In this quote about organizing around interests for policy change, what is the meaning of grassroots?
mobilizing other individuals within the public to action
The Texas Association of Business is an example of a(n) _______ because it acts as an umbrella organization that coordinates many of the activities of its various business members in specific areas.
peak association
The text below describes the purpose of the Coalition of Independent Educator Associations (CIEA). The Coalition of Independent Educator Associations (CIEA) is made up of non-unionized education associations across America. Keeping educators connected, CIEA collaborates and focuses on serving its members in each state and on the national level.Source: cieaonline.org Judging from the organization's description, CIEA could be best categorized as what kind of interest group?
peak association
What is the primary goal of interest groups when they interact with policy makers?
policies that are beneficial for their groups
Former State Representative Rob Eissler served as the chairman of the Texas House Public Education Committee from 2007 until 2013 when he left the state legislature. Today he works as a "Strategic Alliance Partner," or lobbyist, with The Schlueter Group in Austin which defines itself as "a long standing and growing government affairs team that produces big results" while also being ranked as one of the "Top Lobby Teams" by Capitol Inside.Chairman Eissler's transition from leading the Texas House Public Education Committee to his work as a lobbyist with The Schlueter Group is a real-world example of which idea associated with interest groups and lobbying?
revolving door
Which of these rights from the First Amendment guarantees the right of individuals to become a part of interest groups?
right to associate with others
Interest groups may provide supporting individuals and groups with special recognition in publications, identifying them as sponsors of the group and supporters of the cause. What are these benefits called?
solidary benefits
