CH 10 Gov Test

Which of the following is NOT one of the major elements of the subgovernment system at the national level? • Federal court • Interest group • Bureaucrats • Federal agency • Congressional committee

Federal court

Which of the following is NOT a basic strategy employed by lobbyists? • Going public. • Electioneering • Litigation • Implementation • Lobbying

Implementation

Which of the following is an example of a public interest lobby? • a consumer rights group • a trade association • a labor union • a group representing alpaca ranchers

a consumer rights group (correct answer, your response)

What is an iron triangle? • a joining together of interest groups or individuals to achieve common goals • a form of subgovernment composed of leaders of interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees • a nonprofit, tax-free policy planning organization that concentrates on policy development • an organization that solicits and receives campaign contributions from corporations, unions, trade associations, and other groups

a form of subgovernment composed of leaders of interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees

What is a public interest lobby? • a group that conducts research and analysis on public policy issues • a group that expresses its political views publicly • a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole • a group that represents workers within a particular industry

a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole

What are political action committees (PACs) seeking when they give campaign contributions? • illegal kickbacks • public recognition for their contributions to society • access to the officeholder • publicity for their favorite charities and nonprofit organizations

access to the officeholder

A pluralistic interpretation of interest group politics would maintain that • the overemphasis on groups in America has submerged the value of the individual and led to government policies that suppress individual interests. • when groups compete the public interest is not served. • the degree of organization of a group has no effect on its ability to influence policy. • all legitimate groups can affect public policy by means of one political resource or another. • all groups are subject to corrupt practices and tactics involving violence.

all legitimate groups can affect public policy by means of one political resource or another.

Generally speaking, political action committee (PAC) contributions have __________. • become increasingly important in congressional elections • decreased for incumbents but increased for challengers and open seats • become less important in federal elections and more important in state elections • become less important

become increasingly important in congressional elections

In order to overcome the free-rider problem, many interest groups offer selective benefits. What are selective benefits? • the policies that interest groups help to bring about • gifts given to members of Congress in return for their support on legislation • benefits given only to group members

benefits given only to group members

How do interest groups lobby the courts? • through letter-writing campaigns addressed to particular judges • by publishing editorials in major newspapers stating their views on cases • by bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens • by meeting with judges to express their views on cases

by bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens (correct answer, your response)

How did James Madison propose to overcome the problem of factions in Federalist No. 10? • by adopting a system of direct democracy • by banning the formation of interest groups • by discouraging citizens from expressing their political views in public • by expanding their sphere of participation

by expanding their sphere of participation

Clean air, a tax write-off, and a raised minimum wage are all examples of • collective goods. • single-issue interest groups. • selective benefits. • potential problems. • free-rider problems.

collective goods

Subgovernments are composed of key interest group leaders interested in policy X, the government agency in charge of administering policy X, and the ________ handling policy X. • congressional committees and subcommittees • federal courts • local governments • public relations officers • political candidates

congressional committees and subcommittees

Elitists generally argue that __________. • all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another • corporations hold tremendous power • the American political terrain is characterized by a dispersion of power • the government is run for the benefit of all the people

corporations hold tremendous power (correct answer, your response)

Labor unions' ability to shape public policy has • increased dramatically. • become less strategically targeted. • become irrelevant. • decreased. • stayed the same

decreased

Direct group involvement in the electoral process is called • providing selective benefits. • litigating. • electioneering. • free-riding. • disclosure.

electioneering

Class action lawsuits • consist of written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. • enable organized interests groups to sue the federal government over a particular issue. • enable a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit. • consist of lawsuits brought to the courts by one particular social class in society. • ask a court to take action against a particular group to stop them from injuring another group financially.

enable a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit

Goods such as publications, discounts, and group insurance rates are examples of • free-riders. • membership requirements. • subgovernments. • collective goods. • selective benefits.

selective benefits

A network of groups within the American political system that exercise power over specific policy areas are is called a(n) • rational actor. • subgovernment. • interest group. • hyperpluralist. • elitist.

subgovernment. (correct answer, your response)

Which of the following interest groups is an example of an equality interest? • the United Auto Workers • the National Organization for Women • the World Wildlife Fund • Common Cause

the National Organization for Women

Part of Olson's law of large groups is the argument that • potential group size does not have any measurable affect on the willingness of potential members to contribute. • the smaller the group the less likely the potential members are to contribute. • an actual group and a potential group are virtually the same when it comes to effectiveness. • the larger the potential group, the more likely potential members are to contribute. • the larger the potential group, the less likely potential members are to contribute.

the larger the potential group, the less likely potential members are to contribute

What is the main objective of most labor unions? • to protect consumers from unsafe products • to protect the interests of businesses within an industry • to promote better working conditions and higher wages • to provide jobs for the unemployed

to promote better working conditions and higher wages

What do right-to-work laws uphold? • amicus curiae briefs • workers' rights to collective goods • the requirement that workers in a union shop must join the union • workers' freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union

workers' freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union

According to James Madison, a __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole. • faction • political party • single-issue organization • special interest group

faction

James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of __________. • monarchies • factions • representative government • political parties

factions

. A hyperpluralist interpretation of group politics would maintain that • groups weak in one resource can substitute other resources to influence policy decisions. • the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because groups are unequal in power. • groups provide a key linkage between people and government. • groups have become so powerful that government ends up aiding every possible interest. • All of these are true.

groups have become so powerful that government ends up aiding every possible interest.

In which of the following might political action committees (PACs) invest their contributions in order to maximize their political influence? • members of the minority party in Congress • challengers • incumbents • presidential candidates

incumbents

Which of the following statements is TRUE? • The smaller the group, the more serious the free-rider problem. • The bigger the group, the more serious the free-rider problem. • The bigger the group, the more likely it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good.

The bigger the group, the more serious the free-rider problem. (correct answer, your response) The bigger the group, the more likely it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. (correct answer, your response)

One of the major indictments of the American interest group system is that it • stifles the expression of new interests. • provides too much representation. • distracts government officials. • is biased toward the wealthy. • is dominated by single-issue groups.

is biased toward the wealthy

________ helps to explain why public interest lobbies have relatively small proportions of actual members. • Tougher regulation of all lobbyists • Special interest liberalism • The free-rider problem • Olson's law of large groups • The rise of political action committees

The free-rider problem

Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers? • public interest group • trade association • union shop • labor union (correct answer, your response)

labor union

The free-rider problem refers to the difficulty that • large groups have in activating all their potential members. • potential groups have in trying to receive their share in collective goods. • single-issue groups have when another problem is added to their agenda. • actual groups have in collecting dues from members. • small groups face in raising enough money to influence policy.

large groups have in activating all their potential members

Which of the following is a pluralist belief? • Only wealthy interests have influence over government decisions. • Government decisions reflect the preferences of elites. • A rough approximation of the public interest emerges from competition between groups. • Policymakers care more about public opinion than interest groups' preferences.

A rough approximation of the public interest emerges from competition between groups.

What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half century? • Developments in technology made interest group activities easier. • The increasing power of political parties led to more interest group formation. • A decrease in the scope of government brought out interest groups seeking to protect their interests. • Legal restrictions on lobbying activities were lifted as part of the New Deal.

Developments in technology made interest group activities easier

Which of the following is NOT a way in which a lobbyist can help a member of Congress? • Helping with political strategy • Assisting with the cost of traveling between their home district and Washington, D.C. • Obtaining group support for the politician's reelection • Introducing legislation in Congress • Providing valuable information on specialized policy areas

Introducing legislation in Congress

Why is the correlation between a group's financial resources and its lobbying success so weak? • Lobbying is a competitive enterprise with big interests often facing off against one another. • Many interest groups do not know how to use their financial resources effectively. • Because elected officials don't want to appear biased, they often vote against their PAC contributors. • Regulations limit how much money an interest group can spend on lobbying.

Lobbying is a competitive enterprise with big interests often facing off against one another

The ________ is the oldest and largest of the African American groups that have fought for equality at the polls, in housing, on the job, in education, and in all other facets of American life. • Congress of Racial Equality • Rainbow Coalition • Urban League • National African American Organization • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

You are the leader of an environmental organization working to address the problem of climate change. What would be the most effective way to overcome the free-rider problem? • Describe the harmful consequences of global warming. • Explain how future generations will benefit from enacting climate change legislation. • Offer a T-shirt as an incentive to join the group. • Publicly criticize those who don't join the group.

Offer a T-shirt as an incentive to join the group. (correct answer, your response)

Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to political candidates? • 527 organizations • coordinating committees • iron triangles • PACs

PACs (correct answer, your response)

Which of the following statements about interest groups is FALSE? • Groups are more diverse today than in past decades. • There are an enormous number of highly specialized and seemingly trivial groups. • Almost every group has a staff and publications. • The growth rate of interest groups has slowed in recent years. • The majority of groups now have their headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The growth rate of interest groups has slowed in recent years

Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free-rider problem? • an environmental organization working to pass climate change legislation • a labor union in a state where union membership is optional • a trade association for a small industry • a national organization fighting for women's rights

a trade association for a small industry (correct answer, your response)

What is an amicus curiae brief? • a written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case • an internal memo circulated among interest group leaders, briefing them on the details of a court case • a petition submitted to Congress in support of or opposition to a judicial nominee • a petition submitted to an executive branch agency, requesting a review of the agency's decision

a written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case

An amicus curiae brief is • an oral or written appeal of a court decision made by an interest group that is party to the particular case. • an oral or written appeal of a court decision made by an interest group not party to a particular case. • the written statement of a court's decision in a case explaining the reasons for the decision. • a written argument submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. (correct answer, your response) • one that enables a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit to pursue a remedy for past wrongs.

a written argument submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case

Which of the following is an example of the free-rider problem? • a political action committee contributing to candidates from both major political parties • an elected official relying on information from lobbyists • an environmentalist deciding not to join an environmental group but appreciating the group's environmental stewardship • an environmental group disagreeing on what policy goals to pursue

an environmentalist deciding not to join an environmental group but appreciating the group's environmental stewardship

The term interest group can be generally defined as • an organization of people with similar policy goals entering the political process to try to achieve those aims. • an organization that seeks a collective good, the achievement of which will not specifically or materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization. • a group that has a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal. • all people who share some common interest regardless of whether they join an organization promoting that interest. • an organization of people who share a common interest who run candidates in elections sympathetic to that interest.

an organization of people with similar policy goals entering the political process to try to achieve those aims.

What is a political action committee (PAC)? • an organization within a political party that coordinates campaign events • an organizations that focuses on grassroots lobbying • an organization that conducts voter registration drives • an organization that solicits campaign contributions from individuals and distributes them to political candidates

an organization that solicits campaign contributions from individuals and distributes them to political candidates

Which of the following is a typical way for lobbyists to seek to influence members of Congress? • by offering them money to vote a particular way • by filing amicus curiae briefs • by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill • by providing specialized expertise

by providing specialized expertise

Interest groups differ from political parties because • parties use technology more effectively. • parties use technology less effectively. • parties seek many access points in government. • groups tend to be policy specialists while parties tend to be policy generalists. • the groups' main arena is the electoral system.

groups tend to be policy specialists while parties tend to be policy generalists. (correct answer, your response)

Which of the following conditions would eliminate the free-rider problem? • if participation in an interest group were mandatory • if members were allowed to vote on matters of concern to the interest group • if the leaders of an interest group were able to set the group's priorities • if an interest group focused on providing benefits to society as a whole

if participation in an interest group were mandatory

Political action committee (PAC) money goes overwhelmingly to • challengers. • Republicans • Independents. • incumbents. • Democrats.

incumbents

An advantage of single-issue groups is their • pool of potential members. • pool of actual members. • financial resources. • intensity. • diversity.

intensity

Which of the following comes closest to James Madison's conception of factions? • the media • women • interest groups • workers

interest groups

A "communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision" is a definition of • electioneering. • a policy output. • lobbying. • campaigning. • litigation.

lobbying

An interest group filing an amicus curiae brief is an example of __________. • grassroots lobbying • how interest groups influence elections • lobbying an executive branch agency • lobbying the judicial branch

lobbying the judicial branch

According to the text, lobbying works best • when large amounts of money are involved. • on people already committed to the lobbyist's policy position. • when the lobbyist starts crying and pleading. • when the lobbyist uses pressure tactics. • with people who are undecided about a policy.

on people already committed to the lobbyist's policy position

According to ________ theorists, interest groups compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace. • free market • elitist • pluralist • hyperelitist • hyperpluralist

pluralist (correct answer, your response)

Critics of pluralism have noted that __________. • government decisions reflect the balance of competing interests in society • power is concentrated in the hands of the few • individuals with shared grievances usually form interest groups to press their demands upon government • the formation of one group typically stimulates the formation of an opposing group

power is concentrated in the hands of the few

All subgovernments have the same goal of • attacking the government head-on. • joining the main government. • protecting their self-interest. • electing the most qualified people to office. • protecting the public interest.

protecting their self-interest

What is the main goal of each of the three elements of an iron triangle? • abolishing free-riders • creating more opportunities for collective action • fostering democratic deliberation • protecting their self-interests

protecting their self-interests (correct answer, your response)

According to the text, one of the most common functions of lobbyists is to • provide information and ideas to members of Congress. (correct answer, your response) • actually introduce new legislation. • convert members of Congress to the point of view the lobbyists represent. • raise funds for preferred political candidates. • recruit former officeholders to help with public relations.

provide information and ideas to members of Congress

Which of the following is an activity that lobbyists regularly engage in? • answering e-mails from elected officials' constituents • speaking on behalf of elected officials at press conferences • providing elected officials with innovative ideas for addressing a policy problem • providing legal counsel to interest groups in court cases

providing elected officials with innovative ideas for addressing a policy problem

Elitist theorists argue that • the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. • groups weak in one resource can use another, and all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another. • the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because most groups are extremely unequal in power. • the government has treated all interest group demands as legitimate, and unwisely chosen to advance them all. • governments should be controlled by a select group of well-educated, cultured, wealthy persons who understand the laws of economics and can run the most efficient government

the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because most groups are extremely unequal in power.

According to Olson's law of large groups, • the smaller the group, the more effective it will be. • the larger the group, the more effective it will be. • the size of a group does not determine its effectiveness; the leadership structure is the key. • large groups are more democratic. • all groups have a life cycle of birth, growth, maintenance, and decline, although many never decline completely.

the smaller the group, the more effective it will be. (correct answer, your response)

. In "going public," interest groups • use advertising and public relations to enhance their image. • open their decision-making meetings to the general public. • issue stock. • bring class action suits against their opponents. • extend membership to a broader range of people.

use advertising and public relations to enhance their image

Economic interest groups are ultimately concerned with • wages, prices, and profits. • labor, farmers, business, and profits. • business, labor, and farmers. • wages and profits. • labor and prices.

wages, prices, and profits