Ch. 8 Interest groups

Grassroots pressure can include: A) Letter-writing campaigns B) Protest marches C) Individual constituents visiting with politicians D) All of the above

All of the above -Letter-writing campaigns -Protest marches -Individual constituents visiting with politicians

According to Roesler and the text, forming PACs and contributing to the campaign coffers of candidates is basically a strategy of buying votes. True False

False

According to Roesler and the text, forming PACs and contributing to the campaign coffers of candidates is basically a strategy of buying votes. True /False

False

After the massacre of 17 children at the Parkland, Florida high school, the Florida legislature passed a law banning assault rifles. True /False

False

As illustrated by the Daily Show Clip on the NRA and Congress, the NRA has almost no influence in Congress, compared to other powerful interest groups like the NAACP. True False

False

Protests, boycotts and violence is the most common form of participation by interest groups in modern America. True/False

False

Roesler argues that "in the realm of group politics, liberty is what makes our political system the most fair." True/ False

False

How the Constitution balances the threat posed by organized interests with the need for liberty is discussed in the A) Federalist Papers, no. 7. B) Federalist Papers, no. 10. C) Federalist Papers, no. 51. D) Anti-Federalist Papers, no. 78.

Federalist Papers, no. 10.

Between 1972 and 2016, the number of PACs in the United States A) declined from over 7,000 to just 480. B) declined from over 1,000 to just 48. C) increased from 480 to over 7,000. D) remained relatively constant.

increased from 480 to over 7,000.

The legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 illustrates: A) the impact that an interest group can have through lobbying Congress. B) the impact that an interest group can have through a litigation strategy. C) the impact that an interest group can have through Super PACs. D) the impact of iron triangles on the policy making process.

the impact that an interest group can have through a litigation strategy.

What is the primary function of a PAC? A) to raise grassroots support for a particular interest B) to build better networks between interest groups and political parties C) to raise and distribute money to election campaigns D) to produce and carry out an institutional advertising campaign

to raise and distribute money to election campaigns

As opposed to pluralist theory, elite theory posits that: A) those in power should raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections. B) change is favorable and elite power must be used to protect the economic interests of the public at large. C) interest groups should compete to ensure representation of their interests in policy. D)there is no mobility in the power structure, and that accessibility is an issue. E) wealthy, educated individuals control the direction of major policy.

wealthy, educated individuals control the direction of major policy.

Members of interest groups in the United States are typically people A) with higher incomes, more education, and management or professional occupations. B) with lower incomes, less education, and manual labor occupations. C) who identify as Republicans. D) who identify as Democrats.

with higher incomes, more education, and management or professional occupations.

Many Americans perceive lobbyists as: A) People who have citizens' best interests at heart B) Negotiators who know what is best for the country C) "Wheeler-dealers" who attempt to "buy" members of Congress D)People who understand the workings of Congress

"Wheeler-dealers" who attempt to "buy" members of Congress

Essay (8 points): Part 1: (3 points) Using ONE example from the Daily Show Clip on the NRA (ATF, inspections...), to highlight the concept of Iron Triangles. Part 2 (2 points): How does the Florida legislature clip from the lecture illustrate it's power?

.....

Which of the following would be an example of a ballot initiative? A) A vote on whether recreational marijuana usage should be legalized in Missouri.. B) A vote on whether the governor should be recalled from office. C) A vote on who will serve on the St. Peters city council. D) A vote on whether to overturn a law passed by the Missouri General Assembly and signed by the governor that imposes higher taxes on wealthy residents.

A vote on whether recreational marijuana usage should be legalized in Missouri..

Which factor influences and decides an interest group's political effectiveness? A) membership size B) intensity C) wealth/resources D) All these factors influence and decide an interest group's political effectiveness.

All these factors influence and decide an interest group's political effectiveness. -membership size -intensity -wealth/resources

Which of the following Supreme Court decisions drastically altered the political landscape by allowing corporate and union election financing? A) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission B) Federal Election Commission v. Jones C) SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission D) Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life McConnell v. Federal Election Commission

Citizens united v. Federal election commission

The main objective of a PAC is to: A) Lobby for its own benefit B) Collect campaign contributions from supporters and pass these onto candidates for office C) Influence the legislature by bribing members with campaign contributions D) Support the needs of farmers and food processors

Collect campaign contributions from supporters and pass these onto candidates for office

Which of the following is a theoretical assumption of pluralism? A) Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests moderating each other. B) Competition among interests will produce extreme public policy, with one interest dominating all others. C) Only some interests should be free to compete for influence in the United States. D) All interests are not equally free to compete for influence in the United States.

Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests moderating each other.

Which of the following is a theoretical assumption of pluralism? -Only some interests should be free to compete for influence in the United States. -Competition among interests will produce extreme public policy, with one interest dominating all others. -All interests are not equally free to compete for influence in the United States. -Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests moderating each other.

Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests moderating each other.

The freerider problem refers to the difficulty an interest group has in getting: -Lobbyists to offer bribes and favors to politicians -Politicians to keep the promises they make -Contributions from all who benefit from the group's work -Other groups to join them in lobbying coalitions

Contributions from all who benefit from the group's work

One difference between an interest group and a political party is that an interest group: A)Doesn't run candidates for office B)Has a broader range of interests than does a party C) Seeks to take control of government D)Does not attempt to operate government

Doesn't run candidates for office

When interest groups participate in the election process, this is: A) Electioneering B) Illegal C) A violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act D) So rare that it often involves significant media scrutiny

Electioneering

A person who enjoys the benefits of a group's collective efforts but does not contribute to those efforts is called a A) citizen. B) subject. C) free rider. D) lobbyist.

Free rider

What is the MOST important and beneficial resource that lobbyists provide government officials? A) money B) information C) campaign workers D) legal assistance

Information

In some states, citizens can vote directly on matters of public policy through: A) initiatives and referenda B) Primary elections C) representative democracy D)special district governments

Initiatives and referenda

Which of the following most accurately expresses the reality behind the myth of corrupting interest groups? -Interest groups help to give people a voice in government -Interest groups show a bias toward the poor and disadvantaged -Interest groups have helped national interests rise above all minority -concerns -Interest groups help keep down the cost of politics

Interest groups help to give people a voice in government

The interaction of mutual interests involving interest groups, government officials, and members of Congress is known as the A)iron triangle. B)issue network. C)direct action network. D)lobbying network.

Iron triangle

An interest group is a(n): A) Organized group of people seeking to enter politics and run for office B) Organized group of people with common goals seeking to influence the government C) Group of people with a common interest in some particular subject D) Group of people interested in studying politics and government

Organized group of people with common goals seeking to influence the government

As a result of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974: A) PACs were prohibited B) PACs became much more influential C) Restrictions on campaign contributions by interest groups were lifted D) Interest groups were no longer allowed to support multiple candidates in the same election

PACs became much more influential

Which of the following is an example of the use of litigation by an interest group? A) Providing research data on legal cases to lawmakers B) Joining with other interest groups in a lobbying alliance C) Presenting arguments in a "friend of the court" brief in a lawsuit D) Seeking to overturn judicial precedent

Presenting arguments in a "friend of the court" brief in a lawsuit

Individuals and organizations can give an unlimited amount of money to A) U.S. Senate candidates. B) U.S. presidential candidates. C) political parties. D) Super PACs.

Super PACs.

Although Madison warned of the dangers of interest groups, he also argued that: -They have no place in a democratic system -They are inevitable in any democratic system -They may also be detrimental to lawmakers -They tend to be one-sided in their views

They are inevitable in any democratic system

Although Madison warned of the dangers of interest groups, he also argued that: A) They have no place in a democratic system B) They are inevitable in any democratic system C) They may also be detrimental to lawmakers D) They tend to be one-sided in their views

They are inevitable in any democratic system

How do interest groups use litigation as a strategy of influence? A) They file amicus curiae briefs, finance lawsuits, and bring suit directly on behalf of the group. B) They directly lobby judges, use direct-mail solicitations, and make campaign contributions to members of Congress. C) They engage in institutional advertising, activate issue networks, and directly lobby judges. D) They work with 527 committees, directly lobby judges, and engage in institutional advertising.

They file amicus curiae briefs, finance lawsuits, and bring suit directly on behalf of the group.

An iron triangle is made up of an alliance between: A) a legislative committee, an executive agency, and the federal courts. B) the federal courts, the state courts, and interest groups. C) a legislative committee, an interest group, and an executive agency. D) the media, a legislative committee, and the federal courts.

a legislative committee, an interest group, and an executive agency.

According to Roesler and the text, forming PACs and contributing to the campaign coffers of candidates is basically a strategy of buying -votes. -congresspeople. -access. -information.

access

Interest groups are permitted to spend as much money as they want on issue advocacy during a campaign season, as long as they -do not employ any person who has formerly worked on a political campaign. -are willing to publicize their membership lists. -present both sides of the issue in their issue advocacy ads. -do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization.

do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization.

Interest groups are permitted to spend as much money as they want on issue advocacy during a campaign season, as long as they: A) do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization. B) are willing to publicize their membership lists. C) present both sides of the issue in their issue advocacy ads. D) do not employ any person who has formerly worked on a political campaign.

do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization.

The Supreme Court's landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) was significant because it: A) dramatically decreased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns. B) dramatically increased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns. C) prohibited Super PACs from donating to electoral campaigns but increased the amount of money interest groups could contribute. D) prohibited interest groups from donating to electoral campaigns but increased the amount of money Super PACs could contribute.

dramatically increased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns.

The theory that argues that a ruling class composed of wealthy, educated individuals wields most of the power in government is called -conflict theory. -associational theory. -pluralist theory. -communism -elite theory.

elite theory

When an oil company is invited to participate in negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency over a proposed rule on offshore drilling, it illustrates that: A) the First Amendment to the Constitution only allows corporations to "petition the Government for a redress of grievances." B) Supreme Court decisions banning iron triangles have largely failed to limit interest group influence. C) federal agencies almost always attempt to consult relevant stakeholders before implementing a new rule. D) interest groups no longer attempt to influence representatives in Congress or judges and focus almost all of their attention, instead, on administrative agencies.

federal agencies almost always attempt to consult relevant stakeholders before implementing a new rule.

In recent years, the religious right has had a great effect on American politics through A) grassroots mobilization. B) gaining access. C) campaign financing. D) iron triangles.

grassroots mobilization.

In 2018, a coalition of interest groups who favor legalizing medical marijuana in Missouri organized a campaign through voter signatures and put their proposal directly on the ballot for a vote of the people. This is called a(n) -Amicus curiae -Primary -Initiative -reefer madness -ex-post facto law

initiative

The best description of the ideal of pluralism is that: A) the public good should always trump individual interests. B) interest groups should be free to compete for governmental influence. C) interest groups are factions that endanger liberty. D) democracy is best served by legalizing but regulating the influence of interest groups.

interest groups should be free to compete for governmental influence.

Interests groups were heavily involved in the recent Michigan Affirmative Action cases. Some groups sponsored the lawsuit, other filed amicus curiae briefs for both sides. All of these groups would be using which interest group tactic? -litigation -going public -judicial review -tort reform

litigation

When a coalition of credit card companies forms an interest group called the Partnership to Protect Consumer Credit, this suggests that -credit card companies are interested in the public good. -private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests. -public interest groups are now actively involving private corporations. -the free-rider problem does not apply to private corporations.

private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests.

When a coalition of credit card companies forms an interest group called the Partnership to Protect Consumer Credit, this suggests that: A) credit card companies are interested in the public good. B) private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests. C) public interest groups are now actively involving private corporations. D) the free-rider problem does not apply to private corporations.

private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests.

The initiative was: A) promoted by late nineteenth-century Populists and Progressives as an antidote to interest group influence in the legislative process. B) promoted by late nineteenth-century religious conservatives as a way to restore "moral values" to the country. C) promoted by early twentieth-century liberals as a way of protecting immigrant rights. D) established at the federal level by the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution.

promoted by late nineteenth-century Populists and Progressives as an antidote to interest group influence in the legislative process.

In an iron triangle, the interest group A) is legally excluded from any interactions with congressional committees and administrative agencies. B) provides campaign contributions to members of Congress and lobbies for larger administrative agency budgets. C) organizes grassroots mobilizations against administrative agencies and congressional incumbents. D) files formal lawsuits and amicus briefs against administrative agencies and congressional incumbents.

provides campaign contributions to members of Congress and lobbies for larger administrative agency budgets.

Roesler argues that "in the realm of group politics, liberty___________" -is what makes our political system the most fair -is to faction as air is to fire -seems inconsistent with equality -is not as important as civil rights

seems inconsistent with equality

In an iron triangle, the congressional committee: A) supports the agency's budgetary requests and the programs the interest group favors. B) opposes the agency's budgetary requests and the programs the interest group favors. C) files formal lawsuits and amicus briefs against administrative agencies and interest groups. D) is legally excluded from any interactions with interest groups and administrative agencies.

supports the agency's budgetary requests and the programs the interest group favors.