Chapter 6: Interest Groups and Lobbying

Using the information presented in the infographic, complete the following statement on contributions to Texas legislature candidates in 2020. 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 $39.7 million total from these groups, and Democrats received about $13.9 million in total.

39.7 13.9

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. Low levels of involvement and volunteer activities correlate with low voter turnout. Of all civic engagement activities, Texans engage in political ones the least. 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. Citizens United vs. FEC (2010) led to the creation of large and well-funded super PACs. Republican candidates for president have been the most likely to benefit from the impacts of the decision in Citizens United vs. FEC (2010). 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.

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) share research data your organization has compiled about public schools hire a retiring legislator as a new part-time lobbyist for your organization provide volunteers for campaigns of candidates who support your positions 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 help retire campaign debt of winning candidates to build a relationship with a winning candidate after the election Incorrect Answer(s) to help elect a candidate in the Texas railroad commissioner's race to support a PAC

Which of the following would be considered an interest group?

Correct Answer(s): doctors who join together to get more restrictions on malpractice lawsuits citizens from across Texas who join an organization that advocates standardized testing reforms in schools members of a community who join together to advocate for improvements in their neighborhood Incorrect Answer(s): politicians who believe in tax reform and pass laws to lower taxes

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.

Which of the following is a primary criticism of the practice known as the "revolving door"?

Officials take actions to improve their chances of lucrative lobbying futures.

What is it about the nature of state government and state legislative offices that makes the scenario described in the excerpt so common in Texas?

Small size of staffs and low funding give groups more ability to promote draft legislation to friendly policymakers.

Recent efforts to reform the Texas Railroad Commission because of criticisms that it has been the subject of interest-group capture by the oil and gas industry have been unsuccessful.

Texas Railroad Commission interest-group capture Unsuccessful

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

Which of the following is the main goal of a lobbyist?

influencing policy decisions on behalf of an interest group

What is the single biggest benefit of interest groups to policy makers?

information

The small staffs and limited office funds of most legislators often lead them to rely on interest groups to provide first drafts of legislation that legislators can tweak to make their own.

interest groups first drafts

Review the image of the transcript from the ad that was run during the 2013 Super Bowl and then answer the question. 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

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 group

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