Chapter 8: Interest Groups
Staff organizations
membership group in which a professional staff conducts most of the group activities.
Netroots
online advocacy groups that redefine membership and fundraising practices and streamlined staff structure.
Solidary benefits;
selective benefits of group membership that emphasize friendship, networking, and consciousness-raising
Purposive benefits;
selective benefits of group membership that emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group.
Material benefits
special goods, services, or money provides to members of groups to entice others to join. Includes: Travel packages, insurance, and discounts on consumer goods
Informational benefits
special newsletters, periodicals, training programs, conferences, and other information provided to members of groups to entice others to join
Lobbying
strategy in which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation or other public policy by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature
Discount purchasing and health insurance are examples of what?
Material benefits
The theory that competition among organized interests will produce balance, with all the interests regulating one another is called?
Pluralism
A loose network of elected leaders, public official, activists, and interest groups drawn together by public policy issues is referred to as what?
An issue network
Groups claim to serve the general good, rather than their own particular interests, are referred to?
Citizen groups
PACs (Political Action Committees)
Private groups that raise and distribute funds for use in election campaigns. Purpose is to influence elections other than the elected.
To overcome the free-rider problem, groups:
Provide selective benefits
Which types of interest groups are most often associated with the New Politics Movement?
Public interest groups
Friendships and networking are example of what?
Solidary benefits
Which of the following is NOT an activity in which interest groups frequently engage?
Starting their own political party
Which if the following is an important reason for the enormous increase in the number of groups seeking to influence the American political system?
The increase in the size and activity of government during the last few decades
Which of the following best describes the federal government's rules regarding lobbying?
Federal rules require all lobbyists to disclose the amounts and sources of small campaign contributions they collect from clients and "bundle" into large contributions.
Which is a following is a way that interest groups use the courts to influence public policy?
Filing amicus briefs
Which of the following are example of the "going public strategy?
Institutional advertising, grassroots advertising, and protests and demonstrations.
Iron Triangle
the stable, cooperative relationships that often develop among a congressional committee, and administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groups; not all of these relationships are triangular, but the iron triangle is the most typical.
Pluralism
theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation.
Free riders
those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring them
AARP
To find affordable health insurance for teachers
Interest Group
a group of individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies. Also refereed to as 'lobbies"
Grassroots mobilizations
a lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position
Membership Association
members play sustainable role, sitting on committees and engaging in group projects
Institutional advertising
advertising designed to create a positive image of an organization
Collective goods
benefits, sought by groups that are broadly available and cannot be denied to non members
