Poli-Sci (interest groups: Organizing for Influence
Which political leader wrote that the government must dilute the influence of factions and interest groups by filtering their views through properly structured governing institutions?
James Madison
Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options?
lawsuits influencing the selection of federal judges filing amicus curiae briefs
When the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act was passed, individual taxpayers clearly benefited, receiving an average annual tax cut of nearly $1,300, increasing their after-tax income by 1.7 percent.
True Reason: This is true. When the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act was passed, individual taxpayers clearly benefited, receiving an average annual tax cut of nearly $1,300, increasing their after-tax income by 1.7 percent.
A (blank) consists of a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek to develop policies beneficial to a particular interest.
iron triangle
Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?
trade association
______ refers broadly to efforts by groups to influence public policy through contact with public officials.
Lobbying
Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists?
Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention. Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation.
What is a super PAC?
an independent-expenditure-only committee
Which of the following are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?
top officials of federal agencies
Which of the following would be considered outside lobbying activities used by interest groups?
Letter-writing campaigns Public demonstrations
True or false: Those interest groups that are poorly organized run the risk of being ignored politically.
True Reason: A lack of organization makes it difficult for interest groups to lobby effectively for their position.
A group that raises and spends money for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election is known as ______.
a political action committee
Which of the following best describes why many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?
because contributing to candidates' campaigns can help gain access for interest group lobbyists
Which of the following help interest groups participate more effectively in group politics?
contacts money skills
Which of the southern states has fewer than 400 registered lobbyists?
South Carolina
Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to ______.
encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause
In the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the corporate tax cut is permanent, whereas the individual tax cut has an end date. This difference illustrates the fact that:
getting smaller, more focused business groups to work together on an issue can be highly effective.
How do interest groups expand the range of issues that come to lawmakers' attention?
They focus on issues that may be controversial. They focus on issues that may not have broad impact.
Among economic groups, which type are the most numerous?
business groups
Which of the following is a way in which special interest groups can donate money to candidates?
by forming a political action committee (PAC)
Which type of group typically has to deal with the problem of free riders?
citizens' groups
Benefits that belong to everyone, not just the members of a group, are referred to as ______.
collective goods
Which of the following types of interest groups is not classified as an economic interest group?
consumer
Interest group influence is particularly strong among ______ agencies that are responsible for overseeing the nation's business sectors.
regulatory
Agency capture refers to the situation where (blank) ______ side with the industry they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public that they are supposed to protect.
regulatory agencies
Agency capture refers to the situation where (blank) side with the industry they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public that they are supposed to protect.
regulatory agencies
What was Madison's constitutional solution to the problem of factions?
the system of checks and balances
An important feature of private goods for an economic group is that ______.
they are benefits the group can withhold
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) involved which issue affecting interest groups?
the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections
______ goods are those that belong to all people and cannot be withheld on an individual basis, such as clean air or water.
Collective
A person known as a(n) (blank) rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.
Free
Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?
face-to-face meetings with members of Congress
Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following?
giving money directly to political parties giving money directly to candidates
The interest group strategy that includes face-to-face meetings with legislators and providing policy information to policymakers is known as ______.
inside lobbying
Which of the following are the components of an iron triangle?
interest groups congressional committees executive agencies
Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tends to be more ______.
temporary
Lobbyists generally direct their efforts at lawmakers who ______.
are inclined to support their group or cause
A(blank) consists of a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek to develop policies beneficial to a particular interest.
iron triangle
The interest-group system in the United States overrepresents ______.
business interests
The effort of the writers of the Constitution to devise a governing system that would guard against tyranny of the majority resulted in which consequence?
America's system of divided power provides abundant opportunities for interest groups to achieve their policy goals.
If you were lobbying Congress, what would be the safest strategy for you to use?
Be aboveboard with members.
What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP?
It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress. It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government. It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low.
______ lobbying involves bringing public pressure on policymakers, such as organizing a letter writing campaign to members of Congress.
Outside
_______ goods refer to benefits that are given directly to particular individuals as a result of belonging to an interest group.
Private
True or false: According to political scientist Mancur Olson, interest groups with smaller memberships usually prevail because they are able to join together and pool resources.
True Reason: Smaller groups can pool resources, giving them larger operating budgets than many large groups.
In an iron triangle, ______ provide campaign contributions to ______ in order to gain their support for a particular policy proposal.
groups; members of Congress
Who typically benefits the most from PAC campaign donations?
incumbents
Rather than using threats, interest groups tend to influence lawmakers by providing them with ______.
information that supports the group's policy positions
Iron triangles work to the mutual benefit of the three members of the triangle. Match each iron triangle member to what it gets from the relationship. Instructions
members of Congress- electoral support interest group- beneficial policy decisions federal agency- support for their administrative programs
Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?
Interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of government.
Which of the following is a benefit to the public that results from the promotion of a special interest?
It can have a positive effect on other interests, such as through job creation.
______ incentives for joining an interest group include the satisfaction that you are participating in a worthy effort.
Purposive
Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?
Texas California New York
How are issue networks formed?
They are formed by individuals who have expertise regarding a particular policy issue as well as various views on it.
(blank) lobbying includes initiating letter-writing campaigns and influencing the news media.
outside
lobbying includes initiating letter-writing campaigns and influencing the news media.
outside
One of the positive contributions that interest groups make is ______.
providing a form of representation for organized groups
Outside lobbying is aimed at bringing ______ pressure to bear on policymakers.
public
An interest group is an organization that ______.
seeks to influence government policy
Which one of these groups is an example of a citizens' group?
the National Organization for Women
