American Government Test 3 Chapter 7-9
national convention
The meeting held every four years by each major party to select presidential and vice-presidential candidates, write a platform, choose a national committee, and conduct party business.
state central committee
The principal organized structure of each political party within each state. This committee is responsible for carrying out policy decisions of the party's state convention.
motivated reasoning
The process of beginning with the conclusion you want, and only then assembling data and arguments to back up your conclusions.
patronage
The rewarding of faithful party workers and followers with government employment or contracts.
service sector
The sector of the economy that provides services—such as health care, banking, and education—in contrast to the sector that produces goods.
climate control
The use of public relations techniques to create favorable public opinion toward an interest group, industry, or corporation.
boycott
A form of pressure or protest—an organized refusal to purchase a particular product or deal with a particular business.
political party
A group of political activists who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy.
dealignment
A decline in party loyalties that reduces long-term party commitment.
party platform
A document drawn up at each national convention, outlining the policies, positions, and principles of the party.
Nonprofit Interest groups that are NOT allowed to engage in lobbying, campaign, or legislative activities are known as ________.
501(c)(3) organizations
Apolitical nonprofit groups that focus on public policy issues and promote social welfare are called ________ organizations.
501(c)(4)
social movement
A movement that represents the demands of a large segment of the public for political, economic, or social change.
splinter party
A new party formed by a dissident faction within a major political party. Often, splinter parties have emerged when a particular personality was at odds with the major party.
GOP
A nickname for the Republican Party; stands for "grand old party."
plurality
A number of votes cast for a candidate that is greater than the number of votes for any other candidate but not necessarily a majority.
realignment
A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.
purposive incentive
A reason for supporting or participating in the activities of a group that is based on agreement with the goals of the group. For example, someone with a strong interest in human rights might have a purposive incentive to join Amnesty International.
material incentive
A reason or motive based on the desire to enjoy certain economic benefits or opportunities.
solidary incentive
A reason or motive that follows from the desire to associate with others and to share with others a particular interest or hobby.
divided government
A situation in which one major political party controls the presidency and the other controls one or more chambers of Congress, or in which one party controls a state governorship and the other controls part or all of the state legislature.
What is often the first expression of latent discontent with an existing system, and is often considered the authentic voice of weaker or oppressed groups in society?
A social movement
national committee
A standing committee of a national political party established to direct and coordinate party activities between national party conventions.
indirect technique
A strategy employed by interest groups that uses third parties to influence government officials.
independent
A voter or candidate who does not identify with a political party.
The top national association, representing interests of more than 38 million Americans, is the ________.
AARP
Which type of interest groups have been the most effective in obtaining subsidies from American taxpayers?
Agricultural interest groups
party-in-government
All of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a particular political party.
direct technique
An interest group activity that involves personal interaction with government officials to further the group's goals.
lobbyist
An organization or individual who is employed to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of government.
interest group
An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policymakers.
According to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, a lobbyist is anyone who spends at least 50 percent of his or her professional time lobbying Congress their staffs, or executive-branch officials.
False
An interest group is a group of individuals who organize and run candidates for elected office.
False
Special interest groups such as the American Association of Automobile Manufacturers have the power to pass and implement laws.
False
There are no limits on how much money an individual can donate to a single candidate running for federal office.
False
What the key factor to making an interest group powerful?
Having extremely motivated members
Which law set a spending threshold for lobbyists of $10,000 per quarter?
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
policy demanders
Individuals or interest group members who participate in political parties with the intent to see that certain policies are adopted or specific groups favored.
party identification
Linking oneself to a particular political party.
Of the following, which is a threat to the survival of unions? Collective bargaining Adherence to government regulations Loss of jobs in the industries they represent Corruption
Loss of jobs in the industries they represent
Democratic Party
One of the two major American political parties evolving out of the Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson.
Republican Party
One of the two major American political parties. It emerged in the 1850s as an antislavery party and consisted of former northern Whigs and antislavery Democrats.
What political theory states that interest groups seek compromise among various competing interests as the essence of political decision making?
Pluralist theory
________ are nonprofit interest groups that raise funds to support electoral candidates and are subject to campaign finance laws.
Political action committees (PACs)
latent interests
Public-policy interests that are not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time.
Which of the following are two of the most important resources interest groups have for affecting public policy? Strong membership and substantial budgets Many followers on social media and multiple bank accounts Central offices and secure computer networks Strong legal teams and financial contributors
Strong membership and substantial budgets
Which of the following are two of the most important resources interest groups have for affecting public policy? Strong membership and substantial budgets Many followers on social media and multiple bank accounts Central offices and secure computer networks Strong legal teams and financial contributors
Strong membership and substantial budgets
public interest
The best interests of the overall community; the national good, rather than the narrow interests of a particular group.
free rider problem
The difficulty interest groups face in recruiting members when the benefits they achieve can be gained without joining the group.
labor movement
The economic and political expression of working-class interests.
party organization
The formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees; local, state, and national executives; and paid professional staff.
Tobacco Farmers of America (TFA) weighs in on the issue of regulating marijuana farming by conducting a letter-writing campaign to Congress. Generally speaking, TFA is trying to protect its interests by discouraging the legalization of marijuana. Which statement best represents how Congress will likely view their efforts?
They should focus on their own specific policy matters—farming tobacco.
party-in-the-electorate
Those members of the general public who identify with a political party or who express a preference for one party over another.
Generally, a Democratic candidate is more likely to gain support from interest groups such as labor unions, while a Republican candidate is more likely to gain the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
True
Job losses in a single industry can have a negative impact on an interest group's membership stability.
True
Most union growth in the last few decades has occurred in the public sector.
True
The financial advantage that some interest groups have over others causes the government to respond unequally across all citizens.
True
What is the most amount of money an individual can donate to all candidates running in federal elections?
Unlimited
straight-ticket voting
Voting exclusively for the candidates of one party.
split-ticket voting
Voting for candidates of two or more parties for different offices, such as voting for a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic congressional candidate.
A lobbyist representing the auto industry meets with a member of Congress to discuss legislation concerning vehicle emissions. This is an example of
a direct technique
Delores has been hired by the National Association of School Nurses to promote national accreditation standards for school nurses. Delores is
a lobbyist
Consumerism, as an organized movement, represents
a public interest
When an interest group tries to generate public pressure by running media campaigns and taking public opinion polls to influence Congress, it is using
an indirect technique
The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association represents a collection of different businesses, including pet shops and manufacturers of pet food, pet toys, and other pet products, in order to influence government policies in favor of these businesses. The association would be considered
an umbrella group
In 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, African Americans refused to use the Montgomery bus line. This unconventional form of pressure is a type of
boycott
To remain financially stable, many interest groups rely on ________ from members to cover their operating expenses.
dues
Pressuring elected officials to be responsive to their constituents and holding the government accountable for its actions are two ways that interest groups contribute to a ________.
democracy
Large corporations such Walmart, Comcast, and Boeing are examples of ________ interest groups that try to influence policy on their own and by joining trade associations composed of businesses with similar goals.
economic
Trade and professional associations, such as the National Association of Manufacturers and the American Bar Association, are examples of ________ formed to advance the economic status of its members.
economic interest groups
Because of the large amount of money they spend on campaign support, one of the biggest criticisms of political action committees (PACs) is that they ________.
exert a disproportionate influence over legislators
Groups that advocate international aid and support for human rights are part of a broader group of interest groups called ________ groups.
foreign policy
When an interest group has trouble recruiting new members because the impact of its lobbying efforts is so widespread that both members and nonmembers alike receive them, the dilemma is called the ________ problem.
free rider
A corn farmer chooses not to pay dues to the national interest group his fellow farmers created, yet he still reaps the benefits of the tax incentives the group lobbied for and won. This is an example of a
free rider problem
A(n) ________ interest group is one that encourages members to provide international assistance.
human rights
Groups like the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) are examples of
identity groups
The National Organization for Women is an interest group whose members share a common ________ that determines the specific campaigns they get involved with and which side of an issue they take.
ideology
What kind of lobbying strategy works best when lobbyists want to keep the policy request specifically focused on the group's needs?
inside strategy
Private economic interest groups do NOT include which of the following? Labor unions dues in private sector unions are too high for most workers to afford Identity groups Professional associations Interest groups
interest groups
The relationship among interest groups, members of Congress, and federal agencies that work together to seal off access to public policy making is called the ________.
iron triangle
In an age of 24-hour news access, social media, and other telecommunication innovations, some political scholars suggest that the relationship between members of Congress, bureaucrats, and interest groups is more open and transparent and better described as a(n) ________.
issue network
What makes an interest group private or public, most powerful?
its total membership
The rise of the service sector and an increased use of automation have led to a decrease in the membership of
labor unions
Successful interest groups that have established an enduring voice in democracy measure how well they accomplish their goals in four ways: membership outreach, financial stability, ________, and ________.
leadership accountability; public influence
Under the "shotgun" approach, an interest group
mobilizes large numbers of constituents to write, phone, or send e-mails and tweets to legislators or the president.
The common pathways for individuals to become a lobbyist include experience working ________.
on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch, or on a political campaign
In a(n) ________ society such as the United States, the tolerance people share for competing interest groups serves the public's common interest.
pluralist
Benefits that some large interest groups seek on behalf of its members—such as clean air by the Sierra Club or gun rights by the NRA—which are available to all people, whether they contributed toward the support of that benefit or not, are called ________.
public goods
Frederick strongly believes that the tax system in the U.S. needs to be reformed; he chose to join a local Tea Party group so they could protest a county tax increase. Frederick has what type of incentive for joining this specific interest group?
purposive
A person who gets satisfaction from taking action when the goals of the group correspond to his or her beliefs or principles is pursing
purposive incentives
Opportunities for networking with people who share common interests, discounts on rental cars, and receiving monthly magazines are examples of ________ that interest groups use to attract and retain members.
selective benefits
The text notes that one reason the pharmaceutical lobby is one of the most powerful lobbying groups is due to its
significant financial resources
When an individual joins an interest group, the pleasure of associating with a group of like-minded people is called a(n) ________ benefit.
solidary
An individual joining an interest group for friendship is pursuing
solidary incentives.
Especially during campaign season, well-funded ________ groups are often criticized for exerting a disproportionate amount of power to influence the government.
special interest
When the self-interest of a leader no longer mirrors the majority opinion of the group, the theory of ________ is used to explain their behavior.
the iron law of oligarchy
When an inside strategy doesn't work as expected, groups may adopt an outside lobbying strategy by getting ________ involved.
the media
People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining
to improve their economic opportunities or gain economic benefits
What type of economic interest group aims to protect workers through safer working conditions and better wages?
unions
When citizens' ________ groups find evidence of wrongdoing in government, they blow a whistle by issuing reports and holding press conferences to inform the media and the public.
watchdog
