Chapter 10 Interest Groups notes
Which of the following tactics are commonly employed by lobbyists when representing interest groups? Check all that apply.
- Testifying in congressional hearings - Educating members of Congress on policy - Lobbying executive branch officials
Who argued that "the flaw in the pluralist heaven" is that interest groups with more resources are advantaged in the political system?
E.E. Schattschneider
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
Special interest groups such as the American Association of Automobile Manufacturers have the power to pass and implement laws.
False
Which type of campaign is generally aimed at combating public ignorance and apathy?
Information campaign
What is one criticism of interest groups?
Interest groups have unequal access to resources.
What makes an interest group private or public, most powerful?
Its total membership
Who argued that "the latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man"?
James Madison
Who is most likely to devote time and resources to organizing and supporting interest groups?
Janessa, a wealthy and highly-educated woman who has political experience.
Of the following, which is a threat to the survival of unions?
Loss of jobs in the industries they represent
Which statement most accurately describes the interest group system in the United States?
Some sectors of society are much better represented than others.
What is the purpose of bipartisan contributions by PACs?
To increase access no matter who is in power
Which organizations represent firms within a particular industry but have nothing to do with politics or lobbying?
Trade associations
Job losses in a single industry can have a negative impact on an interest group's membership stability.
True
trade association
an organization that represents firms within a particular industry
information campaign
an organized effort to gain public backing by bringing a group's views to public attention
direct lobbying
attempts to influence a policymaker through personal contact with that individual
The "revolving door" associated with politics refers to when members of Congress leave office and
become a lobbyist
single-issue groups
form around a narrowly focused goal, seeking change on a single topic, government program, or piece of legislation. for example, the National Right to Life Campaign lobbies for regulations on abortion rights.
lobbying
involves persuasion-using reports, protests, informal meetings, or other techniques to convince an elected official or bureaucrat to help enact a law, craft a regulation, or do something else that a group wants.
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
program monitoring
keeping track of government programs; usually done by interest groups
The strengths, capabilities, and influence of an interest group depend in large part on its
resources.
economic groups
seek public policies that will provide monetary benefits to their members. Labor organizations fall under this category.
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
NARAL: We are made up of pro-choice women and men across the United States. Together, we protect a woman's right to choose.
single issue
National Rifle Association: The National Rifle Association is America's longest-standing civil rights organization. We're proud defenders of history's patriots and diligent protectors of the Second Amendment.
single issue
The California Abortion Rights Action League is an example of a
single issue group.
Most lobbyists today
skilled professionals for whom lobbying is a career.
When an individual joins an interest group, the pleasure of associating with a group of like-minded people is called a(n) ________ benefit.
solidary
Especially during campaign season, well-funded ________ groups are often criticized for exerting a disproportionate amount of power to influence the government.
special interest
Lobbyists in California are regulated largely by
the Political Reform Act of 1974.
Which practice is sometimes used by lobbying groups to get attention, but has the disadvantage of being very short-lived?
Protesting
Which is a group that may not fully benefit from the attention of interest groups?
Recent college graduates
Which of the following are two of the most important resources interest groups have for affecting public policy?
Strong membership and substantial budgets
Interest groups
are organizations of people who share common political interests and aim to influence public policy by electioneering and lobbying.
coalition building
the banding together of several interest groups for the purpose of lobbying
interest group entrepreneur
an interest group organizer or leader
Which statement is the most accurate about interest groups?
- Interest groups work to either increase, maintain, or reduce the role of government in areas of concern to their members
Which of the following means were used by Rock the Vote to engage young people in the political process, according to the excerpt? Check all that apply.
- Online voter registration - Telephone voter registration
Which of the following factors contribute to the effectiveness of interest groups? Check all that apply.
- Reliability of information - Financial resources - Cohesion of members - Membership size
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?
Interest groups
free rider problem
The situation in which people benefit from the activities of an organization (such as an interest group) but do not contribute to those activities.
citizen groups
change in spending, regulations, or government programs concerning a wide range of policies (also known as public interest groups). Issues of interest may vary from legislation that defines marriage between a man and a women to the elimination of estate taxes.
Radiq has decided to join the National Wildlife Council. Any issues the Council focuses on will not affect his professional life, but Radiq cares about the treatment of wildlife and wants to be part of a group that can make a difference. Radiq is a member of a
citizen group
When several interest groups band together to lobby an issue, it is called
coalition building
A(n) ________ interest group is one that encourages members to provide international assistance.
human rights
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
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
Common Cause: Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard in the political process.
public interest
Which of the following groups have been the largest campaign contributors in recent years?
tribal governments
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
The direct democracy approach to policy making is used most successfully by
well-financed groups seeking to further their own interests.
agenda building
A collective process in which media, government, and the citizenry reciprocally influence one another in areas of public policy
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)
When Cesar Chavez tried to organize California farm workers in the 1960s, which of his tactics got sympathy and support from the public, giving him credibility and momentum?
A march to the state capitol
The top national association, representing interests of more than 38 million Americans, is the ________.
AARP
Which primary role of interest groups brings new issues into the political limelight, making the government aware of problems and seeing that they get solved?
Agenda building
Which type of interest group is the most abundant in the United States?
Business
Which example demonstrates the free-rider problem?
Business owners deciding not to join the Chamber of Commerce
There are no limits on how much money an individual can donate to a single candidate running for federal office.
False
Under a pluralist democracy, restrictions on the behavior of interest groups is always unjust because it violates the First Amendment.
False
Political action committees (PACs) can donate an unlimited amount of money to a congressional candidate's campaign.
False (give as much as $5000)
Groups that advocate international aid and support for human rights are part of a broader group of interest groups called ________ groups.
Foreign policy
Which of the following constitutional freedoms allows interest groups to form?
Freedom of speech
According to a survey in which respondents were asked to rank the ethical standards of people working in twenty-two different professions, which profession ranked last?
Lobbyists
In the Federalist papers, James Madison foreshadowed today's interest groups when he wrote about factions. What did he finally conclude about factions?
Opposing factions should be mediated by the government.
Which school of thought is characterized by the belief that new interest groups will naturally form when the need arises?
Pluralism
In a(n) ________ society such as the United States, the tolerance people share for competing interest groups serves the public's common interest.
Pluralist
________ are nonprofit interest groups that raise funds to support electoral candidates and are subject to campaign finance laws.
Political action committees (PACs)
The financial advantage that some interest groups have over others causes the government to respond unequally across all citizens.
True
The term interest group is a bit misleading, because most organizations that lobby are institutions, such as corporations, that are not groups of individuals.
True
What type of economic interest group aims to protect workers through safer working conditions and better wages?
Unions
.What is the most amount of money an individual can donate to all candidates running in federal elections?
Unlimited
Noor is the leader of an interest group that seeks nation-wide legislation to make school lunches more affordable for children. The group's membership uses grassroots tactics to put pressure on Congress to take action. Which activity does Noor's group most likely use?
Writing letters
Lobbies
a group of people seeking to influence politicians or public officials on a particular issue
The Sierra Club is an example of
a public interest group.
To remain financially stable, many interest groups rely on ________ from members to cover their operating expenses.
dues
An interest group is best defined as
an organization that tries to influence public policy decisions.
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
AFL-CIO: We are the umbrella federation for U.S. unions, with 56 unions representing 12.5 million working men and women. We work to ensure that all people who work receive the rewards of their work—decent paychecks and benefits, safe jobs, respect and fair treatment...
economic
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business organization representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions...
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
Political scientist Robert Salisbury compares the role of an interest group leader to that of a(n)
entrepreneur.
On January 21, 2009, President Obama's first full day in the White House, he signed an executive order that restricts lobbying of the ____ branch. As a result of this action, former ____ were forbidden from working on certain matters or with certain agencies, and a ban on ____ was put into effect. Additionally, members of the Obama administration who returned to private life were prohibited from lobbying administration officials for the duration of Obama's presidency.
executive lobbyists gifts
Interest groups
protect the shared objectives of their members
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
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 ________
free rider
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
When an interest group relies on ideological appeals to attract membership, it faces a special problem in that
it has to compete with several other groups expressing the same ideology.
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
Which of the following interest group activities involves the judicial process
litigation
The technique of a group representative meeting with individual legislators is called
lobbying
grassroots lobbying
lobbying activities performed by rank-and-file interest group members and would-be members
citizen groups
lobbying organizations built around policy concerns unrelated to members' vocational interests
The common pathways for individuals to become a lobbyist include experience working ________.
on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch, or on a political campaign
The author of the excerpt, Frederick Lynch, claims that even though AARP has been successful in blocking efforts to ____ in the past, it currently faces tough challenges since key allies are gone and opponents have mobilized to advance proposals for cutting or restructuring ____ .
privatize Social Security entitlements
U.S. PIRG: U.S. PIRG is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security, or our right to fully participate in our democratic society. For decades, we've stood up for consumers, countering the influence of big banks, insurers, chemical manufacturers and other powerful special interests.
public interest
A favorable early evaluation of interest groups can be found in the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, who argued that the ease with which we form organizations
reflects a strong democratic culture.
contract lobbyists
represent several interests simultaneously.
Lobbyists
representatives of interest groups who contact lawmakers or other government officials directly to influence their policy making
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
