Chapter 8: Interest Groups

Which of the following describes a type of brief that interest groups submit as "friends of the court"?

Amicus curiae

What are selective benefits?

Benefits offered exclusively to members of an interest group

Which Supreme Court decision that upheld limits on donations to congressional campaigns resulted in the expansion of political action committees (PACs)?

Buckley v. Valeo

Established in 1974, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust "engages the public in educational and aesthetic experiences to foster an appreciation of architecture, design, and the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright." Because it is a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status, what is the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust not allowed to do?

Campaign for a candidate or party

What is a group that forms to advance the financial status of its members called?

Economic Interest Group

What is the name for the small, divisive groups James Madison feared would divide the young nation?

Factions

If a group lobbies for public goods or collective benefits that are so widespread that members and nonmembers alike receive them, incentives to join the group disappear. What is this collective action dilemma called?

Free Rider

The organization MoveOn.org explains its purpose as "Over the past 20 years, [our members] have...worked together to play a leading role in ending the war in Iraq, passing landmark legislation such as healthcare reform, and advancing the cause of economic fairness." What type of interest group is MoveOn.org?

Ideological Interest Group

An interest group forms in order to tackle the environmental issue of fracking. The leaders decide to use social media sites and e-mail to ensure their members register and to provide updates on developments and legislation. What interest group activity does this represent?

Informing

What lobbying strategy keeps policy requests narrowly tailored to the group's needs and tries to influence legislators directly?

Inside Strategy

What is a group of citizens with common interests who try to influence public policy to benefit its members called?

Interest Group

What theory suggests that leaders in any organization eventually behave in their own self-interest?

Iron law of Oligarchy

Coined by Hugh Heclo, which term describes the fluid and open relationship between interest groups and government?

Issue networks

Since the 1980s, the makeup company Mary Kay Inc. has been committed to ending domestic violence against women. In 2005, six sales directors drove to Washington, D.C. to persuade Congress to renew the Violence Against Women Act. What democratic and legitimate form of petitioning did the Mary Kay employees perform?

Lobbying

Which of the following is an important consideration for interest groups to survive?

Membership Stability

Which interest group is unaffiliated with government and works hard to preserve its neutrality so it can operate in as many parts of the world as possible?

Nongovernmental organizations

What does the First Amendment state Americans have the right to do?

Peaceably Assemble

In what type of society do battles over public policy by varied interest groups produce a consensus that serves the public's common interest?

Pluralists

What type of interest group is created in response to an opening or opportunity for social, political, or economic changes?

Proactive

The Sierra Club is the largest environmental interest group in the United States. When the group accomplishes its goals, everyone will benefit from cleaner air. In this example, which term best describes air?

Public Good

What type of interest group forms in response to a perceived threat?

Reactive

A Republican representative from South Carolina resigned from office in 2013 to become the head of a conservative think tank called the Heritage Foundation. What concept does this example demonstrate?

Revolving Door

What did the Supreme Court case Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. (2007) determine?

The Supreme Court ruled that if a campaign advertisement could be reasonably viewed as issue based it was protected under the guarantee of free speech.

What was the Supreme Court's ruling in McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission?

The decision removed limits on the amount of money one individual could contribute to all federal elections.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) considers itself the voice for radio and TV broadcasters across the United States. Specifically, it "advances the interests of our members in federal government, industry and public affairs; improves the quality and profitability of broadcasting; encourages content and technology innovation; and spotlights the important and unique ways stations serve their communities." What type of interest group is the NAB?

Trade Association