Exam #3 Chapter 4-6
high-choice
A few decades ago, the media system centered on broadcast news networks, but Americans now have a ____ media system, where they can pick from a wide variety of outlets.
political action committee
A group that raises and spends money for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election is known as?
free rider
A person known as _________ derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement?
interest group
A(n) ____ ____ is an organization of individuals who share common goals and try to influence governmental decisions.
collects and distribute money to candidates for office
APAC is a specialized kind of interest group that?
The New York Times
Adolph Ochs, the architect objective journalism, had taken ownership of which newspaper?
less likely then
Adults under 30 years of age are ___ those over 50 to follow the news.
media
All media outlets, whether broadcast, print cable, or on the internet, that are in the business of creating and reporting original news stories are called the news ____?
grassroots oganization
An "astroturf organziation" is one that lacks?
they are benefits the group can withhold
An important feature of private goods for an economic group is that?
seeks to influence government policy
An interest group is an organization that?
political action committee
An interest group may form a ___ _____ _____ whose main goal is to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections.
money
And it's pursuit of electroneering, an interest groups most important resources is?
2,000
Approximately how many nonmembership organizations are registered with the Texas Ethics Commission?
collective goods
Benefits that belong to everyone, not just the members of a group, are referred to as?
the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) involved which issue affecting interest groups?
newspapers
Consumption of what type of media has been found to be correlated with a relatively high level of political knowledge?
A large group with Barry diffuse possible benefits
For which of the following interest groups would the free-rider problem be the most severe?
they are formed by individuals who have expertise regarding a particular policy issue as well as various views on it
How are issue networks formed?
they determine what messages we see and hear
How do media gatekeepers affect American citizens?
The staff provides most of the research for legislators, who rely less on interest group research
How does a well-compensated, professional legislative staff reduce the influence of interest groups?
The weekend structure of party competitiveness strengthens interest group influence
How does the party structure in Texas affect interest group power and influence?
PACs have decreased loyalty to parties since they finance races and help candidates much like parties do
How has PAC influence affected candidates' party loyalty?
There is far less provision of entertainment, food, and bribes, but it is still a key part of the process
How has the interest group tactic of entertaining legislators changed over the years?
be aboveboard with members
If you were lobbying Congress, what would be the safest strategy for you to use?
getting smaller, more focused business groups to work together on an issue can be highly effective
In 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?
amicus curiae
In an attempt to influence court decisions, interest groups may file "friend of the court" briefs, otherwise known as _____ briefs?
groups; members of Congress
In an iron triangle, ______ provide campaign contributions to ____ in order to gain their support for a particular policy proposal.
PACs
In some campaigns, which of the following has begun to replace in the political party is the nominating and electing agent?
regulatory
Interest groups influence is particularly strong among _____ agencies that are responsible for overseeing the nation's business sectors?
public relations electioneering lobbying to pay full-time staff
Interest groups need money for?
outside lobbying inside lobbying
Interest groups rely on what two main lobbying strategies?
a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation a cause that unpopular with the public
Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have?
encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause
Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to?
material incentives
Jobs, higher wages, and tax incentives are all examples of _____ to joining interest groups?
arguments and evidence for their position
Modern lobbyists primarily concentrate on providing lawmakers with?
are key intermediary between Americans and their leaders
Much like political parties and interest groups, the news media, or press are?
a single company, organization, or individual
Nonmembership organizations represent?
public
Outside lobbying is aimed at bringing _____ pressure to bear on policymakers.
organized
Political scientist Mancur Olsen argues small interest groups can be more powerful than larger groups as long as they are more?
information that supports the group's policy positions
Rather than using threats, interest groups tend to influence lawmakers by providing them with?
13
Republican are ____ times more likely than Democrats to say that fox is their main source of news.
quite effective
Research suggests that when interest groups have submitted amicus briefs, they have been ____ in swaying courts.
strong
States with ____ political parties tend to have weaker interest group influence.
fake news
Stories on the Internet that maintained the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax perpetuated by Democrats in order to damage President Trump are an example of?
fragmented
Texas has a _____ government structure because power is dispersed to many state agencies with little or no central control.
trade association
The Good Road Association is an example of _____ because it represent the specific business interest of highway contractors.
retail trade association
The Texas Automobile Association seeks to protect and promote the interests of its members businesses that are involved in the sales of goods and services and thus is an example of a?
its influential membership
The Texas Municipal League, which represents Texas City officials, derives its greatest strength from?
family farms and ranches
The Texas farmers union (not to be confused with the Texas Farm Bureau) represents which segment of the Texas agricultural industry?
democratic
The audience for Huffington Post's website favors which side overwhelmingly?
fairness doctrine
The elimination of what meant that radio stations no longer had to air a conservative talk show if they aired a liberal one.
collective goods
The incentives that most noneconomic groups offer include?
business interests
The interest group system in the United States overrepresents?
common-carrier
The media carry out a ____ _____ function when they disseminate information from political leaders to the public.
watchdog
The media serves a ____ function when it alerts the public to unethical or illegal activities by the government.
signaling
The media's _____ function serves to alert the public to important events in a timely fashion?
agenda
The media's function of ____ setting refers to the media's ability to determine what the public thinks is important.
act as advocates for particular viewpoints
The news media's partisan function means that they?
cable television
The onset of _____ increased the entertainment contests in traditional news outlets as audiences for those outlets began to shrink.
lobbying
The practice of trying to influence members of the legislature is called?
more than 800
The states that border Mexico have how many registered lobbyists?
False
True or False: CNN has continues to emphasize hard news rather than sensationalism.
False
True or False: Retired lawmakers cannot become lobbyists because they are forbidden by law to take a lobbying job?
False
True or False: Rupert Murdoch originally intended Fox News to be an objective, nonpartisan news channel.
True
True or False: Those interest groups that are poorly organized run the risk of being ignored politically.
act as a watchdog that scrutinizes official behavior provide a political information that attracts an audience provide a channel through which political leaders communicate to the public
What 3 functions do new media perform?
name calling character assassination imagined catastrophe
What are tactics widely used by conservative and liberal partisan talk shows?
It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress
What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP?
The Texas economy is highly diversified, with a strong presence in several industries
What best describes economic activity in Texas?
most news outlets incorporated celebrity gossip, sensational crimes, and human-interest stories to attract a broader audience
What best describes the "softening" of American news in the 1980s and 1990s?
freedom of association
What constitutional rights most protect the role of interest groups in the U.S. political system?
one in which people have a large number of places to go for information
What describes a high-choice media system?
the Watergate scandal
What event marked a turning point in the American press's approach to politicians' motives and actions?
Hundreds of radio stations switched from playing music to airing partisan talk shows
What happened when the Fairness Doctrine was eliminated in 1987?
cattle oil cotton banking
What industries have, in the past, dominated the Texas economy?
an independent-expenditure-only committee
What is a super PAC?
SLIGs
What is an example of a government organization?
commercial shrimp fishermen
What is an example of a group that cannot draw strength from geographic distribution?
Texas Association of Manufacturers
What is an example of a peak business organization?
Texas High School Coaches Association
What is an example of a specialize "educational" association?
entirely fictional stores that originate on the internet
What is fake news?
to mobilize supporters to advocate for their organization
What is the chief goal of grassroots lobbying efforts by interest groups?
It reduces peoples ability to concentrate on any particular message
What is the effect of "information overload," as noted by Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon?
Lobbying the state legislature
What is the most common technique used by interest groups to promote their interests?
protecting their trades from undesirable state regulation
What is the primary goal of retail trade associations?
It allows groups to come in the interest of more legislators
What is the primary reason that geographic distribution positively affects the power of interest groups?
Poor working conditions and low pay contribute to high turnover among legislative stuff
What is true of the professionalism of the Texas legislative?
MSNBC
What major cable news network was launched to be the liberal alternative to Fox?
radio
What new technology led to the chaos that spurred the establishment of the Federal Communications Commission?
the Texas Legislative Council
What organization provides legislative staff assistance in research and information?
lobbying
What refers broadly to efforts by groups to influence public policy through contact with public officials?
signaling watchdog common-carrier
What traditional functions of the news media (press)?
labor unions
What type of interest group has little power in Texas compared to many other states?
the system of checks and balances
What was Madison's constitutional solution to the problem of factions?
framing
When journalists highlight certain aspects of a situation and downplay other aspects, they are engaged in what?
presenting a selective version of reality
When the journalists use framing, they are?
it can have a positive effect on other interests, such as through job creation
Which a benefit to the public that results from the promotion of a special interest?
the internet
Which media has had the biggest role in making politics more participative?
broadcast television broadcast radio
Which media were subject to the FCC's Fairness Doctrine?
CNN
Which of the cable news networks most fully treats news as a form of entertainment?
Protecting local interest from state activities
Which of the following is the primary goal of most state and local interest groups?
consumer
Which of the following types of interest groups is not classified as an economic interest group?
James Madison
Which political leader wrote that government must dilute the influence of factions and interest groups by filtering their views through properly structured governing institutions?
New York Texas California
Which states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?
yellow journalism
Which term refers to the irresponsible and sensationalist approach to news reporting that characterized journalism in the early 1900s?
citizens' groups
Which type of group typically has to deal with the problem of free riders?
trade association
Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?
disband once an issue is settled
While the relationship between actors in an iron triangle tends to more long-lasting, issue networks tend to?
top officials of federal agencies
Who are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?
businesses individual citizens
Who or what can be a part of membership organizations?
a bank teller
Who would least likely to be a member of a professional association?
The Texas Railroad Commission oversees the state oil industry
Why does the Texas oil industry lobby focus on influencing the Texas Railroad Commision?
people cannot support or oppose a leader's plans if they do not know about them
Why is it important that media perform the common-carrier function?
It's processes are so organized that it functions efficiently without it
Why is it unnecessary for the Texas Municipal League to maintain constant contact with its members?
most news organizations choose coverage that will draw an audience for advertisers
Why is the news shaped by news organizations need to attract and keep viewers?
sensationalized
Yellow journalism featured what kind of stories?
the extreme right
YouTube political bloggers with the largest audiences are concentrated on?
Outside
_____ lobbying involves bringing public pressure on policymakers, such as organizing a letter writing campaign to members of Congress.
objective
______ journalism refers to news reporting that is based on "fact" rather than opinion and that presents both sides of a partisan debate.