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

______ refers broadly to efforts by groups to influence public policy through contact with public officials.

Lobbying

How have advances in technology affected the free-rider problem?

It has lessened it.

______ goods are those that belong to all people and cannot be withheld on an individual basis, such as clean air or water.

Collective

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.

The interest group strategy that includes face-to-face meetings with legislators and providing policy information to policymakers is known as ______.

inside lobbying

What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP? Multiple select question. It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress. It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low. It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government. Its members are extremely united on specific issues.

It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress. It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low. It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government.

What is a super PAC?

an independent-expenditure-only committee

Among economic groups, which type are the most numerous?

business groups

Which of the following types of interest groups is not classified as an economic interest group?

consumer

Which of the southern states has fewer than 400 registered lobbyists?

South Carolina

How do interest groups expand the range of issues that come to lawmakers' attention? Multiple select question. They focus on issues that may be controversial. They focus on the international impact of domestic issues. They focus on the large issues affecting society. They focus on issues that may not have broad impact.

They focus on issues that may be controversial. They focus on issues that may not have broad impact.

True or false: Those interest groups that are poorly organized run the risk of being ignored politically.

True

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

Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to ______.

encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause

Which of the following are the components of an iron triangle? Multiple select question. executive agencies congressional committees interest groups appellate court judges

executive agencies congressional committees interest groups

A person known as a(n) rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.

free

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

Which of the following are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?

top officials of federal agencies

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) involved which issue affecting interest groups?

the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections

An interest group may form a(n) whose main goal is to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections.

Blank 1: political or P Blank 2: action or A Blank 3: committee, C, committe, or commitee

Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state? Multiple select question. Colorado North Carolina California New York Texas

California New York Texas

True or false: Retired lawmakers cannot become lobbyists because they are forbidden by law to take a lobbying job.

False

The interest-group system in the United States overrepresents ______.

business interests

Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?

face-to-face meetings with members of Congress

Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tends to be more ______.

temporary

Which one of these groups is an example of a citizens' group?

the National Organization for Women

______ 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

______ incentives for joining an interest group include the satisfaction that you are participating in a worthy effort.

Purposive

Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following? Multiple select question. giving money directly to political parties targeting unions spending more than 50 percent of their funds on a single candidate officially funding campaign ads giving money directly to candidates

giving money directly to political parties giving money directly to candidates

In an iron triangle, ______ provide campaign contributions to ______ in order to gain their support for a particular policy proposal.

groups; members of Congress

Rather than using threats, interest groups tend to influence lawmakers by providing them with ______.

information that supports the group's policy positions

Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options? Multiple select question. lawsuits meeting with judges in private chambers influencing the selection of federal judges filing amicus curiae briefs

lawsuits influencing the selection of federal judges filing amicus curiae briefs

Jobs, higher wages, and tax incentives are all examples of ______ incentives to joining interest groups.

material

Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists? Multiple select question. Lobbyists are popular among voters. Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention. Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation. Lobbyists help them organize campaign rallies.

Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention. Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation.

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.

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

Match the actors in an iron triangle with the benefits that they provide to other actors. interest groups interest groups Drop zone electoral support to members of Congress correct Toggle Button Unavailable. electoral support to members of Congress congressional committee congressional committee Drop zone budget support for a program correct Toggle Button Unavailable. budget support for a program government agency government agency Drop zone constituent service correct Toggle Button Unavailable. constituent service

interest groups matches Choice electoral support to members of Congress congressional committee matches Choice budget support for a program government agency matches Choice constituent service

Which of the following are private goods? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. jobs retirement plans national forests streetlights

jobs retirement plans

Which of the following are private goods? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. streetlights jobs national forests retirement plans

jobs retirement plans

Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options? Multiple select question. lawsuits influencing the selection of federal judges meeting with judges in private chambers filing amicus curiae briefs

lawsuits influencing the selection of federal judges filing amicus curiae briefs

Which of the following types of interest groups is classified as an economic type?

agriculture

Which of the following help interest groups participate more effectively in group politics? Multiple select question. diversity money contacts skills

money contacts skills

Interest groups rely on what two main lobbying strategies? (Choose every correct answer.) Multiple select question. constituent lobbying outside lobbying inside lobbying special-interest lobbying

outside lobbying inside lobbying

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

A(n) , 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.

Blank 1: iron Blank 2: triangle

A(n) is comprised of various actors that all have interest and expertise in a particular policy issue, even though they may disagree on what the outcome should be.

Blank 1: issue Blank 2: network

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

Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have ______. Multiple select question. a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation a cause that's unpopular with the public an exceptionally effective legal team only a small amount of money to spend

a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation a cause that's unpopular with the public

Modern lobbyists primarily concentrate on providing lawmakers with ______.

arguments and evidence for their position

The states that border Mexico all have ______ registered lobbyists.

more than 800

Political scientist Mancur Olson argues that small interest groups can be more powerful than larger groups as long as they are more ______.

organized