Ch.9 Interest Groups
PACs tend to contribute the most money to... A. incumbents. B. challengers. C. independents. D. liberal Democrats. E. liberal Republicans.
A. incumbents.
An amicus brief... A. is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling. B. is a written document in which an interest group lays out its policy preference for targeted lawmakers. C. prevents a lobbyist group from making campaign donations to policymakers over a specific issue. D. provides evidence for prosecutors of an illegal monetary relationship between a lawmaker and an interest group or PAC. E. prevents PACs from donating more than $5,000 to a single candidate during a primary election.
A. is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling.
Which of the following groups primarily uses litigation as its lobbying method? A. NRA B. ACLU C. NAACP D. AARP E. NEA
B. ACLU
The influence of interest groups through the courts occurs through... A. initiating lawsuits. B. lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench. C. outside lobbying only. D. PACs. E. both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.
E. both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.
PAC contributions account for about ________ of total congressional campaign spending. A. 6 percent B. 11 percent C. 20 percent D. 41 percent E. 60 percent
C. 20 percent
The second-largest number of PACs are those associated with... A. citizens' groups. B. labor. C. business. D. agriculture. E. foreign governments.
A. citizens' groups.
About ________ of people who regularly listen to National Public Radio do not donate money to their local station. A. 10 percent B. 30 percent C. 50 percent D. 70 percent E. 90 percent
E. 90 percent
Which of the following organizations is NOT an example of a single-issue group? A. Sierra Club B. National Rifle Association C. a climate change group D. a right-to-life group E. American Conservative Union
E. American Conservative Union
Which of the following is an interest group more likely to champion than a political party? A. a controversial issue B. a particular candidate C. a broad range of ideological ideas D. a policy that would have a broad impact E. an issue that has the broad backing of the general public
A. a controversial issue
The Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)... A. allows corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds on campaigns as long as there is no coordination with the candidate. B. limits PACs by reducing the amount of money they can raise through contributions made by small donors. C. has forced candidates for office and elected officials to make public the amounts of campaign contributions they have received from PACs and which PACs make those donations. D. has strengthened the argument that PACs constitute a better system of campaign finance than one based on wealthy donors. E. has forced corporations and labor unions to legally divorce themselves from the PACs they sponsor.
A. allows corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds on campaigns as long as there is no coordination with the candidate.
Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that... A. cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it belongs to all. B. is provided by a public service organization. C. is secured by the president. D. is secured by Congress. E. None of these answers is correct.
A. cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it belongs to all.
Outside lobbying does NOT include... A. developing and maintaining close contacts with policymakers. B. the use of campaign contributions to legislators who favor the interest group. C. pushing their message through public relations and advertising. D. targeting group resources on key election races. E. rousing citizens to contact their elected officials and express their support.
A. developing and maintaining close contacts with policymakers.
Another name for an interest group is... A. pressure group. B. cabal. C. political party. D. coalition. E. constituency.
A. pressure group.
The Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ultimately led to the creation of... A. super PACs. B. PACs. C. election reform. D. independent-expenditure-committees (IECs). E. the AARP.
A. super PACs.
In recent decades, lobbyists in Washington, D.C., have increasingly... A. targeted the executive branch in their efforts to influence policy decisions. B. relied on coercive tactics, such as threats of withdrawing election support. C. worked to defeat incumbent members of Congress in order to replace them with members who would be more supportive. D. relied exclusively on inside lobbying as the means of achieving their policy goals. E. ignored the judicial branch as a means of influencing policy decisions.
A. targeted the executive branch in their efforts to influence policy decisions.
The citizens of ________ have the largest number of organized interest groups at their disposal. A. the United States B. Germany C. Italy D. France E. Great Britain
A. the United States
A flaw in pluralism theory is the fact that... A. the interest group system is unrepresentative, because some interests are far better organized and more powerful than others. B. the public interest is never served by policies that promote special interests. C. larger groups always prevail politically over smaller groups. D. political parties better represent different interests than do interest groups. E. All of these answers are correct.
A. the interest group system is unrepresentative, because some interests are far better organized and more powerful than others.
Under federal law, PACs can contribute up to ________ per candidate for federal office for a primary election and general election combined. A. $2,000 B. $10,000 C. $40,000 D. $50,000 E. $100,000
B. $10,000
Under federal law, PACs can contribute up to ________ per candidate for federal office in a primary election. A. $1,000 B. $5,000 C. $25,000 D. $50,000 E. $100,000
B. $5,000
Which of the following is NOT an interest group function? A. working to influence the courts B. addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues C. working to influence policymakers D. promoting public policies E. working to influence legislators
B. addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues
The most numerous economic groups are... A. labor groups. B. business groups. C. professional groups. D. occupational groups. E. farm groups.
B. business groups.
The Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ruling held that corporation and union spending on elections... A. must be coordinated with election campaigns. B. can be unlimited but not coordinated with election campaigns. C. must go directly to election campaigns if exceeding $5,000 per candidate. D. must be preapproved by the Federal Election Commission. E. must be no more than $5,000 per federal candidate per election.
B. can be unlimited but not coordinated with election campaigns.
The most fully organized interests are those that have which of the following as their primary purpose? A. environmental protection B. economic activity C. civil liberties D. labor reform E. reform of government
B. economic activity
The situation in which individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate is called the... A. size factor. B. free-rider problem. C. special-interest paradox. D. disincentive factor. E. zero-sum game.
B. free-rider problem.
Most lobbyists receive support from elected officials in direct exchange for... A. money. B. information. C. bribery. D. coercion. E. deception.
B. information.
An informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists who come together temporarily around a policy problem is a(n)... A. iron triangle. B. issue network. C. caucus. D. policy system. E. ideological network.
B. issue network.
Effective inside lobbying is based upon... A. countering the aims of other groups. B. providing useful and persuasive information to key officials. C. mobilizing the group's members. D. bribing or threatening officials. E. using the media to exert pressure.
B. providing useful and persuasive information to key officials.
"Agency capture" occurs when... A. a regulatory agency funnels money back into the lobbying organizations that are seeking policy changes. B. regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public. C. the executive branch takes back control of a regulatory agency. D. a regulatory agency must be dismantled because it has become corrupted. E. an election results in the replacement of an agency's leadership through appointive positions under a new president.
B. regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate rather than with the public.
James Madison's solution to the problem of factions (special interests) has, in the modern policy process, actually contributed to the problem by... A. suppressing the claims of special interests, thereby making it more difficult for them to get their opinions heard by officials. B. resulting in greater divisions of power that allow special-interest groups more points of access and outsized influence in the policy process. C. eroding the strength of political parties, thereby increasing the opportunity for group influence. D. weakening the legislative branch, thereby allowing groups to bully Congress into accepting their demands. E. eroding the power of the mass media, thereby increasing the opportunity for group influence.
B. resulting in greater divisions of power that allow special-interest groups more points of access and outsized influence in the policy process.
A purposive incentive is defined as... A. a goal of direct economic gain. B. the satisfaction of contributing to a worthy goal or purpose. C. a goal benefiting a specific group. D. any common purpose that brings groups together. E. corporate profit.
B. the satisfaction of contributing to a worthy goal or purpose.
Political scientist Theodore Lowi has questioned pluralist theory by suggesting that... A. special interests should never receive benefits from government. B. there is no concept of the public interest in a system that gives special interests the ability to determine the policies affecting them. C. policies that favor a series of minorities are inherently fairer than policies that ignore small groups in favor of a majority. D. the sum of people's special interests is a rough approximation of society's collective interest. E. Madisonian theory has created a perfect balance of special interest and common good.
B. there is no concept of the public interest in a system that gives special interests the ability to determine the policies affecting them.
Citizens' interest groups are distinguished from economic interest groups by the fact that... A. their leaders are elected by secret ballot among the group's members. B. there is no material incentive for members in their pursuit of the group's goals. C. they do not lobby government officials directly, but rely instead on public service announcements to get their views across to society. D. they always pursue goals in which there is a high level of agreement among society members. E. All of these answers are correct.
B. there is no material incentive for members in their pursuit of the group's goals.
Economist Mancur Olson refers to what aspect of interest groups as "the size factor"? A. Larger interest groups are able to draw on greater financial resources, which makes them more capable of getting the ear of lawmakers and thus achieving policy change. B. The interests of groups with large memberships will typically prevail over the interests of smaller groups. C. Small groups are ordinarily more united on policy issues and often have more resources, enabling them to win out more often than large groups. D. The smaller an interest group, the more likely that its motivating issue will be subsumed by the agenda of a larger interest group. E. Small interest groups can often enhance their bargaining power by linking themselves to the agenda of a larger interest group that has greater resources.
C. Small groups are ordinarily more united on policy issues and often have more resources, enabling them to win out more often than large groups.
Which of the following statements would NOT be accepted by supporters of the pluralist view of interest groups? A. People's separate interests are a legitimate basis of public policy. B. The group interest process correctly excludes some of the smallest groups from influence because they lack strong public support. C. The opinion of the majority should always prevail, in a policy dispute, over the opinion of a more intense and directly affected minority. D. Most interests benefit from the workings of the group system, which is a reason to support a policy process that is responsive to groups. E. Public policy should represent the diversity that exists in society.
C. The opinion of the majority should always prevail, in a policy dispute, over the opinion of a more intense and directly affected minority.
The term iron triangle refers to... A. a tightly-knit set of lobbying groups. B. the relationship among the Congress, the military, and defense contractors. C. a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest. D. the strategy of lobbying all three branches of government simultaneously. E. a corrupt relationship among the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court.
C. a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest.
In the 1830s, the Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that the "principle of ________" was nowhere more evident than in America. A. hard work B. separation of church and state C. association D. citizenship E. statesmanship
C. association
The largest number of PACs are those associated with... A. single-issue groups, such as environmental groups and right-to-life groups. B. labor. C. business. D. agriculture. E. foreign governments.
C. business.
James Madison argued... A. against all interest groups. B. for the advocacy of self-interest free from all systems of restraint. C. for regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances. D. for the replacement of interest groups by formal political parties. E. for a powerful judiciary.
C. for regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances.
A main difference between iron triangles and issue networks is that... A. an iron triangle includes members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, while issue networks bypass the judicial branch. B. issue networks involve a stable group of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists, while iron triangles exclude lobbyists in an attempt to reach impartial decisions. C. issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops. D. issue networks, being less formal, rely on outside lobbying only, while iron triangles use inside lobbying only. E. All of these answers are correct.
C. issue networks are generally less stable than iron triangles, in that the members of an issue network may change as the issue develops.
According to a study by the Center for Responsive Politics, what was roughly the amount spent on lobbying per hour that Congress was in session? A. more than $10,000 B. more than $100,000 C. more than $1 million D. more than $10 million E. more than $1 billion
C. more than $1 million
Which citizens' group did a Fortune magazine survey rank as the nation's most powerful lobbying group? A. the NAACP B. the AFL-CIO C. the AARP D. MADD E. Common Cause
C. the AARP
The dominant labor interest group is... A. the Teamsters Union. B. United Auto Workers. C. the AFL-CIO. D. the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. E. the Communication Workers of America.
C. the AFL-CIO.
In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison... A. argued that the free-rider problem would hurt some groups more than others. B. claimed that government could listen to all groups but should only enact policies that promote the interests of majority groups. C. worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest. D. argued that government must restrict the activities of groups, so that political parties could act as the major instrument of democracy. E. All of these answers are correct.
C. worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest.
To have great influence, an outside lobbying group must generally have one of two things: a lot of money or... A. detailed policy information. B. a strong legal team. C. high visibility. D. a committed membership E. close relationships with executive branch officers.
D. a committed membership
Super PACs have been criticized primarily for... A. being a tool that provides unfair advantages to liberal Democrats. B. leveling the playing field for monetary influence in federal elections. C. making it more likely that minor parties will gain control of government. D. giving too much influence to the wealthy. E. refusing to abide by FEC regulations.
D. giving too much influence to the wealthy.
Roughly how many American workers currently belong to unions? A. one in two B. one in four C. one in six D. one in nine E. one in ten
D. one in nine
The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is... A. republicanism. B. constitutionalism. C. elitist theory. D. pluralist theory. E. interest-group liberalism.
D. pluralist theory.
Economic groups have an advantage over noneconomic groups in part because... A. they nearly always have larger memberships. B. they are organized primarily for political purposes. C. they have better leadership. D. they have greater access to financial resources. E. their members are committed to their causes.
D. they have greater access to financial resources.
In an effort to overcome the free-rider problem, noneconomic groups have... A. deliberately restricted the size of their membership. B. joined up with economic groups. C. convinced government to limit the distribution of public goods to those who have contributed to the group's efforts. D. used Internet resources and computer-assisted mailing lists to target potential donors. E. adopted taxes for nonmembers.
D. used Internet resources and computer-assisted mailing lists to target potential donors.
The limits of interest groups' use of extreme tactics might be gauged by the congressional Democratic backlash against the ________, which tried to block the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993. A. ACLU B. Sierra Club C. Izaak Walton League D. AARP E. AFL-CIO
E. AFL-CIO
A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is... A. the American tradition of free association. B. the extent of diverse interests in American society. C. America's federal system of government. D. the separation of powers in American government. E. All of these answers are correct.
E. All of these answers are correct.
How do pluralists counter the argument that well-funded interest groups have more influence on policymaking than other interest groups? A. They argue that noneconomic groups are generally better organized and motivated, which balances out better funding in other groups. B. They argue that there is almost always a wealthy counter-group to every wealthy interest group. C. They deny that certain types of interest groups or wealthier ones have more policy influence. D. They argue that level of funding is a good determinant of how much the general public wants to see a particular interest advanced. E. They argue that the system is very open and almost all interests are included.
E. They argue that the system is very open and almost all interests are included.
The air we breathe is an example of a... A. private good. B. negative externality. C. material good. D. mass-produced good. E. collective good.
E. collective good.
In the dynamics of an iron triangle, what benefit do interest groups provide to friendly government agencies? A. services for constituents B. travel funds C. campaign contributions D. administration of mutually beneficial policies E. lobbying support for agency programs
E. lobbying support for agency programs
Grassroots lobbying is based on the assumption that officials will respond to... A. well-reasoned policy arguments. B. the opportunity for extensive media publicity. C. moral pleas. D. the efforts of party organizations. E. pressure from constituents.
E. pressure from constituents.
An interest group that focuses on achieving legalization of marijuana at the federal level would be an example of a(n)... A. philosophical interest group. B. ideological group. C. professional group. D. business group. E. single-issue group.
E. single-issue group.
Why have issue networks become more prevalent? A. the increasing power of corporate lobbying B. the increasing diversity of interest groups C. the increasing influence of PACs D. the instability of candidates' positions E. the increasing complexity of policy problems
E. the increasing complexity of policy problems
