Chapter 15 Questions
A(n) ____ ____ is an informal but relatively stable group of persons from Congress, executive agencies, and interest groups with a mutual interest in a particular policy area
Iron Triangle
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
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: An enormous group such as the taxpayers of the United States can exert a major influence on public policy.
False
The incentives that most noneconomic groups offer include ______
collective goods
Compared with the percentage of United States workers who were union members in the 1950s and 1960s, the percentage today is ______.
lower
Jobs, higher wages, and tax incentives are all examples of ______ incentives to joining interest groups
material
Outside lobbying is aimed at bringing ______ pressure to bear on policymakers
public
Capture theory argues that ______ sometimes focus more on the needs of industries than on the public interest
regulatory agencies
Which of the following types of interest groups are formed to pressure government to take action on a specific policy area, such as nuclear arms?
single-issue groups
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) involved which issue affecting interest groups?
the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections
What was Madison's constitutional solution to the problem of factions?
the system of checks and balances
Which of the southern states has fewer than 400 registered lobbyists?
South Carolina
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
Which of the following is an advantage that economic groups have over citizens' groups?
Economic groups can provide material benefits (such as jobs) to those who are part of the group.
True or false: Retired lawmakers cannot become lobbyists because they are forbidden by law to take a lobbying job
False
______ incentives for joining an interest group include the satisfaction that you are participating in a worthy effort
Purposive
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
True or false: Those interest groups that are poorly organized run the risk of being ignored politically
True
Which of the following types of interest groups is classified as an economic type?
agriculture
What is a super PAC?
an independent-expenditure-only committee
Which of the following best describes why many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?
because contributing to candidates' campaigns can help gain access for interest group lobbyists
Among economic groups, which type are the most numerous?
business groups
The interest-group system in the United States overrepresents ______.
business interests
Which of the following is a way in which special interest groups can donate money to candidates?
by forming a political action committee (PAC)
Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tends to be more ______.
temporary
Which of the following are private goods?
- jobs - retirement plans
Benefits that belong to everyone, not just the members of a group, are referred to as ______.
collective goods
Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following?
- giving money directly to political parties - giving money directly to candidates
Which of the following would be considered outside lobbying activities used by interest groups?
- having group members send letters to their legislators - organizing a protest on the steps of Congress - creating public service announcements to be aired on television
What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP?
- It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government. - It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress - It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low.
Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists?
- Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation. - Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention.
Which of the following describe most citizen's groups?
- They are open to anyone who agrees with the policy the group is advocating. - They tend to focus on one issue, such as gun rights or the environment.
How do interest groups expand the range of issues that come to lawmakers' attention?
- They focus on issues that may not have broad impact. - They focus on issues that may be controversial.
Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?
-Texas - California -New York
If you were lobbying Congress, what would be the safest strategy for you to use?
Be aboveboard with members.
An example of a single-issue interest group focused on the environment is ______
Greenpeace
Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?
Interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of government.
How have advances in technology affected the free-rider problem?
It has lessened it
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
Match each specific group to the type of economic group it is
Labor Union: United Mine Workers of America/American Federation of Teachers Agricultural Group: National Farmers Union/American Soybean Association Professional Group: American Medical Association/American Association of University Professors
______ refers broadly to efforts by groups to influence public policy through contact with public officials
Lobbying
______ lobbying involves bringing public pressure on policymakers, such as organizing a letter writing campaign to members of Congress.
Outside
Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to ______.
encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause
Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?
face-to-face meetings with members of Congress
A person known as a(n) ________ rider derives a benefit without contributing to its achievement.
free
In the 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 ______.
getting smaller, more focused business groups to work together on an issue can be highly effective
Political scientist Mancur Olson argues that small interest groups can be more powerful than larger groups as long as they are more ______.
organized
An interest group may form a(n) ____ ____ ____ whose main goal is to raise and spend money to influence the outcome of elections
political action committee
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
Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?
trade association
The United States provides a favorable environment for interest groups because ______.
- the separation of powers and federalism provide numerous points of access for interest groups to try to influence policymakers - the tradition of free speech and association means there are few legal barriers to the activities of interest groups - the tradition of people joining together encourages them to look to interest groups as a way of influencing policymakers
The interest group strategy that includes face-to-face meetings with legislators and providing policy information to policymakers is known as ______.
inside lobbying
Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have ______.
- a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation - a cause that's unpopular with the public
Which of the following are the components of an iron triangle?
- executive agencies - interest groups - congressional committees
Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options?
- filing amicus curiae briefs - influencing the selection of federal judges - lawsuits