Unit 13

Pluralists believe that interest groups ______. a. are making American democracy elitist b. give more power to citizens and enhance democratic life c. are good for democracy only if they are public but that economic and equal opportunity interest groups weaken democracy d. are too widespread in American society e. have taken away power from citizens and have weakened democracy

b. give more power to citizens and enhance democratic life

The ______ is a business association that represents three million businesses that range from small mom-and-pop stores to large employers. a. Americans for Job Security b. Freedom Partners c. Chamber of Commerce d. ALFA International

c. Chamber of Commerce

When government officials leave office and take positions as lobbyists, they are said to be passing through the ______.

Revolving door

Astroturf lobbying refers to ______. a. presenting misleading polls to members of Congress b. taking members of Congress to sporting events c. lobbying efforts directed at congressional staff members d. advertisements that support issues or candidates without telling constituents how to vote e. indirect lobbying efforts that manipulate public sentiment

e. indirect lobbying efforts that manipulate public sentiment

______ are groups that organize to influence government to produce collective goods or services that benefit the public.

Public interest groups

______ are effective group leaders who are likely to have organized the group and can effectively promote its interest among members of the public.

Interest group entrepreneurs

_______ is/are crucial to helping interest groups organize, no matter what its resources. a. Effective leadership b. Collective goods c. Connections in Washington, D.C. d. A triggering mechanism e. A common problem or threat

a. Effective leadership

The ______ is the interest group that argued a number of key civil rights cases in court, including Brown v. Board of Education. a. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People b. Tax Policy Center c. Better World Campaign d. Center for Global Development

a. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

_____ are the fundraising arm for interest groups. a. Political action committees b. Trade committees c. Lobbyists

a. Political action committees

The ______ role of interest groups is reflected in MADD's attempts to increase public awareness of problems related to drunk driving and to direct legislative attention to the issue. a. agenda-building b. electioneering c. representative d. educational e. program-monitoring

a. agenda-building

Traditional social protest has been used most effectively by ______. a. white supremacist groups b. civil rights leaders c. the National Association of Manufacturers d. the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth e. MoveOn.org

b. civil rights leaders

The "revolving door" exists because ______. a. it is easier to hire local people as lobbyists b. some of the most effective lobbyists are former government officials c. the qualified pool of applicants for such jobs is so small d. lobbyists envy government officials and want to take their jobs, so they are willing to trade e. government officials envy lobbyists and want to take their jobs, so they are willing to trade

b. some of the most effective lobbyists are former government officials

______ are formed with the common goal of altering public policy. a. Political parties b. Trade associations c. Interest groups

c. Interest groups

An interest group ______ is an effective leader who is likely to have organized an interest group and can effectively promote its interests. a. manager and chief executive officer b. oligarch c. entrepreneur d. activist e. advisor

c. entrepreneur

AARP is very large because ______. a. all retired people have to join b. the issue of Social Security has created a strong motivation for people to join AARP c. the issue of Medicare has created a strong motivation for people to join AARP d. AARP provides a wide variety of selective benefits for a small cost e. AARP has a very popular leader

d. AARP provides a wide variety of selective benefits for a small cost

The ______ is the interest group that argued a number of key civil rights cases in court, including Brown v. Board of Education. a. Superfund for a Colorless Society b. Rainbow Coalition c. Southern Christian Leadership Conference d. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People e. Republican National Committee

d. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

After reading the sections of the textbook on group formation and on types of interest groups, one could conclude all of the following EXCEPT this: a. Some interest groups pursue the self-interests of their members, whereas others pursue what they believe is in the public interest. b. A group's resources, not the worthiness of its goals, determine if it will be able to organize. c. In society, a great deal of disagreement exists about the public interest so that any group can be accused by its opponents of serving narrow interests. d. Worthy interests will be served regardless of whether or not they are organized. e. Contributing to the achievement of the public interest is often not enough of an incentive to get people to join a group.

d. Worthy interests will be served regardless of whether or not they are organized.

The ability to make sizable and strategically placed campaign contributions helps interest groups ______. a. purchase a foothold with members of the minority party in Congress, who will favor those interest groups when they rise to the majority party b. purchase the votes of all representatives or senators who are on the fence about a particular issue c. flex their political muscles to their competing interest groups d. buy access to representatives, senators, the White House, and their staffs e. take advantage of the tax benefits enjoyed through political rather than corporate spending

d. buy access to representatives, senators, the White House, and their staffs

Second Amendment groups lobby for or against ______. a. freedom of the press b. religious freedom c. free speech d. gun control e. reproductive rights

d. gun control

When a group provides a collective good or service, ______. a. entrepreneurial leaders find ways to limit the benefits strictly to group members b. the group's membership is likely to increase c. the group can divide costs to each person for providing the good d. the group will inevitably confront the free rider problem e. the group will overcome the free rider problem more easily than will groups that provide exclusive goods

d. the group will inevitably confront the free rider problem

The ______ is a business association that represents three million businesses that range from small mom-and-pop stores to large employers. a. National Association of Manufacturers b. North American Federation of Independent Businesses c. American Small Business Association d. American Federation of Labor e. Chamber of Commerce

e. Chamber of Commerce

In addition to the usual goals of other types of indirect lobbying, demonstrations and spontaneous protests seek to ______. a. overturn the political system b. eliminate opposition c. demonstrate that the group is very powerful d. generate more violent actions e. recruit those who have not formed an opinion on a certain topic or change the minds of those who have

e. recruit those who have not formed an opinion on a certain topic or change the minds of those who have

Many interest groups face the ______ when recruiting members who can gain the benefits of their activities whether or not they join.

Free rider problem

A good or service that, by its very nature, cannot be denied to anyone who wants to consume it is a ______.

Collective good

True/False : Attack ads are indirect lobbying efforts, created for the sole purpose of manipulating or creating public sentiment.

False

True/False : The primary goal of dog-whistle politics is to gain public support for an interest group's proposals.

False

____ are selective incentives that derive from the opportunity to express values and beliefs and to be committed to a greater cause.

Expressive benefit

True/False : An interest group entrepreneur is an effective leader who is likely to have organized an interest group and can effectively promote its interests.

True

True/False : The agenda-building role of interest groups is reflected in MADD's attempts to increase public awareness of problems related to drunk driving and to direct legislative attention to the issue.

True

Which of the following statements best reflects the political situation surrounding women's interest groups? a. Numerous groups push for equal treatment of women and reproductive rights, and numerous others push to narrow reproductive rights and favor a more traditional role for women in society. b. The number of women's interest groups pales in comparison to the number of pro-men interest groups. c. All women's groups lobby for equal rights, reproductive rights, and equal pay for equal work. d. Liberal women's groups push to get more women elected to office, whereas conservative women's groups have worked to minimize the number of women elected to office. e. All women's interest groups lobby to increase women's reproductive rights

a. Numerous groups push for equal treatment of women and reproductive rights, and numerous others push to narrow reproductive rights and favor a more traditional role for women in society.

______ is a nonpartisan defender of individual rights against the encroachment of a powerful government. a. The American Civil Liberties Union b. Electronic Frontier Foundation c. Amnesty International d. Human Rights Campaign

a. The American Civil Liberties Union

What is often the most important triggering mechanism that causes interest groups to form? a. an external threat that causes citizens to band together to protect their well-being b. people having a common interest c. an interest group entrepreneur paying most of the costs of organizing the group and reaping most of the benefits d. the provision of collective goods e. a period of economic prosperity

a. an external threat that causes citizens to band together to protect their well-being

Americans ______. a. are much more likely to belong to interest groups than are citizens of other nations b. are much less likely to belong to interest groups than are citizens of other nations c. don't have any choices when it comes to joining an interest group d. are willing to join groups that are not involved in politics, but they shy away from groups that engage in political activity e. prefer to belong to political groups rather than other groups

a. are much more likely to belong to interest groups than are citizens of other nations

Even though their goal is to provide a collective good, public interest groups often struggle because they ______. a. are often vulnerable to the free rider problem and to disputes over whether some collective goods (like abortion or gun rights) are beneficial b. are liberal, and many conservatives oppose them strongly c. do not try to influence government, so their efforts never address real political issues d. are notorious for raising funds but not for using them to achieve collective goods e. look for economic benefits and are disappointed with the collective goods produced

a. are often vulnerable to the free rider problem and to disputes over whether some collective goods (like abortion or gun rights) are beneficial

PAC money is directed primarily toward ______. a. congressional incumbents b. congressional challengers c. liberal candidates, regardless of whether they are incumbents or challengers d. congressional challengers who run against party leaders of either party e. conservative candidates, regardless of whether they are incumbents or challengers

a. congressional incumbents

Economic interest groups include all of the following EXCEPT this: a. consumer groups b. unions c. professional associations d. corporations e. agricultural interest groups

a. consumer groups

Many interest groups face the ______ when recruiting members who can gain the benefits of their activities whether or not they join. a. free rider problem b. public goods dilemma c. limited incentives problem d. imperceptible threat paradox e. iron law of oligarchy

a. free rider problem

At the time the health care bill was being debated in Congress, the insurance industry was in a tough position because ______. a. if it stayed outside of the political process but was unable to stop health care reform, it risked being stuck with a policy it hated b. any lobbying at all on the issue had been banned c. too many of the industry's lobbyists were Democrats d. none of the companies would be affected by the new law e. none of the above

a. if it stayed outside of the political process but was unable to stop health care reform, it risked being stuck with a policy it hated

Interest groups are formed with the common goal of ______. a. influencing public policy decisions b. reforming the electoral process c. opposing other interest groups d. electing their members to political office

a. influencing public policy decisions

The 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission had the effect of ______. a. lifting the prior financial contribution restrictions on issue advocacy advertisements, such as the McCain-Feingold Act b. setting the agenda in Congress for the next year c. making contributions that produced issue advocacy ads popular with the public d. banning all issue advocacy ads e. none of the above

a. lifting the prior financial contribution restrictions on issue advocacy advertisements, such as the McCain-Feingold Act

Compared to citizens in many other advanced industrial nations, Americans tend to join groups or associations ______ citizens of nearly every other country. a. more often than b. less often than c. about as often as

a. more often than

The argument that there is a "free rider problem" means that ______. a. people obtain the benefits provided by an interest group without being part of it because the benefit is available to everyone b. people are basically civic-minded c. people will only join interest groups for free d. politicians will ride the issue positions of interest groups into public office e. too many interest groups seek to imitate the tactics and rhetoric of the civil rights freedom riders

a. people obtain the benefits provided by an interest group without being part of it because the benefit is available to everyone

Interest groups overcome the free rider problem by doing all of the following EXCEPT ______. a. providing collective goods only to people who join the group b. providing material benefits only to people who join the group c. providing solidary benefits only to people who join the group d. providing expressive benefits only to people who join the group e. providing selective incentives only to people who join the group

a. providing collective goods only to people who join the group

Expressive benefits are ______. a. selective incentives that derive from the opportunity to express values and beliefs and to be committed to a greater cause b. incentives politicians try to give voters to get them to adopt ideological positions c. incentives that generate research aimed at influencing public policymaking d. benefits that present Democrats with research on public policy issues e. none of the above

a. selective incentives that derive from the opportunity to express values and beliefs and to be committed to a greater cause

Political action committees, or PACs, are ______. a. the fundraising arm for interest groups b. a candidate's campaign staff c. prohibited under the McCain-Feingold Act d. organizations that engage in media activities for certain candidates e. created by parties to raise money

a. the fundraising arm for interest groups

Information is a key source of power for interest groups because ______. a. these groups are often the only sources of information on the potential or actual impact of a law or regulation b. members of Congress often provide detailed information to friendly interest groups c. information always overpowers other resources such as money, size, and intensity d. these groups often gather information on political officials to use against them e. presidents often provide detailed information to friendly interest groups

a. these groups are often the only sources of information on the potential or actual impact of a law or regulation

All of the following statements concerning direct lobbying are true EXCEPT this one: a. Interest groups lobby Congress, in part, by providing testimony and expertise. b. It is hard for interest groups to lobby the bureaucracy. c. The White House has a special office to foster good relations between the president and interest groups. d. Interest groups attempt to bolster their lobbying efforts by forming coalitions with other interest groups. e. Congress has attempted to regulate relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers many times.

b. It is hard for interest groups to lobby the bureaucracy.

Which statement best reflects the political influence of labor unions? a. Unions have lost power since they have merged with corporate and business interest groups. b. Labor union membership has decreased, but unions still provide a formidable political force. c. Labor unions are more united than ever before. d. Because labor unions represent only industrial workers, they have little power. e. Labor unions have surged in power since the 1950s, and their political power has increased steadily.

b. Labor union membership has decreased, but unions still provide a formidable political force.

_____ are interest groups that try to influence government to produce collective goods or services that benefit the general public. a. Equal opportunity interest groups b. Public interest groups c. Government interest groups d. Economic interest groups e. Foreign interest groups

b. Public interest groups

Interest groups perform all of the following roles in politics EXCEPT this one: a. representing their members' views to government b. electing members to public office c. providing an avenue for citizen participation in politics d. educating policymakers regarding issues important to the interest group e. alerting the proper government authorities about the group's issue to get the issue on the political agenda

b. electing members to public office

This type of interest group can trace its origin back to Earth Day in 1970: a. Second Amendment groups b. environmental groups c. religious groups d. equal opportunity business groups e. government interest groups

b. environmental groups

Political action committees were created as a result of ______. a. weaknesses among local Republican parties in the Deep South b. interest group restrictions in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 c. candidates' need for more money to pay for television advertising d. fundraising scandals such as Teapot Dome e. the growth in power of national political party committees

b. interest group restrictions in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974

Corporate and business interest groups are the most numerous and powerful of all interest groups because ______. a. they are concerned with only one or two issues b. the government plays a key role in regulating the economy and setting the rules for economic competition c. they provide collective benefits d. they provide expressive benefits to overcome the free rider problem e. none of the above

b. the government plays a key role in regulating the economy and setting the rules for economic competition

______ is a nonpartisan defender of individual civil liberties. a. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People b. The Group of 77 c. The American Civil Liberties Union d. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals e. The Consumers Union

c. The American Civil Liberties Union

The Eagle Forum is an interest group that ______. a. fought hard against campaign finance reform b. was on the forefront of the fight for reproductive rights for women c. advocates a more traditional role for women in society d. agitated and protested against the Vietnam War e. favors gun control

c. advocates a more traditional role for women in society

A common feature of all interest groups is that they ______. a. spend huge amounts of money on campaign donations b. sponsor public demonstrations c. are organized around shared interests among members d. provide exclusive benefits to members in order to keep them loyal e. have all potential members in society defined and loyal to their cause

c. are organized around shared interests among members

Social protests are used by groups that ______. a. have no respect for the law b. are in a hurry to bring change and do not want to use more traditional methods c. are shut out of more traditional avenues of political action d. have the sympathy of the public e. only want to take advantage of the media coverage that traditional techniques cannot generate

c. are shut out of more traditional avenues of political action

The only way an interest group can directly lobby the judiciary is to ______. a. sue other interest groups to undercut the opposition b. lobby the president and the Senate to nominate and confirm judges who were former lobbyists c. challenge the legality of laws or administrative regulations by filing suit or filing amicus briefs in courts d. pressure and lobby juries in federal cases to decide in ways favorable to the interest group e. try to influence the elections of federal court judges and Supreme Court justices through campaign spending

c. challenge the legality of laws or administrative regulations by filing suit or filing amicus briefs in courts

Selective incentives are necessary for some interest groups because ______. a. their members are not interested in the group's collective benefit b. they have no collective benefit to offer their members c. collective benefits cannot be kept from those who do not join the group, and the group needs paying members to join d. there are too few potential members for the group to be effective e. their members are too wealthy to join the group for the collective benefit

c. collective benefits cannot be kept from those who do not join the group, and the group needs paying members to join

A unique feature of the Children's Defense Fund is that it is ______. a. the only interest group in the country that defends juvenile criminals b. focused on public protest rather than providing research results c. funded by foundations and private donations because its constituents are children and, therefore, not dues-paying members d. a government-sponsored think tank e. an umbrella organization for other children's lobbyists

c. funded by foundations and private donations because its constituents are children and, therefore, not dues-paying members

Which of the following is NOT a legal method used by interest groups to gain public support for the group's positions? a. providing prewritten letters for constituents to send to their representatives or senators b. using astroturf lobbying c. funding a representative's travel for a charity event d. funding issue advocacy advertisements e. organizing political protests

c. funding a representative's travel for a charity event

A key advantage that groups like the Christian Coalition, AARP, and the National Rifle Association have over other interest groups is ______. a. that Congress knows members believe in the cause because they don't provide selective incentives b. that their small memberships located in select areas of the country can intensely pressure particular regions and, therefore, members of Congress c. fresh ideas because they don't use the media to spread their message d. a large membership that is intensely dedicated to their causes and can be mobilized quickly to exert pressure on Congress e. that they have little negative history built up in dealings with Congress

d. a large membership that is intensely dedicated to their causes and can be mobilized quickly to exert pressure on Congress

Liberals who criticized President Obama's strategy for getting the health care bill passed say he ______ when he dealt with interest groups from the health insurance industry. a. was much too partisan and argumentative b. would not compromise c. did not stick to the health care agenda at all d. resembled a Tea Party candidate e. "gave away the store" by not insisting on inclusion of the public option

e. "gave away the store" by not insisting on inclusion of the public option

The likelihood that people with a shared interest will form a group is increased when each of the following occurs EXCEPT this: a. They perceive a threat to their shared interest. b. They have the resources to organize and become active. c. An interest group entrepreneur decides to organize or lead the group. d. They can provide the selective incentives to overcome any potential free rider problem. e. The potential members are unemployed and have a great deal of time to engage in politics.

e. The potential members are unemployed and have a great deal of time to engage in politics.

Critics complain about the revolving door, because they believe that ______. a. former government officials will lead to a glut of lobbyists in Washington, D.C. b. interest groups lose their singular focus when hiring former government officials whose concerns have typically involved numerous broader issues c. government officials may ease labor laws on lobbying firms shortly before leaving to join one d. lobbyists will blackmail former colleagues with inside information once they leave public service for lobbying work e. alternating between government service and interest group lobbying for private entities amounts to unethical cashing in on public service for private profit

e. alternating between government service and interest group lobbying for private entities amounts to unethical cashing in on public service for private profit

Interest groups often provide selective incentives, which are ______. a. public goods available to everyone b. benefits available only to elite group members c. goods and services provided to interest groups by the federal government d. presents that groups give to legislators to drum up support e. benefits available only to group members

e. benefits available only to group members

Following the stricter rules on gifts and travel established by the 1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act, over the past decade, Congress has ______. a. sought even stricter rules on providing gifts and travel to Congress members b. ignored recent reforms because few lobbyists, representatives, or senators follow the rules anyway c. allowed all lobbyists to fund gifts, travel, and sometimes rent because congressional salaries are so low d. expelled numerous representatives and senators for improperly accepting illegal gifts and travel from lobbyists e. eased the restrictions on gifts and travel provided for representatives and senators by lobbyists

e. eased the restrictions on gifts and travel provided for representatives and senators by lobbyists

Issue advocacy advertisements are ______. a. presently illegal b. an ineffective way for campaigns to get their messages out c. exempt from any federal regulations d. often ignored due to their poor production values e. legal only if they do not tell citizens how to vote

e. legal only if they do not tell citizens how to vote

Political action committees contribute to congressional campaign funds largely to influence ______. a. equally all 435 members of the House and 100 members of the Senate b. members of the majority party because they tend to consider a broader set of interests compared to minority partisans c. the party leadership, which must fight off interests that might weaken party unity d. members of the president's party, who are often wooed by interest groups to gain favor with the president e. only members of relevant congressional committees because the contributions directly shape the process of specific legislation

e. only members of relevant congressional committees because the contributions directly shape the process of specific legislation

When directly lobbying Congress, interest groups may make use of all of the following EXCEPT this: a. personal contacts b. professional lobbyists c. campaign contributions d. expert testimony e. public relations campaigns

e. public relations campaigns