Deck 11: Interest Groups

Question 1

In Great Britain,interest groups are

A)more numerous than in the United States.
B)responsible for forming successful political parties,like the Green Party.
C)smaller in number than in the United States with only a few big interest groups existing.
D)large,numerous,and very influential.
E)None of these choices is true.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

PACs are created by groups.

A)business
B)labor union
C)trade association
D)ideological
E)All of these choices are true.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

The number of interest groups has grown rapidly since the

A)1940s.
B)1950s.
C)1960s.
D)1970s.
E)1980s.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which interest group is an example of an institutional interest?

A)League of Women Voters
B)Boy Scouts
C)Sierra Club
D)National Association of Counties
E)National Rifle Association

Question 5

Americans are more likely to join than are citizens of other countries.

A)labor unions
B)business and trade associations
C)charitable organizations
D)religious and civic associations
E)professional organizations

Question 6

The reason Americans participate in civic associations more frequently than do citizens of other countries is

A)their greater dissatisfaction with the government.
B)their more intense attachment to parties.
C)their European heritage.
D)the fact that they are less sensitive to the free-rider problem.
E)their sense of political efficacy and civic duty.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of most people who are sympathetic to the aims of a mass-membership interest group?

A)They do not join it.
B)They join it but do not pay dues.
C)They join it,pay dues,but do not participate in its activities.
D)They join it,pay dues,and participate in its activities.
E)They join it but participate without paying dues.

Question 8

The growth of numerous public-interest lobbies in the 1960s was an example of interest groups that formed as a result of

A)government policy.
B)the emergence of talented leadership.
C)the enlargement of governmental responsibilities.
D)broad economic developments.
E)legislative capitulation.

Question 9

The formation of antislavery organizations during the 1830s and 1840s was an example of interest groups that formed as a result of

A)government policy.
B)the emergence of talented leadership.
C)the enlargement of governmental responsibilities.
D)broad economic developments.
E)legislative capitulation.

Question 10

Organizations that attract members by appealing to a coherent set of usually controversial principles are called

A)political parties.
B)pressure groups.
C)splinter groups.
D)ideological interest groups.
E)out-party groups.

Question 11

Which is an example of an organized interest group?

A)Chamber of Commerce
B)Adults over 18
C)Democratic Party
D)Green Party
E)Students

Question 12

Members of a farm bureau are most likely to have joined as a result of incentives.

A)solidary
B)concurrent
C)purposive
D)party
E)material

Question 13

During the 1830s and 1840s,the number of religious associations

A)increased sharply.
B)declined slightly.
C)rejected American style government.
D)supported American style government.
E)advocated for the Whig party.

Question 14

People who join interest groups for a sense of pleasure,status,or companionship are joining because of

A)solidary incentives.
B)material incentives.
C)purposive incentives.
D)party incentives.
E)concurrent incentives.

Question 15

The launching of the Chamber of Commerce was an example of an interest group that formed as a result of

A)government policy.
B)the emergence of talented leadership.
C)the enlargement of governmental responsibilities.
D)broad economic developments.
E)legislative capitulation.

Question 16

Interest groups are an important way for people to have their voices heard because

A)the large size and diversity of our country.
B)the centralizing effects of our Constitution.
C)the small number of nonprofit organizations.
D)the strength of our political parties.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 17

An interest group is

A)a political party.
B)a commercial organization.
C)an organization of people with a common goal seeking to influence public policy.
D)a charity organization.
E)a regulatory group.

Question 18

In 2009,groups spent roughly on lobbying.

A)$1.5 billion
B)$2 billion
C)$800 million
D)$3.5 billion
E)$500 million

Question 19

Which of the following is a behavior of public interest law firms?

A)They file lawsuits on behalf of people who have been harmed by some public or private policy.They also support other lawsuits with amicus curieae briefs.
B)They lobby elected officials to change laws in ways favorable to the law firm and its clients.
C)They support candidates for office and support their lawyers to be judges.
D)They raise money for issue advertisements during campaigns.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 20

The activity of lobbyists is protected by the .

A)First Amendment
B)Second Amendment
C)Fifth Amendment
D)Tenth Amendment
E)Fourteenth Amendment

Question 21

Today,only about of American workers are covered by unions.

A)11 percent
B)20 percent
C)35 percent
D)47 percent
E)52 percent

Question 22

Which of the following statements about a social movement is generally true?

A)The more extreme its position,the smaller its size.
B)The more liberal its position,the larger its size.
C)The more moderate its position,the smaller its size.
D)The more purposive its membership incentives,the smaller its size.
E)It can only take place when courts are open to the prospect of radical change in the law.

Question 23

Interest groups use ratings as a

A)measure of success in their lobbying.
B)measure of how liberal or conservative a legislator is.
C)political cue.
D)way to find political allies with other interest groups.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 24

The single most important activity of interest groups,in the eyes of many lobbyists and academic students of lobbying,is

A)delivering large numbers of protestors.
B)supplying credible information.
C)providing financial resources.
D)interacting with the media.
E)providing public relations.

Question 25

Of the following environmental groups,this one tends to be the most liberal.

A)Sierra Club
B)Wilderness Society
C)National Wildlife Federation
D)Teddy Conservation
E)Environmental Defense Fund and Environmental Action

Question 26

The launching of the environmental movement was assisted by

A)a hurricane in Pensacola,Florida.
B)several incidents of contaminated water in Boston.
C)an oil spill on the Santa Barbara beaches.
D)the highly publicized deaths of dozens of sperm whales.
E)controversies surrounding the spread of diseases in animals.

Question 27

The National Organization for Women NOW)is an example of a feminist organization whose membership incentives are primarily

A)material.
B)purposive.
C)solidary.
D)sociological.
E)concurrent.

Question 28

Most issues lobbied in Congress are lobbied by

A)only one or two lobbyists.
B)dozens of lobbyists.
C)hundreds of lobbyists.
D)thousands of lobbyists.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 29

Lobbyists are restrained from misrepresenting facts or misleading legislators by

A)the 1984 Truth-in-Lobbying Law.
B)the open nature of the lobbying process.
C)governmental regulatory agencies such as the FTA.
D)the fear of losing legislators' trust and confidence.
E)supervision of the federal courts.

Question 30

The League of Women Voters is an example of a feminist organization whose membership incentives are primarily

A)material.
B)purposive.
C)concurrent.
D)ideological.
E)solidary.

Question 31

The Sierra Club was organized in the

A)1990s.
B)1980s.
C)1970s.
D)1960s.
E)1890s.

Question 32

Which of the following would probably have the most difficulty raising money?

A)A lobbying organization representing a nonprofit organization
B)A lobbying organization representing a for-profit organization
C)A membership organization relying on appeals to purpose
D)A membership organization relying on solidary incentives
E)A lobbying organization representing a collection of Fortune 500 companies

Question 33

Every organization that benefits other people,even if they are not part of the organization,suffers the problem.

A)public good
B)incentive
C)ideology
D)free rider
E)control

Question 34

Which Think Tank is associated with liberal causes?

A)Cato Institute
B)Heritage Foundation
C)Hudson Institute
D)Center for American Progress
E)American Enterprise Institute

Question 35

Which of the following is an example of a legislator following a political cue?

A)The legislator responding to public appeals
B)The legislator responding to a material incentive
C)The legislator responding to an organization due to the promise of campaign donations
D)A liberal legislator looking to see whether the AFL-CIO,the American for Democratic Action,and other liberal organizations favor a consumer proposal
E)A liberal legislator asking for campaign donations

Question 36

The peak of the labor union movement in the United States occurred in the year

A)1923.
B)1932.
C)1945.
D)1956.
E)1978.

Question 37

Purposive incentives are most likely to motivate people who join the

A)Illinois Farm Bureau.
B)National Organization for Women NOW).
C)parent-teacher associations PTAs).
D)American Association of Retired Persons AARP).
E)Rotary Club.

Question 38

Since 1983,labor unions membership has declined due to

A)a shift in the nation's economic life away from industrial production and toward service delivery.
B)an increase in public service unions.
C)a loss of America's economic influence abroad.
D)federal regulations banning unions.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 39

When the purpose of the organization will benefit nonmembers,it is customary to call the group an)

A)public-interest lobby.
B)ideological interest group.
C)political party.
D)public-interest law firm.
E)pressure group.

Question 40

Probably the best measure of an interest group's influence is its

A)size.
B)wealth.
C)organizational skill.
D)contacts.
E)issue dexterity.

Question 41

The lobbying firm,Cassidy and Associates,securing federal money for a university to construct a nutrition center is an example of

A)a logroll.
B)a dovetail.
C)an earmark.
D)a scratched back.
E)a tag line.

Question 42

Under current law,an individual must register as a lobbyist if they spend at least of their time lobbying.

A)90 percent
B)70 percent
C)50 percent
D)20 percent
E)5 percent

Question 43

The increase in political action committees PACs)might actually reduce the probability that members of Congress can be bought easily because

A)there are so many restrictions on PACs.
B)PACs have such a poor reputation among legislators.
C)PACs are not allowed to communicate directly with members of Congress.
D)members of Congress do not have the time to consider more than one or two points of view.
E)money is available on every side of almost every conceivable issue.

Question 44

The campaign finance reforms of 1973

A)encouraged a rapid growth in political action committees PACs).
B)led to a slight decrease in the number of political action committees PACs).
C)led to a significant decrease in the number of political action committees PACs).
D)had no impact on the number of political action committees PACs).
E)reduced PAC spending.

Question 45

In recent years,interest groups frequently use a grassroots lobbying strategy referred to as the

A)insider.
B)wholesale.
C)collective.
D)outsider.
E)end run.

Question 46

A government official might leave her position and join a corporation to which she previously awarded government contracts.This is a clear example of

A)agency lacing.
B)government operating on its own inner logic.
C)a conflict of interest.
D)double dipping.
E)the revolving door.

Question 47

The text suggests that today's lobbying laws are

A)more lax than ever.
B)tighter than ever.
C)less relevant than ever.
D)too complex to have any particular impact.
E)completely without teeth.

Question 48

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 required groups and individuals seeking to influence legislation to

A)limit their activities to seven pieces of legislation.
B)limit their activities to either the House or the Senate.
C)prepare and publish written statements of intent.
D)register and file quarterly financial reports.
E)register,file statements of intent,and limit their activities to one legislative chamber.

Question 49

Sometimes money affects legislative behavior not so much by buying votes as by ensuring

A)access.
B)veto power.
C)procedural fairness.
D)favorable implementation.
E)sympathy in administrative hearings.

Question 50

The text suggests that the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946

A)had considerable effect.
B)had a slight impact on lobbying activities.
C)had little practical effect.
D)was effective with respect to registration of lobbyists.
E)resulted in accurate reporting of interest-group finances.

Question 51

The public is most likely to be interested in grassroots strategies when the policy is

A)likely to affect more and more people.
B)highly technical.
C)highly salient.
D)Both highly salient and highly technical.
E)Both likely to affect more and more people and highly salient.

Question 52

The typical PAC spends its money

A)in large amounts on a single candidate.
B)in moderate amounts on a large number of candidates.
C)exclusively on the ideological party it is closest to.
D)on party building.
E)None of these choices is true.

Question 53

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 was by the Supreme Court.

A)expanded
B)declared unconstitutional
C)limited to only direct contact with members of Congress
D)never actually reviewed
E)amended

Question 54

On high salience bills,lobbyists are

A)highly influential.
B)not likely to affect the outcome very much.
C)very few in number.
D)just as important as what a legislator's ideology says.
E)only relevant if the bill is a form of client politics.

Question 55

Of the following statements,which one describes earmarks?

A)They have always existed.
B)They became more common in the 1970s and afterward.
C)Their expansion was prompted,in part,by the growth of the federal government.
D)Their expansion was prompted,in part,by the efforts of lobbyists.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 56

The scholarly evidence that political action committee PAC)money buys votes in Congress

A)is sketchy at best.
B)is fairly strong but still inconclusive.
C)is substantial.
D)is conclusive.
E)clearly documents that there is absolutely no relationship between contributions and votes.

Question 57

Civil disobedience,rioting,strikes,and other disruptions intended to force institutions to negotiate

A)is the last resort of extremists.
B)has a long history in the United States,but is less common now.
C)has a long history in the United States,but has become more common recently.
D)has only been seen since the 1960s.
E)is not at all effective.

Question 58

The more common ethical breaches between government and contractors involve

A)outright bribery.
B)government officials not following their own rules in negotiating best prices and then losing the records.
C)earmarks.
D)former government officials using their connections to get special treatment for their new employers.
E)current government officials using their connections to get special treatment for a former employer.

Question 59

The fastest growing political action committees PACs)are the

A)connected PACs.
B)leadership and "super" PACs.
C)corporate PACs.
D)traditional PACs.
E)independent PACs.

Question 60

In practice,the 2007 lobbying reforms have allowed reimbursements for travel by lobbyists if

A)the travel consists of one-day trips.
B)the lobbyists do not initiate the trip.
C)the lobbyists do not make the reservations.
D)the lobbyists do not pick up incidental expenses unrelated to the visit.
E)All of these choices are true.

Question 61

The number of interest groups has grown rapidly since the 1960s.

Question 62

In a classic study,Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba found that citizens in Germany and Great Britain were more likely to state that they would protect an unjust regulation than citizens in the United States.

Question 63

Public-interest groups often do better when the government is in the hands of an administration that is hostile to their views.

Question 64

Economic trends away from manufacturing and toward service delivery have affected union membership.

Question 65

The phrase revolving door refers to interest-group contributions to congressional candidates.

Question 66

The First Amendment's freedom of speech and the right to petition government clauses protect the activities of
interest groups.

Question 67

The weakness of our political parties encourages the creation of interest groups.

Question 68

The Audubon Society can be considered an interest group.

Question 69

Women's organizations that attract members with purposive incentives must take strong positions on divisive issues.

Question 70

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund is an example of a conservative public-interest law firm.

Question 71

Civil rights is an issue on which the labor movement followed the attitudes of the rank and file in its lobbying activities.

Question 72

Unions composed of government workers are becoming the most important part of the union movement.

Question 73

A social movement need not have liberal goals.

Question 74

Discuss interest groups in America,Great Britain,and Germany.

Question 75

Interest groups can legally supply money to public officials who are running for office.

Question 76

Americans are more likely to join religious and political organizations than labor or business groups.

Question 77

Today,only about 12 percent of American workers are covered by unions.

Question 78

The centralizing effects of the U.S.Constitution help promote the formation of interest groups.

Question 79

Lobbyists provide information about legislation that is hard to come by without expert help.

Question 80

Solidary incentives are the sense of pleasure,status,or companionship that arises out of meeting together in small groups.