Deck 3: Interest Groups and the Media in California

Question 1

In-house lobbyists differ from contract lobbyists because they

A) offer their services directly to the public.
B) donate more money to political candidates.
C) work only for a specific interest group.
D) focus solely on lobbying the executive branch.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Who is credited with the following quote, "I wish government wasn't for sale like this, but the fact is you have to hustle to get your share. Local governments without lobbyists see the ones with representation doing better, so they say, 'We need to get our butts on board and get one or they're going to steal everything from us' "?

A) Gray Davis
B) John Quimby
C) Arnold Schwarzenegger
D) Richard Riordan

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What are contract lobbyists?

A) They are employees of a trade, professional, or labor association and represent that group's interests only.
B) They are lobbyists that seek long-term contracts, usually five to ten years, for development and construction companies that build administrative buildings, courts, and fire and police stations.
C) They are advocates-for-hire and often represent multiple clients on a variety of issues at the same time.
D) They specialize in policy that involves the governor, president, and foreign heads of state.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What California proposition spurred growth in governmental lobbying?

A) Proposition 13
B) Proposition 19
C) Proposition 187
D) Proposition 198

Question 5

Why was Clay Jackson a controversial figure in California politics?

A) He was a member of the House of Representatives and provided more than a million dollars to recall Governor Gray Davis.
B) He was an influential leader during the Progressive Era.
C) He was an influential lobbyist convicted of a money-laundering scheme involving State Senator Alan Robbins.
D) He was an influential lobbyist who was convicted in the savings and loan scandal.

Question 6

One reason it is more difficult to lobby the executive branch in California is that

A) the governor has line-item veto power.
B) there is a plural executive.
C) the governor can call a special session of the legislature.
D) the threat of a recall exists.

Question 7

The first job of the lobbyist is to

A) know the group's objective.
B) raise campaign funds.
C) file lawsuits on behalf of an interest group.
D) write legislation.

Question 8

Interest groups are often referred to as

A) junior political parties.
B) obstacles to political progress.
C) the third house.
D) public service organizations.

Question 9

One of the major reasons that interest groups have proliferated in California is due to

A) weak political parties.
B) the reorganization of the courts.
C) the small size of the state government.
D) a shortage of political party candidates.

Question 10

Campaign contributions enable a lobbyist to

A) control the legislative agenda in both houses of the state legislature.
B) gain access to legislators.
C) file amicus curiae briefs with the California Supreme Court.
D) prevent the governor from using his line-item veto.

Question 11

In California, which interest group represents the interests of working people?

A) Chamber of Commerce
B) Libertarian Party.
C) California Labor Federation AFL-CIO
D) American Association of Retired Persons

Question 12

From 1990 to 2016 the number of interest groups represented by lobbyists

A) remained the same.
B) declined sharply.
C) doubled.
D) almost tripled.

Question 13

In 2015-16 the top contributor to California legislature candidates was the

A) American Association of Retired Persons.
B) Sierra Club.
C) California Students Union.
D) State Council of Laborers.

Question 14

In California, a citizen lobbyist

A) is highly paid.
B) represents only major corporations.
C) generally runs for public office.
D) advocates for a particular issue or set of issues.

Question 15

One of the difficulties that lobbyists face in trying to influence the executive branch in California is that

A) members of the plural executive are frequently recalled.
B) political parties are very powerful.
C) the governor has line-item veto power.
D) there are more than 85 agencies and 325 state commissions and boards.

Question 16

Why did Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) have little impact on California?

A) California required the governor and legislature to review any donation from a political action committee (PAC).
B) California was the first state to ban political action committee (PAC) donations during a general election.
C) California did not allow political action committees (PACs) to raise unlimited funds before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
D) California allowed political action committees (PACs) to raise unlimited funds before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Question 17

Interest groups make political contributions to candidates for public office through organizations that are called

A) political parties.
B) political action committees.
C) corporate network groups.
D) interest group networks.

Question 18

In 2012, lobbyists represented approximately ________ interest groups.

A) 1,000
B) 1,800
C) 2,500
D) 3,600

Question 19

The elitist theory suggests that

A) the political system in California is controlled by a few wealthy individuals who can bribe political officials to change public policy and laws.
B) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a multitude of interest groups compete to control public policy.
C) there are one or two elite groups within California that have enough resources and influence to control policy and law enforcement.
D) there are many active interest groups, but the power rests in the hands of a few groups, such as large national and multinational corporations, universities, and public policy institutes.

Question 20

The pluralist theory suggests that

A) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a few groups compete against one powerful interest group.
B) the political system is considered a marketplace in which a multitude of interests compete, with no one group or combination of groups powerful enough to dominate.
C) the political system is a chaotic market that fails to produce efficient government policies.
D) the political system is made up of many different interest groups, and most groups do not have the power to change the system.

Question 21

The California Disclosure Act of 2017 requires anonymous PAC's or ballot measures and independent spending campaigns to disclose

A) how much it costs to place a specific proposition on the ballot.
B) how many newspaper ads they ran.
C) their largest contributions.
D) if they have a website.

Question 22

In California, an organization that can raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations, and individuals and then spend unlimited sums to overtly work for or against a candidate is called a(n)

A) political party.
B) political action committee.
C) independent expenditure committee.
D) public service committee.

Question 23

Because political campaigns require highly focused political messages, the media of choice to reach large numbers of citizens are

A) local newspapers.
B) national magazines.
C) highway billboards.
D) electronic media.

Question 24

What role do interest groups play in California politics, and what methods do they use to influence elected officials?

Question 25

One negative aspect of interest groups and lobbyists in California is that they have

A) failed to provide information to state legislators.
B) engaged in bribery of state officials.
C) filed too many fraudulent lawsuits.
D) refused to utilize the initiative process.

Question 26

What impact has the internet had on California politics, and how has it been utilized?

Question 27

What types of interest groups operate in California? How do they differ from one another in terms of whom they seek to represent?

Question 28

What impact do scandals play in California electoral politics, and how do they affect the faith of citizens in government?

Question 29

What do lobbyists have to do in order to be successful? Discuss the two types of lobbyists.

Question 30

Conflict of interest laws prohibit elected representatives from

A) visiting foreign countries.
B) expanding their personal staff during economic downturns.
C) owning personal property.
D) participating in decisions in which they have vested interest.