Deck 4: Interest groups and political power in texas

Question 1

________ believe that a few individuals still control enormous resources.

A) Pluralists
B) Elitists
C) Hyperpluralists
D) Establishments
E) Traditionalists

Answer 1

B

Question 2

People who join interest groups do so for a variety of reasons, including

A) personal and material benefits, direct access to legislators, and a sense of pride.
B) social benefits, a sense of pride, and direct access to legislators.
C) a sense of purpose, personal and material benefits, and direct access to legislators.
D) personal and material benefits, social benefits, and a sense of purpose.
E) a sense of pride, direct access to legislators, and a sense of purpose.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Collectively, women or African Americans would be considered as belonging to a(n)

A) categorical group.
B) pressure group.
C) feminist group.
D) interest group.
E) environmental group.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What has allowed for the emergence of influential pressure groups to develop in states such as Texas?

A) Strong governors who hold considerable power over the legislature are more susceptible to interest group influence.
B) Strong political parties can only emerge through coordination with various interest groups, and as a result, the groups hold considerable influence.
C) Weak political parties in a state are less able to coordinate their activities and are prone to factionalism, off of which interest groups feed.
D) Weak education systems limit the political knowledge of a state's population, which results in interest groups gaining considerable influence.
E) Weak governors have little control over their legislatures and of the state's policy agenda, allowing them to be easily influenced by interest groups.

Question 5

Since 1974, more than ________ of those surveyed viewed government as being run by special interests.

A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 50 percent
E) 60 percent

Question 6

The theory that all demands by every group are legitimate and that government should attempt to meet each and every one was described by Theodore Lowi in

A) The End of Liberalism.
B) The End of Conservatism.
C) The Beginning of Radicalism.
D) The End of Factionalism.
E) The Beginning of Liberalism.

Question 7

Iron triangles consisting of ________ can often lead to such close relationships that regulation becomes difficult.

A) interest groups, the plural executive, and political parties
B) interest groups, administrative agencies, and legislative committees
C) the media, the governor, and administrative agencies
D) political parties, interest groups, and administrative agencies
E) legislative committees, the elite, and interest groups

Question 8

State law prohibits donations ________ directly to political candidates.

A) from employees
B) by corporate officers
C) from customers
D) of corporate funds
E) of PAC funds

Question 9

The waves that David Truman spoke of are periods

A) in which political gridlock is constant for no less than 5 years.
B) in which there is a rapid explosion of groups in response to political, economic, or social upheaval.
C) when interest groups wield considerable power over a legislature and times when they do not.
D) in which numbers of interest groups dwindle to reestablish equilibrium in the political system.
E) between the collapse and reestablishment of a government that has fallen because of interest groups.

Question 10

________ believe that numerous and diverse interest groups competing for political influence in an environment of limited resources checks the opportunity for any one group to have an overabundance of power.

A) Elitists
B) Hyperpluralists
C) Pluralists
D) Populists
E) Traditionalists

Question 11

Evidence suggests that the source of political power and influence lies somewhere between the ________ positions.

A) elitist and pluralist
B) elitist and moralistic
C) pluralist and moralistic
D) pluralist and traditionalist
E) elitist and traditionalist

Question 12

The rapid expansion of interest groups in Texas and across the nation is believed by many scholars to have produced a system of ________, leading to increased political gridlock in the policymaking process.

A) hyperoligarchy
B) pluralism
C) elitism
D) iron triangles
E) hyperpluralism

Question 13

In the days of one-party Democratic politics in Texas, the ________ was a loosely knit coalition of Anglo business and oil company executives, bankers, and lawyers who controlled state policy.

A) Elites
B) Power Brokers
C) Texas Business Association
D) Establishment
E) Leaders

Question 14

It is estimated that ________ of Americans belong to some type of organization.

A) 25 percent
B) 50 percent
C) 75 percent
D) 85 percent
E) 90 percent

Question 15

According to Chandler Davidson, the extremely wealthy

A) have little political power or influence.
B) usually prevail when objectives are clear and they are united.
C) do not receive help from the state economic and political structure.
D) have little group cohesiveness or common values.
E) have so much money, they have no need to rely on government.

Question 16

How does group interaction benefit the outcomes of conflict resolution in a pluralistic society?

A) As a result of the limited resources of society, policy is ultimately reached through compromise.
B) In a pluralistic society, the ideas of extremists are marginalized by mainstream group members.
C) It forces weaker opposing groups to back down in favor of the majority.
D) Outcomes reached through group interaction produce the best policy.
E) Group interaction prevents dissenting opinion from slowing the policy process.

Question 17

Partly because Texas was, for many years, effectively a ________ state, pressure groups wielded considerable power.

A) Republican
B) one-party
C) Lone Star
D) conservative
E) two-party

Question 18

In a pluralist society, public officials are expected to be

A) resistant to the demands of special interest groups.
B) pure and honorable civil servants, free of any vices that negatively impacts their position.
C) more accountable for their actions to the population.
D) less influenced by the needs and interests of the masses.
E) more responsive to the needs and interests of the greater population.

Question 19

In the Federalist Papers, _______ posited the idea that the two basic problems with factions are that they impose their will on others and they harm the long-term interests of the nation.

A) James Madison
B) Alexander Hamilton
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) John Jay
E) Thomas Paine

Question 20

Michels's iron rule of oligarchy was applicable to any organization and was a ________ law applied to all social systems.

A) universal
B) parochial
C) regional
D) territorial
E) national

Question 21

How did the Texas Supreme Court's ruling in Edgewood v.Kirby, which MALDEF fought, lead to major legislative changes?

A) Hispanic educators had to be proportionally represented in schools.
B) Public school aid had to be more equitably distributed between rich and poor districts.
C) A moratorium was placed on all new school construction for ten years.
D) Teachers who taught English with an accent could no longer be banned from teaching English.
E) Control over education policy was transferred from legislators to district school boards.

Question 22

Currently, Texas has about ________ union members.

A) 120,000
B) 275.000
C) 360,000
D) 400,000
E) 530,000

Question 23

Throughout much of Texas's history, state government was dominated by large corporations, banks, and

A) oil companies.
B) the aerospace industry.
C) the technology industry.
D) law enforcement.
E) elitist interest groups.

Question 24

The Texas Medical Association and its political action committee opposed ________ on the issue of malpractice lawsuits.

A) judges
B) arbitrators
C) law school professors
D) trial lawyers
E) insurance companies

Question 25

ADAPT is an activist group concerned with

A) public utility rates.
B) services and facilities for the disabled.
C) the civil rights of minorities.
D) consumer rights.
E) adapting workers to changes in the economy.

Question 26

The National Rifle Association is an example of a

A) gun control group.
B) multi-issue group.
C) gun rights group.
D) dual-issue group.
E) single-issue group.

Question 27

How did lawsuits by agricultural groups, including the United Farm Workers Union, affect Texas state policy in the 1980s?

A) Farms of select crops were declared tax-exempt from land taxes and payroll taxes.
B) Farmers were granted a two-year grace period on paying off interest owed to the state.
C) Farm workers had the right to be informed about dangerous pesticides used in fields.
D) Legislation regarding farms could only be voted on by legislators from rural districts.
E) Texas became the most farm friendly state in the country in regards to minimum wage and taxation.

Question 28

The common goal of broad-based business and industry groups is to

A) maintain and improve upon a favorable business climate.
B) promote the common welfare of society.
C) seek to advance the interests of specific industries.
D) promote the common good of the people.
E) loosening the restrictions of environmental protection laws.

Question 29

How can a group with a large membership be hampered by its own size from gaining power and influence?

A) Large groups tend to be viewed with less credibility by the people.
B) A larger group that is internally divided is less likely to be successful than a smaller group.
C) When a large group is dispersed across a state, there is no strong concentration of power.
D) Large groups tend to lose their strength when too many members have a say in policy.
E) Large groups require enormous amounts of money to sustain them which is not guaranteed.

Question 30

________ is a professional group that has had a significant role in Texas politics and the policymaking process.

A) The Texas Medical Association
B) The Texas Automobile Dealer Association
C) Common Cause
D) The Texas Association of Independent Business
E) The AFL-CIO

Question 31

Most of the ________ interest groups in Austin are concerned primarily with protecting consumers and the environment from big business.

A) business
B) public
C) private
D) charitable
E) professional

Question 32

During the 1940s and 1950s, anti-labor sentiment ran particularly high under the control of the

A) conservative Democratic establishment.
B) liberal Democratic establishment.
C) conservative Republican establishment.
D) liberal Republican establishment.
E) moderate Republican establishment

Question 33

Interest groups representing the educational community on the primary and secondary level include groups for

A) teachers, custodians, and principals.
B) school boards, teachers, and parents.
C) principals, parents, and teachers.
D) teachers, school boards, and principals.
E) school boards, teachers, and custodians.

Question 34

In what way do single-issue groups negatively influence the stability of the political system?

A) Because of their tactics and unwillingness to compromise, they can cause public policy to come to a standstill.
B) Single-issue groups tend to lead to fracturing of established political parties by their members, which slows the political process.
C) Because of their decisiveness, public referendums become more frequent on single issues, which prevents the legislature from working on other issues.
D) Single-interest groups drown out all other issues that are not related to their own, reducing the ability of the legislature to acknowledge the general public's needs.
E) Historically, cooperation between powerful single-issue groups and politicians has resulted in significant degrees of corruption.

Question 35

________ is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of African Americans.

A) LUCLAC
B) NOW
C) The NAACP
D) The Black Panthers
E) TEXPAC

Question 36

The Sierra Club is an example of a(n)

A) public interest group.
B) professional group.
C) labor group.
D) politically ideological group.
E) education interest group.

Question 37

Groups that combine Christian rhetoric, anti-communism, and anti-labor stands are often referred to as

A) New Deal Republicans.
B) Anti-Liberal Populists.
C) the Religious Right.
D) Neocon Republicans.
E) the Religious Establishment.

Question 38

According to the text, the changing global economy has enhanced the role of ________ in developing the state's future.

A) biotechnology
B) the computer industry
C) Head Start education
D) trade training
E) higher education

Question 39

Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower clashed with agricultural producers and the chemical industry over a tough stand on

A) farm worker rights and compensation.
B) minimum wages and standardization.
C) water rights and preservation of farm land.
D) worker compensation and migrants.
E) illegal workers and worker rights.

Question 40

During the 1970s, political power was spread out to minorities, Republicans, and liberal Democrats more evenly through the utilization of ________, which eroded the strength of conservative Democrats.

A) multimember districts
B) at-large elections
C) single-member districts
D) proportional representation
E) bi-member districts

Question 41

We know exactly how many groups or organizations there are in the United States and Texas.

Question 42

In the broadest sense, ________ is "simply the practice of attempting to influence the decisions of government."

A) lobbying
B) filibustering
C) strong arming
D) bribery
E) influence brokering

Question 43

David Truman argued that American politics cannot be understood primarily by group interaction.

Question 44

Successful lobbyists start doing their jobs

A) just as a bill reaches the House or Senate floor for a vote.
B) long before a bill reaches the House or Senate floor for a vote.
C) during the last two days of the session.
D) at night and on the weekends.
E) in the middle of legislative debates on a bill.

Question 45

The National Rifle Association was a highly visible supporter of Senator Wentworth's opponents in for the 2011.

Question 46

An agricultural group in Texas can form a ________ for the purpose of raising and distributing campaign funds to candidates.

A) TCAT
B) federally recognized LLC
C) PAC
D) PUT
E) Section 10 tax-exempt Corporation

Question 47

What role did conservative religious groups have in the mid-1990s on the Texas Republican Party?

A) Their strong influence led to the conservative takeover of leadership positions in the party.
B) Their aggressiveness led to a deep fracturing of the party in 1994.
C) Their influence within the party declined following several major scandals.
D) The party was unified for the first time since the 1950s through the effort of religious conservatives.
E) Upon obtaining control of the party, the Republicans lost the governorship.

Question 48

Pluralists argue that individual interests are inadequately represented through membership in interest groups.

Question 49

Most interest groups are extremely powerful and exercise considerable influence over the formation of public policy.

Question 50

To many Texans, lobbying is an unsavory business that puts the interests of the few ahead of the general welfare or the needs of the state.

Question 51

Beginning with C.Wright Mills, many American scholars have been proponents of the elitist theory that argues for finding the best candidates to run for election.

Question 52

It is unclear whether pluralism or elitism prevails in Texas because of insufficient data to support either side.

Question 53

For many people, the term ________ may suggest shady characters lurking in the halls of the state Capitol, attempting to bribe legislators.

A) gerrymandering
B) lobbying
C) back room dealing
D) filibustering
E) arm-twisting

Question 54

In the past, men become members of interest groups more often than women.

Question 55

Most business groups band together with organized labor, consumer advocates, and trial lawyers on political and philosophical issues.

Question 56

Lobbyists are ________ legislators on the floor of the House and the Senate while the legislature is in session.

A) denied indirect access to
B) given full access to
C) denied direct access to
D) ignored by
E) allowed to approach

Question 57

Most interest groups are careful about the way they spend their funds and contribute to those legislators who

A) supported them in the past, vote conservatively, and serve on committees in their industry or area of concern.
B) serve on committees that have jurisdiction over their industry, vote conservatively, and like the perks they offer.
C) serve on committees that have jurisdiction over their areas of concern or industry and show a tendency to be easily swayed.
D) supported them in the past and serve on committees that have jurisdiction over their industry or area of concern.
E) show a tendency to be easily swayed, and serve on committees that have jurisdiction over their industry or area of concern.

Question 58

Why was legislation passed in 1991 to limit lobbyist expenditures on entertaining legislators?

A) It resulted from repeated news accounts of extravagant and questionable lobby spending.
B) A public referendum in 1990 called for the end of such activities by lobbyists.
C) Earlier in the year the governor was treated to a lobbyist paid $4 million party to the dismay of many.
D) Such activities were found to be unconstitutional and represented a threat to democracy.
E) It was sought by a coalition of interest groups to limit others.

Question 59

How has the ruling reached in Citizens United v.Federal Election Commission changed the way that candidates are funded?

A) PACs can now coordinate their activities with political campaigns.
B) Individuals who donate up to $4,999 no longer have to reveal their personal information.
C) Corporations are now limited to donating a maximum of $20,000 to super-PACs.
D) Independent super-PACs can now make unlimited contributions to federal races.
E) The government has to match 25 percent of the money raised by federal candidates.

Question 60

Groups wishing to create and develop public support for a position on a specific issue often resort to

A) public relations campaigns.
B) intimidating legislators.
C) bribing legislators.
D) buying public votes.
E) public service announcements.

Question 61

Public interest advocates won an uncommon and significant victory in the 2003 session when legislators strengthened ethics laws for public officials and political candidates.

Question 62

Interest groups must decide which candidates they will back through campaign contributions, organized support, and endorsements.

Question 63

In Texas, consumer advocates still play more defense than they do offense whenever lawmakers meet.

Question 64

Interest groups often draft bills for formal introduction into the legislature.

Question 65

Explain the differences between direct and indirect lobbying.What strategies are used in each lobbying form to help interest groups accomplish their goals?

Question 66

The United Farm Workers Union has been a weak advocate of better conditions for workers.

Question 67

List four of the dominant interest groups in Texas.How do they differ in their objectives?

Question 68

Successful lobbying starts with the election of officeholders sympathetic to a group's viewpoint on crucial issues.

Question 69

What were the views of James Madison on groups within the political system? Discuss at least three key elements of pluralist theories.Explain how they influence the political system.

Question 70

Organized labor has historically been more powerful than business interest groups in Texas.

Question 71

Most interest groups concentrate on a wide range of issues.

Question 72

Discuss at least three key elements of elitist theories.Explain how they influence the political system.How did Robert Michaels argue that elitism was inevitable?

Question 73

Define lobbying and give the primary objectives of those who engage in lobbying.

Question 74

What role have religious groups played in Texas politics? What influence have they had on the structure of political parties and on legislation?

Question 75

Briefly explain the difference between pluralist and elitist views of power.

Question 76

Explain how interest groups differ from other groupings within the social system.

Question 77

Swayed in part by their beliefs in separation of church and state, many people think religious organizations have little or no justifiable role in the political process.

Question 78

Discuss at least five resources interest groups have at their command.Explain how they employ these resources to reach their objectives and how they impact the success of a group.

Question 79

Define hyperpluralism.Describe possible threats of this development to the political system.

Question 80

Federal campaign restrictions and reporting requirements are stricter than state requirements.