Deck 6: Interest Groups

Question 1

Interest groups

A) are policy generalists.
B) help bridge the gap between citizens and government.
C) seek to win elections.
D) seek to operate the government.
E) compete for public office.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A purposive incentive for joining an interest group is best described as

A) pleasure in associating with like-minded individuals.
B) satisfaction resulting from working for a cause in which one believes.
C) a practical benefit such as discounts, subscriptions, or group insurance.
D) the ability to enjoy the outcome of a group's efforts without having to contribute.
E) the opportunity to compete for public office.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A solidary incentive for joining an interest group is best described as

A) pleasure in associating with like-minded individuals.
B) satisfaction resulting from working for a cause in which one believes.
C) a practical benefit such as discounts, subscriptions, or group insurance.
D) the ability to enjoy the outcome of a group's efforts without having to contribute.
E) the opportunity to compete for public office.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

In the context of the organization of interest groups, theory focuses on the importance of the leaders who establish the organization.

A) pluralist
B) disturbance
C) elite
D) entrepreneurial
E) democratic

Question 5

Interest groups may come into existence or become more politically active in response to a perceived threat to a group's interests. An increase in the frequency of attempts by government to regulate or even ban firearms after the 1970s contributed to the politicization of

A) AARP.
B) the NRA.
C) MADD.
D) the AFL-CIO.
E) NAM.

Question 6

Surveys show that more than of Americans belong to at least one group.

A) 25 percent
B) 31 percent
C) 45 percent
D) 62 percent
E) 85 percent

Question 7

Surveys show that about of Americans belong to professional and trade organizations.

A) 14 percent
B) 27 percent
C) 44 percent
D) 61 percent
E) 76 percent

Question 8

A group becomes an interest group when

A) people with shared interests get together in an organized fashion.
B) direct methods are used to achieve a common objective.
C) it seeks to affect the policies and practices of government.
D) Congress allows it to, through a process established by law.
E) the government gives permission for the group to expand the scope of its activities.

Question 9

theory describes the defensive formation of interest groups. The National Right to Life Committee, for example, formed in response to Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that legalized abortion.

A) Pluralist
B) Disturbance
C) Elite
D) Entrepreneurial
E) Social contract

Question 10

Interest group activity

A) occurs only in the legislative branch.
B) can be found on every level and in every branch of government.
C) is confined to the executive and legislative branches of government.
D) is barred within the judiciary.
E) is barred from all government offices.

Question 11

Which of the following is a private good?

A) Sitting in a park
B) Driving to work or school on a highway
C) Drinking tap water
D) Eating a sandwich
E) National defense

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a public good?

A) National defense
B) A good sandwich
C) Clean water
D) National parks
E) Clean air

Question 13

An interest group might challenge a law in court indirectly by

A) filing a brief as an amicus curiae.
B) lobbying.
C) creating PACs.
D) petitioning for a writ of certiorari.
E) filing a lawsuit.

Question 14

In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that Americans have a tendency to and have perfected "the art of pursuing in common the object of their common desires."

A) form associations
B) engage in riot and rebellion
C) shun politics
D) compete for public office
E) persecute people for their religious beliefs

Question 15

Interest groups

A) often provide public officials with specialized and detailed information that might be difficult to obtain otherwise.
B) run candidates for political office.
C) are policy generalists.
D) operate the government.
E) compete for public office.

Question 16

A direct payment to farmers for growing certain crops is called .

A) a subsidy
B) a farm bill
C) crop insurance
D) disaster assistance
E) a conservation program

Question 17

The theory of American democracy focuses on the participation of groups in a decentralized government structure that offers many points of access to policymakers.

A) elite
B) free rider
C) chaos
D) pluralist
E) democratic

Question 18

Which of the following types of groups has the highest percentage of Americans belonging to them?

A) Social clubs
B) Professional and trade associations
C) PTA and school groups
D) Health, sport, and country clubs
E) Religious groups

Question 19

A material incentive for joining an interest group is best described as

A) pleasure in associating with like-minded individuals.
B) satisfaction resulting from working for a cause in which one believes.
C) a practical benefit such as discounts, subscriptions, or group insurance.
D) the ability to enjoy the outcome of a group's efforts without having to contribute.
E) the opportunity to compete for public office.

Question 20

Satisfaction that is derived from taking action as part of a group is referred to as a incentive.

A) free-rider
B) purposive
C) pluralist
D) solidary
E) material

Question 21

The is a professional interest group.

A) National Farmers Union
B) Club for Growth
C) National Rifle Association
D) American Bar Association
E) National Urban League

Question 22

All of the following are reasons business interest groups have begun to increasingly support the Democratic party EXCEPT

A) in some fields business leaders are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans.
B) the Republican party is no longer business-friendly.
C) the technology industry contains both Democrats and Republicans.
D) interest groups are trying to avoid political disfavor.
E) interest groups want to benefit regardless who wins elections.

Question 23

The most common type of interest group promotes .

A) private interests
B) the public good
C) business interests
D) free riders
E) charitable contributions

Question 24

Interest groups do NOT

A) help raise public awareness and inspire action on various issues.
B) help bridge the gap between citizens and government.
C) enable citizens to explain their views on policies to public officials.
D) serve as another check on public officials to make sure they are carrying out their duties responsibly.
E) seek to win elections or operate the government.

Question 25

Laws that ban unions from collecting dues or other fees from workers whom they represent but who have not actually joined the union are known as laws.

A) no-worker-left-behind
B) right-to-work
C) guaranteed-work
D) workforce-expansion
E) economic-freedom

Question 26

The largest and most powerful labor interest group today is .

A) the AFL-CIO
B) the AARP
C) the NAM
D) the NRA
E) MADD

Question 27

Professional interest groups

A) represent people with advanced education and special training.
B) are organized to protect consumer rights.
C) are organized to work on behalf of agricultural interests.
D) represent a particular industry to develop common standards and goals.
E) represent people who share the same race, gender, or other characteristic.

Question 28

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is a(n)

A) public-interest group.
B) consumer interest group.
C) labor interest group.
D) umbrella organization that has become a major voice for millions of small businesses.
E) federation representing farm families and producers of various specific farm commodities.

Question 29

An interest formed to benefit the economic interests of members is called a(n) .

A) federation
B) chamber of commerce
C) umbrella organization
D) public-interest group
E) private-interest group

Question 30

Pluralists maintain that the influence of interest groups on government is not undemocratic, because

A) individual interests are indirectly represented in the policymaking process through these groups.
B) every group enjoys the same success in gaining access to members of Congress.
C) interest group lobbyists are elected by the people.
D) groups have equal numbers of members and the same level of resources.
E) free riders provide the funds necessary to promote the interests of all citizens.

Question 31

Today, members of organized labor make up about of the labor force.

A) 6 percent
B) 11 percent
C) 20 percent
D) 30 percent
E) 43 percent

Question 32

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees is an example of a(n) interest group.

A) single-issue
B) identity
C) labor
D) business
E) consumer

Question 33

The American Association for Justice represents the interests of

A) trial lawyers.
B) children.
C) environmentalists.
D) persons of color.
E) senior citizens.

Question 34

Which of the following is the largest broad-based agricultural interest group?

A) National Farmers Union
B) National Grange
C) American Farm Bureau Federation
D) Club for Growth
E) Greenpeace USA

Question 35

Right-to-work laws create for unions.

A) a free rider problem
B) an increase in membership
C) increased revenues
D) more political influence
E) the right to strike to improve wages and working conditions

Question 36

A difference between public sector unions and private sector unions is that public sector unions

A) suffer from declining membership.
B) have the ability to negotiate greater pensions and benefits.
C) do not get to vote for their bosses.
D) have the right to strike over wages and working conditions.
E) are reluctant to antagonize elected officials.

Question 37

The American Civil Liberties Union is considered a(n) group.

A) public-interest
B) labor interest
C) professional interest
D) identity interest
E) single-issue interest

Question 38

Trade organizations

A) usually support policies that benefit specific industries.
B) are formed with the goal of working for the "public good."
C) represent all of the people over the age of sixteen who are working or actively looking for jobs.
D) are concerned mainly with the standards of their professions, but they also work to influence government policy.
E) are formed for the protection of consumer rights.

Question 39

Since the mid-1960s, union membership has

A) remained constant.
B) increased significantly.
C) hovered around 50 percent of the workforce.
D) declined significantly.
E) declined slightly.

Question 40

Interest groups

A) are usually policy generalists.
B) are often policy specialists.
C) are usually more loosely organized than political parties.
D) run candidates for political office; their main sphere of influence is the electoral system.
E) are not allowed to have dues-paying members.

Question 41

is a direct lobbying technique used by interest groups to influence public policy.

A) The use of rating systems
B) The use of issue ads
C) Staging demonstrations
D) Providing expertise and research results for legislators
E) Mobilizing constituents

Question 42

An indirect method of lobbying the courts is

A) filing a lawsuit.
B) asking Congress to withhold funding.
C) known as pluralism.
D) organizing to win elections.
E) filing an amicus curiae brief.

Question 43

Since the 1970s, federal laws governing campaign financing have allowed corporations, labor unions, and special interest groups to raise funds and make campaign contributions through committees.

A) political action
B) public advantage
C) policy action
D) public access
E) democracy-in-action

Question 44

Consumer interest groups

A) represent people with advanced education and special training.
B) are organized to protect the rights of the buying public
C) are organized to work on behalf of agricultural interests.
D) represent a particular industry to develop common standards and goals.
E) represent people who share the same race, gender, or other characteristic.

Question 45

Lobbying refers to

A) shaping public opinion through online campaigns.
B) all of the indirect techniques used by interest groups to influence government officials.
C) all of the attempts by organizations or by individuals to influence the passage, defeat, or contents of legislation, or to influence the administrative decisions of government.
D) evaluating the performance of legislators based on how often they have voted with an interest group's position on particular issues.
E) peaceful demonstrations designed to make a statement about a group's interests.

Question 46

The American Indian Movement is an example of a(n) interest group.

A) professional
B) identity
C) ideological
D) single-issue
E) government

Question 47

is a single-issue interest group.

A) The National Education Association
B) The United Electrical Workers
C) The American Bar Association
D) Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
E) The Tea Party

Question 48

All of the following are direct lobbying techniques used by interest groups to influence public policy EXCEPT

A) offering "expert" testimony before congressional committees.
B) providing expertise and research results for legislators.
C) making personal contacts with legislators.
D) the use of issue ads.
E) providing election support to candidates.

Question 49

Interest groups have skirted campaign finance laws by

A) urging constituents to contact government officials.
B) filing briefs in court.
C) by organizing demonstrations and protests.
D) using independent expenditures for issue ads and voter registration.
E) evaluating public officials through ratings systems.

Question 50

MoveOn and the Club for Growth are interest groups.

A) business
B) identity
C) ideological
D) agricultural
E) consumer

Question 51

The Right to Life organization is a(n) interest group.

A) consumer
B) identity
C) ideological
D) single-issue
E) government

Question 52

is an indirect technique used by interest groups to influence public policy.

A) Making personal contacts with key legislators
B) Providing legal advice to legislators
C) Following up on legislation
D) Providing election support
E) Airing issue ads

Question 53

AARP promotes the interests of .

A) consumers
B) manufacturers
C) labor
D) senior citizens
E) gun owners

Question 54

is an indirect lobbying technique.

A) Making personal contacts with legislators
B) Providing knowledge and expertise on legislation
C) Offering expert testimony before congressional committees
D) Providing legal advice to legislators
E) Shaping public opinion

Question 55

is an indirect technique used by interest groups to influence public policy.

A) Making personal contacts with key legislators
B) Offering "expert" testimony before congressional committees
C) Following up on legislation
D) Providing legal advice to legislators
E) Using rating systems

Question 56

The Supreme Court has made it clear that the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech

A) does not include protection for interest groups to set forth their positions on issues.
B) protects interest groups' rights to set forth their positions on issues only when their messages are coordinated with a candidate's campaign or a political party.
C) protects issue advocacy as long as that advocacy is coordinated with a candidate's campaign or a political party.
D) protects interest groups' rights to set forth their positions on issues when they fund such activities through independent expenditures that are not coordinated with a candidate's campaign or a political party.
E) does not include protection for issue ads.

Question 57

Identity interest groups

A) represent people with advanced education and special training.
B) are organized to protect consumer rights.
C) are organized to work on behalf of agricultural interests.
D) represent a particular industry to develop common standards and goals.
E) represent people who share the same race, gender, or other characteristic.

Question 58

The NRA has successfully used the technique of to fight strict federal gun control legislation by delivering half a million letters to Congress within a few weeks.

A) mobilizing constituents
B) staging demonstrations
C) providing expertise and research results for legislators
D) making personal contacts with key legislators
E) following up on legislation

Question 59

is a direct lobbying technique used by interest groups to influence public policy.

A) Providing election support
B) Airing issue ads
C) Shaping public opinion
D) Astroturf lobbying
E) Mobilizing constituents

Question 60

Founded in 1919, the achieved one of its greatest early successes when it helped to obtain government guarantees of "fair" prices during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

A) American Farm Bureau Federation
B) National Grange
C) Consumers Union
D) National Farmers Union
E) Consumer Federation of America

Question 61

Under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995,

A) lobbyists must report their clients, the issues on which they lobbied, and the agency or chamber of Congress they contacted.
B) bundled campaign contributions in presidential elections are prohibited.
C) only persons who testify before congressional committees are required to register as lobbyists.
D) tax-exempt organizations are required to file quarterly reports listing the number of times they have spoken to members of Congress.
E) members of Congress are prohibited from giving gifts to lobbyists.

Question 62

It has become increasingly common for those who leave positions with the federal government to become lobbyists or consultants for the private-interest groups they helped to regulate. This is called

A) the "heroes to zeroes" complex.
B) the "free rider" problem.
C) "Potomac fever."
D) the "revolving door" syndrome.
E) "lobbying addiction."

Question 63

Campaigns that masquerade as grassroots mobilizations, but are not, have been labeled lobbying.

A) bluegrass
B) amicus
C) astroturf
D) turfgrass
E) gridiron

Question 64

Under the 1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act,

A) lobbying was prohibited.
B) bundled campaign contributions were banned.
C) only persons or organizations whose principal purpose was to influence legislation were required to register.
D) only persons whose lobbying was directed at agencies in the executive branch were required to register as lobbyists and file quarterly reports.
E) members of Congress were prohibited from accepting gifts or travel paid for by lobbyists.