Deck 8: Interest Groups

Question 1

A lobbyist from the NRA (National Rifle Association) meeting with a member of Congress to discuss firearms legislation is an example of which of the following?

A) The free-rider problem
B) A party coalition
C) An indirect technique
D) A direct technique
E) A boycott

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following best describes an interest group?

A) Any association of individuals
B) A group of people who want to gain control of the government
C) An organization that actively attempts to influence government policy
D) Any organization that requires members to pay dues
E) An organization set up to support a particular candidate for public office

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Since 1960, the greatest growth in unionization has occurred among which of the following groups?

A) Military personnel
B) Public employees
C) Professional athletes
D) Private sector employees
E) Information technology employees

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Alexis de Tocqueville noted that the formation of group life was an important element of which of the following in America?

A) Revolutionaries
B) Democracy
C) Political action committees
D) Socialism
E) Unions

Question 5

Successful interest groups and their representatives try to cultivate long-term relationships with which of the following?

A) Foreign ambassadors
B) Legislators and government officials
C) Federal judges
D) Business leaders
E) Police commissioners and chiefs of police

Question 6

Abolitionists and women's suffrage groups paralleled each other in using which of the following as a rationale for supporting their policy goals?

A) The principle of freedom
B) The principle of lobbying
C) The principle of equality
D) The principle of justice
E) The principle of diminishing returns

Question 7

What types of interest groups are defined as economic interest groups?

A) Business, labor, and public interest groups
B) Labor, agricultural, and environmental groups
C) Business and labor groups and foreign governments
D) Business, labor, and professional groups
E) Professional and agricultural groups and foreign governments

Question 8

In recent years, private sector union membership has done which of the following?

A) It has plateaued.
B) It has completely disappeared.
C) It has doubled.
D) It has tripled.
E) It has declined.

Question 9

If a group of people supporting housing equity organized themselves and attempted to affect policymakers, they would have formed which of the following?

A) An interest group
B) A political party
C) A lobby
D) A civil interest group
E) A social movement

Question 10

In 1831, which of the following political theorists observed that Americans like to form groups and join associations as a way of participating in community and political life?

A) Alexis de Tocqueville
B) Patrick Henry
C) David Hume
D) Thomas Hobbes
E) Immanuel Kant

Question 11

In recent years, public employee unions have come under increasing challenge over issues related to which of the following?

A) Issue networks
B) International trade
C) Wages and pensions
D) Medicare and Medicaid
E) Grassroots mobilization

Question 12

Which of the following statements regarding the existence of interest groups is true?

A) Public-interest groups and civil rights make up a large percentage of interest groups lobbying Congress.
B) Interest group leaders are from the lower socioeconomic groups.
C) Interest groups demonstrate the validity of the elite theory model of the U.S. political system.
D) Interest groups can be problematic for democracy because members of the middle or upper classes often dominate them.
E) Interest groups are required by the Constitution.

Question 13

Generally speaking, groups that work toward a common or national good are considered which of the following?

A) Organized labor
B) Material incentive groups
C) Ideological groups
D) Solidary incentive groups
E) Public-interest groups

Question 14

Some argue that the interest group system is most likely to leave out which of the following groups?

A) Poor Americans
B) Workers in the public sector
C) Workers in the private sector
D) The agriculture industry
E) Small businesses

Question 15

The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) are examples of which of the following?

A) Economic interest groups
B) Single-interest group
C) Public-interest group
D) Foreign interest group
E) Fringe interest group

Question 16

The most numerous types of interest groups in the United States are which of the following?

A) Economic interest groups
B) Social interest groups
C) Liberal interest groups
D) Environmental interest groups
E) Public interest groups

Question 17

When we talk about a lobbyist, we talk about a person or group that is which of the following?

A) Part of an association of individuals
B) Someone or something that attempts to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of government
C) Inevitably associated with one of the two major parties
D) A member of Congress who challenges the majority position
E) A member of the president's cabinet who argues against any change

Question 18

Many interest groups employ which of the following, who are hired to represent the group's interests to the government?

A) Members of Congress
B) Members of the White House Executive Office of the President
C) Judges
D) Lobbyists
E) Activists

Question 19

Which of the following best describes how the U.S. Constitution protects interest groups?

A) Through the First Amendment's right to "petition the Government for a redress of grievances"
B) Through the First Amendment's right to "peaceably assemble"
C) Through the Fourth Amendment's protection against illegal search and seizure
D) Through the Fifth Amendment's right against self-incrimination
E) Through the First Amendment's right to "petition the Government for a redress of grievances" and the First Amendment's right to "peaceably assemble"

Question 20

Most interest groups have a bias toward which of the following?

A) The middle and upper classes
B) Environmental groups
C) The common good
D) The political right
E) The political left

Question 21

Enticing individuals to join an interest group for solidary incentives has become easier because of which of the following?

A) Changes in federal law
B) The creation of virtual currency
C) The intense partisanship in the federal government
D) The increased diversity of the U.S. population
E) The advent of social media

Question 22

People who join an interest group for solidary incentives are joining for which of the following reasons?

A) To improve their economic opportunities
B) For a sense of belonging to the group
C) For ethical beliefs or ideological reasons
D) To obtain political, social, or economic change
E) To become a free rider

Question 23

Which of the following views sees a democratic society as one in which interest groups compete over policy goals and elected officials are mediators of group conflict?

A) Conservative
B) Pluralist
C) Socialist
D) Liberal
E) Majoritarian

Question 24

The relationship among interest groups, members of Congress, and federal agencies is referred to as which of the following?

A) Iron triangle
B) Iron cross
C) The iron law
D) The public interest
E) The public network

Question 25

Interest groups recognize that the greatest concern of legislators is which of the following?

A) Supporting the principles of their political party
B) Getting reelected
C) Voting for the ideas of their constituents
D) Being totally informed on issues they will have to vote on
E) Pleasing the congressional leadership

Question 26

Direct techniques used by interest groups include which of the following?

A) Using YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook to generate influence
B) Using public relations firms to polish their image with the public
C) Building alliances with other groups to increase their collective effectiveness
D) Using constituents to lobby Congress on behalf of an issue
E) Staging demonstrations, marches, and boycotts

Question 27

Given the amount of money that PACs spend on campaign support, which of the following is a concern of many people?

A) PACs don't represent any public groups.
B) PACs are restricted from freely donating money.
C) PACs don't share workers' interests.
D) PACs are actively engaging in the electoral arena.
E) PACs exert a disproportionate influence over legislators.

Question 28

People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining for which of the following reasons?

A) For a sense of belonging to the group
B) For ethical or ideological reasons
C) To improve their economic opportunities or gain economic benefits
D) To institute change for political, economic, or social impact on the whole society
E) Because they have been pressured to do so

Question 29

Movement of members of Congress, lobbyists, and executive branch employees into paid positions in each other's organizations is known as which of the following?

A) Democratic society
B) Iron triangles
C) The revolving door
D) The interest group window
E) Selective benefits

Question 30

What role do interest groups play in educating policymakers about political issues?

A) Interest groups are never considered a valid source of information because they are so biased.
B) So few people are members of interest groups that any communication policymakers receive from such groups is considered insignificant.
C) They are an important source of political information.
D) They tend to confuse policymakers and often alienate them.
E) They serve to overwhelm policymakers with too much information.

Question 31

The K Street corridor is known for which of the following?

A) It is the street between the Capitol and the congressional office buildings.
B) Most government agencies and corporations reside on this street.
C) Congressional staffers usually live on this street.
D) Many lobbyists work on this street.
E) Lobbyists use this street to "ambush" members of Congress on their way to work.

Question 32

Generating public pressure and awareness may do which of the following?

A) Convince policymakers that public opinion overwhelmingly supports the interest group's position
B) Mislead the public on environmental issues
C) Bypass the legislative process
D) Force bureaucrats to answer to congressional committees
E) Lobby lawmakers directly

Question 33

Which of the following is true of political endorsements by interest groups?

A) They are relatively ineffective today.
B) They are not very important because candidates can publicize the fact that their campaign is endorsed by groups but they cannot identify the specific source of the endorsement.
C) They are important because the group can publicize its choices in its membership publications.
D) They are a violation of campaign finance reform laws.
E) They are allowed in local elections but forbidden in races for federal office.

Question 34

A set of groups seeking a particular benefit for themselves in the policy process are known as which of the following?

A) Corporate interests
B) Union interests
C) Citizen interests
D) Special interests
E) Public interests

Question 35

If a lobbyist is trying to convince a legislator to support a particular bill, one of the most valuable resources in doing so is which of the following?

A) A large budget
B) A small but very vocal membership
C) A long history of supporting that particular legislator
D) A large, politically active membership
E) A group of policy experts willing to draft legislation for the legislator

Question 36

Someone joining an interest group because they want benefits such as emergency assistance or discounts is joining for which of the following reasons?

A) Material incentives
B) Solidary incentives
C) Purposive incentives
D) Philosophical incentives
E) Social incentives

Question 37

A free rider is which of the following?

A) An interest group member
B) A participant in a social movement
C) Someone granted free passage to Washington DC to demonstrate
D) Someone who benefits from the actions of a group without joining it
E) A civil rights activist

Question 38

Some political scientists, including E. E. Schattschneider, believe that the sometimes narrow focus of interest groups is which of the following?

A) Unrealistic and unsustainable
B) The moral impetus for change
C) A threat to democracy
D) A legitimate and laudable goal
E) A boon to democracy

Question 39

Groups specially formed to raise and contribute funds to support electoral candidates and that are subject to campaign finance laws are known as which of the following?

A) Political action committees
B) Unions
C) Special interests
D) 501 (c)(3) organizations
E) 501 (c)(4) organizations

Question 40

Which of the following best describes how lobbyists provide advisory assistance to legislators?

A) Testifying before legislative committees
B) Assisting legislators with the drafting of bills
C) Providing technical expertise to legislators
D) Providing exotic vacations to legislators
E) Testifying before legislative committees, assisting legislators with the drafting of bills, and providing technical expertise to legislators

Question 41

Discuss the direct techniques used by interest groups to influence government decisions.

Question 42

Describe the categories of economic interest groups, and provide examples of each.

Question 43

Describe the iron law of oligarchy.

Question 44

Explain the factors that make an interest group powerful.

Question 45

Discuss the different reasons Americans join interest groups. Provide examples of interest groups that demonstrate their benefits.

Question 46

Interest groups offer which of the following to attract and keep members?

A) Free-rider benefits
B) Selective benefits
C) Reactive benefits
D) Elusive benefits
E) Societal benefits

Question 47

Explain how technology has changed the methods interest groups use to promote their agendas to members of Congress.

Question 48

Discuss the tactics used by interest groups as part of information campaigns.

Question 49

The free-rider problem increases the difficulty of attracting which of the following?

A) Young people
B) Paying members
C) Media attention
D) Votes in Congress
E) Cooperation from other interest costs

Question 50

Explain how interest groups make use of the public in their efforts to influence policy and legislation.

Question 51

Explain how lobbyists influence legislation or policy by highlighting three common techniques employed by lobbyists.

Question 52

What are the differences between a social movement and an interest group? How are they related?

Question 53

Explain the differences between interest groups and political parties.

Question 54

The simple pleasure of being surrounded by people with similar interests and perspectives and who share professional or personal concerns is an example of what type of benefit?

A) Expressive
B) Material
C) Political
D) Solidary
E) Monetary

Question 55

Describe two different categories of economic interest groups, and contrast these groups with public interest groups.

Question 56

What kind of goods are available to all, whether one has contributed toward the provision of that good or not?

A) Expressive
B) Material
C) Monetary
D) Social
E) Public

Question 57

Explain the pluralist view of society.

Question 58

What do we call someone who organizes citizens into a formal group that agrees on a united purpose and then takes a leadership role in directing the group's activities?

A) A bureaucrat
B) A free rider
C) An interest group entrepreneur
D) An issue network leader
E) A member of Congress

Question 59

Discuss the parallels between the women's suffrage movement and antislavery efforts early on in our political history.

Question 60

What are grassroots movements? Provide at least one example.

Question 61

What makes an interest group successful? Why have some endured, while others are less likely to remain in existence?

Question 62

Explain the free-rider problem faced by interest groups and how they combat the problem.