Deck 7: Interest Groups and Political Parties

Question 1

What can be said of agricultural interest groups in the United States?

A)Agricultural interest groups' influence on U.S.legislation has been minimal.
B)Because farmers represent less than 1 percent of the population, their interest group influence has been weak.
C)Although there are many agricultural interest groups representing farmers, they have been unsuccessful in obtaining subsides for their members,
D)Although farmers represent less than 1 percent of the population, they have very strong interest groups.
E)As the numbers of farmers have declined, so has the influence of groups that represent them.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Many interest groups employ __________, who are hired to represent the groups' interests to the government.

A)members of Congress
B)members of the White House Executive Office of the President.
C)judges
D)activists
E)lobbyists

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Over the past fifty years, union membership has risen in __________, while it has declined in __________.

A)the total workforce; the public sector
B)the total workforce; the private sector
C)the public sector; the private sector
D)the private sector; the public sector
E)the agricultural industry; the service industry

Answer 3

C

Question 4

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

A)business, labor, and public interest groups
B)labor, agriculture, and environmental groups
C)business, labor, and foreign governments
D)business, labor, and professionals
E)professionals, agriculture, and foreign governments

Question 5

People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining

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

Question 6

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

A)handles foreign trade.
B)ratifies trade treaties.
C)represents the U.S.government in dealing with domestic businesses.
D)represents millions of domestic businesses to the U.S.government.
E)was James Madison's proposed "third house" of Congress.

Question 7

People who become members of interest groups for solidary incentives are joining

A)for a sense of belonging to the group.
B)to improve their economic opportunities.
C)for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons.
D)to obtain political, economic, or social change.
E)as free riders.

Question 8

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

A)economic interest groups.
B)social interest groups.
C)liberal interest groups.
D)environmental interest groups.
E)public interest groups.

Question 9

A free rider is

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

Question 10

A lobbyist is

A)any association of individuals.
B)inevitably affiliated with one of the two major political parties.
C)an individual or organization that attempts to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of government.
D)a member of Congress who challenges the majority position.
E)a member of the congressional leadership who is in a position to shape the legislative agenda in a way that benefits powerful interest groups.

Question 11

The age of automation and the rise of the service sector have

A)led to increased power for labor unions.
B)eliminated the need for interest groups for workers.
C)led to an increase in the percentage of blue-collar workers in the total working population.
D)led to attempts to unionize migrant farm workers, service workers, and public employees.
E)caused the collapse of all labor interest groups.

Question 12

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

A)an interest group.
B)a political party.
C)a lobby.
D)a civil interest group.
E)a social movement.

Question 13

An interest group is

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 setup to support a specific candidate for public office.

Question 14

A latent interest is

A)a major, stated interest of an interest group.
B)a policy interest of an interest group.
C)a constitutional interest of an interest group.
D)the same as a solidary incentive.
E)an interest not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time.

Question 15

Someone who joins an interest group because he or she believes in the ideals of the group and wants a sense of belonging and community with others who share their beliefs is acting for

A)solidary incentives, but not purposive incentives.
B)material incentives, but not solidary incentives.
C)both material and solidary incentives, but not purposive incentives.
D)both purposive and material incentives, but not solidary incentives.
E)both purposive and solidary incentives, but not material incentives.

Question 16

Someone joining an interest group for friendship or companionship are seeking ___________, while those who want benefits such as discounts or emergency assistance are joining for __________.

A)solidary incentives; purposive incentives
B)solidary incentives; material incentives
C)material incentives; solidary incentives
D)material incentives; purposive incentives
E)purposive incentives; material incentives

Question 17

People who become members of interest groups for purposive incentives are joining

A)for a sense of belonging to the group.
B)as free riders.
C)for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons.
D)to improve their economic opportunities.
E)because they have been pressured to do so.

Question 18

The Constitution protects interest groups through the

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

Question 19

All of the following are true of social movements EXCEPT that they

A)represent demands by a large segment of the population.
B)are usually orchestrated by pre-existing interest groups.
C)often lead to the creation of interest groups.
D)are often the first expression of discontent with the existing system.
E)are often the voice of weaker groups who do not have the ability or resources to effectively organize.

Question 20

__________ are among the most successful in obtaining subsidies.

A)First Amendment interest groups
B)Second Amendment interest groups
C)Pharmacological interest groups
D)Agricultural interest groups
E)Organized labor unions ​

Question 21

Foreign governments

A)often contribute large sums of money to key members of Congress.
B)sometimes hire former members of Congress as lobbyists.
C)provide expensive gifts to members of Congress who travel to a country on official government business.
D)are rarely interested in the policy debates concerning trade issues.
E)are prohibited by law from attempting to influence U.S.policy.

Question 22

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

A)economic interest groups.
B)single-interest groups.
C)public interest groups.
D)foreign interest groups.
E)fringe interest groups.

Question 23

The existence of interest groups

A)shows that public interest groups and civil rights make up a large percentage of interest groups lobbying Congress.
B)shows that leaders are from the lower social-economic groups.
C)demonstrates the validity of the elite theory model of U.S.political system.
D)can be problematic for democracy because members of the middle or upper classes often dominate interest groups.
E)is required by the Constitution.

Question 24

Republicans tend to get support from interest groups like _________, while ___________ tend(s) to support Democrats.​

A)​the U.S.Chamber of Commerce; Americans for Tax Reform
B)​environmental groups; Americans for Tax Reform
C)​Americans for Tax Reform; the U.S.Chamber of Commerce
D)​labor unions; environmental groups
E)​the U.S.Chamber of Commerce; labor unions

Question 25

Unsafe and unsanitary work conditions in the early 1900s were a problem leading to the development of

A)the feminist movement.
B)the consumer movement.
C)the civil rights movement.
D)the anti-lobbying movement.
E)mostly conservative, pro-business special interest groups.

Question 26

Key factors to an interest group's success include all of the following EXCEPT

A)leadership.
B)sponsorship by a major political party.
C)resources.
D)cohesiveness.
E)size.

Question 27

The enthusiasm gap

A)declined in the 1980s.
B)depicts the different levels of enthusiasm between public and private sector unions.
C)depicts the different levels of enthusiasm between those who gain the benefits and those who pay the costs of a policy.
D)depicts the different levels of enthusiasm between interest groups and political parties.
E)depicts the different levels of enthusiasm between identify groups and ideological groups.

Question 28

Successful interest groups and their representatives try to cultivate long-term relationships with

A)foreign ambassadors.
B)legislators and government officials.
C)federal judges.
D)business leaders.
E)police commissioners and chiefs of police.

Question 29

Single-issue interest groups

A)include the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
B)include the Common Cause, which lobbies for government reform.
C)are narrowly focused, usually on just one issue.
D)have members who tend to care intensely about their issues.
E)are narrowly focused, usually on just one issue, and have members who tend to care intensely about their issues.

Question 30

Environmental groups have found themselves in conflict with other interests over the issue of

A)protecting the snowy egret.
B)wildlife education.
C)global warming.
D)purchasing threatened lands.
E)protecting whales and dolphins from hunting.

Question 31

​Most interest groups have a bias toward

A)​the middle and upper classes.
B)​the middle and lower classes.
C)​the common good.
D)​the political right.
E)​the political left.

Question 32

The makeup of dominant voices of interest groups toward Congress tends to support

A)​an elite theory of politics.
B)​a pluralist theory of politics.
C)​a direct democracy.
D)​​an elite theory of politics and a pluralist theory of politics.
E)​a pluralist theory of politics and a direct democracy.

Question 33

All of the following are true of interest groups EXCEPT that they

A)use a wide range of techniques and strategies to promote their policy goals.
B)are extremely successful in persuading the president to endorse their programs completely.
C)may try to block or weaken legislation.
D)provide officials with information and assistance when needed.
E)may lobby officials personally or use the general public to influence government on their behalf.

Question 34

Some argue that the interest group system is most likely to leave out

A)poor Americans.
B)workers in the public sector.
C)workers in the private sector.
D)the agriculture industry.
E)small businesses.

Question 35

Generally speaking, groups that work toward a common or national good are considered to be

A)organized labor.
B)material incentive groups.
C)ideological groups.
D)solidary incentive groups.
E)public-interest groups.

Question 36

Since 1960, the greatest growth in unionization has occurred among

A)military personnel.
B)professional athletes.
C)public employees.
D)private sector employees.
E)information technology employees.

Question 37

The primary distinction between an interest group and a political party is that only

A)interest groups seek to affect policy.
B)​interest groups have unaffiliated supporters.
C)​parties run candidates for office.
D)​interest groups seek to operate the government.
E)​interest groups have unaffiliated supporters and only parties try to influence elections.

Question 38

Regardless of an interest group's size or resources, it can be considered powerful if

A)​it has strong and effective leadership.
B)​it successfully turns itself into a political party.
C)​its members are motivated, engaged, and politically active.
D)​it has strong and effective leadership and it successfully turns itself into a political party.
E)​it has strong and effective leadership and its members are motivated, engaged, and politically active.

Question 39

Groups such as the National Organization for Women (NOW) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are examples of

A)public interest groups.
B)ideological groups.
C)identity groups.
D)single-issue interest groups.
E)environmental groups.

Question 40

In some states, __________, it is prohibited to bargain with public sector unions.

A)mostly in the Southwest
B)mostly in the Midwest
C)mostly in the Northeast
D)mostly in the South
E)mostly on the West coast

Question 41

Legislators and government officials are often more impressed by contacts from

A)constituents than interest groups.
B)aides to the Supreme Court than the bar association in their district.
C)lobbyists who threaten to take their case to the public than their constituents.
D)reporters who leak classified information to the press than the media in general.
E)representatives from foreign governments than lobbyists from American interests.

Question 42

Identifying and making legislative earmarks public was a key feature of

A)the 1946 lobbying reforms.
B)the 1995 lobbying reforms.
C)the 1995-96 rules of the House and Senate.
D)the 2007 lobbying reforms.
E)both the 1946 lobbying reforms and the 2007 lobbying reforms.

Question 43

One of the ways in which lobbyists make themselves valuable to decision makers is by

A)threatening to campaign against them in upcoming elections.
B)providing bribes.
C)threatening to withhold campaign contributions.
D)providing information and expertise whenever asked.
E)inviting them to parties.

Question 44

If a group such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) issued ratings of members of Congress, a rating of zero​ means that a member

A)voted against the group on every issue.
B)voted with the group on every issue.
C)did not vote on issues affecting the group.
D)did not sponsor any legislation affecting the group.
E)sits on no committees affecting the group.

Question 45

Political endorsements by interest groups are

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

Question 46

Lobbyists provide advisory assistance to legislators by

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

Question 47

Generating public pressure and awareness may

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 48

Legislation to regulate lobbying in 1946 resulted in

A)a minimal number of individuals registered as lobbyists.
B)a large number of lobbyists decided to reveal their tactics.
C)a significant decrease in the influence of special interests.
D)an increase in reporting requirements for lobbyists at federal agencies and the courts.
E)a public record of all lobbyists active that year.

Question 49

All of the following are true of lobbyists EXCEPT that they

A)may help draft legislation for public officials.
B)may be members of some of Washington, DC's law firms that specialize in providing services to government officials.
C)fabricate the truth when providing information to public officials.
D)meet with public officials to inform them of the interests of their clients.
E)may testify before congressional committees.

Question 50

Public relations efforts aimed at improving the public image of an industry or group are called

A)​public imagery.
B)public lobbying.
C)grassroots manipulation.
D)image control.
E)climate control.

Question 51

Groups recognize that the greatest concern of legislators is to

A)support the principles of their political party.
B)be reelected.
C)vote for the ideas of the constituents.
D)be totally informed on issues they will have to vote on.
E)please the congressional leadership.

Question 52

A lobbyist from the NRA meeting with a member of Congress to discuss firearms legislation is an example of

A)the free rider problem.
B)a party coalition.
C)an indirect technique.
D)a direct technique.
E)a boycott.

Question 53

As a result of 1946 lobbying legislation and Supreme Court's United States v. Harriss decision, you have to register as a lobbyist if you work

A)​for any group trying to influence government.
B)​directly to influence the bureaucracy.
C)​directly to influence Congress.
D)​directly to influence the executive.
E)​All of these options are true.

Question 54

Lobbying reforms made in 1995 and 1996, both through legislation and congressional rules, included

A)defining a lobbyist as anyone who spends 20 percent of his or her time lobbying Congress or the executive branch.
B)requiring lobbyists to register with congressional officials.
C)reporting on the nature of lobbying efforts.
D)rules meant to restrict the value of gifts given to members of Congress.
E)All of these options are true.

Question 55

All of the following statements about demonstrations are true EXCEPT

A)if peaceable, they are protected by the First Amendment.
B)they were used to great effect by the civil rights movement.
C)they were used by the movement against the Vietnam War.
D)they are organized refusals to buy the products of a particular company.
E)if violent, they can backfire and alienate the public.

Question 56

A lobbyist is defined as __________, according to 1995 lobbying reforms.

A)anyone who spends any of his/her time lobbying
B)anyone who spends at least 10 percent of his/her time lobbying
C)anyone who spends at least 20 percent of his/her time lobbying
D)anyone who spends at least 50 percent of his/her time lobbying
E)anyone who spends all work hours lobbying

Question 57

All of the following are techniques used by interest groups to involve the general public EXCEPT

A)attempting to mobilize large numbers of constituents to write, phone, or send e-mails and tweets to their legislators.
B)using demonstrations, rallies, and marches.
C)violently protesting so officials will know the unhappiness of the public.
D)getting people to boycott a business.
E)commissioning polls and publicizing the results for the public to see.

Question 58

The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

A)requires lobbyists to report their activities annually.
B)requires Congress to post lobbying information on the Internet.
C)significantly changed the culture in Washington, DC.
D)requires that all pork spending proposals be reported to the president.
E)limits spending by lobbyists to $100,000 per quarter.

Question 59

Indirect techniques used by interest groups include

A)approaching officials personally to press a case.
B)strategies that use the general public or individuals to influence the government for the interest group.
C)illegal tactics such as bribes and payoffs.
D)paying members of Congress as consultants in return for favorable votes on issues important to the interest group.
E)testifying before congressional committees.

Question 60

The primary purpose of 1946 legislation that targeted lobbying was to

A)prohibit all lobbying activities.
B)restrict lobbying to the legislative branch.
C)heavily regulate lobbying.
D)improve public disclosure of lobbying.
E)create an agency that would oversee lobbying.

Question 61

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

Question 62

After taking control of the Senate in 2014, Republicans hoped to override President Obama

A)through populist appeals.
B)by appealing to grassroots concerns.
C)by impeaching him.
D)by shutting down the government.
E)by passing effective, conservative governmental policies.

Question 63

A political party is a group of individuals who

A)agree on all policy issues.
B)organize to win elections and operate the government.
C)pay monthly dues to an ideological organization.
D)have been elected to office and have obtained positions of power.
E)accept the decisions of the party's leaders.

Question 64

The primary goal of an American political party is

A)peaceably influencing the American public.
B)signing up large numbers of deeply committed members.
C)getting the party's candidates elected to office by winning elections.
D)collecting member dues.
E)trying to find the other party doing "bad" things.

Question 65

A voter or a candidate who does not identify with a political party is called

A)a naysayer.
B)an independent.
C)a liberal.
D)a conservative.
E)a libertarian.

Question 66

Evaluate the roles of size, leadership, and cohesiveness in interest group power and argue which of these you believe to be the most important and why.​

Question 67

All of the following are a part of parties' role in organizing and running elections EXCEPT

A)organizing voter registration drives.
B)recruiting volunteers to work at the polls on election day.
C)providing much of the campaign activity to stimulate election interest.
D)working to increase voter participation.
E)articulating policies and opposing the majority party.

Question 68

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

Question 69

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

Question 70

What would be the unintended consequences if lobbying was abolished?

Question 71

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

Question 72

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

Question 73

Functions of political parties in the United States include all of the following EXCEPT

A)operating the government.
B)acting as an organized opposition to the party in power.
C)signing up large numbers of dues-paying committed members.
D)recruiting candidates for public office.
E)presenting alternative policies to the electorate.

Question 74

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

Question 75

Describe legislative efforts to regulate the activities of lobbyists.

Question 76

A political party differs from an interest group in that

A)political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not.
B)political parties do not want to operate the government and interest groups do.
C)individuals must pay dues to a political party but not to an interest group.
D)individuals in a political party agree on all major policy issues.
E)interest groups select candidates to run for office and political parties do not.

Question 77

In recent years, Republicans who have failed to toe the party line

A)have switched to the Democratic Party.
B)have dominated leadership positions in Congress.
C)have most often been the most extremely conservative members of the party.
D)have defeated many RINOs.
E)have faced serious challenges in the Republican primary.

Question 78

In the context of political parties, a policy demander is

A)any elected official with the power to create law.
B)a citizen who approaches elected officials about policy concerns.
C)an individual who participates in the party to ensure that certain policies are adopted.
D)an elected Senator who filibusters in order to gain attention for particular policies.
E)the deciding vote for or against a policy.

Question 79

It is estimated that about ____________ of voters who identify as "independent" still lean toward either the Republican or the Democratic Party.

A)10 percent
B)25 percent
C)50 percent
D)75 percent
E)90 percent

Question 80

Explain the differences between interest groups and political parties.