Deck 12: Interest Groups

Question 1

What is the street in downtown Washington, DC, that is home to the headquarters of many lobbying firms and interest groups?

A) I Street
B) K Street
C) M Street
D) P Street

Answer 1

B

Question 2

James Madison warns against interest groups in

A) The Constitution.
B) The Declaration of Independence.
C) The Federalist Papers.
D) The Articles of Confederation.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Madison refers to interest groups in the Federalist Papers as

A) lobbyists.
B) factions.
C) special interests.
D) political parties.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following terms does not refer to a group that is primarily interested in gaining the support of government to pursue its specific policy goals?

A) Allied group
B) Special interest group
C) Faction
D) Interest group

Question 5

How many lobbyists are currently registered with Congress?

A) Just under 12,000
B) Just over 17,000
C) Approximately 20,000
D) Approximately 25,000

Question 6

An interest group is defined as

A) an organization whose goal is to influence citizens.
B) an organization whose goal is to get members elected to office.
C) an organization whose goal is to disrupt the lawmaking process.
D) an organization whose goal is to influence government.

Question 7

The two important elements in the definition of an interest group are

A) membership and money.
B) organization and influence.
C) bribery and blackmail.
D) persuasion and information.

Question 8

A _______ is an individual who contacts government officials on behalf of a particular cause or issue.

A) lobbyist
B) constituent
C) member of Congress
D) specialist

Question 9

What are two types of interest groups referred to in the text?

A) Democratic interests and Republican interests
B) General-welfare groups and corporate-welfare groups
C) Special interests and non-special interests
D) Citizen groups and intergovernmental groups

Question 10

According to the text, which of the following is an example of an interest group?

A) AARP
B) Lockheed-Martin
C) American Israel Public Affairs Committee
D) U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Question 11

Which of the following is not a primary function of interest groups?

A) Informing members about political developments
B) Buying the votes of members of Congress
C) Communicating members' views to government officials
D) Mobilizing the public

Question 12

Which branch of government do lobbyists contact to convey their opinions and push their policy priorities?

A) The executive branch
B) The legislative branch
C) The judicial branch
D) All of the above

Question 13

In order for an interest group to be successful, it must do which of the following?

A) Inform members about political developments
B) Communicate members' views to government officials
C) Mobilize the public
D) All of the above

Question 14

A citizen group is defined as

A) an organization that seeks to benefit the population at large.
B) a group promoting corporate interests.
C) an organization that focuses on citizenship issues.
D) a collection of multiple interest groups.

Question 15

What is the difference between a private lobbyist and a public interest lobbyist?

A) There is very little difference.
B) The private lobbyist is a representative of an organization that seeks to benefit the whole population.
C) The public interest lobbyist is a representative of an organization that seeks to benefit the population at large, not a specific client or small collection of people.
D) The public interest lobbyist does not need financial support from individuals.

Question 16

_______ is the view that interest group activity provides an additional opportunity for public representation.

A) Demosclerosis
B) Pluralism
C) Power elite theory
D) Punitive theory

Question 17

_______ is the view that there are too many interest groups in Washington, and that is slowing down the legislative process.

A) Hyperpluralism
B) Pluralism
C) Power elite theory
D) Punitive theory

Question 18

_______ is the view that a handful of wealthy, influential Americans exercise extensive control over government decisions.

A) Demosclerosis
B) Pluralism
C) Power elite theory
D) Punitive theory

Question 19

Lobbyists in Washington, DC, can avoid registering if

A) their group brings in or accepts less than $1 million in contributions.
B) they spend less than 20 percent of their time on lobbying activities.
C) they represent a public interest group.
D) their group is located outside of the United States.

Question 20

Spending by registered lobbyists has

A) stayed roughly the same.
B) decreased greatly.
C) consistently increased.
D) increased in some years and decreased in other years.

Question 21

In 2019, how much did U.S. businesses spend on lobbying?

A) $200 million
B) $1.5 billion
C) $3.0 billion
D) $3.37 billion

Question 22

What is the estimated number of professionals lobbying the U.S. government?

A) 90,000
B) 1 million
C) 50,000
D) 1 billion

Question 23

When an issue arises in Washington that is of interest to a group, the group tends to

A) gain more members.
B) boost its spending.
C) get less attention from legislators.
D) gain more members but get less attention from legislators.

Question 24

On high-profile issues like climate change, lobbying

A) has little effect on the views of members of Congress.
B) has great potential to change the views of members of Congress.
C) has an effect with some members and no effect on other members of Congress, regardless of party.
D) has little effect on Democratic members of Congress but a significant effect on Republican members.

Question 25

The 1946 Regulation of Lobbying Act required lobbyists to do which of the following?

A) Register with Congress
B) Report the amount and sources of income derived from lobbying
C) Register with Congress and report the amount and sources of income derived from lobbying
D) None of the above

Question 26

In the first half of the twentieth century, lobbyists were

A) not really regulated.
B) regulated about the same as they are today.
C) regulated more than they are today.
D) not present in Washington, DC.

Question 27

The lobbying restrictions imposed in 1995 limited

A) the number of members of Congress a lobbyist can contact.
B) the gifts that lobbyists can give members of Congress.
C) lobbyists' activities so much that the total number in Washington, DC, declined by half.
D) the total number of lobbyists able to work in Washington, DC.

Question 28

The 2007 lobbying reforms did all of the following except

A) prohibit former members from lobbying their former colleagues for two years after leaving office.
B) close loopholes in the 1995 restrictions.
C) remove restrictions on the amount of money that lobbyists could give as gifts.
D) strengthen disclosure requirements.

Question 29

Beginning in the mid-1960s, the number of lobbyists

A) increased dramatically.
B) decreased dramatically.
C) stayed the same as it had been earlier.
D) decreased only slightly.

Question 30

In The Federalist Papers Madison suggests that the way to deal with the threats posed by factions is to

A) outlaw them.
B) increase their numbers.
C) ignore them.
D) limit their numbers.

Question 31

Interest groups today represent which of the following?

A) Virtually every political and social topic and concern
B) A limited number of political and social groups
C) A small number of wealthy individuals
D) None of the above

Question 32

About how many interest groups are active in American politics today?

A) 20,000
B) 200,000
C) 2,000,000
D) 3,000,000

Question 33

Interest groups pursue benefits for

A) clients.
B) lobbying coalitions.
C) special interests.
D) factions.

Question 34

A _______ is a group of lobbyists working on related topics or a specific legislative proposal.

A) special interest
B) faction
C) membership group
D) lobbying coalition

Question 35

A lobbyist who waits in the cafeteria for House members is fulfilling the _______ role of lobbying.

A) social butterfly
B) campaign building
C) Astroturf
D) coalition building

Question 36

When interest groups mobilize the public to do something on their behalf, which actions may be included?

A) Letter writing
B) Protesting
C) Contributing funds
D) All of the above

Question 37

When interest groups mobilize the public, they typically reach out through which of the following?

A) TV ads
B) Facebook posts
C) Direct mail postcards
D) All of the above

Question 38

Which of the following countries features lobbying firms?

A) United Kingdom
B) United States
C) Canada
D) All of the above

Question 39

Pluralism is defined as

A) an open, participatory style of government in which many different interests are represented.
B) a closed system of government in which only a limited number of individuals are represented.
C) a system that benefits only the wealthy.
D) an open style of government in which a limited number of individuals are represented.

Question 40

Pessimistic theories about the presence and/or function of interest groups are offered by

A) hyperpluralism.
B) power elite theory.
C) pluralism.
D) hyperpluralism and power elite theory.

Question 41

The bank bailouts of 2008-2009 are best explained by

A) demosclerosis.
B) power elite theory.
C) hyperpluralism.
D) demosclerosis and power elite theory.

Question 42

Studying the influence of interest groups typically includes consideration of which of the following?

A) The number of interest groups
B) The amount of money interest groups spend
C) The number of groups within society that are represented by interest groups
D) The number of interest groups and the amount of money they spend

Question 43

If an interest group spends more than _______ percent of its time on lobbying efforts, it must register with Congress.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40

Question 44

The interest group lobbying reform of 2007 worked to do which of the following?

A) Tighten restrictions on gift giving
B) Decrease the number of interest groups in Washington, DC
C) Allow unrepresented segments of the public to form interest groups
D) All of the above

Question 45

Where in the Bill of Rights is the right to lobby guaranteed?

A) The Third Amendment
B) The Eighth Amendment
C) The First Amendment
D) The Sixth Amendment

Question 46

_______ coined the term lobbyist after many fiery speeches about the subject.

A) Alexander Hamilton
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) Andrew Jackson
D) Abraham Lincoln

Question 47

The "revolving door" is between Capitol Hill or the White House and

A) Governors' mansions.
B) K Street.
C) L Street.
D) Lobby Mansion.

Question 48

What would be an acceptable gift from a lobbyist to a Senator?

A) Dinner at an upscale restaurant
B) A trip to a golf resort
C) Free rent on a local house
D) A T-shirt

Question 49

What did the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act 1946 require lobbyists to do?

A) Identify sources of lobbying money
B) Give only small gifts
C) Have offices on K Street
D) Register every ten years

Question 50

Until the 1960s, the number of active lobbyists

A) remained relatively stable.
B) grew slowly.
C) rose exponentially.
D) declined.

Question 51

The result of expanded public, government, and lobbying activity has been

A) increased legislative output.
B) increased executive output.
C) decreased numbers of women in the lobbying industry.
D) an advocacy explosion.

Question 52

Which statement is true about women's role in lobbying today?

A) They often lobby on social issues.
B) They play a very minor role; most lobbyists are men.
C) They often lobby to undo gun-control legislation.
D) Younger women are often less qualified than their older counterparts.

Question 53

Despite common portrayals, today a lobbyist is likely to be

A) a 45-year-old male.
B) a 25-year-old female.
C) a 52-year-old female.
D) a retired Senator.

Question 54

Which of the following is a role often filled by lobbyists?

A) Running for public office
B) Heckling members of Congress when they give speeches
C) Taking a position
D) Taking advantage of privileges

Question 55

Which of the following is not a role often filled by lobbyists?

A) Legislative researcher
B) Committee witness
C) Coalition builder
D) Personal assistant

Question 56

In which of the following activities do lobbyists often engage?

A) Socializing with members of Congress
B) Acting as concierges
C) Serving as grassroots campaigners
D) All of the above

Question 57

Which term refers to a steady stream of materials from interest groups about a single issue?

A) Issue campaigning
B) Negative campaigning
C) Positive campaigning
D) Referendum

Question 58

What is Astroturf lobbying?

A) Lobbying that focuses on social issues
B) Lobbying that stimulates significant public engagement
C) Lobbying on a bill that just passed through Congress
D) A new, more modern, form of lobbying

Question 59

A lobbying professional employed by a specific company, like Apple or ExxonMobil, is called

A) a social lobbyist.
B) an independent lobbyist.
C) a single-firm lobbyist.
D) a multifirm lobbyist.

Question 60

A lobbying group that represents a collection of related businesses, like the American Petroleum Institute (oil companies), is called

A) a trade association lobbyist.
B) a multifirm lobbyist.
C) an independent lobbyist.
D) OPEC.

Question 61

"Hired guns," who are usually seasoned lobbyists or former high-profile government staffers, are paid by several different clients to promote their interests. They are classified as

A) independent lobbyists.
B) social lobbyists.
C) trade association lobbyists.
D) cabinet members.

Question 62

Which are items distributed by public interest groups as incentives to sign up or remain a member?

A) Material benefits
B) Expressive benefits
C) Solidary benefits
D) All of the above

Question 63

Which relates to values or deeply held beliefs that inspire individuals to join a public interest group?

A) Material benefits
B) Expressive benefits
C) Solidary benefits
D) All of the above

Question 64

Some people join interest groups for the feeling of shared commitment and purpose. This is consistent with which of the following?

A) Material benefits
B) Expressive benefits
C) Solidary benefits
D) All of the above

Question 65

Which term describes a set of brochures and position papers left behind by a lobbyist after visiting a legislator's office?

A) Fly-in
B) Gucci Gulch
C) Drop
D) Bird-dog

Question 66

Do nonprofit groups lobby?

A) Yes, but not often
B) No, never
C) Some do, some don't
D) Yes, because they have to

Question 67

The cozy relationship in one issue area among interest group lobbyists, congressional staffers, and an executive-branch agency is called

A) a bill group.
B) an iron triangle.
C) a congressional watchdog group.
D) an issue network.

Question 68

Which of the following would be a part of an iron triangle?

A) Senator from Kansas
B) Farm group from Kansas
C) Federal agricultural agency
D) All of the above

Question 69

What is an issue network?

A) A shifting alliance of public and private interest groups, lawmakers, and other stakeholders, all focused on the same policy area
B) The cozy relationship in one issue area among interest group lobbyist, congressional staffer, and executive-branch agency
C) An organization run by the White House staff
D) The relationship between the president and the cabinet

Question 70

Which term describes attempts by public officials in one part of the government to influence their counterparts in another part of government?

A) Social lobbying
B) Reverse lobbying
C) Intergovernmental lobbying
D) Bureaucratic rule making

Question 71

Which term refers to attempts by government officials to influence interest groups on behalf of their preferred policies?

A) Reverse lobbying
B) Bureaucratic rule making
C) Social lobbying
D) Intergovernmental lobbying

Question 72

What kind of lobbying did President Obama use in the early stages of health care reform?

A) Intergovernmental lobbying
B) Independent lobbying
C) Social lobbying
D) Reverse lobbying

Question 73

Which describes the access that lobbyists have to Supreme Court justices?

A) It is similar to the access they have to the president and Congress.
B) It is nearly unlimited.
C) It is meager, almost nonexistent.
D) None of the answer choices is correct; lobbyists do not feel they need to try to influence the Court.

Question 74

The most important role of interest groups within the judicial system is

A) sponsoring class-action lawsuits.
B) appointing judges.
C) pushing for members to become judges.
D) writing appellate court decisions.

Question 75

How do lobbying groups work with judges?

A) They lobby judges directly.
B) They lobby those who appoint judges.
C) They give money to judges to influence their decisions.
D) They provide conferences for Supreme Court justices.

Question 76

When a senator loses reelection and joins a lobbying firm this is known as

A) intergovernmental lobbying.
B) Senate lobbying.
C) election spoils.
D) revolving door.

Question 77

Iron triangles have given way to

A) issue networks.
B) revolving doors.
C) government bureaucracy.
D) executive committees.

Question 78

According to Senator Ashurst, when forced to choose between voting in the interest of the people or the special interests, what does he do?

A) Vote on the side he agrees with.
B) Vote on the side of the people.
C) Vote on the side of the special interest.
D) Vote the party line.

Question 79

Which type of lobbyists' campaign activity is the most controversial?

A) Canvassing on behalf of candidates
B) Financing campaigns
C) Writing candidate speeches
D) Acting as consultants on campaign strategy

Question 80

Why did Senator Ashurst vote with the special interest groups?

A) They financed his campaign.
B) The party advised him to do so.
C) They remember.
D) They provide volunteers.