Deck 3: Interest Groups

Question 1

Which of these should take place to ensure a stable democracy?

A)​Private influence in public policy should be reduced.
B)Private influence in public policy should be increased.
C)​Single individuals should be able to affect public policy.
D)​The president of the United States should have unparalleled influence in public policy.
E)Influential foreign leaders should have an effect in changing public policy.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In which of these instances may democracybe impaired?

A)​Changes are made in public policy in the name of private interests.
B)​Changes are made in public policy in ways that benefit the public.
C)​Changes are made in public policy by referendum.
D)​Changes are made in public policy by majority vote.
E)​All of thesemay impair democracy.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Interest groups such as Common Cause and the League of Woman Voters are most accurately defined as which type of group?

A)​public interest
B)​artsy or recreational
C)​ethnic
D)​spiritual
E)​economic

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which group of people is the least likely to be organized?​

A)​high school dropouts currently in poverty
B)wealthy businessmen
C)​teachers
D)​doctors
E)​none of these, as all are equally likely to be organized

Question 5

​Consistent with human nature,individuals are more likely to prefer policies that benefit_____ above all else.

A)themselves
B)the city in which they reside
C)the county in which they reside
D)the state in which they reside
E)their neighbors

Question 6

The personmost likely join an interest group is someone who makes _____ per year.

A)​$20,000
B)$40,000
C)$60,000
D)$80,000
E)$100,000

Question 7

​The NAACP,which is considered a racial/ethnic group,protects the interests of which group?

A)African Americans
B)​Asian Americans
C)​Hispanics
D)​Arabs
E)​Anglo-Americans

Question 8

Which statement about interest groups andpolitical parties is true?

A)A party has a narrowfocus, whereas an interest group isbroadly focused.
B)Bothinterest groups and political partiesare broadly focused.
C)Both parties and interest groups try to gain power by runningcandidates in elections.
D)Both interest groups and political parties are concerned with public policy.
E)Political parties work entirely behind the scenes.

Question 9

​The right of the people to assemble into groups can be found in whichamendment to theU.S.Constitution?

A)First
B)Second
C)Third
D)Fourth
E)Fifth

Question 10

While politics is concerned with _____ policy,many of its actions have _____ consequences.​

A)​public; private
B)​private; public
C)​private; inclusive
D)​exclusive; public
E)​exclusive; inclusive

Question 11

​Reforms in Texas's tort law that make it more difficult to win punitive damages against a business and reduce the maximum amount of damages that can be awarded reflect the power of which group?

A)​Texans for Lawsuit Reform
B)​Texas Trial Lawyers Association
C)​Chamber of Commerce
D)​Texas Medical Association
E)​Christian Right

Question 12

Citizens are not responsible for ensuring thatwhich of thesetake place in government?

A)​All private interests should be able to gain a piece of government influence, even at the expense of public interests.
B)​All interest groupsshould be able to present their point of view to public authorities.
C)Government should be able to take account ofthe impact of its laws on individuals.
D)Government shouldminimize the extent to which public policy is shaped at the behest of public interests.
E)​All of these ought to take place in government.

Question 13

​Which person is least likely to join an interest group?

A)​a high school dropout
B)​a high school graduate
C)​a college dropout
D)​a college graduate
E)​a graduate student

Question 14

​LULAC,which is considered a racial/ethnic group,protects the interests of which group?

A)African Americans
B)​Asian Americans
C)​Hispanics
D)​Arabs
E)​Anglo-Americans

Question 15

Which of these interest groups would least likely be considered an economic group?​

A)​Texas Symphony League
B)​Texas Bankers Association
C)​State Bar of Texas
D)​AFL-CIO
E)​Texas Medical Association

Question 16

Which statement is not accurate with regard to the general rules of interest group formation?

A)Those in the working class are more likely to join groups than those in the upper class.
B)Economic-producing groups are more likely to be organized than are consuming groups.
C)People with more education are more likely to join groups than those with less education.
D)Passionate believers are more influential than citizens who are less emotionally involved.
E)All of these statements are accurate.

Question 17

Which of these is not a type of economic interest group?

A)banking and financial organizations
B)labor unions
C)environmental protection groups
D)professional associations
E)groups representing specific types of industries

Question 18

Which statement about interest groupsis not correct?

A)Interest groups provide information to officeholders in all branches of government.
B)Interest groups engage in the electoral process by nominating their members for public office.
C)Interest groups help to inform public opinion.
D)Interest groups engage in the electoral process by contributing money to candidates.
E)Interest groups politicize and inform members of their groups.

Question 19

A political interest group is _____.

A)an organization that tries to influence politicians to make public policy in line with their preferences
B)a group of individuals who influence policymaking by manipulating citizens' opinions
C)an organization that runs primary elections and nominates candidates for office
D)any group of individuals who share a common interest
E)a group that is focused on recruiting candidates for office

Question 20

Which of these is not one of the categories used by the authors of the text to classify interest groups?

A)economic groups
B)spiritual groups
C)artistic-recreational organizations
D)public interest groups
E)political groups

Question 21

Which kind of group is able to collect money from individuals and use it to influence campaigns?​

A)​political action committees
B)​527s
C)​501c4s
D)​1099s
E)​political action committees, 527s, and 501c4s, but not 1099s

Question 22

_____ are formed by an organization,industry,or individual for the purpose of collecting money and contributing to selected political candidates or causes.

A)Political parties
B)Political action committees
C)Election committees
D)Campaign committees
E)Plutocracy committees

Question 23

Which of these is not a way that interest groups can enhance democratic governance?

A)​pursue a public policy outcome that benefits private interests
B)​supply information to citizens
C)​contribute to debates about issues
D)​encourage people to get more involved in politics
E)​change the established order by influencing institutions

Question 24

The transition of an agency from guarding the public interest to defending the private interest is called _____.

A)appropriation
B)expropriation
C)adaptation
D)cooptation
E)revolving door interests

Question 25

When people from an industry go to work for the agency regulating that industry,this movement is called _____.

A)a revolving door
B)cooptation
C)plutocracy
D)lobbying in the bureaucracy
E)a "right-to-work" law

Question 26

The 1991 Ethics Bill provided for all of these except _____.

A)limits onthe amount of food, gifts, and entertainment lobbyists can furnish legislators
B)the creation of an Ethics Commission to hold hearings on complaints of improper behavior
C)requirement that lobbyistsreport the name of each legislator on whom they spend more than $50
D)a ban onthe use of campaign contributions for living expenses
E)permission forthe Ethics Commission to refer ethics violations to the Travis County district attorney

Question 27

A supporter of limiting campaign contributions from corporations is likely to make which of these arguments?

A)The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution should not be interpreted as protecting the power of money.
B)Any growing inequality of wealth has been caused by economic trends that are independent of government policies.
C)Any advantage as a result of corporate influence is canceled out by the high taxes levied on corporations and by overregulation of corporations.
D)Political action committees are merely organizations that permit individuals with a shared interest to coordinate their political activity; shared economic interests are just as worthy of representation as religious, ideological, ethnic, or any other kind of interest.
E)All of these are arguments that supporters would make.

Question 28

Those legislative attempts to regulate lobbying prior to the enactment of the 1991 Ethics Bill were particularly weak because they _____.

A)were almost certainly unconstitutional
B)covered only the most costly forms of lobbying
C)did not charge any agency with enforcing them
D)pertained only to public interest groups
E)regulated only spending for entertainment

Question 29

Which statement would be illustrated by the success of an interest group?

A)Citizens who are willing to get organized, inform themselves, and spend time talking to politicians can sometimes influence policy.
B)Wealthy special interests always win in the legislative process.
C)Groups can influence government without being organized or particularly excited about their issues.
D)By definition, all lobbyists are paid high salaries and serve special economic interests.
E)Most Texas legislators are avid bicycle riders.

Question 30

In which year was the Texas Ethics Commission initially created?

A)​1991
B)​1947
C)​1973
D)​1981
E)​2003

Question 31

​Which word is defined as the means used to attempt to influence policymakers?

A)​lobbying
B)​legislating
C)​adjudicating
D)​executing
E)​fundraising

Question 32

The 2003 Ethics Bill was an improvement over the 1991 bill because it _____.

A)ensured that more information would be available to the public
B)required candidates to disclose cash balances in their campaign accounts
C)forbid legislators who are attorneys to represent a paying client before a state agency
D)required candidates to file campaign finance reports via the Internet, with a few exceptions
E)provided for all of these

Question 33

​Which of these is strictly prohibited from directly endorsing candidates for political office?

A)​527s
B)​501c4s
C)​PACs
D)​527s and 501c4s
E)527s, 501c4s, and PACs

Question 34

Which of these best describes a political action committee?

A)​a committee formed by an organization, industry, or individual for the purpose of collecting voluntary contributions and then distributing that money to selected political candidates and causes
B)​an organization that collects money and mostly uses it to influence public opinion through the media
C)​an organization that is formally registered as a civic or social welfare organization
D)​a political party that nominates candidates for political office
E)​a constitutional document that provides the legal framework for how a country is governed

Question 35

From the perspective of democratic theory,which is true ofefforts of wealthy special interests to create public support through campaigns to "educate" the public?

A)These campaigns have both reassuring and troubling aspects.
B)Such efforts help to expand the amount of information available to citizens.
C)These educational campaigns reflect private, one-sided viewpoints.
D)Such efforts tend to ignore the general public interest.
E)All of these are true of such efforts.

Question 36

A plutocratic system is one in which _____.

A)interest groups run candidates for public office
B)interest groups form political action committees to donate money to political candidates
C)political participation is equal among all classes of people, promoting democracy
D)government is dominated by the wealthy
E)interest group power is not tempered by strong political parties

Question 37

Lobbying is an activity that refers to _____.

A)buying favors in Austin
B)efforts to influence policymakers face-to-face
C)citizens voting on election day
D)"twisting the arms" of legislators
E)bribery and corruption

Question 38

Which personcan be considered a lobbyist?​

A)​a professional who is influential inhis or herline of work
B)a former state legislator or executive with knowledge of the political process
C)a wealthy donor
D)​a concerned citizen who iswilling to get organized and inform himself or herselfabout the public interest
E)​all of these

Question 39

In 2003,the Texas legislature passed a bill that amended which ​ethics law in the state?

A)​Candidates for public office are required to publicly disclose cash balances in their campaign accounts and report the employer and occupation of large donors.
B)​Legislators who are lawyers must disclose when they are being paid to try to delay trials during a legislative session and their referral fees.
C)​Candidates must file campaign finance reports via the Internet unless they raise or spend less than $2,000 a year and do not use a computer to keep their records.
D)​Local officials in cities of more than 100,000 population and school districts with more than 5,000 students must file personal financial statements like those filed by other state officials.
E)​All of the these laws were amended by the legislature.

Question 40

​To combat the problems that come with representing poor groups,lobbyists must rely on all of the following except _____.

A)​persistence
B)​providing information
C)​passion
D)​plutocratic governance
E)all of these are relied on

Question 41

​What are two resources most interest groups have? How might these resources contribute to bias in the political process?

Question 42

How are 527s and 501c4s different from political action committees?​

Question 43

​Traditionally,organized labor has been allied with which group?

A)​Democratic Party
B)Republican Party
C)big business
D)​spiritual groups
E)​none of these

Question 44

Which interest group is noteworthy for using the courts as an avenue to achieve success in the policy process?

A)Texas Research League
B)Texas Good Roads and Transportation Association
C)Texas Federation of Teachers
D)National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
E)Common Cause

Question 45

Why have labor unions in Texas been less powerful than comparable groups in many other states?​

Question 46

Given that there aremore than200,000 public school teachers and administrators in Texas,discuss the failure of groups representing teachers to have a greater impact on the major issues affecting education.Explain how teachers might gain greater influence on the political process in Texas in the future.

Question 47

How might democracy be impaired if changes in public policy are made to benefit private interests?​

Question 48

Define cooptation and discuss how it might occur in Texas politics.Illustrate the phenomenon by discussing an example.

Question 49

Discuss the techniques used by lobbyists to influence the legislative process.What restrictions does Texas law place on the activities of lobbyists? Explain how these restrictions affect the way interest groups operate in the state.

Question 50

In 1929,_____,the oldest of the Hispanic organizations in Texas,was formed to combat discrimination against Mexican Americans.

A)Mexican American Democrats
B)the League of United Latin American Citizens
C)La Raza Unida
D)El Partido de Amistad
E)Los Defensors del Alamo

Question 51

Why would interest groups get active in judicial politics?​

Question 52

​Which of these is considered a result ofTexas's present labor laws?

A)​While corporations are required to publicly disclose all their major activities, labor unions are not.
B)​Workers' compensation insurance, unemployment insurance payments, and other benefits are lower than those of most other industrial states.
C)​The minimum wage in Texas is set at $15 per hour, more than doubling the federal requirements.
D)​Union membership is a requirement for employment in Texas.
E)​All of these are results of the laws.

Question 53

​From 2000 through 2013,teacher organizations experienced _____.

A)a​decrease in membership
B)​no significant change in the number of members
C)​an increase in membership by 10,000 members
D)​an increase in membership by 25,000 members
E)​an increase in membership by 50,000 members

Question 54

While the First Amendment of the U.S.Constitution prohibits the government from preventing citizens from organizing to influencing the political process,government still has the power to regulate speech,particularly as it pertains to money and lobbying.Write an essay about how lobbying has been regulated in Texas from the 1940s until the present day.In your answer,be sure to explain the degree to which lobbyists have reacted to these regulations.Specifically,have these regulations restricted group activity to the point of paralysis? Explain your answer.
​

Question 55

Reforms in Texas's tort law that make it more difficult to win punitive damages against a business and reduce the maximum amount of damages that can be awarded reflect the power of the _____.

A)Christian Right
B)Texas Oil and Gas Association
C)local Chambers of Commerce
D)Texans for Lawsuit Reform
E)Texas Trial Lawyers Association

Question 56

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was successful in contesting the constitutionality of racial segregation in which case?

A)Brown v. Board of Education
B)Nixon v. Herndon
C)Nixon v. Condon
D)Smith v. Allwright
E)all of these

Question 57

Politically,Texas's teachers have been characterized by _____.

A)disorganization and competition
B)coordination and cooperation
C)widespread support for unionization
D)their loyalty and ability to build alliances
E)their commitment to conservative political causes

Question 58

Interest groups representing _____ have had little influence on public policy in Texas.

A)oil and gas companies
B)banking and financial organizations
C)insurance companies
D)organized labor
E)trucking companies

Question 59

This group's success in passing 90 percent of the legislative agenda it has sponsored indicates it is now arguably the most effective interest group in Texas.

A)Texas AFL-CIO
B)Texas Trial Lawyers Association
C)Texas Medical Association
D)Texas State Teachers Association
E)Christian Coalition

Question 60

Interest groups and political parties play essential roles in democracy.First,define the roles of interest groups and political parties.Second,compare and contrast their roles in the political process.

Question 61

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 3 and 4): Differentiate between political parties and interest groups.How are their functions different?How are their goals different?Are there any similarities between the two?Use examples of a specific interest group and of a specific political party to demonstrate your answers.

Question 62

Cross-Chapter Essay Question (Chapters 1 and 3): ​Your text argues that one of the state's major shortcomings is "private influence over public policy."Explain how this concept is demonstrated by interest groups in Texas.Incorporate references to at least one of the major interest groups discussed in the chapter.