Question 1

Immediately following the Garcia decision, several government interest groups successfully lobbied Congress to grant exemptions from the Fair Labor Standards Act to public employees

Accepted Answer

The Garcia decision struck down the distinction between state and local governments and private employers under the Fair Labor Standards Act, making public employees eligible for overtime pay. However, several government interest groups successfully lobbied Congress to grant exemptions from the Act to public employees, effectively overturning the Garcia decision.

Question 2

Interest groups rarely try to elect their leaders to political positions.

Accepted Answer

Interest groups typically focus on influencing policy decisions rather than directly seeking political office.

Question 3

Free riders are members who invest money or time in an interest group but still share in the collective benefits of group action.

Accepted Answer

Free riders are individuals who do not invest money or time in an interest group but still share in the collective benefits of the group's action.

Question 4

Lobbyists do not seek to win tax breaks and federal grants.

Accepted Answer

Lobbyists often seek tax breaks and federal grants as part of their efforts to influence policymaking and benefit their clients.

Question 5

Grassroots activities involve rallying the public behind a cause or proposal.

Accepted Answer

Grassroots activities involve mobilizing or organizing people at the local level to support a particular cause or action, and can include activities such as canvassing, community organizing, and protests. The goal is to create a groundswell of public support that can then be leveraged to influence policymakers and bring about change.

Question 6

The first PAC was created as early as 1928.

Accepted Answer

The first Political Action Committee (PAC) was created in 1944 by the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) to support Franklin D. Roosevelt's re-election.

Question 7

Campaign contributions directed to advancing the interests of a political party or an issue in general, rather than a specific candidate is called soft money.

Accepted Answer

Soft money refers to contributions made to political parties or interest groups, without specifying support for a particular candidate.

Question 8

Gridlock is a condition in which major government initiatives are impossible because a closely balanced partisan division in the government structure, accompanied by an unwillingness to work together toward compromise, produces a stalemate.

Accepted Answer

This definition accurately describes gridlock.

Question 9

An iron triangle is an informal three-way relationship that develop among key legislative committees, the bureaucracy, and interest groups with a vested interest in the policies created by those committees and agencies.

Accepted Answer

An iron triangle is a real phenomenon in the US political system. It refers to the tight relationship established between interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and legislative committees over the creation and enforcement of policies that affect their respective interests. This triangle is based on mutual benefits (financial or political), influence, and control, and it often operates outside of the public view, making it an informal and powerful force in the policymaking process.

Question 10

#MeToo is an interest group.

Accepted Answer

#MeToo is a movement and interest group that aims to bring attention to and take action against sexual harassment and assault.

Question 11

The legalization of marijuana in many states has led to a decrease in lobbying efforts on the part of the industry.

Accepted Answer

The statement is not true. The legalization of marijuana has actually led to an increase in lobbying efforts on the part of the industry as they seek to shape the regulations and laws governing the newly legal market.

Question 12

In the 2016 presidential election thousands of Super PACs raised millions of dollars for each of the candidates.

Accepted Answer

Super PACs raised millions of dollars for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

Question 13

What has been the history of interest groups in American politics

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has been the history of interest...

Question 14

Select a contemporary interest group and discuss how its actions have influenced political debates and/or laws.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Select a contemporary interest group and discuss...

Question 15

Identify and comment on a number of functions performed by interest groups.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and comment on a number of...

Question 16

Identify and discuss various types of interest groups in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and discuss various types of interest...

Question 17

Comment on various characteristics associated with interest groups in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Comment on various characteristics associated with interest...

Question 18

Describe lobbying activities in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe lobbying activities in the United States....

Question 19

How does "grassroots activity" relate to interest groups?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does "grassroots activity" relate to interest...

Question 20

How do interest groups use the courts to obtain their goals?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do interest groups use the courts...

Quiz 11: Interest Groups