Question 1

The amount of money currently spent on lobbying the federal government is roughly $_________ per year.
A)100 million
B)750 million
C)3.5 billion
D)9 billion

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

Tocqueville noted that Americans are unusually fond of __________.
A)running for office
B)forming associations
C)joining political parties
D)lobbying the government

Accepted Answer

Tocqueville observed that Americans are especially fond of forming associations, such as clubs, societies, and volunteer organizations. This tendency towards association-building is arguably linked to American individualism and desire for community involvement.

Question 3

Which statement expresses a normative element of pluralism?
A)Government-created interest groups should be banned from lobbying activities.
B)Interest groups should be regulated to minimize the power of business interests.
C)The government should support competition and interaction among interest groups.
D)Interest groups tend to develop around the goal of preventing cuts to government programs.

Accepted Answer

The statement expresses a normative element of pluralism by advocating for the support of competition and interaction among interest groups. This aligns with the core principle of pluralism, which states that no one group should dominate the policymaking process, and instead, multiple groups should be able to participate and have their voices heard. Choices A, B, and D do not express this normative element of pluralism.

Question 4

Which term describes a democratic system where all kinds of people with different opinions and values compete to influence government policy?
A)homogeneous
B)liberal
C)paternal
D)pluralist

Accepted Answer

Pluralism is a political philosophy asserting that a democractic system is comprised of various groups or interests competing for power and influence over government policy, reflecting a diverse range of opinions, values and societal interests. It is opposite to the idea of homogeneous society systems.

Question 5

Which of these statements describes the theory of countervailing power?
A)Courts and public opinion provide effective checks on the power of interest groups.
B)Interest groups tend to develop in a way that drives them to pursue extremist goals.
C)The influence of interest groups tends to balance out because groups emerge on both sides of any issue.
D)Interest groups cannot become too powerful in a democracy because of the power of the government.

Accepted Answer

The theory of countervailing power suggests that the influence of interest groups tends to balance out because groups emerge on both sides of any issue, so their power cancels each other out. This theory emphasizes the importance of dynamic competition among interest groups in a democratic society to prevent any one group from dominating policymaking.

Question 6

Which statement explains why government bureaucracies tend to become influential interest groups?
A)Bureaucrats in specialized agencies have a major role in crafting legislation.
B)Bureaucrats in umbrella agencies have a major role in setting the legislative agenda.
C)Bureaucrats in specialized agencies have a major role in vetting presidential appointees.
D)Bureaucrats in umbrella agencies have a major role in getting Congressional candidates elected.

Accepted Answer

Bureaucrats in specialized agencies often have expertise and knowledge in a specific policy area, which gives them influence over crafting legislation related to their area of expertise. As a result, they may become influential interest groups advocating for policies that align with their agency's goals and interests.

Question 7

Political parties differ from interest groups because parties __________.
A)are less responsive to public opinion
B)must win elections to influence policy
C)influence policy outside of the electoral process
D)rely only on public money to finance their activities

Accepted Answer

Political parties are focused on winning elections in order to gain control of government and directly influence policy. Interest groups seek to influence policy outside of the electoral process by lobbying officials, running issue-based campaigns, and engaging in public education campaigns.

Answer: A, C, D 
 Parties are typically more responsive to public opinion than interest groups, as winning elections requires them to appeal to voters. While parties do influence policy through the electoral process, they may also engage in a range of other activities to shape policy and public opinion. Parties often rely on private money in addition to public funding to finance their activities.

Question 8

In which of these ways is a pluralist most like the role an interest group plays in society?
A)They distort public opinion.
B)They undermine the practice of democracy.
C)They require regulation to function properly.
D)They make a positive contribution to the political system.

Accepted Answer

Pluralists, like interest groups, believe that multiple groups with varying interests and opinions should have a voice in the political system. They do not necessarily undermine democracy, but rather advocate for a more inclusive and diverse democracy. Both pluralists and interest groups can make positive contributions to the political system, such as providing a platform for underrepresented groups to have their voices heard, advocating for policy change, and promoting public participation in the political process.

Question 9

In a weak state,interest groups _________.
A)are largely government-created ones
B)often include powerful criminal gangs
C)cannot participate in lobbying activities
D)tend to be even weaker than the government

Accepted Answer

In a weak state, interest groups often include powerful criminal gangs because the state lacks the capacity to enforce laws and maintain order, allowing such groups to exert significant influence.

Question 10

Interest groups in the United States tend to over-represent __________.
A)business interests
B)social welfare causes
C)specialized labor groups
D)non-profit organizations

Accepted Answer

Business interests tend to be more organized and have more resources to devote to lobbying and advocacy efforts, which allows them to have a greater influence on the political process than other interest groups.

Question 11

Government programs tend to be difficult to cut back or eliminate in the United States because __________.
A)the federal budget is renewed annually
B)interest groups lobby to protect their benefits
C)reduced government spending hurts the economy
D)politicians are inherently conservative about change

Accepted Answer

Interest groups have a significant influence on government decisions, and they often lobby to protect their benefits or programs. This lobbying effort makes it difficult for policymakers to eliminate or cut back on government programs, as they fear backlash from interest groups and their constituents. Additionally, politicians may also be reluctant to make cuts due to the potential negative impact on their reelection prospects.

Question 12

Which statement explains why the 2010 health care reform bill contained no provision for a public insurance option?
A)President Obama threatened to veto any bill containing public option provisions.
B)Opinion polls showed that the public option was strongly opposed by most Americans.
C)Bureaucrats in the Medicare system testified before Congress that a public option would be highly inefficient.
D)Lobbyists for the health insurance industry were able to convince Congress to drop consideration of a public option.

Accepted Answer

Lobbyists for the health insurance industry were able to convince Congress to drop consideration of a public option.

Question 13

For interest groups to function properly,there must be __________.
A)a two-party system
B)an adversarial media
C)a strong government
D)an educated citizenry

Accepted Answer

The answer of For interest groups to function properly,there must...

Question 14

A government-created interest group is one that results from __________.
A)a schism within a political party
B)passage of campaign-finance limits
C)creation of a government program or bureaucracy
D)the deregulation of private fund-raising activities

Accepted Answer

A government-created interest group is formed as a result of the creation of a new government program or bureaucracy. The group is created to advocate for the interests of the program or bureaucracy and often receives funding or resources from the government. A schism within a political party, passage of campaign-finance limits, and deregulation of private fund-raising activities do not directly result in the creation of a government-created interest group.

Question 15

Which group has the most influence over politics in the United States?
A)women
B)senior citizens
C)wealthy individuals
D)racial and ethnic minorities

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which group has the most influence over...

Question 16

In order to prevent interest groups from influencing politics,it would be necessary to curtail their __________.
A)right to bear arms
B)freedom of expression
C)ability to seek new members
D)access to equal protection under the law

Accepted Answer

The freedom of expression is often utilized by interest groups to voice their opinions and sway public opinion in their favor. Therefore, limiting their freedom of expression would help prevent them from influencing politics. Options A, C, and D are not related to interest groups' influence on politics.

Question 17

The National Rifle Association generally supports __________ candidates.
A)Democratic
B)independent
C)Republican
D)third-party

Accepted Answer

The National Rifle Association has historically supported Republican candidates, as they align with the organization's stance on gun rights and the Second Amendment.

Question 18

Which of these is an example of two distinct interest groups working for the same cause?
A)gay men and lesbians both supporting same-sex marriage
B)social conservatives and the Religious Right both supporting school prayer
C)fiscal conservatives and business owners both opposing minimum wage hikes
D)libertarians and cancer patients both opposing laws against medical marijuana

Accepted Answer

Libertarians and cancer patients are distinct groups with different primary interests, yet they both support the legalization of medical marijuana for different reasons.

Question 19

Rousseau influenced French attitudes toward pluralism by arguing that __________.
A)interest groups were vital to a strong civil society
B)the general will was more important than particular wills
C)individual freedom was more important than the collective welfare
D)a decentralized state promoted liberty more effectively than a centralized one

Accepted Answer

Rousseau argued that the general will, or the common good, was more important than individual or particular wills. This belief influenced French attitudes toward pluralism by promoting the concept that society should prioritize the common good over individual interests.

Question 20

An interest group whose membership is dominated by retired persons is most likely to lobby __________.
A)for an expansion of Medicare benefits
B)against legislation banning age discrimination
C)for grants to the states to expand homeschooling efforts
D)against efforts to trim the costs of the federal bureaucracy

Accepted Answer

Retired persons are likely to be concerned with the expansion of Medicare benefits because this program is an important source of health care coverage for seniors.

Quiz 9: Interest Groups

The amount of money currently spent on lobbying the federal government is roughly $_________ per year.

Tocqueville noted that Americans are unusually fond of __________.

Which statement expresses a normative element of pluralism?

Which term describes a democratic system where all kinds of people with different opinions and values compete to influence government policy?

Which of these statements describes the theory of countervailing power?

Which statement explains why government bureaucracies tend to become influential interest groups?

Political parties differ from interest groups because parties __________.

In which of these ways is a pluralist most like the role an interest group plays in society?

In a weak state,interest groups _________.

Interest groups in the United States tend to over-represent __________.

Government programs tend to be difficult to cut back or eliminate in the United States because __________.

Which statement explains why the 2010 health care reform bill contained no provision for a public insurance option?

For interest groups to function properly,there must be __________.

A government-created interest group is one that results from __________.

Which group has the most influence over politics in the United States?

In order to prevent interest groups from influencing politics,it would be necessary to curtail their __________.

The National Rifle Association generally supports __________ candidates.

Which of these is an example of two distinct interest groups working for the same cause?

Rousseau influenced French attitudes toward pluralism by arguing that __________.

An interest group whose membership is dominated by retired persons is most likely to lobby __________.