Question 1

Which of the following factors contributed to addition of the prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003?

Accepted Answer

A)  Democrats broke the Republican filibuster and won a close vote for the bill, which the president then signed. 
B)  Drug and insurance companies were limited in their lobbying efforts due to the struggling economy. 
C)  Elderly voters and the AARP backed the Republican plan and helped to push it through Congress. 
D)  Republican president George W. Bush promised to help seniors with rising drug costs and persuaded the drug companies to lower their prices. 
E)  Young voters, worried about the rising costs of taking care of their parents, created an advocacy group to lobby for the prescription drug benefit. 
A)  Democrats broke the Republican filibuster and won a close vote for the bill, which the president then signed. 
B)  Drug and insurance companies were limited in their lobbying efforts due to the struggling economy. 
C)  Elderly voters and the AARP backed the Republican plan and helped to push it through Congress. 
D)  Republican president George W. Bush promised to help seniors with rising drug costs and persuaded the drug companies to lower their prices. 
E)  Young voters, worried about the rising costs of taking care of their parents, created an advocacy group to lobby for the prescription drug benefit.

Question 2

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?

Accepted Answer

A)  by introducing bills 
B)  by filing amicus curiae briefs 
C)  by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill 
D)  by providing technical information on policy issues 
E)  by offering them money to vote a particular way 
A)  by introducing bills 
B)  by filing amicus curiae briefs 
C)  by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill 
D)  by providing technical information on policy issues 
E)  by offering them money to vote a particular way

Question 3

What inequalities exist in the interest group system in American politics? What are their effects?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Discuss how i

Question 4

How do interest groups evaluate members of Congress? Why is this information valuable?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Describe how

Question 5

What is a trade association?

Accepted Answer

A)  a coalition of public interest groups in a specific policy area, such as environmental policy 
B)  an organization that coordinates exchanges of information and resources among multiple interest groups 
C)  a type of labor union 
D)  an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry 
E)  an organization that represents the federal government during the negotiation of international trade agreements 
A)  a coalition of public interest groups in a specific policy area, such as environmental policy 
B)  an organization that coordinates exchanges of information and resources among multiple interest groups 
C)  a type of labor union 
D)  an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry 
E)  an organization that represents the federal government during the negotiation of international trade agreements

Question 6

One way that interest groups can influence court cases they are interested in is by filing a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

amicus cur

Question 7

An iron triangle customarily includes an interest group, an executive agency, and a Congressional __________.

Accepted Answer

committee

Question 8

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest and most influential interest groups in the United States, and it is a staunch foe of the minimum wage.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

What is a political action committee (PAC)?

Accepted Answer

A)  an organization within a political party that coordinates campaign events 
B)  an organizations that focuses on grassroots/outside lobbying 
C)  an organization that conducts voter registration drives 
D)  an organization that solicits campaign contributions and distributes them to political candidates 
E)  an organization within a political party that creates and runs campaign advertisements 
A)  an organization within a political party that coordinates campaign events 
B)  an organizations that focuses on grassroots/outside lobbying 
C)  an organization that conducts voter registration drives 
D)  an organization that solicits campaign contributions and distributes them to political candidates 
E)  an organization within a political party that creates and runs campaign advertisements

Question 10

Most politically active organizations use lobbying to make their interests known to government officials.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

You are the leader of a consumer rights group that has been unable to get a meeting with your elected representative in Congress. How could you get the attention of your legislator on the issues your group cares about?

Accepted Answer

A)  Organize a demonstration in the representative's district and invite the media. 
B)  File an amicus curiae brief. 
C)  Draft a bill and introduce it in Congress. 
D)  Form a political action committee. 
E)  Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission. 
A)  Organize a demonstration in the representative's district and invite the media. 
B)  File an amicus curiae brief. 
C)  Draft a bill and introduce it in Congress. 
D)  Form a political action committee. 
E)  Contact the Consumer Products Safety Commission.

Question 12

Most scholars believe that sub-governments/iron triangles are becoming more important in American government.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?

Accepted Answer

A)  an advocacy group 
B)  a professional association 
C)  a labor union 
D)  a group representing a state government 
E)  a political action committee 
A)  an advocacy group 
B)  a professional association 
C)  a labor union 
D)  a group representing a state government 
E)  a political action committee

Question 14

Which of the following, if true, would indicate that grassroots/outside lobbying is an ineffective political tactic?

Accepted Answer

A)  Policy makers primarily work to satisfy the demands of their wealthiest campaign contributors. As a result, they rarely respond to broader public opinion. 
B)  In congressional elections, incumbent candidates win at a much higher rate than challengers. 
C)  The number of interest groups with lobbyists in Washington, D.C., has increased over the past several decades. 
D)  The mass media tend to cover only the most dramatic and unusual news stories. 
E)  Most members of Congress have rejected campaign contributions from (political action committees) PACs. 
A)  Policy makers primarily work to satisfy the demands of their wealthiest campaign contributors. As a result, they rarely respond to broader public opinion. 
B)  In congressional elections, incumbent candidates win at a much higher rate than challengers. 
C)  The number of interest groups with lobbyists in Washington, D.C., has increased over the past several decades. 
D)  The mass media tend to cover only the most dramatic and unusual news stories. 
E)  Most members of Congress have rejected campaign contributions from (political action committees) PACs.

Question 15

Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions in Federalist No. 10?

Accepted Answer

A)  He believed that factions pursuing their self-interest would work against the broader public interest. 
B)  He worried that factions were too focused on the public good and that they neglected to take care of their own needs. 
C)  He worried that the Constitution did not provide enough opportunities for factions to be involved in politics. 
D)  He worried that factions might prevent the Constitution from being ratified. 
E)  He worried that the faction he belonged to would lose power if the Constitution were ratified. 
A)  He believed that factions pursuing their self-interest would work against the broader public interest. 
B)  He worried that factions were too focused on the public good and that they neglected to take care of their own needs. 
C)  He worried that the Constitution did not provide enough opportunities for factions to be involved in politics. 
D)  He worried that factions might prevent the Constitution from being ratified. 
E)  He worried that the faction he belonged to would lose power if the Constitution were ratified.

Question 16

How does access inequality undermine the workings of the interest group system in America?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Describe how

Question 17

Pluralism has been challenged on the basis of the fact that political resources and power are unequally distributed within society.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Which of the following statements, if true, would undermine the idea of pluralism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Members of Congress have become increasingly dependent on political action committee (PA
C)  contributions to fund their campaigns. 
B)  Political action committees (PACs) are not always successful in securing favorable government policies. 
C)  Membership in labor unions has decreased over the past several decades. 
D)  Individuals with shared grievances do not always come together to form interest groups. 
E)  The number of interest groups with lobbyists in Washington, D.C., has increased over the past several decades. 
A)  Members of Congress have become increasingly dependent on political action committee (PA
C)  contributions to fund their campaigns. 
B)  Political action committees (PACs) are not always successful in securing favorable government policies. 
C)  Membership in labor unions has decreased over the past several decades. 
D)  Individuals with shared grievances do not always come together to form interest groups. 
E)  The number of interest groups with lobbyists in Washington, D.C., has increased over the past several decades.

Question 19

According to Madison's Federalist No. 10, a(n) __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.

Accepted Answer

A)  faction 
B)  political party 
C)  single-issue organization 
D)  oligarchy 
E)  special interest group 
A)  faction 
B)  political party 
C)  single-issue organization 
D)  oligarchy 
E)  special interest group

Question 20

__________ are organizations that seek to influence public policy.

Accepted Answer

The answer of __________ are organizations that seek to influence...

Which of the following factors contributed to addition of the prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003?

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?

What inequalities exist in the interest group system in American politics? What are their effects?

How do interest groups evaluate members of Congress? Why is this information valuable?

What is a trade association?

One way that interest groups can influence court cases they are interested in is by filing a(n) __________.

An iron triangle customarily includes an interest group, an executive agency, and a Congressional __________.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest and most influential interest groups in the United States, and it is a staunch foe of the minimum wage.

What is a political action committee (PAC)?

Most politically active organizations use lobbying to make their interests known to government officials.

You are the leader of a consumer rights group that has been unable to get a meeting with your elected representative in Congress. How could you get the attention of your legislator on the issues your group cares about?

Most scholars believe that sub-governments/iron triangles are becoming more important in American government.

Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?

Which of the following, if true, would indicate that grassroots/outside lobbying is an ineffective political tactic?

Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions in Federalist No. 10?

How does access inequality undermine the workings of the interest group system in America?

Pluralism has been challenged on the basis of the fact that political resources and power are unequally distributed within society.

Which of the following statements, if true, would undermine the idea of pluralism?

According to Madison's Federalist No. 10, a(n) __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.

__________ are organizations that seek to influence public policy.

Democracy and American Politics

The Constitution

Federalism: States and Nation

The Structural Foundations of American Government and Politics

Public Opinion

The News Media

Social Movements

Political Parties

Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

Congress

The Presidency

The Executive Branch

The Courts

Civil Liberties: the Struggle for Freedom

Civil Rights: the Struggle for Political Equality

Domestic Policies

Foreign Policy and National Defense

Filters

Exam 7: Interest Groups and Business Organizations

Which of the following factors contributed to addition of the prescription drug benefit to Medicare in 2003?

How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?

What inequalities exist in the interest group system in American politics? What are their effects?

How do interest groups evaluate members of Congress? Why is this information valuable?

What is a trade association?

One way that interest groups can influence court cases they are interested in is by filing a(n) __________.

An iron triangle customarily includes an interest group, an executive agency, and a Congressional __________.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest and most influential interest groups in the United States, and it is a staunch foe of the minimum wage.

What is a political action committee (PAC)?

Most politically active organizations use lobbying to make their interests known to government officials.

You are the leader of a consumer rights group that has been unable to get a meeting with your elected representative in Congress. How could you get the attention of your legislator on the issues your group cares about?

Most scholars believe that sub-governments/iron triangles are becoming more important in American government.

Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?

Which of the following, if true, would indicate that grassroots/outside lobbying is an ineffective political tactic?

Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions in Federalist No. 10?

How does access inequality undermine the workings of the interest group system in America?

Pluralism has been challenged on the basis of the fact that political resources and power are unequally distributed within society.

Which of the following statements, if true, would undermine the idea of pluralism?

According to Madison's Federalist No. 10, a(n) __________ is a group of individuals concerned more with their self-interest than with the rights of individuals outside the group or with the needs of society as a whole.

__________ are organizations that seek to influence public policy.

Democracy and American Politics

The Constitution

Federalism: States and Nation

The Structural Foundations of American Government and Politics

Public Opinion

The News Media

Social Movements

Political Parties

Voting, Campaigns, and Elections

Congress

The Presidency

The Executive Branch

The Courts

Civil Liberties: the Struggle for Freedom

Civil Rights: the Struggle for Political Equality

Domestic Policies

Foreign Policy and National Defense

Filters