Question 1

Identify three of the most active types of interest groups in state and local politics.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
-Business elite
-Business interests and its effects on local politics
-Interest in community planning and taxes
-Professional associations
-Examples: health care professionals, barbers, etc.
-Interest in regulatory laws and the makeup of boards that do the regulating
-Special-interest groups
-Dominate certain states and affect public policies in these states
-Examples: corn and hog farmers in Iowa, gas and oil companies in Texas and Louisiana, tobacco farmers in North Carolina and Virginia, etc.

Question 2

Which of the following is true of lobbying?

Accepted Answer

A) It is more stringent at the state and local level than at the federal level. 
B) Monetary contributions are considered as the top lobbying technique. 
C) It is an indirect strategy of exerting influence on state officials. 
D) It involves providing information on specific proposals. 
E) The U.S.federal law prohibits gifts to public employees. 
A) It is more stringent at the state and local level than at the federal level. 
B) Monetary contributions are considered as the top lobbying technique. 
C) It is an indirect strategy of exerting influence on state officials. 
D) It involves providing information on specific proposals. 
E) The U.S.federal law prohibits gifts to public employees. D

Question 3

Beyond influencing the legislature, lobbyists at the state level also work with officials in the executive branch and even the judiciary in getting their point across to state governments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

Four states ban gifts of any sort to state officials.This is sometimes called the "_______" rule.

Accepted Answer

A) anti-incumbent 
B) no cup of coffee 
C) corruption prevention 
D) full disclosure 
E) public transparency 
A) anti-incumbent 
B) no cup of coffee 
C) corruption prevention 
D) full disclosure 
E) public transparency

Question 5

Which of the following states limits gifts to public employees to no more than $3 in value?

Accepted Answer

A) Texas 
B) Virginia 
C) California 
D) Iowa 
E) Vermont 
A) Texas 
B) Virginia 
C) California 
D) Iowa 
E) Vermont

Question 6

What are the indirect strategies used by interest groups to exert their influence on state officials?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Interest gro

Question 7

Define social stratification and explain its relationship to the power elite as identified by some social scientists.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Social strat

Question 8

What are professional associations and why are they active in state and local politics?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Professional

Question 9

Gross domestic product is an estimated value of the total worth of production and services, by citizens of a country, on its land or on foreign land, calculated over the course on one year.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Lobbying regulations are more relaxed at the federal level than at the local and state level.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Community, business, and other leaders who determine public policy or block changes in policy without themselves necessarily holding office are collectively known as ________.

Accepted Answer

A) centralists 
B) lobbyists 
C) opinion leaders 
D) the power elite 
E) decentralists 
A) centralists 
B) lobbyists 
C) opinion leaders 
D) the power elite 
E) decentralists

Question 12

At what level of government are redistributive policies, which focus on redistributing resources to needier citizens, least likely to be found?

Accepted Answer

A) the local level 
B) the state level 
C) the federal level 
D) about equally at the local and federal level 
E) about equally at all levels of government 
A) the local level 
B) the state level 
C) the federal level 
D) about equally at the local and federal level 
E) about equally at all levels of government

Question 13

The national government has more daily contact with ordinary Americans than the local and state governments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true of interest groups?

Accepted Answer

A) Interest groups are stronger in states where political parties are better organized. 
B) Interest groups are weaker in states where the state government is strong, active, and professional. 
C) Interest groups appear to be weaker in states with traditionalistic political cultures. 
D) Interest groups tend to be stronger in states with individualistic political cultures. 
E) Interest groups are stronger in states where the state government is relatively strong. 
A) Interest groups are stronger in states where political parties are better organized. 
B) Interest groups are weaker in states where the state government is strong, active, and professional. 
C) Interest groups appear to be weaker in states with traditionalistic political cultures. 
D) Interest groups tend to be stronger in states with individualistic political cultures. 
E) Interest groups are stronger in states where the state government is relatively strong.

Question 15

As racial and ethnic minority groups become majorities in more states, what might happen to political divisions in those states and what might the effects of this trend be on public policies?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
As our natio

Question 16

Lack of citizen interest in, and participation in, local politics is often referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

A) gerrymandering 
B) grassroots apathy 
C) elitism 
D) disillusionment 
E) rational abstention 
A) gerrymandering 
B) grassroots apathy 
C) elitism 
D) disillusionment 
E) rational abstention

Question 17

Cities rarely have the funds to mount major economic development plans.Which of the following statements, if true, strengthens the argument?

Accepted Answer

A) There has been a major reduction in housing values that has reduced property tax revenue. 
B) The economic crisis of 2008 saw a rise in the number of bailouts across the world. 
C) A recent poll of residents from 5 major cities in the United States suggests that citizens feel that the local government is not doing enough for the betterment of the lower sections of society. 
D) There has been a rise in income and sales tax revenue. 
E) Congress passed the American Reconstruction and Recovery Act of 2009, which included billions of dollars for road and highway construction and other state and local projects. 
A) There has been a major reduction in housing values that has reduced property tax revenue. 
B) The economic crisis of 2008 saw a rise in the number of bailouts across the world. 
C) A recent poll of residents from 5 major cities in the United States suggests that citizens feel that the local government is not doing enough for the betterment of the lower sections of society. 
D) There has been a rise in income and sales tax revenue. 
E) Congress passed the American Reconstruction and Recovery Act of 2009, which included billions of dollars for road and highway construction and other state and local projects.

Question 18

Citizens may trust local government the most, but they generally take less interest in, vote less often in, and are less informed about their local governments than about the national government.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following is a direct strategy used by interest groups to exert influence?

Accepted Answer

A) print advertisements 
B) email campaigns 
C) contributing to local event 
D) lobbying 
E) letter writing 
A) print advertisements 
B) email campaigns 
C) contributing to local event 
D) lobbying 
E) letter writing

Question 20

Explain the theory of pluralism.

Accepted Answer

An ideal response would be:
Pl

Identify three of the most active types of interest groups in state and local politics.

Which of the following is true of lobbying?

Beyond influencing the legislature, lobbyists at the state level also work with officials in the executive branch and even the judiciary in getting their point across to state governments.

Four states ban gifts of any sort to state officials.This is sometimes called the "_______" rule.

Which of the following states limits gifts to public employees to no more than $3 in value?

What are the indirect strategies used by interest groups to exert their influence on state officials?

Define social stratification and explain its relationship to the power elite as identified by some social scientists.

What are professional associations and why are they active in state and local politics?

Gross domestic product is an estimated value of the total worth of production and services, by citizens of a country, on its land or on foreign land, calculated over the course on one year.

Lobbying regulations are more relaxed at the federal level than at the local and state level.

Community, business, and other leaders who determine public policy or block changes in policy without themselves necessarily holding office are collectively known as ________.

At what level of government are redistributive policies, which focus on redistributing resources to needier citizens, least likely to be found?

The national government has more daily contact with ordinary Americans than the local and state governments.

Which of the following statements is true of interest groups?

As racial and ethnic minority groups become majorities in more states, what might happen to political divisions in those states and what might the effects of this trend be on public policies?

Lack of citizen interest in, and participation in, local politics is often referred to as ________.

Cities rarely have the funds to mount major economic development plans.Which of the following statements, if true, strengthens the argument?

Citizens may trust local government the most, but they generally take less interest in, vote less often in, and are less informed about their local governments than about the national government.

Which of the following is a direct strategy used by interest groups to exert influence?

Explain the theory of pluralism.

American Federalism

State Constitutions: Charters or Straightjackets

Parties and Elections in the States

State Legislatures

State Governors

Judges and the Justice in the States

Local Governments and Metropolitics

Making State and Local Policy

People and Money in State and Local Governments

Filters

Exam 1: State and Local Politics

Identify three of the most active types of interest groups in state and local politics.

Which of the following is true of lobbying?

Beyond influencing the legislature, lobbyists at the state level also work with officials in the executive branch and even the judiciary in getting their point across to state governments.

Four states ban gifts of any sort to state officials.This is sometimes called the "_______" rule.

Which of the following states limits gifts to public employees to no more than $3 in value?

What are the indirect strategies used by interest groups to exert their influence on state officials?

Define social stratification and explain its relationship to the power elite as identified by some social scientists.

What are professional associations and why are they active in state and local politics?

Gross domestic product is an estimated value of the total worth of production and services, by citizens of a country, on its land or on foreign land, calculated over the course on one year.

Lobbying regulations are more relaxed at the federal level than at the local and state level.

Community, business, and other leaders who determine public policy or block changes in policy without themselves necessarily holding office are collectively known as ________.

At what level of government are redistributive policies, which focus on redistributing resources to needier citizens, least likely to be found?

The national government has more daily contact with ordinary Americans than the local and state governments.

Which of the following statements is true of interest groups?

As racial and ethnic minority groups become majorities in more states, what might happen to political divisions in those states and what might the effects of this trend be on public policies?

Lack of citizen interest in, and participation in, local politics is often referred to as ________.

Cities rarely have the funds to mount major economic development plans.Which of the following statements, if true, strengthens the argument?

Citizens may trust local government the most, but they generally take less interest in, vote less often in, and are less informed about their local governments than about the national government.

Which of the following is a direct strategy used by interest groups to exert influence?

Explain the theory of pluralism.

American Federalism

State Constitutions: Charters or Straightjackets

Parties and Elections in the States

State Legislatures

State Governors

Judges and the Justice in the States

Local Governments and Metropolitics

Making State and Local Policy

People and Money in State and Local Governments

Filters