Question 1

The Teamsters and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) are examples of what kind of interest group?

Accepted Answer

A)  a public interest group 
B)  a business group 
C)  a labor group 
D)  an ideological group 
E)  a professional association 
A)  a public interest group 
B)  a business group 
C)  a labor group 
D)  an ideological group 
E)  a professional association

Question 2

A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a

Accepted Answer

A)  free rider. 
B)  collective good. 
C)  right. 
D)  solidary benefit. 
E)  purposive benefit. 
A)  free rider. 
B)  collective good. 
C)  right. 
D)  solidary benefit. 
E)  purposive benefit.

Question 3

Interest groups most effectively serve

Accepted Answer

A)  the working classes. 
B)  the powerless. 
C)  the upper classes. 
D)  government bureaucrats. 
E)  racial and ethnic minorities. 
A)  the working classes. 
B)  the powerless. 
C)  the upper classes. 
D)  government bureaucrats. 
E)  racial and ethnic minorities.

Question 4

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between New Politics forces and the courts during the 1970s and 1980s?

Accepted Answer

A)  New Politics forces frequently protested court decisions but never engaged in litigation during the 1970s and 1980s. 
B)  New Politics forces did not litigate during the 1970s and 1980s because they were legally barred from bringing cases on behalf of their causes. 
C)  New Politics forces attempted to use the courts during the 1970s and 1980s to pursue their goals but failed to win any significant judicial decisions in their favor. 
D)  New Politics forces chose to completely avoid the courts during the 1970s and 1980s and pursued a strategy aimed at lobbying Congress instead. 
E)  New Politics forces made significant use of the courts during the 1970s and 1980s, and judicial decisions were instrumental in advancing their goals. 
A)  New Politics forces frequently protested court decisions but never engaged in litigation during the 1970s and 1980s. 
B)  New Politics forces did not litigate during the 1970s and 1980s because they were legally barred from bringing cases on behalf of their causes. 
C)  New Politics forces attempted to use the courts during the 1970s and 1980s to pursue their goals but failed to win any significant judicial decisions in their favor. 
D)  New Politics forces chose to completely avoid the courts during the 1970s and 1980s and pursued a strategy aimed at lobbying Congress instead. 
E)  New Politics forces made significant use of the courts during the 1970s and 1980s, and judicial decisions were instrumental in advancing their goals.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about PACs is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  The number of both labor PACs and ideological/public interest PACs has decreased significantly since 1980. 
B)  The number of both labor PACs and ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980. 
C)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has remained essentially the same. 
D)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has decreased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has remained essentially the same. 
E)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has decreased significantly. 
A)  The number of both labor PACs and ideological/public interest PACs has decreased significantly since 1980. 
B)  The number of both labor PACs and ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980. 
C)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has remained essentially the same. 
D)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has decreased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has remained essentially the same. 
E)  The number of ideological/public interest PACs has increased dramatically since 1980, while the number of labor PACs has decreased significantly.

Question 6

Many interest groups are initially organized because

Accepted Answer

A)  most state-level government agencies will only negotiate policy implementation with organized groups. 
B)  funding opportunities provided by the federal bureaucracy encourage collective action. 
C)  a political entrepreneur with a strong commitment to a particular set of goals believes a group will promote his or her goals and enhance his or her political influence. 
D)  activists realize that it is easier to form an interest group than it is to engage in other forms of political participation. 
E)  a politician has lost an election and wants to challenge the results. 
A)  most state-level government agencies will only negotiate policy implementation with organized groups. 
B)  funding opportunities provided by the federal bureaucracy encourage collective action. 
C)  a political entrepreneur with a strong commitment to a particular set of goals believes a group will promote his or her goals and enhance his or her political influence. 
D)  activists realize that it is easier to form an interest group than it is to engage in other forms of political participation. 
E)  a politician has lost an election and wants to challenge the results.

Question 7

When interest groups generate phony letters and phone calls in order to resemble a grassroots movement, this technique is called

Accepted Answer

A)  sandlot ball. 
B)  astroturf lobbying. 
C)  populism with the people. 
D)  gerrymandering. 
E)  hardball politics. 
A)  sandlot ball. 
B)  astroturf lobbying. 
C)  populism with the people. 
D)  gerrymandering. 
E)  hardball politics.

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between lobbyists and Congress in recent years?

Accepted Answer

A)  The relationship between Congress and lobbyists has become distant and strained. 
B)  The relationship between lobbyists and Congress has become so close that many have argued that lobbyists have become like staff members to the Republican leadership. 
C)  Lobbyists are more heavily relied on for information but are less important as sources of campaign contributions. 
D)  Since the breakdown of iron triangles, most successful lobbyists have moved on to state legislatures. 
E)  Lobbyists have abandoned Congress and focused their lobbying efforts on the executive and judicial branches. 
A)  The relationship between Congress and lobbyists has become distant and strained. 
B)  The relationship between lobbyists and Congress has become so close that many have argued that lobbyists have become like staff members to the Republican leadership. 
C)  Lobbyists are more heavily relied on for information but are less important as sources of campaign contributions. 
D)  Since the breakdown of iron triangles, most successful lobbyists have moved on to state legislatures. 
E)  Lobbyists have abandoned Congress and focused their lobbying efforts on the executive and judicial branches.

Question 9

Why is it important for interest groups to offer selective benefits?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is necessary to limit the extent of the free-rider problem. 
B)  If they do not, people will join political parties instead. 
C)  Selective benefits are the only way to measure the success of an interest group. 
D)  If they do not, people will accuse the groups of being antidemocratic. 
E)  Selective benefits allow interest groups to make the profits they need to continue operating. 
A)  It is necessary to limit the extent of the free-rider problem. 
B)  If they do not, people will join political parties instead. 
C)  Selective benefits are the only way to measure the success of an interest group. 
D)  If they do not, people will accuse the groups of being antidemocratic. 
E)  Selective benefits allow interest groups to make the profits they need to continue operating.

Question 10

It is difficult for political scientists to categorize unrepresented interests because

Accepted Answer

A)  there are no constitutional means for unorganized interests to compete for attention. 
B)  there are no organizations that can present their identities and demands. 
C)  there are no measurements of interests and needs outside of representation. 
D)  there are no legitimate interests that do not already have representation. 
E)  these interests often want to stay hidden from public view. 
A)  there are no constitutional means for unorganized interests to compete for attention. 
B)  there are no organizations that can present their identities and demands. 
C)  there are no measurements of interests and needs outside of representation. 
D)  there are no legitimate interests that do not already have representation. 
E)  these interests often want to stay hidden from public view.

Question 11

A PAC can contribute ______ to any candidate for federal office, provided it contributes to at least five different federal candidates each year.

Accepted Answer

A)  $500 
B)  $5,000 
C)  $50,000 
D)  $500,000 
E)  $5,000,000 
A)  $500 
B)  $5,000 
C)  $50,000 
D)  $500,000 
E)  $5,000,000

Question 12

Which of the following issues is not part of the agenda of the New Politics movement?

Accepted Answer

A)  environmental protection 
B)  occupational health and safety legislation 
C)  industrial deregulation 
D)  nuclear disarmament 
E)  women's rights 
A)  environmental protection 
B)  occupational health and safety legislation 
C)  industrial deregulation 
D)  nuclear disarmament 
E)  women's rights

Question 13

Which of the following is a main theoretical assumption of pluralism?

Accepted Answer

A)  Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests regulating each other. 
B)  Competition among interests will produce extreme public policy, with one interest dominating all others. 
C)  Every interest should not be free to compete for influence in the United States. 
D)  All interests are not equally free to compete for influence in the United States. 
E)  Interests inherently present a danger to liberty. 
A)  Competition among interests will produce balance, with all interests regulating each other. 
B)  Competition among interests will produce extreme public policy, with one interest dominating all others. 
C)  Every interest should not be free to compete for influence in the United States. 
D)  All interests are not equally free to compete for influence in the United States. 
E)  Interests inherently present a danger to liberty.

Question 14

The New Politics movement led to the proliferation of public interest groups in the 1970s.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the following is not a function of interest groups?

Accepted Answer

A)  to influence governmental decisions 
B)  to lobby government officials 
C)  to get their members elected to political office 
D)  to educate their members and the public about the issues that affect them 
E)  to monitor government programs to make sure their members are not adversely affected 
A)  to influence governmental decisions 
B)  to lobby government officials 
C)  to get their members elected to political office 
D)  to educate their members and the public about the issues that affect them 
E)  to monitor government programs to make sure their members are not adversely affected

Question 16

How can interest groups use litigation as a strategy of influence?

Accepted Answer

A)  filing amici curiae briefs, financing lawsuits, and bringing a suit on behalf of the group 
B)  directly lobbying judges, using direct-mail solicitations, and making campaign contributions to members of Congress 
C)  engaging in institutional advertising, activating issue networks, and directly lobbying judges 
D)  breaking apart iron triangles, directly lobbying judges, and starting PACs 
E)  working with 527 committees, directly lobbying judges, and engaging in institutional advertising 
A)  filing amici curiae briefs, financing lawsuits, and bringing a suit on behalf of the group 
B)  directly lobbying judges, using direct-mail solicitations, and making campaign contributions to members of Congress 
C)  engaging in institutional advertising, activating issue networks, and directly lobbying judges 
D)  breaking apart iron triangles, directly lobbying judges, and starting PACs 
E)  working with 527 committees, directly lobbying judges, and engaging in institutional advertising

Question 17

The first organized interest groups arose in response to the

Accepted Answer

A)  debates about the ratification of the Constitution. 
B)  Civil War. 
C)  economic interventions of the federal government during the 1890s. 
D)  New Deal policies during the 1930s. 
E)  New Politics movement of the 1960s. 
A)  debates about the ratification of the Constitution. 
B)  Civil War. 
C)  economic interventions of the federal government during the 1890s. 
D)  New Deal policies during the 1930s. 
E)  New Politics movement of the 1960s.

Question 18

Interest groups are permitted to spend as much money as they want on issue advocacy during a campaign season, as long as they

Accepted Answer

A)  do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization. 
B)  are not also actively lobbying the federal government on behalf of the position taken in the issue ad. 
C)  are willing to publicize their membership lists. 
D)  present both sides of the issue in their issue advocacy ads. 
E)  do not employ any person who has formerly worked on a political campaign. 
A)  do not coordinate their efforts with a candidate's own campaign organization. 
B)  are not also actively lobbying the federal government on behalf of the position taken in the issue ad. 
C)  are willing to publicize their membership lists. 
D)  present both sides of the issue in their issue advocacy ads. 
E)  do not employ any person who has formerly worked on a political campaign.

Question 19

When a coalition of credit card companies forms an interest group called the Partnership to Protect Consumer Credit, this indicates that

Accepted Answer

A)  credit card companies are interested in the public good. 
B)  private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests. 
C)  public interest groups are now actively involving private corporations. 
D)  the free-rider problem does not apply to private corporations. 
E)  the credit card companies lack solidary benefits to offer their customers. 
A)  credit card companies are interested in the public good. 
B)  private interests are hiding behind the ideals of public interests. 
C)  public interest groups are now actively involving private corporations. 
D)  the free-rider problem does not apply to private corporations. 
E)  the credit card companies lack solidary benefits to offer their customers.

Question 20

A full-page, fully paid spread in the New York Times publicizing a major oil company is best described as

Accepted Answer

A)  going public. 
B)  lobbying. 
C)  institutional advertising. 
D)  an iron triangle. 
E)  an issue network. 
A)  going public. 
B)  lobbying. 
C)  institutional advertising. 
D)  an iron triangle. 
E)  an issue network.

Exam 11: Groups and Interests

The Teamsters and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) are examples of what kind of interest group?

A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a

Interest groups most effectively serve

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between New Politics forces and the courts during the 1970s and 1980s?

Which of the following statements about PACs is most accurate?

Many interest groups are initially organized because

When interest groups generate phony letters and phone calls in order to resemble a grassroots movement, this technique is called

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between lobbyists and Congress in recent years?

Why is it important for interest groups to offer selective benefits?

It is difficult for political scientists to categorize unrepresented interests because

A PAC can contribute ______ to any candidate for federal office, provided it contributes to at least five different federal candidates each year.

Which of the following issues is not part of the agenda of the New Politics movement?

Which of the following is a main theoretical assumption of pluralism?

The New Politics movement led to the proliferation of public interest groups in the 1970s.

Which of the following is not a function of interest groups?

How can interest groups use litigation as a strategy of influence?

The first organized interest groups arose in response to the

Interest groups are permitted to spend as much money as they want on issue advocacy during a campaign season, as long as they

When a coalition of credit card companies forms an interest group called the Partnership to Protect Consumer Credit, this indicates that

A full-page, fully paid spread in the New York Times publicizing a major oil company is best described as

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