question

interest group

answer

Any group that seeks to influence public policy

question

institutional interests

answer

Individuals or groups representing other organizations

question

solidary incentives

answer

The sense of pleasure, status, or companionship arising from group membership

question

material incentives

answer

Money, things, or services obtainable from interest group membership

question

public-interest lobby

answer

An organization whose goals, if realized, would benefit primarily nongroup members

question

Democratic-Republicans

answer

Political party founded by Thomas Jefferson

question

progressives

answer

Group of reformers who were able to reduce the worst forms of political corruption within political parties

question

political efficacy

answer

A citizen's sense that he or she can understand and influence politics

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Hatch Act of 1939

answer

Reform oriented legislation which took federal employees out of machine politics

question

political machine

answer

A political party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives and is characterized by a high degree of leadership control over members' activities

question

personal following

answer

A political party organization built around allegiance to a particular candidate

question

plurality

answer

Simply refers to getting more votes in an election than the other candidates—but not necessarily a majority

question

political party

answer

A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label

question

national party convention

answer

The ultimate authority in both major political parties in the United States

question

single-member districts

answer

Members of the House of Representations are elected from these.

question

ideological parties

answer

Parties that value principle above all else

question

soft money

answer

Campaign money which is not regulated by the government

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Federalists

answer

Political party founded by Alexander Hamilton

question

caucus

answer

A closed meeting of party leaders to select party candidates

question

federal money

answer

Campaign money which is subject to regulation by the government

question

True

answer

T or F: The political parties of the United States are the oldest in the world among democratic nations

question

True

answer

T or F: Americans do not usually join parties except by voting for their candidates

question

False (They opposed them)

answer

T or F: The Founders recognized the inevitability of political parties and encouraged their formation

question

False (They were known as the Federalists)

answer

T or F: Hamilton and his followers were known as the Democratic Republicans

question

False (They were actually in opposition to Jackson)

answer

T or F: The Whigs were strong supporters of Andrew Jackson

question

True

answer

T or F: The modern Republican party began as a third party

question

True

answer

T or F: In the world today, a two-party system is a rarity

question

False (They had been perfected prior to the arrival of these immigrants)

answer

T or F: Big-city machines were caused by the floods of immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and elsewhere in the late nineteenth century

question

False (Traditionally, machines are nonideological; they are more interested in getting candidates elected than in supporting particular issues)

answer

T or F: Party machines tend to be highly ideological in their choice of candidates to support

question

True

answer

T or F: Today, the old-style machine is almost extinct

question

False (Only at the national level)

answer

T or F: Over the decades the Democrats and Republicans have been about equally balanced at the national and state levels

question

False (It was the Republicans)

answer

T or F: From 1968 to 1988, the Democratic party won five out of six presidential elections

question

False (Even with the quota, great diversity exists)

answer

T or F: The greater ideological commitment of convention delegates compared with average voters is explained by the quota rules for delegate selection

question

True

answer

T or F: Today, three-fourths of the states have primaries that choose the great majority of convention delegates

question

False (Most European democracies are multi-party systems)

answer

T or F: Most European democracies are two-party systems

question

False (The party is stronger in Chicago, where interest groups must work within the party)

answer

T or F: Interest groups tend to proliferate more in cities such as Chicago, where the political party is strong, than in Los Angeles, where parties are weaker

question

False (Also in the 1770s, 1830s-1840s, 1860s, 1900s-1920s)

answer

T or F: Only since 1960 have interest groups proliferated rapidly in the United States

question

False (The LWV is a membership interest group)

answer

T or F: The National Independent Retail Jewelers and the League of Women Voters are examples of institutional interest groups

question

True

answer

T or F: Ideological parties value principle above all else

question

True

answer

T or F: The American Association of Retired Persons is an example of an interest group that offers material incentives to prospective members

question

False (Mountain States Legal Foundation is a conservative answer to Nader)

answer

T or F: There are no conservative organizations comparable to Ralph Nader's ideological interest groups

question

True

answer

T or F: Institutional interests are individuals or organizations representing other organizations

question

False (These are a comparatively recent phenomena)

answer

T or F: Direct mail solicitations for interest group funding are as old as the Post Office

question

False (They do have an upper-class bias)

answer

T or F: There is no bias in regard to interest groups

question

True

answer

T or F: A legislator would be more likely to support a proposed law if several ideologically similar lobbies all supported it

question

True

answer

T or F: PACs reached huge proportions only after laws to regulate campaign contributions were enacted

question

False (But they spend less on campaigns and give less to candidates)

answer

T or F: Ideological PACs generally raise more money than business or labor PACs

question

True

answer

T or F: Most money given by PACs to candidates running for Congress goes to incumbents

question

False (They avoid such situations as politically risky)

answer

T or F: Politicians generally are comfortable with situations in which disruptive tactics are pursued by interest groups

question

False (Protection comes in the form of the First Amendment)

answer

T or F: Interest groups receive broad protection under the second amendment

question

B

answer

Q: The oldest political parties in the world are currently found in: a. India. b. the United States. c. Great Britain. d. Switzerland. e. Russia

question

C

answer

Q: In Europe candidates for elective office are generally nominated by: a. local referenda. b. aristocrats. c. party leaders. d. national primaries. e. direct democracy

question

C

answer

Q: One striking difference between American and European political parties is: a. European parties do not directly choose the chief executive. b. the American system centralizes political authority. c. the American system decentralizes political authority. d. political parties in America are growing stronger. e. political parties in America directly choose the chief executive

question

E

answer

Q: If an American political party wins control of Congress, it does not win the right to choose the: a. senate majority leader. b. majority party whips. c. house majority leader. d. speaker of the house. e. chief executive.

question

C

answer

Q: Thomas Jefferson, among other founders of our nation, was adamantly opposed to political parties because: a. the Constitution made clear the dangers of partisanship in government. b. political parties during the early years of the republic were both strong and centralized. c. disputes over policies and elections were not easily separated from disputes over governmental legitimacy. d. political parties during the early years of the republic represented clear, homogeneous economic interests. e. it might cost him his bid to become president

question

C

answer

Q: Political parties have declined in significance as a result of changes in the __________ under which they operate. a. proportional b. multi-party system. c. legal rules. d. national convention system. e. single-member districts

question

B

answer

Q: Compared to the Democratic party during the 1960s and 1970s, the Republican party was: a. more factionalized. b. better organized. c. more loosely organized. d. underfinanced. e. only dominant at the national level

question

A

answer

Q: Compared with the Republicans, the Democratic national party structure: a. has more participation by volunteer party activists. b. has more participation by the party's office holders. c. supplies more financial help to the party's candidates. d. gets more of its money from small individual contributors. e. receives more support from Veterans' groups

question

E

answer

Q: Much of the money raised by political parties is regulated by the: a. Supreme Court. b. executive branch. c. federal bureaucracy. d. party chairman. e. Federal Election Commission

question

C

answer

Q: Ideological parties value _____ above all else. a. money b. power c. prestige d. principle e. winning

question

D

answer

Q: The chief disadvantage of a solidary association is that its members: a. are looking for patronage. b. hold fanatical opinions. c. dislike machines. d. may not work hard. e. tend to be lower income

question

A

answer

Q: Almost all elections in the United States are based on: a. the plurality system. b. the majority system. c. proportional representation. d. a combination of systems. e. states' rights

question

C

answer

Q: That the two-party system has persisted in the United States is perhaps best explained by what two factors? a. democracy and the decentralization of power b. the strength of political parties and the media c. electoral laws and public opinion d. religion and the First Amendment e. military and economic power

question

E

answer

Q: A person wanting to win an election will usually try to form a(n) __________. a. soldiery group. b. ideological party. c. purposive group. d. political machine. e. personal following

question

A

answer

Q: Party activists are not likely to: a. resemble the average citizen. b. take issues seriously. c. work very hard. d. support candidates with strong ideological appeal. e. use the media to promote their views

question

A

answer

Q: The chief disadvantage to parties of the current system of presidential nomination is that it: a. increases the chances of nominating a candidate unappealing to the rank and file. b. decreases the chances of a faction's bolting the party. c. increases the chances of a faction's bolting the party. d. affords little opportunity to minorities to voice their concerns. e. makes the choice of a vice-presidential candidate unimportant

question

C

answer

Q: The advantage of the new primary system that has developed in America is that it: a. increases the role that rank-and-file voters have in influencing the party's candidate choice. b. increases the chances that the party will nominate a candidate who is appealing to the average voter. c. increases the opportunity for those with strong policy preferences to play a role in the party. d. decreases the likelihood that one party or the other will gain control of the presidency for several terms. e. centralizes power in the hands of only a few party members

question

B

answer

Q: How can the differences between the two major parties in America best be characterized? a. There are very large differences in policy views. b. There are large policy differences among activists and much smaller ones among the rank-and-file. c. There are only trivial differences. d. There are differences on social issues but not on economic issues. e. There are differences only on use of force issues

question

A

answer

Q: To obtain power within a political party, an individual must usually: a. move toward the center. b. move away from the center. c. avoid publicity. d. reflect the views of the average voter. e. use the media.

question

C

answer

Q: Where political parties are strong, interest groups are likely to be: a. equally strong. b. independent. c. weak. d. more numerous. e. even stronger

question

D

answer

Q: It has been observed that interest groups are created more rapidly in some periods than in others. This suggests that these groups: a. are the result of the diversity of American society. b. arise when labor is strong. c. arise when social conditions demand action. d. do not arise inevitably out of natural social processes. e. arise during specific cycles.

question

C

answer

Q: The growth of numerous public-interest lobbies in the 1960s was an example of interest groups forming as a result of: a. government policy. b. the emergence of talented leadership. c. the enlargement of governmental responsibilities. d. broad economic developments. e. government scandals

question

D

answer

Q: Institutional interests are defined as individuals or organizations representing: a. the Congress. b. the President. c. the Judiciary. d. other organizations. e. the republican party

question

D

answer

Q: Compared with the British and Germans, Americans' sense of political efficacy—a citizen's sense that he/she can understand and influence politics—is: a. much less. b. slightly less. c. about the same. d. much greater. e. nonexistent

question

B

answer

Q: Most of the money PACs collect goes to: a. liberals. b. incumbents. c. conservatives. d. trade associations. e. businesses

question

E

answer

Q: On most issues, how legislators vote can be explained primarily by their: a. PAC money received. b. years in office. c. personal ethics. d. personal morals. e. ideological outlook

question

C

answer

Q: Interest groups with large staffs are likely to take political positions in accordance with: a. rank-and-file opinion. b. the view of the general public. c. staff beliefs. d. government policy. e. opinion polls

question

C

answer

Q: Which of the following interest groups is likely to have the most difficult time raising money? a. a lobbying organization representing a nonprofit organization b. a lobbying organization representing a for-profit organization c. a membership organization relying on appeals to purpose d. a membership organization relying on solidary incentives e. a lobbying organization well connected to Washington

question

C

answer

Q: Of the three major sources of funds available to interest groups, the one that is unique to modern interest groups is: a. foundation grants. b. federal grants and contracts. c. computerized direct-mail solicitations. d. public funding via the personal tax return. e. payroll deductions

question

C

answer

Q: To say that "the pressure system has an upper-class bias" is to: a. state an important principle of lobbying. b. state an incorrect view of lobbying. c. say much about the people who join groups, but nothing about positions the groups will take. d. say much about the positions groups take, but nothing about the people who join these groups. e. compare apples to oranges

question

A

answer

Q: The single most important tactic open to interest groups is: a. the ability to supply credible information to the right person. b. bribery. c. phone calls. d. using the Internet. e. buying access to decision makers

question

D

answer

Q: A political "cue" signal official as to: a. political scandals. b. intense media coverage. c. pork-barrel spending. d. what values are at stake with an issue. e. economic downturns

question

A

answer

Q: The scholarly evidence that PAC money buys votes in Congress is: a. sketchy at best. b. fairly strong, but still inconclusive. c. substantial. d. conclusive. e. totally false.

question

A

answer

Q: This term describes when government officials take lucrative jobs in the private sector after they leave government. a. The revolving door. b. The iron triangle. c. Soft money. d. Hard money. e. Incumbency.

question

C

answer

Q: Interest group activity is a form of _____ protected by the _____. a. actual speech, First Amendment. b. exaggerated speech, Second Amendment. c. political speech, First Amendment. d. prolific, Fourth Amendment. e. slurred speech, Fifth Amendment

question

E

answer

Q: Public displays and disruptive tactics—marches, sit-ins, picketing, etc.—have always been a part of: a. communist systems of government. b. socialist systems of government. c. only European politics. d. only Middle Eastern politics. e. American politics

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