Chapter 10 Interest Groups test – Flashcards
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an interest group filing an amicus curiae brief
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lobbying the judicial branch
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hyperpluralists' main criticism of the interest group system
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interest groups are too powerful and government is too deferential to their demands
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lobbying
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communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy
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How lobbyists seek to influence members of congress
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providing specialized expertise
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Eliminate the free-rider problem
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participation in an interest group were mandatory
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Interest groups offer selective benefits to their members because...
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to overcome the free rider/ collective action problem
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What did a recent study of interest group activity reveal about the importance of financial resources in the interest group system?
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Wealthy interest groups tend to align themselves with other wealthy groups and thus successfully overpower poorer interest groups
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Why is it significant that business/economic interest groups have more lobbyists than other types of groups?
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some people fear that government may disproportionately favor business interests in policymaking
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PAC contributions have..
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become increasingly important in congressional elections
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interest group
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refers to an organization that seeks to influence public policy
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hyperpluralists
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argue that it has been increasingly difficult to accomplish major policy change in Washington
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What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half century?
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developments in technology made interest group activities easier
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example of a faction
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an interest group
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consequence of hyperpluralism
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contradictory and confusing policy
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iron triangle
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a form of subgovernment, composed of leaders of interest groups, government agencies and legislative committees
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Why are campaign contributions so important for interest groups seeking to influence government?
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campaign contributions help elect candidates who are friendly to group's goals
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assumption of pluralism
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interest groups are integral to government decisions
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statement about PAC campaign contributions made by banks and labor unions
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labor PACs consistently give the majority of their money to Democrats, even when Republicans control Congress
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main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers
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labor union
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example of public interest lobby
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consumer rights group
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How is lobbying the executive branch similar to lobbying the courts?
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both can involve lobbying related to the implementation of an existing policy
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example of single issue group
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Virginia 21 Coalition
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How might pluralism serve to enhance democracy?
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by ensuring that no single interest becomes dominant
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what type of group is a trade association
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economic interest group
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example of a business interest group
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Chamber of Commerce
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How did the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 affect lobbyists?
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It required lobbyists to file a report regarding each of their clients, including how much money they were paid by them for lobbying services
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main objective of most labor unions
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to protect jobs and secure favorable wages and benefits for their members
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You are the leader of an environmental organization working to address the problem of climate change. Given the free rider problem, what would be the most effective way to get others to join your cause?
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offer an incentive
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James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of...
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factions
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Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions?
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He believed that factions pursuing their self interest would work against the broader public interest
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Which of the following statements, if true, would undermine the theory of pluralism?
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Individuals with shared grievances do not always come together to form interest groups
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activity that lobbyists regularly engage in
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providing elected officials with info about an interest group's position on a bill or issue
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Elitist critics of pluralism have noted that...
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resources and political power are unequally distributed within society
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statement that confirms the theory of pluralism
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Elected officials seek out the opinions of multiple interest groups when creating policy
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What right-to-work laws uphold
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a worker's freedom to decline the opportunity to join a union
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selective/material benefits
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benefits given only to group members
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Members of Congress who receive contributions from PACs..
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make sure that the PACs are granted access to the members and their staff
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statement that best represents the hyperpluralist view
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the government is excessively deferential to groups
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amicus curiae brief
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written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
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When a case that an interest group is interested in, but not actually sponsoring, comes before a court, the group can...
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file an amicus curiae brief
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Elitists generally argue that...
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the power of few is fortified by an extensive system of interlocking directorates
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PACs invest their contributions in order to maximize their political influence by..
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investing in campaigns of incumbents
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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 groups care about?
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Organize a demonstration in the representative's district and invite the media
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PACs are an attractive option for campaign contributions because...
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they combine many individual contributions resulting in one large contribution that is greater than what one individual could do alone
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public interest lobby/group
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a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole
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example of free-rider problem
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an environmental group struggling to raise funds for a clean air campaign
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How do interest groups lobby the courts?
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by bringing lawsuits to the courts on behalf of classes of citizens
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Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free rider problem?
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a trade association representing a small number of firms
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Which industry spent the most on lobbying between 2009 and 2011
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pharmaceuticals
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How did Madison propose to overcome the problem of factions in Federalist No. 10
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by expanding their sphere of participation
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Why is the correlation between a group's financial resources and its lobbying success so weak?
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Lobbying is a competitive enterprise with big interests often facing off against one another
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interest groups are important subjects of study in American politics because..
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they determine who runs for elected office
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According to Madison... 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
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factions
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Main goal of iron triangle
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protecting their self interest
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Example of equality interest
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National Organization for women
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What does intensity contribute to the success of an interest group?
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Politicians are more likely to listen to a group showing intensity
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What is a trade association?
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an organization that represents business within a specific industry
