NB15IG – Flashcard
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In Federalist No. 10, James Madison described how a government could be designed to control the effects of __________.
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factions
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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 to present the group's analysis of the case
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Grassroots lobbying is best defined as __________.
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getting the media to cover an issue
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Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the form of contributions to political candidates?
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political action committees
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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.
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faction
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Since the 1970s, political action committee (PAC) contributions have __________.
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a. become increasingly important in congressional elections
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A(n) __________ refers to an organization that seeks to influence public policy.
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interest group
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What is lobbying?
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communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy position
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The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can get the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.
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free rider
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What is a trade association?
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an organization that represents businesses within a specific industry
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What is a public interest group?
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a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole
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In order to overcome the free rider problem, many interest groups offer material benefits. What are material benefits?
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benefits given only to group members
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What is an amicus curiae brief?
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a written argument submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
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Which of the following is the main type of organization that lobbies on behalf of workers?
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labor union
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What is the 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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What is a political action committee (PAC)?
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an organization that solicits campaign contributions and distributes them to political candidates
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Which of the following is a provision of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007?
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lobbying disclosure requirements
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Which of the following is an example of a public interest group?
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a consumer rights group
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Who engages in grassroots or outside lobbying?
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a wide range of interest groups, including public interest groups and business groups
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Which of the following is an example of a trade association?
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the National Association of Manufacturers
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Which of the following is an example of an economic interest group?
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the Chamber of Commerce
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What type of group is a trade association?
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an economic interest group
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How did Madison propose to overcome the problem of factions in Federalist No. 10?
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by adopting a system of representative government
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Which of the following is an example of grassroots/outside lobbying?
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a petition sent to representatives in Congress
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How do lobbyists typically seek to influence members of Congress?
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by providing technical expertise on policy issues
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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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How do interest groups lobby the executive branch?
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by appearing at administrative hearings to offer information
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Which of the following is an example of the free rider (or collective action) problem?
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an environmental group struggling to raise funds for a "clean air" campaign
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Critics of pluralism have noted that __________.
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resources and political power are unequally distributed within society
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Which of the following is an assumption of pluralism?
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Interest groups are integral to government decisions.
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Members of Congress who receive contributions from political action committees (PACs) __________.
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make sure that the PACs are granted access to the members and their staff
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Which of the following is an example of a faction, as conceptualized by Madison in Federalist No. 10?
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interest group
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An interest group filing an amicus curiae brief is an example of __________.
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lobbying the judicial branch
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Which of the following is an activity that lobbyists regularly engage in?
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providing elected officials with information about an interest group's position on a bill or issue
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Which of the following factors was instrumental in bringing about the first national interest groups in the United States?
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improvements in communication networks
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Which of the following is a way that interest groups seek to influence elections?
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recruiting and training candidates
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Why do interest groups typically offer material benefits to their members?
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to overcome the free rider/collective action problem
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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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How does grassroots/outside lobbying differ from other efforts by interest groups to influence government?
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Grassroots/outside lobbying focuses more than other forms of advocacy on influencing public opinion to support groups' goals.
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How does lobbying the executive branch differ from lobbying Congress?
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Lobbying the executive branch focuses more on rule making, whereas lobbying Congress focuses more on pending legislation.
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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 groups' goals.
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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, such as a t-shirt, to those who join the campaign.
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How does lobbying Congress differ from lobbying the judicial branch?
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Lobbyists often meet personally with members of Congress, whereas they cannot meet with judges.
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How does lobbying the executive branch differ from lobbying the judicial branch?
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Lobbying the executive branch may involve grassroots/outside lobbying, whereas lobbying the courts typically does not.
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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 group cares about?
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Organize a demonstration in the representative's district and invite the media.
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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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How is lobbying Congress similar to lobbying the courts?
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Both are commonly used strategies of interest groups seeking to influence public policy.
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You are a policy analyst in the Department of Energy. You were just offered a job with a renewable energy company. How long must you wait before you can lobby the Department of Energy on behalf of your new employer?
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2 years
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Why is grassroots/outside lobbying an effective political tactic?
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Grassroots lobbying shapes public opinion, and elected officials are known to respond to public opinion.
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Which of the following, if true, would indicate that grassroots/outside lobbying is an ineffective political tactic?
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Policy makers primarily work to satisfy the demands of their wealthiest campaign contributors. As a result, they rarely respond to broader public opinion.
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Why was Madison particularly concerned about factions in Federalist No. 10?
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He believed that factions pursuing their self-interest would work against the broader public interest.
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To which of the following might political action committees (PACs) invest their contributions in order to maximize their political influence?
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campaigns of incumbents
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Political action committees (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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Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free rider/collective action problem?
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a trade association representing a small number of firms
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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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What did the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 achieve?
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a ban on gifts and honoraria to members of Congress and their staffs
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Which of the following conditions, if true, would eliminate the free rider/collective action problem?
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if participation in an interest group were mandatory
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Which of the following statements, if true, would confirm 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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Interest groups are important subjects of study in American politics because __________.
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they provide a venue for citizens to participate in government
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Why do small interest groups have an easier time enrolling potential members than large interest groups?
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In a small group, any individual's share of the collective good may be great enough to make it rational for him or her to join.
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In __________, James Madison expressed concerns about the harmful effects of factions.
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Federalist No. 10
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__________ are organizations that seek to influence public policy.
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Interest groups
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The __________ problem occurs when people fail to join a group because they can receive the benefits the group offers without contributing to the group's efforts.
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free rider or collective action
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__________ refers to communicating with government officials to persuade them to support a particular policy decision.
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Lobbying
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As discussed in 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.
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faction
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According to the theory of __________, political power is distributed across a wide range of diverse and competing interest groups.
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pluralism
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As described in the box entitled "The Living Constitution," freedom of association is guaranteed in the __________ Amendment to the Constitution.
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First
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An environmental group works to pass legislation that would decrease air pollution. But an individual would probably not contribute to that group, especially if he/she could enjoy the benefits of breathing clean air without participating in the group's campaign. This is an example of the __________ problem.
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free rider or collective action
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One way that interest groups can influence court cases they are interested in is by filing a(n) __________.
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amicus curiae or friend of the court brief
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One function of __________ is to provide legislators with information about an interest group's position on a specific bill or issue.
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lobbyists
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Common Cause, an organization that pushes for openness and fairness in government, is an example of a(n) __________ group.
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public interest
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An interest group holding a demonstration outside the White House is an example of __________.
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grassroots or outside lobbying
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An interest group seeking to influence the rule-making process would most likely lobby the __________ branch of the federal government.
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executive
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One of two states with the highest union membership in the United States is __________.
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Alaska or New York
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Given that members of Congress often lack technical expertise in particular policy areas, they depend on lobbyists to supply them with __________.
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information
