Wilson Chapter 11 American Government – Flashcards

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James Madison believed that the latent causes of faction were rooted in
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the nature of man
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In the United States, unlike Great Britain, interest groups can easily gain access to government because
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political authority is widely dispersed
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In many European countries, including Austria, France, and Italy, interest groups are less common than in the United States because
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political parties wield greater power
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It has been observed that interest groups are created more rapidly in some periods than in others. This suggests that these groups
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do not arise inevitably out of natural social processes.
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The launching of the Chamber of Commerce was an example of interest groups forming as a result of
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government policy
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An example of an interest group formed as a result of broadly felt economic phenomena is that of
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labor unions
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An example of a typical activity that an institutional interest might conduct on behalf of a client would be
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lobbying for laws to protect the client from foreign competition
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People who join the parent teacher associations (PTAs) are most likely to do so as a result of ________ incentives
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solidary
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A major function of local chapters of national membership organizations is to
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lure members and raise money from them
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Which of the following is not an example of a material incentive?
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The appeal of the organization's stated goals
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Purposive incentives are most likely to motivate people who join
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the National Organization for Women (NOW).
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Ralph Nader became famous after testifying in favor of a bill regarding
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automobile safety
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Nader founded a group called
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Public Citizen
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Which of the following statements about a social movement is generally true?
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The more extreme its position, the smaller its size
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The launching of the environmental movement was assisted by
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an oil spill on the Santa Barbara beaches
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The League of Women Voters is an example of a feminist organization whose membership incentives are primarily
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solidary
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The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an example of a feminist organization whose membership incentives are primarily
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purposive
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A major cause in the decline of union membership in the United States was a(n)
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decline in public support for unions
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Which of the following interest groups will probably have the most difficult time raising money?
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A membership organization relying on appeals to purpose
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Of the three major sources of funds available to interest groups, the one that is unique to modern interest groups is
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computerized direct-mail solicitations
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The nonprofit and other organizations that receive the lion's share of federal grants and contracts are rarely if ever
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subject to performance audits or independent research evaluations
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The Americans who are most likely to join interest groups are
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people with better-than-average incomes
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Probably the best measure of an interest group's influence is its
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organizational skill
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The value of information, the power of the lobbyists, and thus the success of interest groups are greatest when the issue
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is fairly narrow
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Lobbyists are restrained from misrepresenting facts or misleading legislators by
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the fear of losing legislators' trust and confidence
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The primary purpose of legislative ratings used by various interest groups is to
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influence the behavior of legislators
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Of the exertion of public pressure on legislators, the text concludes that it
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is not clear how often it works
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An example cited by the text of how grassroots opposition to a governmental action can influence Congress is the example of
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the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) banning of saccharin
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The Dirty Dozen consisted of the
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most anti-environment legislators in the House
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The 1993 Brady Bill was opposed by which of the following interest groups?
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The National Rifle Organization (NRA)
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The scholarly evidence that political action committee (PAC) money buys votes in Congress
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is sketchy at best
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The campaign finance reforms of 1973
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encouraged a rapid growth in PACs
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Could a member of Congress start a political action committee (PAC)?
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Yes, and many have
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The average political action committee (PAC) donation to a House candidate accounts for approximately what percentage of the candidate's total campaign receipts?
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Less than 1
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Which of the following statements about business political action committees (PACs) is generally true?
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They give most of their money to Republicans.
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Sometimes money affects legislative behavior not so much by buying votes as by ensuring
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access
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A government official might leave her position and join a corporation to which she previously awarded government contracts. This is a clear example of
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the revolving door
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A legislator asks for a campaign contribution from a political action committee (PAC) in return for a favorable vote on a piece of legislation supported by the PAC. This payment is called
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bribery
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All of the following activities are specifically forbidden by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 except
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employment of a former government official by a lobbying group
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Disruption or making trouble is
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a quite conventional political resource
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Interest-group activity is protected under the U.S. Constitution by the
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First Amendment.
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The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 required groups and individuals seeking to influence legislation to
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register and file quarterly financial reports
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The text suggests the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946
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had little practical effect
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In 1968, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revoked the tax-exempt status of the Sierra Club because of its
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extensive lobbying activities
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