Irony of Democracy An Uncommon

Introduction to American Politics 17th

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CHAPTER 7: Elites and Organized Interests

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Interest group activity is generally protected by

a. elite preferences. c. laws passed by Congress.
b. court precedent. d. the First Amendment.

ANS: D REF: 159

2. According to pluralism, the basic function (s) of interest groups is to _______________________.

a. link individuals and the government
b. enhance well-being by helping people overcome the sense of powerlessness
c. help reduce potentially divisive conflicts in society.
d. all of the above

ANS: D REF: 159 | 160

3. Pluralism considers interest groups to be “good” because they

a. provide an effective voice for citizens demands for resources.
b. reduce anxiety among the masses produced by feelings of helplessness.
c. provide stability.
d. All of the above are true.

ANS: D REF: 160

4. Interest groups mostly protect

a. corporate profits by always siding with corporations.
b. corporations in order to preserve their profits.
c. union bosses and their special interests.
d. public employee unions and their members.

ANS: B REF: 161

5. The Iron Law of oligarchy contends that

a. all organizations have clear goals.
b. all organizations have equal influence on congressional representatives.
c. all organizations have elites.
d. all organizations have an equal impact.

ANS: C REF: 160

6. Most of the population belongs to ___________ formal organized group(s).

a. No c. 2-3
b. at least one d. 5 or more

ANS: B REF: 160

 7. The social class bias in association membership is complemented by the social class origins of
a. lobbyists. c. members of Congress.
b. ideologues. d. oligarchic elites.

ANS: A REF: 160 | 161

8. Interest groups, generally, do not do a good job representing

a. lawyers and doctors.
b. teachers and civil servants.
c. the poor and uneducated.
d. corporations and financial institutions.

ANS: C REF: 161

9. Liberal causes draw their membership from

a. middle- and upper-class.
b. ethnic minorities.
c. university-educated.
d. All of the above

ANS: D REF: 161

10. In a 2009 interview, the president of the SEIU said his union gave
a. over $1,000,000 to help elect Barack Obama.
b. over $3,000,000 to help elect Barack Obama.
c. over $10,000,000 to help elect Barack Obama.
d. over $60,000,000 to help elect Barack Obama.

ANS: D REF: 163

11. Power within the labor movement has shifted dramatically to

a. government employee unions. c. AFL-CIO.
b. industrial unions. d. the Teamsters Union.

ANS: A REF: 163

12. In the contemporary sense of the term, conservatism includes

a. the classical liberal values of free markets, limited government, and individual self-reliance
in economic affairs.
b. the classical conservative belief in the value of tradition, law, family, and faith.
c. the belief that humans are imperfect and flawed.
d. all of the above.

ANS: D REF: 165

13. In the contemporary sense of the term, liberalism believes in

a. strong government protection of civil rights and freedom from government intervention in
social affairs.
b. complete free trade and open markets.
c. strong government to ensure that all states comply with federal law.
d. all of the above.

ANS: D REF: 165

14. Single-issue interest groups are effective because
a. they are less expensive to operate.
b. their members are very committed to the cause.
c. they are excellent at bargaining.
d. they have more members and therefore, more influence.

ANS: B REF: 165

15. The largest women’s organization in American politics is the

a. League of Women Voters.
b. National Organization of Women.
c. Feminist Majority Foundation.
d. Daughters of the American Revolution.

ANS: A REF: 167

16. Which of the following is an example of a business / corporate interest group?

a. American Bar Association c. U.S. Chamber of Commerce
b. American Medical Association d. National Rifle Association

ANS: C REF: 161 | 162

17. The AARP focuses on issues for what group?

a. Seniors c. Public employees
b. Ethnology firms d. The poor and uneducated

ANS: A REF: 165

18. Which of the following is the most powerful lobby in Washington, D.C.?
a. National Governors Association c. National Farmers Union
b. Business Roundtable d. American Bankers Association

ANS: B REF: 163

19. In a 2012 Harris poll, a majority of respondents felt too much influence on Washington was held by
a. labor unions. c. “big companies.”
b. the media. d. trade associations.

ANS: C REF: 168

20. The political effectiveness of a group’s leadership is related to the group’s

a. membership make-up. c. regional concentration.
b. size. d. finances.

ANS: B REF: 168

21. Even though common sense tells them that large, mass membership interest groups cannot deliver a
vote, members of Congress are often _______________ by these groups.
a. financially controlled c. intimidated
b. scared d. unimpressed

ANS: C REF: 169

22. The executive department of the federal government that is the most heavily lobbied is
a. the Department of Defense.
b. the Department of Health and Human Services.
c. the Department of Justice.
d. the Treasury Department.

ANS: A REF: 170

23. To communicate with decision makers, an organized interest first must get
a. access. c. official registration.
b. funding. d. grass roots support.

ANS: A REF: 170

24. Lobbying firms will hire former members of Congress or former White House aides because they
a. can “buy votes” from Congress members.
b. have personal contacts with decision-makers.
c. have experience in the policy-making process.
d. are often retired and will work for lower pay.

ANS: B REF: 170 | 171

25. The greatest gift a lobbyist can offer is

a. money.
b. to mobilize voters on behalf of a candidate.
c. dissemination of information.
d. gifts for favorable votes.

ANS: B REF: 170 | 171

26. Lobbyists provide which of the following forms of information?

a. Expertise on issues
b. Knowledge of the legislative process
c. Where a group stands on an issue
d. All of the above

ANS: D REF: 171

27. Lobbyists will use their ___________ in order to obtain congressional support.
a. unlimited finances. c. loyalty.
b. knowledge. d. political capital.

ANS: B REF: 171 | 172

28. The real key to success in lobbying is the

a. integrity of the lobbyist.
b. ability to organize grassroots activities and gain votes.
c. campaign contributions or independent spending for candidates.
d. ability to hire former government officials and Congress members.

ANS: C REF: 173

29. Of the top 20 political donors, (for presidential and congressional elections),
a. most are corporations. c. most are unions.
b. most are religious organizations. d. most are wealthy individuals.

ANS: C REF: 175

30. The regulatory requirement of disclosure means that lobbyists must

a. report all donations and gifts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
b. report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) about how much they spend.
c. get a special license that allows them access to politicians.
d. sign in at the front door of the Capitol building.

ANS: B REF: 174

31. The Democratic Party relies more heavily on ____________ for funding than the Republican Party.
a. lawyers and unions
b. real estate and the oil and gas industry
c. business and manufacturing companies
d. pharmaceutical companies

ANS: A REF: 173

32. The largest number of PACs come from

a. liberal causes. c. the corporate sector.
b. conservative causes. d. women’s rights interests.

ANS: C REF: 176 | 177

33. PACs give most of their money to

a. Republicans. c. challengers.
b. Democrats. d. incumbents.

ANS: D REF: 176 | 177

34. Interest groups serve society by connecting their members to

a. each other. c. an ideology.
b. the group’s leadership. d. the established social system.

ANS: D REF: 178

35. The effectiveness of an interest group often increases

a. with a media event about the issue.
b. with the ability to offer campaign support.
c. with the rising economy.
d. with celebrity endorsements.

ANS: B REF: 177 | 178

FILL-IN-THE-BLANK

1. It is not the people, but ____________________ that have the most direct daily influence over government.

ANS: organized interests

REF: 159

2. The relevant First Amendment phrase dealing with lobbying is the right to ____________________.

ANS: petition the government for a redress of grievances

REF: 159

3. Oligarchs within interest groups are disproportionately from the ___________________.

ANS: upper social classes

REF: 160 | 161

4. __________________ organizations dominate interest groups politics.

ANS: Economic

REF: 161 | 162

5. The theory that all citizens are members of groups is known as ____________________.

ANS: overlapping group memberships

REF: 160

6. __________________ are conservative billionaires who spent roughly $86 million in 2012 elections.

ANS: The Kosh Brothers – David and Charles

REF: 164

7. __________________ is the basic ideology that prefers minimal government across the board.

ANS: Libertarian

REF: 165

8. Interest groups, generally, do not do a good job representing_______________________.

ANS: the poor and uneducated

REF: 161
9. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute, and the National Association of
Manufacturers are all examples of ____________________interest groups.

ANS: business

REF: 161

10. Contemporary conservatives and liberals disagree about the size and role of _________________.

ANS: government

REF: 165

11. The National Rifle Association, the National Abortion Rights Action League, and Mothers Against Drunk
Driving are examples of ____________________.

ANS: single-issue interest groups

REF: 165

12. The interest group that promotes the campaigns of pro-choice Democratic women is known as
____________________.

ANS: “EMILY’s List”

REF: 167

13. The policy positions of ____________________ organizations are often vague and devoid of specific
content and thus harmless.

ANS: mass membership

REF: 168

14. The largest interest group currently in existence in the United States is ____________________.

ANS: AARP

REF: 169

15. ____________________ is any communication directed at a government decision maker with the hope of
influencing decisions.

ANS: Lobbying

REF: 170

16. The one technique that most experienced lobbyists shun is the ____________________.

ANS: threat

REF: 172
17. Grassroots, lobbyist-driven letters from a home district to a legislator are called ____________________.

ANS: pressure mail

REF: 173

18. The top 20 donors in the 2012 presidential and congressional elections were ____________.

ANS: unions

REF: 175

19. The number and influence of PACs has ______________________ in the past few years.

ANS: increased

REF: 176

20. A ____________________ is a nonparty organization that solicits voluntary contributions to disburse to

political candidate.

ANS: political action committee (PAC)

REF: 176

TRUE/FALSE

1. Interest groups are influential due to their ability to mobilize financial resources.

ANS: T REF: 160

2. Interest groups, generally, do a good job representing the poor and uneducated.

ANS: F REF: 161

3. Membership in unions is atypical in that most members are middle-class.

ANS: F REF: 160 | 161

4. In recent years, there has been an increase in membership in Unions due to their ability to influence election
outcomes.

ANS: F REF: 161

5. American for Democratic Action is the oldest interest group in the United States.

ANS: T REF: 164

6. Voter registration, get out the vote, and endorsements are examples of campaign services provided by
unions.

ANS: T REF: 161

7. The NAACP is the interest group responsible for pressuring the government to pass the Civil Rights Act of
1964.

ANS: F REF: 167

8. The most influential women’s interest group is the National Organization for Women (NOW).

ANS: T REF: 167

9. Narrowly focused organizations tend to be more effective than larger, broad-based groups.

ANS: T REF: 168 | 169

10. The proliferation of single-issue groups is largely attributed to the decline of political parties.

ANS: T REF: 169

11. Single-issue interest groups are valuable to candidates in that they have the ability to mobilize blocks of
voters.

ANS: T REF: 169

12. The most heavily lobbied executive department in the federal government is the Department of Energy.

ANS: F REF: 170

13. The National Association of Realtors was the largest PAC contributor to the 2012 elections.

ANS: T REF: 177

14. Influential lobbyists earn more income than members of Congress.

ANS: T REF: 172

15. Lobbyists and PACs are responsible for funding roughly 50% of all Congressional campaigns in the House
of Representatives.

ANS: T REF: 176

16. Because of First Amendment protection, the government may not regulate lobbying activities.

ANS: F REF: 174

17. Financial reports of lobbyists provide an accurate picture of the lobbying activities in Washington.

ANS: F REF: 174 | 175

18. Incumbents in Congress are unlikely to change the regulation of PACs because they are under pressure
from voters.

ANS: F REF: 176 | 177

19. The ability to offer campaign support, particularly in terms of money, increases the influence of interest
groups.

ANS: T REF: 176

20. Lobbyists give different amounts to candidates and political parties depending on which party is currently
in power in Congress.

ANS: T REF: 173

ESSAY

1. Compare and contrast the conservative and liberal ideologies.

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

2. Explain why interest groups give more to some candidates and the reasoning behind their motivation.

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

3. How does the government try to regulate spending by interest groups? Are these measures effective?

ANS: Student’s answers will vary.

4. How does pluralism explain the presence and influence of various interest groups?

ANS: Student’s answers will vary

5. Given the fact that different interest groups prefer different parties and candidates, what groups favor
Democrats and Republicans?

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

6. Why are single issue interest groups more effective?

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

7. What are the differences between the AARP and the NRA? How are these differences important to their
effectiveness?

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

8. What groups are considered the most influential groups in Washington? Do these groups “buy votes” –
spend money to buy influence?

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

9. In your opinion, are interest groups and lobbying inherently non-democratic? Explain your answer.

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.

10. If interest groups are just run by elites, does the “irony of democracy” argument hold true for these groups?

ANS: Students’ answers will vary.