Economist Mancur Olson concluded that groups
Exercise too much power in the American system.
A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is
-The American tradition of free association.
-The extent of diverse interest in American society.
-America's federal system of government.
-Separation of powers in American government.
**All these answers are correct.**
The Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ultimately led to the creation of
Super PACs.
The most fully organized interest groups are those that have which of the following as their primary purpose?
Economic activity.
A purposive incentive is defined as
The opportunity to contribute to a worthy goal or purpose.
An interest group that focuses on policy benefits for senior citizens would be an example of
A single-issue group.
Roughly how many American workers currently belong to Unions?
One in eight.
A flaw in pluralism theory is the fact that
The interest group system is unrepresentative because some interests are far more organized and more powerful than others.
An amicus brief
Is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute that the court is handling.
In recent decades, lobbyists in Washington D.C. have increasingly
Targeted the executive branch in their efforts to influence policy decisions.
The term iron triangle refers to
A small and informal, but relatively stable group of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest.
In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison
Worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest.
An informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists who come together temporarily around a policy problem is
An issue network.
Early in the 2012 Republican presidential nominating race, some Super PAC televised ads were so untruthful that they were
Criticized even by the candidates they were intended to help.
Which of the following statements would NOT be accepted by supporters of the pluralist view of interest groups?
The opinion of the majority should always prevail in a policy dispute over an opinion of a more intense and directly affected minority.
James Madison's solution to the problem of factions (special interests) has, in the modern policy process, actually contributed to the problem by
Resulting in fragmentation of authority among policymakers, thereby providing groups more opportunities to get their way.
Economist Mancur Olson refers to what aspect of interest groups as the "size factor"?
Small groups are ordinarily more united on policy issues and often have more resources, enabling them to win out more often than large groups.
In the dynamics of an iron triangle, what benefit do interest groups provide to friendly bureaucratic agencies?
Lobbying support for agency programs.
Members of the _______ generate more mail to Congress than any other group.
AARP.
Another name for an interest group is
Pressure group.
During his visit to this country in the 1830s, Alexis de Toqueville described the United States as a "nation of _________".
Joiners.
Which of the following is NOT a typical interest group function?
Addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues.
The air we breathe is an example of a
Collective good.
Most lobbyists receive support from elective officials in direct exchange for
Information.
The dominant labor interest group is
The AFL-CIO.
The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is
Pluralist theory.
"Agency capture" occurs when
Regulatory agencies side with the industries they are supposed to regulate other than with the public.
Which citizens' group did a Fortune magazine survey rank as the nation's most powerful lobbying group.
AARP.
Political scientist Theodore Lowi has questioned pluralist theory by suggesting that
There is no concept of the public interest in a system that gives special interests the ability to determine the policies affecting them.
Outside lobbying does NOT include
Developing and maintaining close contacts with policymakers.
Grassroots lobbying is based on the assumption that officials will respond to
Pressure from constituents.
Theodore Lowi's theory of interest group liberalism
Deals with the tendency of officials to support the policy demands of the interest group or groups that have a special stake in a policy.
James Madison argued
For regulation of interests through a governing system of checks and balances.
The citizens of _____________ are most actively involved in interest groups and community causes.
United States.
Which of the following organizations is NOT an example of a single-issue group?
MoveOn.org.
According to E.E. Schattschneider, the interest group system has a
Strong upper-class bias.
Proportional representation systems encourage the formation of smaller parties by enabling parties to
Win legislative seats even though they do not receive a majority of votes in elections.
Prospective voting is characterized by
Choices based on what candidates promise to do if elected.
What was especially unique about the "Era of Good Feeling"
President Monroe ran unopposed in 1820.
Which of the following is an accurate representation of the public's opinion about leaders and their accountability?
Most citizens have a low opinion of Congress as a whole, but say they have confidence in their local representative in Congress.