Chapter 7: Government

A lobbyist is a. an individual or organization that attempts to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of government. b. any association of individuals. c. inevitably affiliated with one of the two major political parties. d. a member of the congressional leadership who is in a position to shape the legislative agenda in a way that benefits powerful interest groups. e. a member of Congress who challenges the majority position.

People who become members of interest groups for solidary incentives are joining a. for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons. b. to improve their economic opportunities. c. to obtain political, economic, or social change. d. as free riders. e. for a sense of belonging to the group.

People who become members of interest groups for purposive incentives are joining a. to improve their economic opportunities. b. because they have been pressured to do so. c. for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons. d. as free riders. e. for a sense of belonging to the group.

Indirect techniques used by interest groups include a. strategies that use the general public or individuals to influence the government for the interest group. b. testifying before congressional committees. c. paying members of Congress as consultants in return for favorable votes on issues important to the interest group. d. approaching officials personally to press a case. e. illegal tactics such as bribes and payoffs.

American farmers and their workers represent less than 1 percent of the U.S. population. This fact supports the proposition that a. because of their size, farmers have been unsuccessful as interest groups. b. geographical dispersion works against the formation of effective interest groups. c. even a small percentage of the populace can be effective if they organize. d. there are more farmers today than there were forty years ago. e. most farmers are too busy to be politically active.

Single-issue interest groups a. include the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). b. include the Common Cause, which lobbies for government reform. c. are narrowly focused, usually on just one issue. d. have members who tend to care intensely about their issues. e. Options C and D are true.

An interest group is a. any organization that requires members to pay dues. b. any association of individuals. c. an organization setup to support a specific candidate for public office. d. an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy. e. a group of people who want to gain control of the government.

People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining a. to improve their economic opportunities or gain economic benefits. b. for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons. c. for a sense of belonging to the group. d. because they have been pressured to do so. e. to institute change for political, economic, or social impact on the whole society.

A free rider is a. an interest group member. b. someone granted free passage to Washington, DC, to lobby or demonstrate. c. a civil rights activist. d. someone who benefits from the actions of a group without joining it. e. a participant in a social movement.

Legislators and government officials are often more impressed by contacts from a. lobbyists who threaten to take their case to the public than their constituents. b. reporters who leak classified information to the press than the media in general. c. representatives from foreign governments than lobbyists from American interests. d. aides to the Supreme Court than the bar association in their district. e. constituents than interest groups.