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Test Bank For Government in America 17th Edition
Test Bank For Government in America 17th Edition
1. Which of the following did James Madison address in Federalist No. 10?
Answer: b
Topic: Understanding Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.5: Evaluate how well Madison’s ideas for controlling
the influence of interest groups have worked in practice.
Page Reference: 285, 304-305
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
2. How did James Madison propose to overcome the problems he addressed in
Federalist No. 10?
Answer: d
Topic: Understanding Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.5: Evaluate how well Madison’s ideas for controlling
the influence of interest groups have worked in practice.
Page Reference: 285
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
3. Which of the following reflects how Madison’s warnings have come to fruition in the
21st century?
Answer: b
Topic: Understanding Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.5: Evaluate how well Madison’s ideas for controlling
the influence of interest groups have worked in practice.
Page Reference: 285, 304-305
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Sources: Authors’ analysis of the 2007 International Social Survey Program survey for civic
associations and the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, module 2 (2001–2006) for
working with others to express political views.
4. Based on the graph, in which of the following countries are people most likely to
politically associate?
a. Germany
b. USA
c. Australia —Consider This: The percentage of people participating in civic
association in Australia is second only to the USA.
d. France
Answer: b
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 285
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
a. Americans are more likely to work in their communities than discuss politics.
b. High interest group membership has a negative impact on American society.
c. People are more concerned with their communities in other nations.
d. Americans are less politically engaged than people in other democracies. —
Consider This: Though fewer Americans reported working together to express
political views, the percentage is still higher than in other countries.
Answer: a
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 285
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Moderate
a. all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another. —
Consider This: Actually, pluralism argues this, elitism argues that one group holds the
power.
b. corporations hold tremendous power
c. the American political terrain is characterized by a dispersion of power
d. the government is run for the benefit of all the people
Answer: b
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 287-288
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a. government decisions reflect the balance of competing interests in society. —
Consider This: This is actually an argument of pluralism and not a criticism.
b. power is concentrated in the hands of the few
c. individuals with shared grievances usually form interest groups to press their
demands upon government
d. the formation of one group typically stimulates the formation of an opposing
group
Answer: b
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 286, 287
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Source: Compiled by the authors from 2009–2015 data from the Center for Responsive
Politics.
8. Based on the graph, which of the following was most financially invested in lobbying
from 2009-2015?
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a. Pharmaceuticals
b. Internet
c. Education
d. Oil and Gas —Consider This: Though significant resources were devoted to oil
and gas lobbying, it did not see the highest rate of investment in this time period.
Answer: a
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 293
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
9. Why might the top two categories on this graph have been priorities during the
Obama administration?
Answer: c
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 292-293
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images
10. To which of the following groups do the people pictured likely belong?
Answer: d
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 301
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Easy
11. Why might the people protesting seek to recall the governor?
Answer: c
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 300-301
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
12. Based on the graph, which of the following statements about campaign contributions
made by corporate PACs to candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives is
true?
Answer: c
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 302
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
13. Why might Political Action Committees (PACs) believe that contributing in this
manner is the best way to accomplish their goals?
Answer: c
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 295, 302
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
14. Which of the following raise money from individuals and then distribute it in the
form of contributions to political candidates?
a. 527 organizations. —Consider This: 527’s cannot advocate for specific candidates,
coordinate with any candidate’s campaign contribute directly to candidates.
b. coordinating committees
c. iron triangles
d. Political Action Committees (PACs)
Answer: d
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 295
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
15. Generally speaking, Political Action Committee (PAC) and Super PAC contributions
have __________.
Answer: a
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 295
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
16. Which of the following is an organization of people with shared policy goals entering
the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals?
Answer: b
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 285
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Answer: a
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 292
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
18. Which 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?
a. free-rider
b. pluralist
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
c. collective goods. —Consider This: This is the aim of many interest groups and is
not considered a problem.
d. group coordination
Answer: a
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 290
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
19. In order to overcome the free-rider problem, many interest groups offer selective
benefits. What are selective benefits?
Answer: c
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 290
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Answer: a
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 297-298
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
21. What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)?
Answer: d
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 295
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Difficulty Level: Easy
Answer: a
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 304
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
23. Which of the following statements best represents the hyperpluralist view?
a. All legitimate interests in the political system can get a hearing from government
once they are organized. —Consider This: This view argues that some interest
groups have a lot more power than others.
b. Awesome power is held by the largest corporations.
c. There are too many special interest groups getting too much of what they want.
d. When one group throws its weight around too much, its opponents are likely to
intensify their organization and thus restore balance to the system.
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Answer: c
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 286
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: d
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 300
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 301
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
27. Which of the following is a typical way for lobbyists to seek to influence members of
Congress?
a. by offering them money to vote a particular way —Consider This: This is bribery
and is illegal.
b. by filing amicus curiae briefs
c. by organizing protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill
d. by providing specialized expertise
Answer: d
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 292
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 297-298
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
29. Which of the following argue that the formation of so many influential interest
groups has made it increasingly difficult to accomplish major policy change in
Washington?
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a. Elitists —Consider This: This theory argues that only a few groups control the
actions of government.
b. Federalists
c. hyperpluralists
d. labor unions
Answer: c
Topic: Understanding Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.5: Evaluate how well Madison’s ideas for controlling
the influence of interest groups have worked in practice.
Page Reference: 305
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 290
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 286
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
32. Of which of the following is an interest group filing an amicus curiae brief an example?
Answer: d
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 297-298
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 292-293
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
34. What is one of the reasons that interest groups have proliferated over the past half
century?
Answer: b
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 303-304
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
a. Intensity often leads groups to advocate for more than they can realistically get,
and the final result is that they get nothing.
b. Intense interest group members often scare away other potential members with
less intense beliefs. —Consider This: Actually, intense interest groups try to attract
those who are equally intense.
c. Politicians are more likely to listen to a group showing intensity.
d. Intensity weeds out the free riders in a group, resulting in a more heterogeneous
group.
Answer: c
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 289, 291
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
37. Why are campaign contributions so important for interest groups seeking to
influence government?
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
a. Legislators only grant meetings with interest groups that offer campaign
contributions.
b. Members of Congress are better listeners when hearing from interests that
financially supported their campaign.
c. Groups can offer contributions in return for favorable votes on pending
legislation.
d. Organizations seeking to offer input on a political party’s platform are required to
make campaign contributions. —Consider This: There is no such requirement.
Groups that do contribute to parties are not guaranteed access to the party platform.
Answer: b
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 295
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
38. You are the leader of an environmental organization working to address the problem
of climate change. What would be the most effective way to overcome the free-rider
problem?
Answer: c
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 302-303
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
39. What is the main goal of each of the three elements of an iron triangle?
a. abolishing free-riders
b. creating more opportunities for collective action —Consider This: Iron triangles
are an example of collective action that is designed to achieve a goal. The question is
asking what the goal of the collective action is.
c. fostering democratic deliberation
d. protecting their self-interests
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Answer: d
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 288
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
40. How did the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 affect lobbyists?
a. It limited the number of hours each lobbyist could work during a single session of
Congress. —Consider This: There is no legal limit on the number of hours a lobbyist
can work.
b. It required all lobbyists to join the Labor Union of American Lobbyists and
Government Relations Experts.
c. It set limits on how many lobbyists could be employed by a PAC.
d. It required lobbyists to file a report detailing the sources of their lobbying income.
Answer: d
Topic: How Groups Try to Shape Policy
Learning Objective: LO 10.3: Analyze the methods and activities that interest
groups use to influence political outcomes.
Page Reference: 292
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: a
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 291
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Answer: c
Topic: Theories of Interest Group Politics
Learning Objective: LO 10.1: Explain the origins of interest groups in America and
the theories of their role in our democracy.
Page Reference: 286
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Moderate
43. In which of the following might Political Action Committees (PACs) invest their
contributions in order to maximize their political influence?
a. members of the minority party in Congress. —Consider This: Since the minority
party has limited political influence, PAC contributions to them are not likely to
result in much gain.
b. challengers
c. incumbents
d. presidential candidates
Answer: c
Topic: Types of Interest Groups
Learning Objective: LO 10.4: Identify the various types of interest groups and their
policy concerns.
Page Reference: 302, 305
Skill Level: Analyze It
Difficulty Level: Difficult
44. Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free-rider problem?
Answer: c
Topic: What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
Learning Objective: LO 10.2: Analyze the factors that make some interest groups
more successful than others in the political arena.
Page Reference: 290
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Test Bank for Government in America 17th Edition
Copyright © 2018, 2016, 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.