Interest Groups

Question 1

Faction

Answer 1

A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups

Question 2

Pluralism

Answer 2

A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group

Question 3

Interest Group

Answer 3

A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying

Question 4

Movement

Answer 4

A large body of people interested in a common issue, idea, or concern that is of continuing significance and who are willing to take action. Movements seek to change attitudes or institutions, not just policies

Question 5

Open Shop

Answer 5

A company with a labor agreements under which union membership cannot be required as a condition of employment

Question 6

Closed Shop

Answer 6

A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment

Question 7

Free Rider

Answer 7

An individual who does not to join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group’s influence

Question 8

Nongovernmental Organization (NGO)

Answer 8

A nonprofit association or group operating outside of government that advocates and pursues policy objectives

Question 9

Collective Action

Answer 9

How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives, including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.

Question 10

Public Choice

Answer 10

Synonymous with “Collective Action” it specifically studies how government officials, politicians, and voters respond to positive and negative incentives

Question 11

“Federal Register”

Answer 11

An official document, published every weekday, which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies

Question 12

amicus curiae Brief

Answer 12

Literally, a “friend of the court” brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case

Question 13

Lobbyist

Answer 13

A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try and influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches

Question 14

Lobbying

Answer 14

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact

Question 15

Revolving Door

Answer 15

Employment cycle in which individuals who work for governmental agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern

Question 16

Issue Network

Answer 16

Relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the government agencies that share a common policy concern

Question 17

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Answer 17

The political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties

Question 18

Leadership PAC

Answer 18

A PAC formed by an officeholder that collects contributions from individuals and other PACs and then makes contributions to other candidates and political parties

Question 19

Bundling

Answer 19

A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals (each limited to $2000) and present them to a candidate or political party as a “bundle,” thus increasing the PAC’s influence

Question 20

Soft Money

Answer 20

Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts

Question 21

Quid Pro Quo

Answer 21

Something given with the expectation of receiving something in return

Question 22

Independent Expenditures

Answer 22

The SC has ruled that individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently form the candidates. When an individual, group, or party does so, they are making an independent expenditure

Question 23

Issue Advocacy

Answer 23

Unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like “vote for” or “vote against,” although much of his activity is actually about electing or defeating candidates

Question 24

527 Organization

Answer 24

A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election in which clearly identified candidate is referred to and a relevant electorate is targeted