Pressure Group Activity

Question 1

Who wrote the theory of elitism?

Answer 1

Mill

Question 2

Who wrote the theory of pluralism?

Answer 2

Dahls

Question 3

What is the idea of pluralism?

Answer 3

political power in society does not rest soley with the electorate or the governing party elite but is distributed among a number of different groups.

Question 4

What is elitism?

Answer 4

a theory which suggest that political power rests with a small group of society who have gained power through wealth, family status or intellectual superiority.

Question 5

What are institutional pressure groups?

Answer 5

seek to represent the interests of organizations.

Question 6

Name the largest labour union pressure group in the US

Answer 6

AFL-CIO

Question 7

Name one “professional” pressure group in the US

Answer 7

American Medical Association

Question 8

What are membership pressure groups?

Answer 8

groups that seek to represent individual Americans and the interests that are concerned with them.

Question 9

Name a single issue group

Answer 9

NRA

Question 10

Name an ideological group

Answer 10

American Conservative Way Forward

Question 11

Name a group rights organisation

Answer 11

NAACP or National Organization for Women

Question 12

How have the National Farmers Union represented the interests of members?

Answer 12

pushing the Renewable Fuel Standard of 2005

Question 13

How has the NRA attempted to educate its members?

Answer 13

Eddie the Eagle Gun Safety projects

Question 14

One agenda that has been led by a pressure group.

Answer 14

Sierra Club pushed Obama for 3 years to VETO the Keystone XL Pipeline .

Question 15

One issue that has been monitored by pressure groups

Answer 15

The American Civil Liberties Union have continued to monitor DT plan to ban all Muslim immigration, leading the court cases in Washington and Hawaii against the executive orders.

Question 16

What are the material benefits of joining the AARP?

Answer 16

Discounts on insurance policies, pharmacy discounts and motor club membership.

Question 17

One example of a pressure group whose members join for purposive reasons?

Answer 17

Amnesty International- people join to try and make society a better place.

Question 18

How much did PAC’s and Super PAC’s contribute in the 2016 election?

Answer 18

$1.1 billion

Question 19

How much did Rob Portman (Ohio) get from PAC’s?

Answer 19

$9 million

Question 20

Name the key pressure groups to endorse Clinton

Answer 20

AFL-CIO, Sierra Club

Question 21

Name the key pressure groups to endorse Trump

Answer 21

NRA, American Energy Alliance, National Border Patrol Council

Question 22

What can be the effect of pressure group endorsement for a candidate?

Answer 22

See a bounce in the polls, if that pressure groups has widespread support.
John Kennedy 2016 NRA endorsed and saw 3% bounce over 2nd amendment stance.

Question 23

What is the key grass roots movement which has emerged post the Trump win?

Answer 23

Swing Left- target the key swing seats in order to get a Democratic majority in the House in 2018.

Question 24

Two example of pressure group impact on Environmental policy?

Answer 24

• Sierra Club lobbied for VETO of keystone XL pipeline in 2015: 2017 AEA lobbied Trump to overturn that VETO in order.
• Wilderness Soicety promote package of protection measures in 2009 Public land Omnibus act.

Question 25

Two examples of the impact of the NRA on public policy?

Answer 25

- NRA opposition to the Brady Bill and Assault Weapons Ban. | - Pushed for a second amendment candidate to sit on the Supreme Court (role in 2008 District v. Heller)

Question 26

What does the NRA spend on lobbying?

Answer 26

$3.2 million

Question 27

Name some different access points for pressure groups.

Answer 27

Congress- members, committees (State Legislatures) Executive- 15 departments and agencies (State Executives) Judicial- State, Circuit and Supreme Courts

Question 28

How do the NFU pressure congressmen into a certain position and give an example of this.

Answer 28

They give scores to each member of congress based on voting intentions. Tim Ryan 100% v David Joyce 33.3%

Question 29

Which pressure groups wanted to influence the Affordable Care Act 2011?

Answer 29

Pharmaceutical Companies- Glaxo Smith Klyne

Question 30

Give some key cases where pressure groups have influenced the courts?

Answer 30

ACLU- Trumps travel ban judicial review 2017 ACLU- Obergfill v Hodges 2015 NRA- DC v. Heller 2008

Question 31

What is set out in the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act 1946?

Answer 31

required that lobbyist register with the clerk of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the Senate.. Defines a lobbyist as anyone who wants to aid or defeat legislation.

Question 32

What is set out in the Federal Election Campaign Act 1974

Answer 32

Limit the contributions that a pressure groups can make to a political campaign.

Question 33

What is set out in the Lobby Disclosure Act 1995

Answer 33

Greater levels of accountability as to the action of pressure groups. Sets out what a pressure group is.

Question 34

What is the effect of the Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 on lobbying and pressure group activity?

Answer 34

Another strict regulation on pressure groups ability to contribute to a campaign

Question 35

What is set out the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act?

Answer 35

- close down the revolving door - stopped lobbyist paying for meals to congressmen - full disclosure of lobbyist activity

Question 36

What was the effect of Donald Trumps executive order on January 28th 2017

Answer 36

Lobbying restrictions for 5 years on domestic workers and government and a ban on foreign governments.

Question 37

After 2010 how many defeated House members became lobbyist?

Answer 37

31%

Question 38

How many defeated house members became lobbyist clients?

Answer 38

22%

Question 39

How many of the NRA lobbyist used to work in government?

Answer 39

12 of the 34

Question 40

How many of the Obama administration once worked for pressure groups?

Answer 40

70% key figures such as Jim Messina and David Axelrod