Vocab Chapter 16

Question 1

Interest Group

Answer 1

Any formally organized association that seeks to influence public policy

Question 2

Political Movement

Answer 2

An organized constellation of groups seeking wide ranging social change

Question 3

Public Interest Groups

Answer 3

Those advocating policies they believe promote the good of all Americans and not merely the economic or ideological interests of a few

Question 4

Lobbying

Answer 4

Tactic for influencing public decisions for private purposes, usually employing personal contact with elected officials

Question 5

Advocacy Groups

Answer 5

Groups organized around broad public goals but without local chapters and often without formal mmebership

Question 6

Political Entrepreneur

Answer 6

Individual who develops support for latent causes or projects that have not yet gained widespread popularity

Question 7

Collective Goods

Answer 7

Goods that are not owned privately but benefit all citizens equally, such as clean air

Question 8

Strategy

Answer 8

A groups overall plan for achieving it’s goals

Question 9

Tactics

Answer 9

Specific actions that groups take to implement strategies

Question 10

Revolving Door

Answer 10

Term referring to the back and forth movement of individuals between government and interest group employment

Question 11

Iron Triangle

Answer 11

A decision making structure dominated by interest groups, congressional committees, and executive agency personnel who create policies that are mutually beneficial

Question 12

Issue Networking

Answer 12

Decision making structures consisting of policy experts, including lobbyists, members of congress, bureaucrats, an d policy specialists from think tanks and universities

Question 13

Political Action Committees (PAC’s)

Answer 13

Organized financial arms of interest groups used to collect distribute money to candidates for elective office

Question 14

Leadership PAC’s

Answer 14

Political action committees set up by political leaders as a means to finance the campaigns of political allies whom they believe will reciprocate with support for their own political ambitions

Question 15

527 Groups

Answer 15

Tax exempt organizations set up by interest groups to engage in political activities

Question 16

Political Disadvantage Theory

Answer 16

View positing that groups are likely to seek remedies in courts if they do not succeed in the electoral process

Question 17

Grassroots Mobilization

Answer 17

The practice of organizing citizen support for a groups policy or candidate preferences

Question 18

Mobilizing the Grass Tops

Answer 18

Mining databases for high status community leaders for purposes of contacting legislators in key districts regarding the sponsoring groups position

Question 19

Astroturf Lobbying

Answer 19

Using deceptive practices and lack of transparency to manufacture grassroots support for an issue important to a particular set of unidentified interests