OS Ch. 10 -- Interest Groups

An interest group

• Is not significantly different from a political party

• Is a group of people with similar goals who try to influence the political process to achieve those goals

• Differs from what Madison referred to as a faction in The Federalist Papers because a faction can only represent a minority of the population

• Consists of community leaders, members of Congress, and media representatives

Whereas a party runs a slate of candidates for office and attempts to win control of the government, an interest group

• Attempts to affect election outcomes and influence government policy

• Creates a party to pursue the interest group’s objectives

• Generally avoids the electoral process and focuses instead on increasing benefits for members of the group

• Controls the nomination process to achieve its policy outcomes

Interest groups are usually policy _____, whereas political parties are usually policy _____.

• managers / specialists

• generalists / specialists

• generalists / managers

• specialists / generalists

According to ______ theory, interest group activity brings representation to all as groups compete and counterbalance each other.

According to ______ theory interest groups are extremely unequal in power.

According to ______ theory, too many groups get too much of what they want, resulting in contradictory or ineffective policy.

Which TWO of the following are true?

• The poor participate in politics at a high rate due to their sense of political efficacy.

• The poor participate in politics at a low rate due to their sense of political efficacy.

• In general, minorities tend to participate at a higher rate than do non-Hispanic whites.

• In general, minorities tend to participate at a lower rate than do non-Hispanic whites.

According to ______, the larger the group, the greater the free-rider problem.

A ______ is something of value such as national security that cannot be withheld from a potential group member.

• Group benefit

• Political resource

• Potential asset

• Collective (or public) good

PAC’s or political action committees

• Funnel money to interest groups

• Collect money from group members and contribute it to candidates

• May not participate in a political campaign

• Are tightly restricted by the First Amendment