Pre-Constitution/Interest Groups/Media (Part of Final)

Question 1

What were the eight weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 1

• No ability to collect taxes
• No executive power
• No national court system
• One vote per state
• 9/13 to pass a law
• 13/13 to amend a law
• No regulation of interstate commerce
• Firm league of friendship (sovereign states agreeing to help each other)

Question 2

What was the Virginia Plan?

Answer 2

• Two houses

- Population based

Question 3

What was the New Jersey Plan?

Answer 3

• Unicameral

- Equal representation

Question 4

What was the Connecticut (“Great”) Compromise?

Answer 4

• Bicameral

- Equal representation in the senate and population based representation in the house

Question 5

What was the 3/5 Compromise?

Answer 5

• Slaves were worth 60% of a person

Question 6

Strong central government

Answer 6

Federalist: Support

Anti-federalist: States rights-ists (the 10th amendment made them feel better)

Question 7

Bill of Rights

Answer 7

Federalists: No (If it was written, it could place a limit on rights which were actually NATURAL rights)
Anti-federalists: Support

Question 8

What is a sound bite?

Answer 8

A small clip of what someone says designed to create a lasting impression

• 1968: Avg. 42 sec
• 1988: Avg.

Question 9

What are leaks?

Answer 9

The release of information that’s supposed to be secret

Question 10

What are the three differences between interest groups and parties?

Answer 10

1. Parties put forth candidates, interest groups support them
2. Parties deal with several issues, interest groups focus on specific ones
3. Interest groups can deal with things other than politics

Question 11

What is lobbying?

Answer 11

Going to politicians and supporting points of view

Question 12

What is electioneering?

Answer 12

Helping people get elected through PACs, donations, and endorsements

Question 13

What are litigations?

Answer 13

Taking court cases on behalf of candidates

Question 14

What is “appealing to the public”?

Answer 14

Advertising and public relations

Question 15

What are examples of economic interest groups?

Answer 15

Unions, professional groups

Question 16

What are examples of consumer and public interest lobbies?

Answer 16

Groups that support the best interest of the public

Question 17

What is pluralism?

Answer 17

• Interest groups are positive because they provide a link between the people and the government
• Lots of groups means that one doesn’t get too powerful
• Groups follow rules because they don’t want bad publicity

Question 18

What is the “elite”?

Answer 18

Only a few interest groups have real power and influence

Question 19

What is hyperpluralism?

Answer 19

Too many groups to the point where nothing gets done

Question 20

What is an institutional interest group?

Answer 20

A bigger group like corporations, counties, and universities

Question 21

What are individual interest groups?

Answer 21

Individual people with common beliefs

Question 22

What is a revolving door?

Answer 22

A member of Congress becomes a lobbyist for an interest group after leaving office

Question 23

What is the iron triangle?

Answer 23

The government happens in small pockets of power

Executive agencies, interest groups, congressional committees

Question 24

What is Olson’s Law?

Answer 24

The theory that a number of people can actually be negative for interest groups (more people = more free riders)

Question 25

What is a PACs?

Answer 25

An organization that raises money to support and fund candidates

Question 26

What is a solidary incentive?

Answer 26

Being around people with the same ideology and beliefs as you

Question 27

What is a material incentive?

Answer 27

- Shirts, stickers, discounts, etc. | - Works for the collective good

Question 28

What is a purposive incentive?

Answer 28

- Supporting a cause because you're passionate about the cause