Define economic groups. Identify four types of economic interest groups and the constituencies they serve.

What will be an ideal response?


Economic groups promote the economic interests of their members. Corporations, labor unions, farm groups, and professional associations are among the types of groups that exist primarily for economic purposes. Business groups, which make up more than one-half of all lobbying groups in Washington, D.C., concentrate their activities on policies that are concerned with business. Business interests are also represented by associations such as the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Labor groups seek to promote policies that benefit workers in general and union members in particular. They have been politically active for a long time, and the AFL-CIO is the largest labor group. Farm groups represent various segments of the farm community; for example, the American Farm Bureau Federation promotes agribusiness and large farms, while the National Farmers Union promotes the interests of smaller family farms. Professional groups, such as the American Medical Association, represent various professions and attempt to influence policy on their behalf.

Political Science

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With regard to social welfare programs, elites

A. believe that welfare programs are expensive and wasteful. B. hold a philosophy that ignores poverty. C. are most concerned about education and income concentration. D. are uninitiated and unwilling to address the problems.

Political Science

If a city or state aggressively recruited industrial businesses with tax breaks, public subsidies, and low wages, it was said to be engaged in what activity?

a. Venture capital b. Small-business incubation c. Enterprise zoning d. Smokestack chasing

Political Science

In the case South Dakota v. Dole, the Supreme Court maintained that ___________________

A) Congress may coerce state governments to pass state laws by conditioning grants to those states B) ?Congress may establish the minimum age of voter eligibility C) states held exclusive, reserved, power over education policies D) ?states must comply with all federal laws E) ?Congress may determine the status of prohibition of alcohol

Political Science

The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was a bold attempt by Congress to rectify discrimination through federal legislation. The Supreme Court in 1883 issued a ruling concerning this law in The Civil Rights Cases. What was the Court’s conclusion?

a. That the legislation was constitutional and valid, as well as necessary to advance full and equal civil rights b. That the legislation was unconstitutional. The Constitution only prohibits the states from discriminating by race against certain civil rights and does not protect the invasion of civil rights by private individuals. c. That the legislation was valid but should have included a right to vote for the affected individuals d. That the Court had full authority to override state laws and traditions e. That the U.S. Constitution was a living document that must frequently be amended to meet contemporary challenges

Political Science