How can a small special interest group win in a situation of majority voting when the benefits it seeks flow only to a small group?

Occupy Wall Street was a national (and later

global) organized protest against the greed, bank profits, and financial corruption that led to the $2008–2009$ recession. The group popularized slogans like “We are the $99\%$,” meaning it represented the majority against

the wealth of the top $1\%$. Does the fact that the protests had little to no effect on legislative changes support or contradict the chapter?

AT&T spent some $\$10$ million dollars lobbying

Congress to block entry of competitors into the

telephone market in $1978$. Why do you think it efforts failed?

Based on the theory of rational ignorance, what should we expect to happen to voter turnout as the internet makes information easier to obtain?

When Microsoft was founded, the company devoted very few resources to lobbying activities. After a high-profile antitrust case against it, however, the company began to lobby heavily. Why does it make financial sense for companies to invest in lobbyists?

Anastasia, Emma, and Greta are deciding what to do on a weekend getaway. They each suggest a first, second, and third choice and then vote on the options. Table 18.2 shows their first, second, and third choice preferences. Explain why they will have a hard time reaching a decision. Does the group prefer mountain biking to canoeing? What about canoeing compared to the beach? What about the beach compared to the original choice of mountain biking?