Chapter 10 Section Reviews All

Question 1

Define public policy and public opinion.

Answer 1

Public opinion is the views people hold on earning matters of public interest

Public policy is the government’s goals and actions made in response to public opinion

Question 2

What are two noteworthy characteristics of public opinion?

Answer 2

Government does not gauge public opinion simply by determining the opinions of the average American

Some issues have lasting interest while others are short-lived.

Question 3

What are the basic modern implications of the words liberal and conservative?

Answer 3

Liberalism usually implies a belief that more a government action in society is better

Conservatism usually implies a reluctance to expand government authority.

Question 4

Describe the moderate ideological approach to politics.

Answer 4

Moderates take a pragmatic approach: what ever works is what should be done.

Question 5

What are the two broad categories of public policy?

Answer 5

Domestic policy and Foreign policy

Question 6

Identify the four stages of public policy development.

Answer 6

Identifying the issue
Setting the agenda
Formulating a policy
Implementation

Question 7

What three factors usually make an issue a matter of public policy?

Answer 7

The issue must affect a large portion of the public

Must have a significant impact on the public

Must be a problem the public thinks the government should deal with

Question 8

How are the executive and judicial branches of government involved in public policy?

Answer 8

The executive branch is involved in public policy through the State of the Union address, executive orders, treaties, and diplomatic agreements.

The judicial branch affects public policy through court decisions.

Question 9

How does Romans 12:2 apply to the development of one’s opinions?

Answer 9

The “renewing” of the mind will transform a person’s ideas about public policy.

Question 10

What are opinion polls?

Answer 10

Surveys of public thought on particular subjects.

Question 11

Why is it important to have a representative sample for an opinion poll?

Answer 11

An unrepresentative sample will not yield reliable information about the target group.

Question 12

Why is the wording of an opinion poll question significant?

Answer 12

Different wordings may lead people to make different responses, especially if the questions are vague or use terms with strong emotional connotations.

Question 13

Why must politicians be wary of public opinion?

Answer 13

Politicians must be careful because public opinion may change quickly and may also be based on incorrect information.

Question 14

What is an interest group? Give another name for an interest group.

Answer 14

A group of people who share a similar opinion about a political issue or group of issues and who unite in an organization to further their views.

Also called pressure groups.

Question 15

List the five major kinds of interest groups and give examples of each.

Answer 15

1. ) Economic: Chamber of Commerce
2. ) Social: National Council on Disability
3. ) Single-interest: NRA (National Rifle Association)
4. ) Religious/ideological: Chrisitan Coalition
5. ) Civic: League of Woman Voters

Question 16

What interest group activities may be used to influence public policy?

Answer 16

Lobbying; public persuasions through the use of the media or direct mailings like protests and rallies, campaign involvement, especially through PACs; and court action.

Question 17

What is an amicus curiae?

Answer 17

Friend of the court”

Question 18

What are the major forms of media, and what is the term used to describe them all?

Answer 18

Newspaper, radio, television, and Interest; mass media.

Question 19

What is the FOIA, and what rights does it give the media?

Answer 19

Freedom of Information Act; gives media broad power to investigate files of the federal bureaucracy.

Question 20

In what ways can the media manipulate the information they relay to the public?

Answer 20

• By giving certain information more extensive or prominent coverage
• By omitting stores or information
• By choosing connotative words and pictures in their coverage
• By setting arbitrary expectations

Question 21

In what ways do political candidates use the media?

Answer 21

• They try to project a good image before the media
• They try to gain as much media exposure as possible
• They try to use media appearances to diminish perceived negative opinions on the part of the voters.

Question 22

What is propaganda?

Answer 22

The use of techniques to manipulate information in order to persuade or influence people.