Chapter 12: Public Policymaking in Texas Flashcards
The study of “who gets what, when, and how” through competition an opportunity
politics
A planned or deliberate course of action for dealing with a problem or issue through governing action
Public policy
Collects resources primarily through taxation from across a broad base in society and those resources are allocated to targeted areas
Distributive policy
Collects resources from those with higher income levels and allocates funding to those who fall within a lower income threshold
Re-distributive policy
Protects the public by establishing rules and guidelines for business practices
Regulatory policy
How is politics defined?
A. A planned or deliberate course of action for dealing with a problem or issue through governing action
B. Members of the policy community elected to deal with government issues
C. The study of “who gets what, when, and how”
D. Problem recognition for issues that merit government attention
C. The study of “who gets what, when, and how”
Members in the policy community include:
A. Only lawmakers
B. Government, interest groups, and individuals
C. Only interest groups
D. Only media
B. Government, interest groups, and individuals
What is public policy?
A. A planned or deliberate course of action for dealing with a problem or issue through governing action
B. The study of “who gets what, when, and how”
C. Problem recognition for issues that merit government attention
D. A set of issues policymakers believe are important to address
A. A planned or deliberate course of action for dealing with a problem or issue through governing action
Election fraud as an issue:
A. is highly partisan
B. not an issue of concern for politicians
C. not an issue of concern for politicians, interest groups, or individuals
D. does not merit address
A. is highly partisan
Members of the policy community compete to:
A. Frame and shape policy issues
B. Implement their policy preference(s)
C. Gain attention on a policy issue
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
___ policy collects resources from those with higher income levels and allocates funding to those who fall within a lower income threshold.
A. Distributive B. Redistributive C. Regulatory D. Public E. Politics
B. Redistributive
___ collects resources primarily through taxation from across a broad base in society and those resources are allocated to targeted areas.
A. Distributive B. Redistributive C. Regulatory D. Public E. Politics
A. Distributive
___ policy protects the public by establishing rules and guidelines for business practices.
A. Distributive B. Redistributive C. Regulatory D. Public E. Politics
C. Regulatory
The Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program is an example of ___ policy.
A. Distributive B. Redistributive C. Regulatory D. Public E. Politics
B. Redistributive
Environmental policies is an example of ___ policy.
A. Distributive B. Redistributive C. Regulatory D. Public E. Politics
C. Regulatory
The method public officials seek to achieve their goal of dealing with a problem or issue
policymaking process
Recognizes that a problem exists that requires government intervention
problem identification
Consists of a set of issues policymakers believe should receive their attention
agenda-setting
The convergence of the problem, policy, and politics streams opens the opportunity policy window for achieving agenda status.
Three streams:
1. The existence of a problem
- Policy proposals for solving the problem
- The political motivation for tackling the problem
Multiple Streams Framework
The process where problems decline in focus and support
issue-attention cycle
Consists of those issues that are believed to be important by political actors and merit the attention of policymakers
systemic agenda
The narrow list of issues policymakers are in strong support of
institutional agenda
Consists of developing alternative proposals to address a problem or issue
policy formulation
Involves the selection of government action to respond to a problem or issue
policy adoption
Involves a chosen law that is put into action to deal with a problem or issue
policy implementation
Assesses the law to determine how well the law meets its objectives and goals
policy evaluation
Numerical presentation of policy outcomes
absolute evaluation
Seeks to add context or a frame of reference of policy outcomes
relative evaluation
This stage in the policymaking process includes a set of issues that policymakers believe are important to address.
A. Problem identification
B. Agenda-setting
C. Policy formulation
D. Policy adoption
B. Agenda-setting
This stage in the policymaking process assesses the effectiveness of the policy.
A. Problem identification
B. Policy formulation
C. Policy evaluation
D. Policy adoption
C. policy evaluation
___ is the process lawmakers use to address issues.
A. Public policy
B. Laws
C. Policymaking
D. Policy assessment
C. Policymaking
This stage in the policymaking process recognizes the existence of an issue that needs government to deal with.
A. Problem identification
B. Agenda-setting
C. Policy formulation
D. Policy implementation
A. Problem identification
The ___ includes three factors or streams that must converge before agenda status is achieved.
A. Stream theory
B. Agenda-setting
C. Issue-attention
D. Multiple Streams Framework
D. Multiple Streams Framework
This stage in the policymaking process enacts a policy action to deal with an issue.
A. Problem identification
B. Policy formulation
C. Policy evaluation
D. Policy adoption
D. policy adoption
___ is a type of policy evaluation analysis addressing the impact of a law.
A. Systemic agenda
B. Institutional agenda
C. Absolute evaluation
D. Relative evaluation
D. Relative evaluation
This stage in the policymaking process develops policy proposals or options for how to deal with a problem.
A. Problem identification
B. Agenda-setting
C. Policy formulation
D. Policy evaluation
C. Policy formulation
This stage in the policymaking process puts a chosen policy into action.
A. Problem identification
B. Agenda-setting
C. Policy implementation
D. Policy formulation
C. Policy implementation
The agenda that public officials believe have the best chance of becoming law.
A. Systemic agenda
B. Institutional agenda
C. Issue-attention
D. Interest group agenda
B. Institutional agenda
Emphasizes the competing interests of groups vying for government attention and resources
group theory
A theoretical framework that claims a small ruling minority holds power
elite theory
A theoretical framework where policy outcomes depend on policy input, demands, and support
political systems theory
A theoretical framework that involves small, incremental steps to the policymaking
incrementalism
Promotes maximizing benefits and preferred outcomes in the policy-making process
rational-choice
A multitude of diverse interest in American polity that compete to influence public policy
pluralist society
The ___ theory claims the power is held by a small number of individuals.
A. Pluralism
B. Elite
C. Group
D. Incrementalism
B. Elite
C. Wright Mills believes ___ hold the most power to influence public policy.
A. Interest groups
B. People
C. Political parties
D. Corporations
D. Corporations
___ argues that policy changes occurs in small, piecemeal steps.
A. Incrementalism
B. Political systems theory
C. Elite theory
D. Rational-choice theory
A. Incrementalism
___ seeks to maximize benefits for political actors.
A. Group theory
B. Political systems theory
C. Elite theory
D. Rational-choice theory
D. Rational-choice theory
___ approaches policymaking by considering inputs, demands, and outputs on the political system.
A. Group theory
B. Political systems theory
C. Elite theory
D. Political-administrative dichotomy
B. Political systems theory
Gun rights legislation:
A. is a highly partisan issue
B. is a very divisive issue
C. reduces restrictions is favored by conservatives
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Energy reform policy:
A. Visibility depends on how much attention is given to the issue
B. Reaching institutional agenda status depends on the level of impact
C. Achieving institutional agenda status depends on the visibility level
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Election reform legislation:
A. Receives bipartisan support for widespread mail-in balloting
B. Receives low visibility
C. Reduces restrictions are favored by liberals
D. Reduces restrictions are favored by conservatives
C. Reduces restrictions are favored by liberals
Infrastructure law:
A. Visibility depends on how much attention is given to the issue
B. Reaching institutional agenda status depends on impact level
C. Achieving institutional agenda status depends on the visibility level
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Criminal justice reform:
A. is a highly partisan issue
B. is influenced by national criminal justice issues
C. may not receive the necessary legislative support for policy adoption of reform measures
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
The ___ draws a distinction between the role of politics and the implementation of laws in the policymaking process.
Political-administrative dichotomy
Institutional agenda differs from the systemic agenda regarding:
issues that have the best opportunity to be addressed by the legislature
David Easton’s political systems model details:
policy inputs, supply, and demands for policy action
Budgetary resources are often required for policies to deal effectively with the problem.
True or False
True
The importance of relative evaluation involve:
providing a complete and fair assessment of a policy
C. Wright Mills believed which group has the most powerful influence on public policy?
Corporations
Policy areas that are critical to the people of Texas will always be addressed by policymakers.
True or False
False
House Concurrent Resolution 66 condemning racism against Asian American and Pacific Islanders:
expresses an opinion and thoughts supported by members of both parties
Which theoretical perspective best represents the way policy change happens?
Incremental
What individual is credited with first applying rational-choice theory?
Anthony Downs
John Kingdon’s agenda-setting model argues:
a problem, policy proposals, and motivation to solve the issue must be present to achieve agenda status
A pluralist society emphasizes:
representation of groups’ interests in the policymaking process
The rational-choice theory seeks to:
maximize benefits and outcomes
___ definition of politics descriptively helps one understand the importance of issue frame, resource allocation, and maximizing political opportunity.
Harold Lasswell
Partisan polarizing issues:
may reach agenda status depending on the social, economic, and political environments
