Chapter 16

Question 1

According to the text, which of these industries receives one of the largest portions of governmental aid?

Answer 1

Agriculture

Question 2

This unique type of policy implementation allows local areas flexibility to meet specific challenges and needs. Oftentimes, this relates to healthcare or housing

Answer 2

Bottom-up implementation

Question 3

This is the situation in which individuals exhaust a common resources by acting in their own immediate self-interest. For example, if everyone fishes in a lake every day, there will eventually be no fish in that lake.

Answer 3

Tragedy of the Commons

Question 4

Mandatory spending accommodates approximately what percentage of all federal expenditures?

Answer 4

60

Question 5

Congress has tried to reduce policy analysis bias in the Legislative Branch by creating this nonpartisan organization

Answer 5

Congressional Budget Office

Question 6

While distributive policy has diffuse costs and concentrated benefits, this policy features concentrated costs and diffuse benefits. For example, large corporations paying taxes for their carbon emissions equals greater air quality for all individuals.

Answer 6

Regulatory policy

Question 7

The overwhelming portion of the government’s education money is spent on which of the following?

Answer 7

a. Student loans
b. Grants
c. Work-study programs
d. All of the above***

Question 8

Public policy deals with issues of concern to some ___________________, as opposed to matters of interest only to a _____________________.

Answer 8

Large segment of society; small segment of society

Question 9

The goal of a policy analyst isn’t to encourage the implementation of policy, but rather to what?

Answer 9

Make sure that decision-makers are fully informed about the decisions they make

Question 10

This is one of the oldest and largest pieces of social welfare policy in American history. In 2014, it costed the United States about $845 billion alone

Answer 10

Social Security

Question 11

Which of these is a benefit of Medicare?

Answer 11

a. Prescription drug benefits
b. A guaranteed insurance benefit that helps cover major hospitalization
c. Fee-based supplemental coverage to lower costs for doctor visits and other health expenses
d. All of the above***

Question 12

This is the broad strategy government uses to do its job. More formally, it is the relatively stable set of purposive governmental actions that address matters of concern to some part of society

Answer 12

Public policy

Question 13

Most citizens have opinions on how they feel about certain policies. However, there are those who actively work to propose or maintain public policy. Typically, these can revolve around social issues like gay rights, abortion, gun control, or other contentious issues. These few individuals are known as what?

Answer 13

Policy advocates

Question 14

These individuals tend to feel very comfortable with the idea of the government shepherding progressive social and economic reforms, believing that these will lead to outcomes more equitable and fair for all members of society

Answer 14

Modern liberals

Question 15

Under this market system, supply and demand are influenced by the people without any government involvement.

Answer 15

Free-market economics

Question 16

Which of these is not a specific stage of the policy process?

Answer 16

Testing

Question 17

Social welfare policy has created a __________, which helps members of society who are suffering economic hardship through no fault of their own

Answer 17

Safety net

Question 18

These individuals believe that government almost always operates less efficiently than the private sector and that government actions should be kept to a minimum

Answer 18

Libertarians

Question 19

This is the amount by which expenditures are greater than revenues when it comes to the federal budget

Answer 19

Deficit

Question 20

This entitlement policy requires beneficiaries to fall within a particular income category and provides to them a comprehensive set of health benefits

Answer 20

Medicaid

Question 21

a strategy in which the federal government allows local areas some
flexibility to meet their specific challenges and needs in implementing policy

Answer 21

bottom-up implementation

Question 22

the congressional office that scores the spending or revenue impact of all
proposed legislation to assess its net effect on the budget

Answer 22

Congressional Budget Office

Question 23

the total amount the government owes across all years

Answer 23

debt

Question 24

the annual amount by which expenditures are greater than revenues

Answer 24

deficit

Question 25

government spending that Congress must pass legislation to authorize each year

Answer 25

discretionary spending

Question 26

a policy that collect payments or resources broadly but concentrates direct benefits on relatively few

Answer 26

distributive policy

Question 27

a program that guarantees benefits to members of a specific group or segment of the population

Answer 27

entitlement

Question 28

taxes applied to specific goods or services as a source of revenue

Answer 28

excise taxes

Question 29

a school of thought that believes the forces of supply and demand, working without any government intervention, are the most effective way for markets to operate

Answer 29

free-market economics

Question 30

an economic policy based on the idea that economic growth is closely tied to the ability of individuals to consume goods

Answer 30

Keynesian economics

Question 31

an economic policy that assumes the key to economic growth and development is for the government to allow private markets to operate efficiently without interference

Answer 31

laissez-faire

Question 32

people who believe that government almost always operates less efficiently than the private sector and that its actions should be kept to a minimum

Answer 32

libertarians

Question 33

government spending earmarked for entitlement programs guaranteeing support to those who meet certain qualifications

Answer 33

mandatory spending

Question 34

a health insurance program for low-income citizens

Answer 34

Medicaid

Question 35

an entitlement health insurance program for older people and retirees who no longer get health insurance through their work

Answer 35

Medicare

Question 36

people who actively work to propose or maintain public policy

Answer 36

policy advocates

Question 37

people who identify all possible choices available to a decision maker and assess the potential impact of each

Answer 37

policy analysts

Question 38

a tax that tends to increase the effective tax rate as the wealth or income of the tax-payer increases

Answer 38

progressive tax

Question 39

the broad strategy government uses to do its job; the relatively stable set of purposive governmental behaviors that address matters of concern to some part of society

Answer 39

public policy

Question 40

a temporary contraction of the economy in which there is no economic growth for two consecutive quarters

Answer 40

recession

Question 41

a policy in which costs are born by a relatively small number of groups or individuals, but benefits are expected to be enjoyed by a different group in society

Answer 41

redistributive policy

Question 42

a tax applied at a lower overall rate as individuals’ income rises

Answer 42

regressive tax

Question 43

a policy that regulates companies and organizations in a way that protects the public

Answer 43

regulatory policy

Question 44

a way to provide for members of society experiencing economic hardship

Answer 44

safety net

Question 45

a social welfare policy for people who no longer receive an income from employment

Answer 45

Social Security

Question 46

an economic policy that assumes economic growth is largely a function of a country’s productive capacity

Answer 46

supply-side economics

Question 47

a strategy in which the federal government dictates the specifics of public policy and each state implements it the same exact way

Answer 47

top-down implementation

Question 48

Public policy ________.

Answer 48

requires multiple actors and branches to | carry out

Question 49

What are some of the challenges to getting a | new public policy considered and passed as law?

Answer 49

Approval of a new policy requires government to recognize that a problem needs solving, and the approval of the elected branches of government. This process can take a long time.

Question 50

Toll goods differ from public goods in that | ________.

Answer 50

they require the payment of a fee up front

Question 51

Which type of policy directly benefits the most | citizens?

Answer 51

regulatory policy

Question 52

Social Security and Medicare are notable for | their assistance to which group?

Answer 52

the elderly

Question 53

Setting aside Social Security and Medicare, other entitlement programs in the U.S. government ________.

Answer 53

constitute well under one-quarter of the | budget

Question 54

What societal ills are social welfare programs | designed to address?

Answer 54

Need-based programs exist to provide at least minimal living standards for the poor and to provide opportunities to improve their life. allow mere survival, long term they can help the individual and society

Question 55

Which stage of the public policy process includes identification of problems in need of fixing?

Answer 55

agenda setting

Question 56

Policy analysts seek ________.

Answer 56

evidence

Question 57

A deficit is ________.

Answer 57

the annual budget shortfall between | revenues and expenditures

Question 58

Entitlement (or mandatory) spending is | ________

Answer 58

formula-based spending that goes to | individual citizens

Question 59

When times are tough economically, what can the government do to get the economy moving again?

Answer 59

A Keynesian approach would recommend deficit spending to stimulate the economy. Supplyside economists would advocate cutting taxes to get more money flowing in the economy