Lecture 3 Flashcards
When does a condition become a problem?
When it becomes recognized by a significant number of people or a number of significant people.
What is the most important first step in obtaining policy change?
Successfully defining conditions as problems.
What is the most effective way to get a problem on the agenda?
Have an incoming president seize and articulate the problem as necessary to address.
What is Medicaid?
A social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources.
What is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)?
A program designed to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency.
What is Federalism?
A system of government wherein power is shared between a central government and other governments, in our case between the fed and the states.
What does the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 require?
Requires an annual budget resolution, developed by Congress.
The President’s request for the coming fiscal year informed by who?
By budget requests from federal agencies.
The President’s request for the coming fiscal year is developed by whom?
By Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
What does mandatory spending include? (6)
- Social Security. 2. Medicare, federal share of Medicaid. 3. Means-tested entitlements like food stamps. 4. Unemployment insurance. 5. The federal block grant to states for TANF. 6. Interest on national debt.
How is discretionary spending divided?
Between defense and non-defense discretionary spending.
Who drafts the Congressional Budget Resolution?
House and Senate budget committees.
What does the Congressional Budget Resolution define?
Budget outlays for spending categories (or “budget functions”.
What are Budget reconciliation bills?
A way of forcing committees to make spending cuts or tax increases called for in budget resolution.
How much of the government’s funding is supplied by personal income taxes?
50%
