Midterm #2 Flashcards
What is the purpose of a Randomized Control Trial (RCT)?
To establish causality in a controlled setting
Dynarski reported that students without laptops in the classes received lower test scores that their peers
False
Wilenskys Law: “the more evaluation, the less program development
True
Which one of these is not an example of an experiment?
1.Randomized control trials
2.Observation
3.Natural Quasi
4.Laboratory
Observation
What Happens in a Natural Quasi-Experiments?
Exploit “near random” exposure to treatment and compare outcomes
Judge policies for efficiency: Are benefits> costs?
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Present $$ is more valuable than “Future $$”
True
A randomized control trials is the best method to establish causality of a policy treatment because…
The difference between the treatment and control can be monitored
“Experts are often wrong, and the good ones among them are the first to admit it”
True
According to Nichols, there is concern about American ignorance regarding public policy because of…
- Acts of rejecting expert advice
2.”Dunning-Kruger effect”
Death of expertise
Conformation bias
All of the above
Scientists are empirical and maintain objectivity
False
They try to but are humans so they could fail
What is Conformation bias
Tendency to look for information affirming what you already believe in
According to Wilensky, it’s better to ask small questions and move policies within 5 year time span
False
What did Auguste Comete believe
Positivism human thought evolves from religious metaphysical to scientific
Which is not a premise of science
Connectivity: make sure everything is interconnected
According to Nichols, objectivity is accomplished by intersubjectivity, expert community policing one another?
True
What is the cycle of how science works
Theory–> Hypothesis–>data–>empirical patterns
Which of the following is a reason why science sometimes doesn’t work
1.Scientist fail to be emperical
2.Scientist fail to maintain objectivity
3.Policy makers dont care
All of the above
According to Wilensky, which is his best claim about social sciences
In the U.S. social science contributes less to policy making than in Europe
Theory is a guess of a specific and testable implication
False
According to Wilensky the U.S. is fragmented and decentralized
True
Which is not an example of being emperical
- observing how many people get in the bus
- Researcher claiming that people are bad w/out having observations/evidence
3.observing how many people put their grocery cart away
4.observing how many people clean their air
2.Researchers claiming that people are bad without having observation/evidence
How do scientist have control in their study
have only primary evidence
Does discounting favor the present generation over the future generation
True
According to Reid, which of the following is a measurement of tax?
Tax capacity
Tax collection
Tax Effort
Does The Lamppost Effect benefit the Office of Management, Budget, & Congressional Budget Office?
True
The U.S. Tax Revenue has increased over the years since 1995.
False
Which of the following do Taxes not do?
Enhance the Illegitimacy of Government
Most Tax Deductions favor the Wealthy.
True
Which of the following is not a dimension of taxes?
Tax Expenditures
Which country has the highest income inequality among rich democracies?
USA
Moral Hazard is considered a form of government failure.
True
According to Nichols, Informed arguments are a sign of intellectual health in a democracy.
True
Tax Burden
Overall tax revenues as a percentage of GDP
Tax Capacity
Potential revenue a government could collect if it taxed all income and wealth at average rates
Tax Effort
Actual revenue a country collects through taxes relative to its potential capacity
Tax Collection
Amount of tax paid under a nation’s law that is actually collected
Top Rate
Maximum tax rate imposed on the highest level of income
Capital Gains Tax
Tax on profits made from trading stocks, bonds, real estate, or commodities
Sales Tax
Retail tax imposed on most purchases, varies by state and city
Something-for-nothing theory
Theory that tax cuts lead to economic growth
Arthur Laffer
Economist who proposed the something-for-nothing theory
Adam Smith
Economic conservative who supported progressive taxation
Who is August Comete
one of the founders of sociology
What does Nicolas state in regards to obtaining information?
Actual research is boring and often boring
Science is what?
Objective
What does science involve?
Control to avoid distortions
What is the product of science is Knowledge?
Description (why?)
Explanation (why?)
Prediction (future; New settings?)
Good science is _______
Humble
Is science certain?
No it is uncertain
One should always be skeptical according to Nichols
True
Can a hypothesis be falsifiable?
Yes
Why does science sometimes not work?
fail to be emperical
fail to maintain objectivity
Not updating as time goes by
According to Wilensky what did policy makers not care about?
Job-training and healthcare research
Wilensky Law
More evaluations, the less program development; the more demonstration projects, the less follow through
What is the Independent?
X
Predictor, treatment, “cause”
What is the dependent?
Y
Outcome, response, “effect”
What is reverse
Y might cause C
What is spurious
Also known as the 3rd variable problem
where X is related to some other variable Z and Z causes both X and Y
In the Dynarski laptop band experiment
who was the controlled group?
Those who where not allowed laptops
What are Labatory Experiments?
Stimulating real world processes
What are Randomized controlled trials?
Real world settings with real treatments and real outcomes
What are Natural Quasi Experiments?
Exploit “near random” exposure to treatment and compare outcomes
What are policies based on?
Hunches or good intentions (not evidence)
What are the 4 steps to Judge Policies for efficiency?
- How much will the policy cost?
- Identify Benefits and Estimates $ value of benefits
3.Apply Discount rate - Compare cost vs. Benefits
How do you compare cost vs. benefit?
Net Benefit= Benefit - cost
Ratio of Benefit/cost= How much benefit per $
Quantification cause us to be what?
Uneffective Crass Utilitarians
What is an Uneffective crass Utilitarian?
Only focuses on materials such as money
Who is supposed to be the Engine?
Senators and congress people
Who is supposed to be the camera?
CBO
Is the U.S. one of the few countries with no VAT?
True
Does the U.S have less tax burden on people?
True
Does the U.S. have lower Tax revenue?
True
What are the Dimensions of taxes?
- Capacity
- Adequacy
- Progressivity
- Borad basing
- Others- simpicity, convinience, predictability
Revenue < spending since 1973
True
Are U.S. taxes Progressive?
True
Progressive
Property/wealth taxes
Income taxes
capital gain taxes
Inheritance Taxes
Less progressive
Sales Tax
Value Added tax
Payroll taxes
Most deduction taxe s
Who does Tax deduction favor?
The wealthy
What does progressive system mean?
Where the rich pay more
If you have low wage you dont have to pay FICA?
False
What is income?
comprehensive measure of a households economic resources
What is poverty?
shortage of recources vs needs
Does the U.S have the highest income inequality among rich democracies?
True
What causes high U.S. poverty and inequality?
Weak U.S. Social policies
What is Moral hazard
A government failure
What do social policies actually do?
- Redistribution between rich and poor
- Insure against Risks
- invest in well-being (education and health)
- Creates opportunities
- Shapes norms and values
Did expanded CTC reduce poverty?
Yes by 50% reduction in child poverty
What does the U.S. Need in regards to health
Low morality High expectancy
The Bismark Model
Named by German chancellor
created to quiet down democracy
financed through insurance fees
The beverage Model
Named after British policy makers
Government is main single payer
free access to health care
What is the U.S. Healthcare system model close to?
Bismark Model
How many Americans do not have Insurance?
10%
