Introduction to Public Policy

Which of the following is NOT an example of a policy type? A. Exemplary B. Procedural C. Substantive D. Distributive

A. Exemplary

The practice of more powerful and established groups organizing interest groups from the top down to give the illusion of stronger grassroots support is called... A. astroturfing. B. opposition planting. C. public interest seeding. D. Tea-partying.

A. astroturfing.

Taxes that are linked to specific types of expenditures are usually called ______ taxes. A. earmarked B. dog-eared C. progressive D. value-added E. none of the above

A. earmarked

At around the year 1900, federal policy in the area of industrial safety and labor relations could be characterized by... A. laissez-faire economics. B. New Deal. C. state activism. D. national activism.

A. laissez-faire economics.

Punctuated equilibrium is the term used by Baumgartner and Jones to describe policymaking and change in terms of A. long-term periods of stability in policy with short bursts of policy change. B. the joining of problems, policies, and politics in "windows of opportunity" for change. C. how groups join into larger alliances to promote shared interests. D. the idea that boundedly rational people come together in "institutions" to pursue policy goals.

A. long-term periods of stability in policy with short bursts of policy change.

The scarcity of policy windows is mainly due to A. the limited capacity of the system to handle issues B. people's tendency to jump on political bandwagons C. the policy implications of policy change D. political streams

A. the limited capacity of the system to handle issues

Federalism refers to... A. the relationship between state and federal government. B. the assignment of powers and duties to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. C. the relative strength of large states in presidential elections. D. the difference in size and prestige between the House and Senate.

A. the relationship between state and federal government.

All of the following are reasons why the American working poor are harder hit by taxes EXCEPT ______. A. the working poor are more conscientious in filling out their tax forms B. the working poor have less access to loopholes than the wealthy C. the working poor pay Social Security taxes on their entire income D. the working poor spend a higher percentage of their income on consumption

A. the working poor are more conscientious in filling out their tax forms

John Kingdon frames his discussion of agenda change by introducing what concept or concepts? A. Divided power. B. Focusing events and indicators. C. Policy design. D. Interest groups and think tanks.

B. Focusing events and indicators.

The mutually reinforcing relationship between a congressional subcommittee, a federal agency, and regulated interest groups is known as which model of policy relationships? A. Triple play. B. Iron Triangle. C. Iron cross. D. Golden triangle. E. Ion network.

B. Iron triangle.

Policy tools are constrained by which of the following? A. Files B. Resources C. Elections D. Information

B. Resources

According to Relyea (2008), which of the following is NOT correct about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)? A. One of the main reasons for the enactment of the FOIA is the strong complaints from the public, the press, and various interest groups about department and agency secrecy. B. The statue and the information access policy the FOIA prescribed realized instantly without any diminishment. C. The FOIA was enacted in 1966 in the face of department and agency opposition. D. The result of the FOIA was the initiation of congressional oversight of the administration, which produced a valuable record for policy analysts.

B. The statue and the information access policy the FOIA prescribed realized instantly without any diminishment.

Of the following forms of political participation in the United States, in which form do Americans most often engage? A. Joining an interest group. B. Voting. C. Writing to members of Congress or state legislatures. D. Mass protests and rallies.

B. Voting.

What is the main debate over who learns in notions of organizational learning in the policy process? A. The idea that people never learn no matter what happens to them B. Whether or not we can attribute learning to nonhuman entities, such as organizations. C. The idea that people cannot learn under conditions of bounded rationality. D. The idea that experience is an unreliable basis for learning.

B. Whether or not we can attribute learning to nonhuman entities, such as organizations.

Who said that democracy was the worst form of government except for all the others? A. Harold Lasswell B. Winston Churchill C. Daniel McCool D. Karl Marx

B. Winston Churchill

A public good is defined as A. something good that members of the public make themselves B. a good that, once supplied, is open to consumption by anyone who wants to use it, with no possibility of exclusion. C. a good that only certain members of the public can consume but not others. D. the opiate of the masses.

B. a good that, once supplied, is open to consumption by anyone who wants to use it, with no possibility of exclusion.

A policy tool is... A. the law that compels action on the part of implementers. B. a method through which government seeks to achieve a policy objective. C. the equipment government uses to address problems, such as computers, police cars, or medicines. D. an agent of the government whose job it is to implement policy.

B. a method through which government seeks to achieve a policy objective.

Official Actors in the policy process gain their role by virtue of A. monetary wealth. B. a statutory or constitutional role. C. vested interests. D. heredity.

B. a statutory or constitutional role.

A model developed by Paul Sabatier that states that interest groups are organized in policy communities within a policy domain is called the A. framework model. B. advocacy coalition framework C. windows of opportunity model. D. interest group framework. E. policy community framework

B. advocacy coalition framework

The main critique of the Stages Model of the policy process is that it... A. is too complicated. B. assumes a linear and orderly policy process. C. ignores politics. D. fails to account for the shortcomings of Congress

B. assumes a linear and orderly policy process.

The theory that states that a few people in government, business, academia, and the media have a disproportionate share of the control over America's political and economic resources is called A. rational-choice theory B. elite theory C. institutionalism D. group theory E. pluralism

B. elite theory

Anecdotal evidence is based on... A. careful scientific analysis of public problems and solutions. B. individual stories and examples of problems and solutions. C. evidence collected in scientific laboratories. D. the accumulated knowledge of an academic discipline.

B. individual stories and examples of problems and solutions.

In a systems model of the policy process, the demands on the policymaking system to do something about a problem are called... A. outputs. B. inputs. C. initiatives. D. demographics.

B. inputs.

The phenomenon that involves members of a legislature agreeing to vote for each other's spending bills is known as A. voting B. logrolling C. vote winking D. a Yankee gentleman's agreement E. proxy voting

B. logrolling

Our system of multiple levels of government (federalism): A. makes implementation easier because there are many participants in delivering government services. B. makes implementation more difficult because policy designers cannot always count on state and local cooperation. C. makes implementation more difficult because there are too many states and local governments. D. makes implementation easier because state and local governments prefer to fund national or state programs.

B. makes implementation more difficult because policy designers cannot always count on state and local cooperation.

Street-level bureaucrats are: A. people with near total discretion to implement the law as they see fit. B. people in positions where they directly implement policies by interacting with people with minimal immediate supervision. C. the lowest-level people in an organization. D. government officials whose work tends to be solely outdoors.

B. people in positions where they directly implement policies by interacting with people with minimal immediate supervision.

When a window of opportunity opens for a particular policy area, this increases the chances that a window will open in a related policy domain. This is an example of A. focusing event B. spillover C. indicators D. agenda setting

B. spillover

In the mid-1960s, David Easton first pioneered a model that states that the public policy process is a product of a system. The public policy process is influenced by and influences the environment in which it operates. This model is known as the... A. bi-linear model B. systems model C. linear model D. analysis model E. Dave's model

B. systems model

The separation of powers refers to... A. the relationships between the state and federal government. B. the assignment of powers and duties to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. C. the relative strength of large states in presidential elections. D. the difference in size and prestige between the House and the Senate.

B. the assignment of powers and duties to the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Which of the following is NOT part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act? A. An individual mandate for purchasing health insurance. B. Regulatory provisions baring coverage denials for pre-existing conditions. C. A public option providing citizens with a public alternative to private health insurance. D. All of these were part of the ACA. E. None of these were part of the ACA.

C. A public option providing citizens with a public alternative to private health insurance.

Which of the following would not be considered a theory of decision-making? A. Incremental theory B. Rational comprehensive theory C. Agenda-setting theory D. All of the above are decision making theories

C. Agenda-setting theory

The following all relate to the social scientific definition of politics EXCEPT... A. competition to gain certain resources. B. the nature of political power. C. Democrats and Republicans. D. the need to cooperate to make decisions.

C. Democrats and Republicans.

The Interstate Highway System in the United States was championed by which US President? A. Richard Nixon B. Lindon B. Johnson C. Dwight Eisenhower D. Harry S. Truman E. John F. Kennedy

C. Dwight Eisenhower

Deborah Stone uses the terms market and polis to contrast which types of models? A. Policy and analysis B. Rational and irrational C. Economic and political D. None of the above

C. Economic and political

Which of the following is not an example of a public good? A. National defense. B. Clean air. C. Groceries. D. Fire protection. E. None of the above.

C. Groceries.

If I were to say that the focus of policy studies should be on the actions of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, what approach to policy studies would I be adopting? A. Rational-choice theory. B. Elite theory. C. Institutionalism. D. Group theory. E. Pluralism.

C. Institutionalism.

Birkland's book is most closely associated with which tradition in policy studies? A. Case studies B. Policy analysis C. Policy process studies D. All of the above

C. Policy process studies

The most visible and controversial types of polices are called A. regulatory policies B. distributive policies C. redistributive policies D. agenda policies

C. redistributive policies

An agenda in the policy process refers to A. the semi-secret plans of interest groups to gain support for unpopular ideas B. the implementation of public policy C. the matters before public institutions that are available for discussion and decision D. the annual budget bill

C. the matters before public institutions that are available for discussion and decision

Social construction refers to A. urban sprawl B. the elite C. the process of defining problems and the causes of them changing conditions over time

C. the process of defining problems and the causes of them changing conditions over time

The federal government's role in U.S. education involves which of the following area(s)? A. Polices related to education funding. B. Collection of data and research. C. Enforcement of discrimination laws. D. All of the above.

D. All of the above.

Which one of the following is not one of the three main approaches used to study implementation? A. Bottom-up. B. Top-down. C. Synthesis of top-down and bottom-up. D. Alternative selection.

D. Alternative selection.

The writing of vague policy and law by the Congress implies what for government agencies? A. Highly restricted agency action. B. The lack of administrative discretion. C. A highly accountable government agency. D. An opportunity for government agencies to shape policy through implementation.

D. An opportunity for government agencies to shape policy through implementation.

Which of the following is NOT one of the three "streams" in John Kingdon's model of the public policy process? A. Politics stream. B. Policy stream. C. Problem stream. D. Implementation stream.

D. Implementation stream.

A preemptive strike is... A. Launching a counter-military attack in retaliation for an act of war. B. Knocking down 10 pins in a game of bowling. C. Typically a result of mutually assured destruction. D. Launching a military action first on the assumption of future aggression on the part of the other nation.

D. Launching a military action first on the assumption of future aggression on the part of the other nation.

Bounded rationality states which of the following about people and information processing? A. People are skilled at multitasking B. People like information C. People do not know how to process information D. People cannot process all information

D. People cannot process all information

Which of the following statements about Social Security Insurance in the United States is true? A. The majority of Americans would prefer that the program was privatized. B. The Social Security system is currently operating at a major deficit. C. AARP has supported proposals by the Brookings Institute to eliminate the cost-of-living-adjustment or COLA in any year in which the rate of inflation is less than 5 percent. D. Social Security is financed entirely by payroll taxes. E. All of the above.

D. Social Security is financed entirely by payroll taxes.

Poor causal theory results in A. policy failing to meet its goals or desired outcomes. B. a focus on measuring outputs, rather than outcomes. C. difficulty in linking outputs to outcomes. D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Power in the United States is said to be fragmented because... A. There are 50 states. B. there are three branches of government. C. There are a large number of units of government at all levels. D. all of the above E. none of the above

D. all of the above

What are some alternatives to the current tax system in the U.S.? A. introducing a simple flat tax on all income B. moving from an income tax to a national consumption tax C. integrating corporate and personal taxation D. all of the above E. none of the above

D. all of the above

Bureaucracy could mean: A. a term of derision used for any complicated, cumbersome process characterized by paperwork, unresponsiveness, and slow results. B. a system of organization in which tasks are divided among bureaus, each of which follows particular procedures to evenhandedly administer rules. C. the organization that administers government through rules and procedures. D. all of the above.

D. all of the above.

People study the policy process because A. they are interested in theories of how policy comes to be. B. they want to be more effective advocates for particular policies. C. they may be called upon to address policy matters that directly affect their communities and professions. D. all of these are reasons to study the policy process.

D. all of these are reasons to study the policy process.

Harold Lasswell's call for the creation of a policy science was based on a desire to A. find the best solutions to practical problems. B. simply develop excellent theories of social science. C. train policy analysts. D. develop sound social science theories that would help to solve societal problems.

D. develop sound social science theories that would help to solve societal problems.

The following are elements of policy design except A. goals B. targets C. tools D. focusing events

D. focusing events

The substantive area of policy over which participants in policy-making compete and compromise is known as... A. the policy community. B. the iron triangle. C. an issue network. D. policy domain. E. none of the above

D. policy domain.

What are some criteria that governments employ when making decisions about taxes? A. Collectability B. Fiscal neutrality C. Distributive effects D. Visibility E. All of the above F. None of the above

E. All of the above

Which of the following are major U.S. Immigration Laws? A. 1906 Naturalization Act B. Alien Registration Act of 1940 C. Homeland Security Act of 2002 D. Secure Fence Act of 2006 E. All of the above F. None of the above

E. All of the above

Which of the following is one of the stages in the Stage Model of the policy process? A. Evaluation B. Enactment C. Issue emergence D. Alternative selection E. All of the above

E. All of the above

Governments funding scientific research reduce the risk of poor investment by A. Carefully screening people whose research is funded. B. Making funding finite and linked to specific projects and research goals. C. Funding teaching as well as research activities to support researchers and information sharing. D. None of the above. E. All of the above.

E. All of the above.

As part of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR), which of the following publications are produced annually? A. Crime in the United States B. The National Incident-Reporting System C. Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted D. Hate Crime Statistics E. all of the above F. none of the above

E. all of the above

Which of the following functions do interest groups perform? A. help organize legislative activities. B. provide voters with cues for voting. C. help elected officials and their supporters create packages of policy ideas to appeal to voters. D. provide a way of transmitting preference from the electorate to the elected branches. E. all of the above activities are undertaken by political parties.

E. all of the above activities are undertaken by political parties.

Which of the following functions do political parties perform? A. help organize the legislative branch. B. provide voters with cues for voting. C. help elected officials and their supporters create packages of policy ideas to appeal to voters. D. provide a way of transmitting preferences from the electorate to the elected branches. E. all of the above activities are undertaken by political parties.

E. all of the above activities are undertaken by political parties.

Which of the following is an executive agency involved in environment and energy policy? A. the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. B. the U.S. Department of Energy. C. the U.S. Department of Interior. D. the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. E. all of the above. F. none of the above.

E. all of the above.

The rational actor model includes all of the following assumptions except that A. decision-makers clearly understand the problems and goals before them. B. decision-makers are set to solve the problem. C. decision-makers collect all possible information D. decision-makers consider multiple options, including not acting at all. E. decision-makers take their own personal values and goals into account when making policy.

E. decision-makers take their own personal values and goals into account when making policy.

T/F: Applied scientific research is curiosity driven and not intended to solve any immediate problems.

False

T/F: Inflation is the drop in the price of the same goods over time.

False

T/F: Policy failure is easy to detect and is clear to all participants in the policy process.

False

T/F: Theories of the policy process tend to be sweeping and all encompassing, and account for all relevant aspects of the process.

False

True/False: According to Theordore Lowi, issues of national importance are more often debated than are the concerns of interest groups.

False

True/False: Conservationists believed that nature had intrinsic value in itself and should be protected for future generations.

False

True/False: Problems become self-evident after looking at statistical indicators of problems.

False

True/False: Redistributive policy always redistributes benefits or rights from the wealth to the poor.

False

True/False: The 1996 reform of welfare which replaced AFDC with TANF or "workfare" significantly reduced poverty in the United States.

False

True/False: The disparity between black and white infant mortality has decreased since 1970 in the US.

False

True/False: The federal Constitution establishes political parties.

False

True/False: There is one distinct and clear set of principles that govern the study of public policy.

False

T/F: According to Braman (2011), information policy is comprised of laws, regulations, and doctrinal positions - and other decision making and practices with society-wide constitutive effects - involving information creation, processing, flows, access, and use.

True

T/F: Foreign policy realists would agree that nations have no permanent friends or allies, only permanent interests.

True

T/F: Immigration policy refers to the guidelines used by a country for allowing individuals entry to that country.

True

T/F: In the "garbage can model" solutions are looking for problems and problems are looking for solutions.

True

T/F: Information policies include a variety of themes, such as accountability, records management, accessibility, security, and privacy.

True

T/F: One of the public policy problems that mass incarceration in the United States has led to is overcrowded prisons.

True

T/F: Policy goals are often unclear, so that many people might support a policy because of their perception of the policy's goals.

True

T/F: The Federal Reserve requires banks to keep a certain percentage of all the money depositors have in that bank on hand at all times.

True

T/F: When selecting a policy tool, policy designers should consider its political feasibility.

True

True/False: Anecdotal evidence may be as persuasive in causal stories as rigorous scientific analysis

True

True/False: Compared with the rest of the developed world, the United States has one of the least equal distributions of wealth in the world.

True

True/False: Education Policy in the U.S. is primarily a responsibility of state and local governments.

True

True/False: Even with the Internet, the public is generally at an information disadvantage compared with government officials and policy insiders.

True

True/False: In policy debates, the position backed by the best scientific evidence does not always "win" the debate.

True

True/False: One rationale for justifying government provision of infrastructure assets is that they are natural monopolies.

True

True/False: Over a quarter of American presidents have served as generals in armed forces.

True

True/False: The U.S. constitutional system is structure in a way that often prevents rapid policy change.

True

True/False: The two-level game concept refers to the idea that presidents and congressional leaders develop U.S. defense and foreign policy with reference to both the actions of other nations and to the domestic situation.

True

Currency in the United States is controlled by the ______ government(s). a. federal b. state c. local d. tribal

a. federal

Which of the following represent major U.S. economic policy and budgeting statues: a. Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 b. Alien Registration Act of 1940 c. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 d. Homeland Security Act of 2002 e. a and c f. all of the above g. none of the above

e. a and c

Economic policy is an umbrella term used to encapsulate any number of policies related to: a. the economy b. taxation c. government spending d. subsidies for various industry sectors e. all of the above f. none of the above

e. all of the above