POLS 202 Ch 13

What important noncontributory program was abolished by Congress in 1996?

Aid to Families with Dependent Children

What do public-opinion polls reveal about welfare policies?

Americans view welfare beneficiaries as "undeserving."

Which statement is the key argument of John Maynard Keynes?

Government can pull an economy out of a recession by stimulating demand and creating a cycle of increased production and jobs.

________ are government grants of cash or other valuable commodities, such as land, that are used to promote activities desired by government leaders.

Subsidies

Which program was designed to help augment the benefits to the aged, blind, and disabled?

Supplemental Security Income

________ were the centerpiece of George W. Bush's economic policy.

Tax cuts

Which of the following can be concluded from the results of the 1996 welfare reforms?

The reforms have reduced the number of people on welfare but have done little to reduce poverty.

What was the primary problem with private charities before the development of the welfare state?

They would make subjective decisions on who was deserving of aid.

Which of the following was a key part of President Obama's overhaul of No Child Left Behind?

a proposal that states could apply for waivers that would exempt them from some of the requirements of No Child Left Behind

Medicare is a ________ program; Medicaid is a ________ program.

contributory; noncontributory

Which of the following programs most benefits the working poor?

earned income tax credits

The idea that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to achieve their goals is called ________.

equality of opportunity

The G.I. Bill of Rights of 1944 and the National Defense Education Act of 1958 were examples of the

federal government's approach to education policy during the 1940s and 1950s.

The power to raise or lower the tax rate is part of ________.

fiscal policy

In 2007 and 2008, the government faced a housing crisis caused by

foreclosures.

Which of the following is the strongest factor in predicting which groups in society receive the most benefits from government's social policies?

groups that are the most politically powerful

The main change in welfare policies since 1996 is ________.

increased use of noncash assistance

The periodic adjustment of benefits or wages that takes into account the increased cost of living is called ________.

indexing

The best way for Federal Reserve Board officials to help boost a stagnant economy is to

lower interest rates so that banks can provide more loans at cheaper rates to individuals and businesses.

A(n) ________ benefit is one where potential recipients must document their genuine need.

means tested.

The goals of American social policy are

often controversial.

Public policy can be embodied in all of the following forms EXCEPT a(n) ________.

petition

A way to reduce the disparities in wealth between the rich and poor is called a(n) ________.

policy of redistribution

The central thrust of federal housing policy has been to

promote home ownership.

An officially expressed purpose or goal backed by a sanction is a ________.

public policy

Charter schools are best described as

public schools that are free to design special curricula.

A cost-of-living adjustment is based on the

rate of inflation.

The goals of social policy

reflect changing views about which risks should be borne by the individual or shared by society

Which of the following groups are more than twice as likely as other Americans to be below the poverty line?

single mothers

What is the shadow welfare state?

social benefits that are distributed by private employers who are being subsidized by the government

The welfare reforms of 1996 did all of the following EXCEPT

take the federal government out of welfare policy, granting all authority to the states.

When did the American welfare state begin?

the 1930s

What event marked the major historical turning point in the relationship between the government and the marketplace?

the Great Depression

What event brought federal attention to elementary school education?

the fear that the Soviets were winning the Cold War through better technology

Which of the following groups receives the most benefits from government's social policies?

the middle class

The "individual mandate" of the Affordable Care Act refers to

the requirement that uninsured individuals purchase health insurance.

Social Security was established in ________.

1935

Medicare was established in ________.

1965

About ________ percent of America's children live in poverty.

22

AARP has a membership of approximately ________ members.

40 Million

Which of the following statements is true?

both b and c all of the above

The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program is administered

by the states, with benefit levels varying between states.

Which of the following groups receives the least benefits from government's social policies?

children

Which of the following is a program of forced savings?

Medicare

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

Men are more likely to be poor than women.

The U.S. Public Health Service was founded in ________.

1798

President ________ vowed "to end welfare as we know it."

Bill Clinton

Why is it difficult to lobby for the interests of poor children?

Children cannot vote.

Which of the following statements about Social Security is FALSE?

Contributors receive benefits in strict proportion to their contributions.

Which of the following LEAST explains why the elderly receive a large share of social benefits?

Most members of Congress are themselves elderly or soon will be.

Which of the following statements about the No Child Left Behind Act is FALSE?

It creates a standard national test for all students.

How did the Great Depression change American attitudes about welfare?

It revealed that poverty could be caused by a flawed economic system, not just by personal irresponsibility.

During the New Deal, ________ theory that a government could boost employment by stimulating demand became quite influential.

John Maynard Keynes's

Which of the following statements about noncontributory programs is FALSE?

The existence of these programs dates back to the Civil War.

Which of the following statements about noncontributory programs, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Medicaid, is most accurate?

The federal government provides only some of the funding for these programs, and, as a result, citizens receive very different levels of benefits in different states.

Which of the following was NOT included in the congressional plans for health care reform?

a public option allowing individuals to acquire medical coverage directly from the government

There are considerable disparities in benefits from state to state in noncontributory programs because

state governments are given grants-in-aid from the federal government to establish and operate their own programs rather than having one uniform national program.