Inquizitive: Chapter 17. Social Policy

The two most generous and politically popular social policy programs are - for health care and - for cash benefits, which primarily benefit -.

1) Medicare 2) social security 3) senior citizens

In 2001, a major piece of education legislation, titled ---------------- , passed with ---------------- support.

1) No Child Left Behind 2) bipartisan

- provides cash benefits to retirees funded from the - of current workers.

1) Social Security 2) payroll taxes

Which of these income levels has the highest percentage of recipients of the Earned Income Tax Credit?

<$30,000

How did the Great Depression influence the American approach to social programs?

Americans began to recognize poverty was inherent in the economy. The dominant question became how generous or restrictive the government should be about welfare to the poor. It altered Americans' views about the "deserving poor."

What are examples of tax expenditures targeting the poor?

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

Why have noncontributory programs, such as cash welfare, faced opposition among many Americans, especially during the period between 1960 and 1990?

Media portrayals helped create the misperception that Black Americans were the overwhelming beneficiaries of the programs and reinforced racial stereotypes about work ethic. The public viewed beneficiaries of these programs as "undeserving" and believed they did not want to work.

Identify the primary beneficiaries for each program. Note that every item may not have a match, while some items may have more than one match.

Medicaid: working poor nonworking poor elderly Earned Income Tax Credit: working poor Social Security: elderly

Select the title of the program that has grown the most since 1970.

Medicare

Since 1966, the poverty rate among the elderly has dropped from about 30 percent to 8.9 percent. Which two social programs were most responsible for this change?

Medicare Social Security

Which of the following statements are consistent with the "three streams" model of policy making?

Policy change does not occur in a linear way. When policy changes occur, they tend to be big changes.

Which programs are part of the American welfare state?

Social Security Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Medicare Medicaid

Which of the following statements about tax expenditures are accurate?

Tax expenditures are often used to incentivize particular activity. Tax expenditures are foregone federal income rather than spending.

Medicare and Social Security enjoy strong support among Americans; consequently, politicians are reluctant to cut funding for these programs. Why?

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is a sophisticated lobbying firm that aims to represent senior citizens and ensure these programs' funding is not cut. The elderly, who are the beneficiaries of Medicare and Social Security, are perceived as "deserving." Senior citizens are a large, politically active group.

What education reforms did the Obama administration adopt?

The administration allowed states to apply for waivers exempting them from certain requirements of No Child Left Behind. The administration supported charter schools.

Identify the correct statements

The majority of recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are between the ages of 50 and 64. Women make up a higher percentage of the Medicaid beneficiaries.

Which of the following statements about poverty rates are true?

The poverty rate for children is higher than for the overall American population. The poverty rate for minorities is higher than for White Americans. The poverty rate for American households headed by a female is higher than for households headed by a male.

What do policy analysts mean by the "feminization of poverty"?

Women in the United States are more likely than men to be poor.

entitlement

a legal obligation of the federal government to provide payments to individuals, or groups of individuals, according to eligibility criteria or benefit rules

During the Trump administration, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos came into the position with strong support for which of the following?

charter schools vouchers

Which of the following programs are tax expenditures?

child tax credit mortgage interest deduction tax-exempt employer-sponsored health insurance

Every year, Martha's Social Security payment goes up by a small amount. That amount is based on the rate of inflation in the past year. This kind of adjustment is an example of which of the following?

cost-of-living adjustment

The central thrust of federal housing policy has been to provide housing vouchers to the poor.

false

Which spending category is expected to be the largest area for spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2035?

health care (Medicare and Medicaid)

Programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are examples of what kind of benefits?

in-kind

In general, the government's social policies tend to give the fewest benefits to the - class and to -.

lower children

means-tested programs

social assistance programs in which potential beneficiaries establish their eligibility by demonstrating a genuine need for the assistance

What are the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)?

state-based insurance exchanges expansion of Medicaid individual mandate

tax expenditure

subsidies in the tax code that achieve social goals by lowering the costs of home ownership, child raising, and other costs through reduced taxation

Which programs benefit the working poor?

the Earned Income Tax Credit SNAP the Affordable Care Act

Only about half of all workers who lose their jobs receive unemployment benefits.

true

Those making more than $200,000 are the primary beneficiaries of the home mortgage interest deduction.

true

Social welfare programs can vary significantly across states. Match each program with a source of variation it has based on state policies. Note that every item may not have a match, while some items may have more than one match.

unemployment insurance: dollar amount of benefits to recipients varies restrictions on the length of eligibility varies Temporary Assistance to Needy Families: dollar amount of benefits to recipients varies eligibility can vary based on income and assets restrictions on the length of eligibility varies Medicaid: eligibility can vary based on income and assets

Some means-tested, noncontributory programs are run by the federal government and have uniform eligibility criteria and benefits nationwide. Others are state-run (or run by the federal government and states) with states determining the eligibility criteria and benefits. Identify which programs are uniform across the states and which vary according to the state.

uniform nationally: school lunch program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) varies by state: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) unemployment insurance Medicaid

Which of the following groups primarily benefit from the shadow welfare state, which is funded in part by tax expenditures?

upper class middle class