Deck 12: Public Policy and Administration

Question 1

Under the rule of capture,which of these controls underground water?

A) Individual landowners
B) Federal government
C) State government
D) County government
E) The public at large

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Parents are responsible for their children's education in which alternative to traditional public schools?

A) Parochial schools
B) Charter schools
C) Home schools
D) Military schools
E) College preparatory schools

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following statements regarding bureaucracies and public policy in Texas is true?

A) Bureaucracies simply implement the policies determined by the legislature and governor.
B) Bureaucracies make almost all public policy decisions.
C) Bureaucracies influence policy outcomes by the decisions they make.
D) Bureaucracies have little influence over policy because of the power centralized in the governor.
E) Bureaucracies need not build good working relations with elected leaders.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What was the issue at hand in the case of United States v.Texas?

A) The legality of DAPA
B) The funding of border patrol guards
C) The legality of the ACA
D) The status of "sanctuary cities"
E) The right of immigrants to be paid a minimum wage

Question 5

What is the name of the joint federal-state program that provides medical care to the poor?

A) Obamacare
B) Medicaid
C) The ACA
D) Medicare
E) Blue Cross

Question 6

What is the purpose of the payroll tax collected by the Texas Workforce Commission?

A) To provide old-age pensions
B) To provide unemployment compensation
C) To operate job-training programs
D) To compensate workers whose employers violated the Texas Payday Law
E) To pay for continuing education for employees

Question 7

In recent years,Texas's poverty rate has been about what percentage of the population?

A) 1-2 percent of the population
B) 15-18 percent of the population
C) 40-56 percent of the population
D) 65-81 percent of the population
E) 25-31 percent of the population

Question 8

Typically,immigration policy is primarily the responsibility of which of these entities?

A) State governments
B) Individual municipalities
C) Local government
D) Individual citizens
E) The federal government

Question 9

Which of the following is an argument most likely to be made by a supporter of school vouchers?

A) Affluent students should have the right not to be in the same classes as disadvantaged students.
B) Parents,not the government,should have sole responsibility for educating their children.
C) Competition with private schools should encourage public schools to perform better.
D) Children need the socialization they get in school classrooms.
E) Vouchers take middle-class students out of the public schools.

Question 10

Which state has passed legislation that has been described as "harsh" toward immigrants?

A) Alaska
B) Texas
C) Alabama
D) Maine
E) Ohio

Question 11

Which of the following was a provision of House Bill 11?

A) It declared English the "official language" of Texas.
B) It decreased penalties for human smuggling.
C) It allowed 100,000 people without lawful immigration status to remain in Texas.
D) It authorized money to hire more state troopers.
E) It increased the number of "sanctuary cities" in Texas.

Question 12

Which of the following statements regarding insurance in Texas is true?

A) There is no state regulation of the insurance industry in Texas.
B) Frequent natural disasters contribute to the high insurance rates in Texas.
C) Texas is one of the few states in the union requiring homeowners to buy insurance.
D) Insurance rates in Texas have been the highest in the country for the past two decades.
E) The "file and use" system for insurance has been outlawed in Texas.

Question 13

What is the name of the state-federal program that provides direct cash payments to poor children and their families?

A) Women,Infants,and Children nutrition program
B) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
C) SNAP (formerly the food stamp program)
D) Medicaid and Tri-Care
E) The Good Samaritan Program

Question 14

Which of these is the most important factor shaping decisions made by local school boards and superintendents?

A) The federal government
B) State authorities
C) The Texas Senate
D) County rules
E) The Texas Constitution

Question 15

Which transportation mode provides 95 percent of public transportation in Texas?

A) Light rail
B) Subway
C) Streetcar
D) Bus
E) Lyft and Uber

Question 16

What has been the recent trend regarding Texas public school students?

A) They are increasingly ethnic or racial minorities and the economically disadvantaged.
B) They are increasingly middle-class Anglo Texans.
C) Most of them are wealthy immigrants from Europe and Asia.
D) The vast majority are Native American and Anglo.
E) Almost all are African American.

Question 17

Which three factors are most important in determining a state agency's success in achieving its policy goals?

A) Elite access,vigor and vision of their leadership,and resources
B) Vigor and vision of their leadership,elite access,and the governor's support
C) Money,political power,and "who you know"
D) Elitist power,mission of the agency,and the speaker's support
E) Strong leadership,public acceptance,and adequate funding

Question 18

How did the national Affordable Care Act impact Texas?

A) Texas has greatly expanded the number of people eligible for Medicaid.
B) Texas developed one of the most successful state health insurance exchanges (also known as marketplaces).
C) Texas now has one of the lowest rates of uninsured citizens of all the states.
D) Texas was able to abolish Medicaid altogether.
E) The proportion of people without health insurance dropped fairly significantly.

Question 19

In the case of University of California v.Bakke (1978),the U.S.Supreme Court ruled that which factor could be considered along with other criteria to achieve diversity in higher education?

A) Gender
B) Race
C) Religion
D) Economic class
E) Sexuality

Question 20

Which of these terms describes the ability of business leaders to meet directly with high ranking bureaucrats to resolve issues?

A) Nepotism
B) Patronage
C) Cronyism
D) Elite access
E) The spoils system

Question 21

Which of these entities coordinates environmental policies in Texas?

A) Environmental Protection Agency
B) Department of Parks and Wildlife
C) Department of Homeland Security
D) Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
E) The Texas Agriculture Department

Question 22

What is the name of the procedure whereby state agencies are reviewed every 12 years?

A) Sunset process
B) Affirmative action
C) Deregulation
D) Performance review
E) Administrative oversight

Question 23

Which Texas agency regulates electric providers?

A) Railroad Commission
B) Public Utilities Commission
C) Ethics Commission
D) Commission on Environmental Quality
E) Commission on Electrical Safety

Question 24

In Texas,education,health,and human services expenditures account for what percentage of the state's budget?

A) One-half
B) Three-fourths
C) One-third
D) One-fourth
E) Two-thirds

Question 25

What is probably the most important duty of the Texas Railroad Commission from the standpoint of the rest of the United States?

A) Regulating the production of oil and natural gas
B) Setting the price of Texas-produced petroleum sold outside Texas
C) Regulating intrastate trucking commerce
D) Regulating the storage of toxic waste in underground salt domes
E) Breaking up railroad monopolies

Question 26

What is one responsibility of the Texas Workforce Commission?

A) It recruits workers from other states to relocate to Texas.
B) It operates all job-training programs in Texas.
C) It provides labor for construction projects on state highways.
D) It pays benefits to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.
E) It ensures that undocumented immigrants do not take jobs from Texas citizens.

Question 27

Which two issues have seen the most public policy attention in Texas's higher education in recent years?

A) On-campus binge drinking and a resurgence of racism and sexism
B) Rising tuition costs and falling test scores
C) Political correctness and a lack of diversity in the classroom
D) Funding and providing access to the state's highly diverse population
E) Falling enrollment and school loan defaults

Question 28

Which interests tend to benefit most from Texas business and regulatory policies?

A) Business
B) Environmental interests
C) Consumers
D) The indigent
E) Middle-class workers

Question 29

Imagine you are a 19-year-old mother of one child,a recipient of public assistance,and a resident of Dallas County.Which of the following most threatens you?

A) The use of the Lone Star Card for obtaining subsidized food
B) The possible closing of the only hospital in rural Van Zandt County
C) The lifetime limit of receipt of cash public assistance benefits
D) The possibility that eligibility screening for public assistance would be contracted out to a private business
E) The gradual phasing out of the Medicare program

Question 30

Generally speaking,what is the first step in public policy?

A) The legislature passes laws or makes recommendations to agencies.
B) Citizens contact local news media to publicize an issue of concern.
C) Political parties consider proposals and work them into their overall agendas.
D) Agencies interpret instructions from the legislature and implement them.
E) An interest group brings a problem to the attention of government officials.

Question 31

Which group argued against the repeal of the law that allows some immigrants without legal status to pay in-state college tuition rates?

A) Texas Railroad Commission
B) Sierra Club
C) Texas Chamber of Commerce
D) Amnesty International
E) Texas Association of Business

Question 32

What was the result of the 2017 legislation that banned so-called "sanctuary cities"?

A) Such cities lost all funding from the state of Texas for fiscal year 2018.
B) Local police are now forbidden to enforce federal immigration laws.
C) All undocumented immigrants were given 30 days to leave such cities.
D) Local law officials can question the citizenship of anyone they detain or arrest.
E) Both legal and illegal immigration is prohibited to such cities.

Question 33

Why is the participatory democracy model rarely used in Texas?

A) Texas citizens show rather low levels of interest in and knowledge of civic life.
B) It has been shown not to work well in multicultural societies such as Texas.
C) Though effective,it is far too cost-prohibitive to use regularly.
D) It works well only with small-scale policy decisions.
E) Statistics show that it is,by far,the least effective policymaking model.

Question 34

Texas's commitment to education began with which state constitution?

A) 1861
B) 1845
C) 1877
D) 1836
E) 1876

Question 35

Which of these terms describes the elimination of government restrictions to allow free market forces to prevail?

A) Devolution
B) Co-opting
C) Gerrymandering
D) Deregulation
E) Upsizing

Question 36

Which of the following statements regarding tourism,parks,and recreation is true?

A) In Texas,tourism is a minor industry.
B) Financing of Texas state parks has stabilized in recent years.
C) Adequate financing has created one of the best state parks systems in the country.
D) All money generated by taxes on sporting goods is given to state parks and historic sites.
E) Most visitors to Texas state parks are upper-class Texans.

Question 37

Which of the following statements regarding immigrants in Texas is true?

A) Immigrants are a major drag on the Texas economy.
B) Immigrants often work at jobs native-born citizens shun.
C) The total net wealth of illegal immigrants is higher than most native-born Texans.
D) The purchasing power of immigrants is far greater than that of native-born Texans.
E) Immigrants without lawful immigration status do not pay state or federal taxes.

Question 38

Which policymaking model focuses attention on the structure and processes of government?

A) Group model
B) Elite model
C) Institutional model
D) Incremental model
E) Rational model

Question 39

What are the two widely recognized "flagship" public Texas state universities?

A) University of Texas San Antonio and University of Texas Arlington
B) The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University in College Station
C) Texas State University and University of Houston
D) Port Chester University and Rice University
E) Rice University and Texas Christian University

Question 40

Which of these has been part of Governor Greg Abbott's immigration policy?

A) Using the Texas National Guard to patrol the Texas-Mexico border
B) Creating so-called camps where the children of suspected illegal immigrants were sent
C) Increasing penalties for human smuggling
D) Using the Texas State Guard to round up and jail suspected illegal immigrants
E) Eliminating the ability of some immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates

Question 41

Summarize the services provided by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP,formerly known as food stamps).Describe the qualifications necessary to receive aid under these programs.Do you believe these qualifications need to be revised? Why or why not?

Question 42

Summarize the roles of the national and Texas governments in providing health and human services to Texans.Analyze how well privatization has worked in the provision of health and human services.Is more government intervention necessary? Why or why not?

Question 43

Why did Texas legislators mandate the top 10 percent rule? Summarize the rule,and tell if you think it should be maintained or abandoned.Explain your reasoning.

Question 44

What is a good definition of the term public policy?

A) Actions a government takes to keep citizens safe
B) The ability of the business community to affect political decisions
C) Decisions a government makes on behalf of the poor and elderly
D) The actions a government is constitutionally required to take
E) What government does or does not do to and for its citizens

Question 45

What is the role of lobbyists regarding public policy? In what ways do lobbyists work with the bureaucracy?

Question 46

What Texas agencies seem to be examples of "agency capture" and why?

Question 47

Race or ethnicity and testing are major issues in Texas education.Summarize the controversies surrounding one of these issues.Are the actions taken by the Texas government sufficient to address the issue you chose? Why or why not?

Question 48

As a citizen,do you think your interests are better protected by programs and regulations made by the federal,state,or local government? Give some examples of programs better suited to each level.

Question 49

What is one reason why the current Texas testing program (STAAR)is controversial?

A) It does not require end-of-course tests for some subjects.
B) It is used for evaluating teachers and schools.
C) In practice,it does not encourage teaching to the test.
D) It allows disabled students extra time to complete the tests.
E) The tests are not closely tied to college readiness.

Question 50

Which interest group in Texas has argued forcefully that the United States needs comprehensive immigration policy reform?

A) Medical groups
B) Voting rights groups
C) Gun rights groups
D) Business groups
E) Consumer advocacy groups

Question 51

Describe the methods of administrative control of public higher education in Texas.Who are the most influential officials in higher education,and what issues facing higher education must they address?

Question 52

Identify and explain the significance of TANF,SNAP,Medicaid,and Medicare.

Question 53

Which of the following statements regarding the elite model of policymaking is true?

A) It suggests that public policy should be determined by weighing costs and benefits.
B) It seeks to understand why some policies emerge and others do not.
C) It sees "new" public policy as only a modified version of past policy.
D) It considers the public at large to be apathetic and uninformed.
E) It sees group interaction as the essence of politics.

Question 54

The relationship between Texas and which Latin American nation complicates the state's immigration policy?

A) El Salvador
B) Honduras
C) Mexico
D) Costa Rica
E) Nicaragua

Question 55

Identify the principal environmental issues in Texas.Which state agencies are responsible for addressing these issues?

Question 56

How do the demographics of Texas impact the state's immigration policy?

Question 57

Imagine that you are the 29-year-old parent of two children.You are recently divorced and in good physical condition,but have completed only the tenth grade.To what public assistance are you and your children (ages 8 years and 13 months)now entitled,and from which agencies does this assistance come?

Question 58

Does Texas's immigration policy adequately address the current situation facing the state? Why or why not? What changes to immigration policy would you propose?

Question 59

How does the way that Texas government is organized affect public policy? What other influences outside of the government itself affect how policy is made in Texas?

Question 60

How does a recipient of public assistance use the Lone Star Card?

A) To obtain food items in a grocery store
B) To obtain emergency medical treatment at a hospital
C) To obtain a loan from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program
D) As proof of state citizenship to renew a driving license or obtain a marriage license
E) As a way to establish credit at small,independent grocery stores

Question 61

What are some reasons for the state's poor environmental "report card"? Why has there been so much conflict between the national and Texas governments over environmental regulation?