Deck 24: Government and Inequality

Question 1

Whats defention of terms:
-democracy

Answer 1

rule by the people

Question 2

Whats defention of terms:
-government

Answer 2

institutions that regulate and implement policies on behalf of the state in domestic and global settings

Question 3

Whats defention of terms:
-progressive taxes

Answer 3

a tax whose percentage rate, or proportion of income, increases as income increases

Question 4

Whats defention of terms:
-proportional taxes

Question 5

Whats defention of terms:
-regressive taxes

Question 6

Explain the difference between formal democracy and effective democracy.
-What is formal democracy, and what is effective democracy?

Question 7

Explain the difference between formal democracy and effective democracy.
-Give some examples of why people may not participate in democratic processes such as elections or running for office in the United States.

Question 8

Explain the difference between formal democracy and effective democracy.
-Give examples of how race and gender affect election participation and outcomes. What are the links to levels of income? How do those links affect the examples you chose?

Question 9

Discuss how economic power leads to political power.
-What is the feedback mechanism discussed in the section "Economic Power and the President"? Explain how it furthers the interests of the group in power.

Question 10

Discuss how economic power leads to political power.
-What are the most important interest groups that influence the American government?

Question 11

Discuss how economic power leads to political power.
-What are the mechanisms through which wealthy individuals and large corporations influence the political system?

Question 12

Explain how differences in economic power impact policy decisions.
-Discuss an example of Congress's disregard for the wishes of the majority of the population.

Question 13

Explain how differences in economic power impact policy decisions.
-How does lobbying work? How can economic power impact lobbying?

Question 14

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-Distinguish between progressive, regressive, and proportional or flat taxes. Explain how regressive taxes impact low-income taxpayers more heavily than do progressive taxes.

Question 15

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-What are the incentives for high-income taxpayers to retain the current federal income tax structure? Explain how high-income taxpayers (individuals and businesses) work to retain the current structure.

Question 16

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-Explain the difference between relative poverty and absolute poverty. Why is relative poverty so important?

Question 17

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-What are the arguments for policies that support the income of low-wage workers in addition to policies that support people who cannot work?

Question 18

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-Why do some school districts struggle to get supplies and retain teachers while other school districts have the latest technology, the newest books, and the best teachers?

Question 19

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-How do economic differences lead to treating students differently in different school districts? What does this inequity mean for breaking (or perpetuating) the cycle of poverty? What does it mean for maintaining economic advantages for some groups?

Question 20

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-One of the roles of the government is as a referee or arbiter between businesses and between businesses and labor. How can economic power influence the decisions of the referee? Give examples.

Question 21

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-Why must government enforce private property rights? In certain circumstances, how can enforcing private property rights lead to ethical and moral concerns? Give examples.

Question 22

Describe how policy decisions that create opportunities for one group of people can lead to lack of opportunities for other groups of people.
-Explain how the increasing concentration of ownership of media outlets impacts political decisions.

Question 23

If the vast majority of American voters are employees and the wealthy elite only make u

A) the average employee has the same interests as the wealthy elite and have similar voting patterns.
B) the average employee does not have the right to vote.
C) the average employee tends to be less interested in politics and votes less regularly.
D) the wealthy elite do not really control American politics.

Question 24

How did gender affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?

A) men and women had identical voting patterns.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the male vote and over 50% of the female vote.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the male vote and over 50% of the female vote.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the male vote, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the female vote.

Question 25

How did race affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?

A) African American and white voters had identical voting patterns.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the African American vote.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the African American vote.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the African American vote.

Question 26

How did race affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?

A) Asian and white voters had identical voting patterns.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the Asian vote.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the Asian vote.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the Asian vote.

Question 27

How did ethnicity affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?

A) Latino and white voters had identical voting patterns.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the Latino vote.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the white vote and over 50% of the Latino vote.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the white vote, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the Latino vote.

Question 28

How did class affect American voting patterns in the 2004 election?

A) All income groups had identical voting patterns.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.

Question 29

How did class affect American voting turnout in the 2004 election?

A) All income groups had identical voting turnout.
B) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
C) the Democratic candidate, John Kerry, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000 and over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.
D) the Republican candidate, George Bush, received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes over $75000, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry received over 50% of the votes by those with incomes less than $20,000.

Question 30

What is the feedback mechanism discussed in the section "Economic Power and the President?"

A) Economically powerful people help elect a president who then appoints these economically powerful people to positions that allow them to increase their power even further.
B) Economically powerful people help elect a president, who then fulfills his duty to represent the public interest fairly and equally.
C) Those who have economic power are elected president and, in turn, become less powerful.
D) Those who have economic power request feedback from the president in the form of briefings and reports.

Question 31

What are the two largest lobbies that attempt to influence public policy?

A) The two largest lobbies are the oil interests and the military armaments industry.
B) The two largest lobbies are the medical industry (hospitals, doctors, and health insurance companies) and military armaments industry.
C) The two largest lobbies are unions and labor interests and the oil interests.
D) The two largest lobbies are the medical industry and the oil interests.

Question 32

Taxes are controlled by governments at the local, state, and national (federal) levels. What types of taxes are imposed by state and local governments but not by the federal government?

A) income taxes and sales taxes.
B) property taxes and sales taxes.
C) income taxes and property taxes.
D) income taxes and excise taxes.

Question 33

Sam has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $1000 in income taxes. Dave has an income of $100,000 per year and pays $10,000 in income taxes. This is an example of

A) a progressive income tax.
B) a regressive income tax.
C) a proportional income tax.
D) an asymmetrical tax.

Question 34

Rocky has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $500 in income taxes. Bullwinkel has an income of $100,000 per year and pays $15,000 in income taxes. This is an example of

A) a progressive income tax.
B) a regressive income tax.
C) a proportional income tax.
D) an asymmetrical tax.

Question 35

George has an income of $10,000 per year and pays $1000 in income taxes. Brad has an income of $100,000 per year and also pays $1000 in income taxes. This is an example of

A) a progressive income tax.
B) a regressive income tax.
C) a proportional income tax.
D) an asymmetrical tax.

Question 36

The Social Security tax is

A) a progressive tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and proportional above that level.
B) a proportional tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and regressive above that level.
C) a regressive tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and progressive above that level.
D) a proportional tax up to a certain income level ($102,000 in 2008), and progressive above that level.

Question 37

How do taxes affect income inequality?

A) taxes have no effect on income inequality.
B) taxes tend to reduce income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are progressive.
C) taxes tend to increase income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are regressive.
D) taxes tend to reduce income inequality, because only about 40% of taxes are proportional.

Question 38

What's the difference between relative poverty and absolute poverty?

A) relative poverty is measured in terms of the income of one's relatives.
B) relative poverty is measured relative to the society in which a person lives.
C) relative poverty is measured in terms of certain global income level.
D) there is no difference.

Question 39

The McCarthy era is named after

A) William McCarthy, a justice of the Supreme Court (1949-1962).
B) Mary McCarthy, author and activist during the 1960s.
C) Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin (1947-1957).
D) Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Green Bay Packers (2006-2008).

Question 40

In the case study, Private Jones was charged with

A) espionage on behalf of North Korea.
B) disloyalty and being a Communist sympathizer.
C) desertion.
D) murder of an army officer.