Deck 19: Making Social Policy

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT an agency created by the New Deal?

A)Works Progress Administration
B)Civilian Conservation Corps
C)Federal Emergency Relief Administration
D)Head Start
E)None of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a main provision of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act?

A)Most Americans will be required to buy health insurance starting in 2014 and will be fined by the federal government if they do not do so.
B)Insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage to people for any reason, including preexisting conditions, such as high blood pressure, cancer, or
Mental illness.
C)Insurance companies will have to extend coverage for young Americans up to 26 years of age under their parents' insurance.
D)General Medicare benefits will be cut, but the special Medicare Advantage program for higher-income beneficiaries will be increased.
E)Individual Americans will pay a tax on "Cadillac" insurance plans that offer broader coverage at a much higher cost.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Despite passage of the Medicare program in 1965, the United States did NOT provide comprehensive insurance to the rest of the insured until

A)1975.
B)1985.
C)1995.
D)2000.
E)2010.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Compared to other western democracies, the United States developed social services later in part because many people here

A)had a strong belief in the responsibility of the church to support poverty programs.
B)had a strong antipathy to socialist programs.
C)believed this was a land of rugged individualism.
D)failed to see the poverty around them.
E)None of the above

Question 5

Health care costs have _____ since 1970.

A)remained about the same
B)doubled
C)tripled
D)quadrupled
E)quintupled

Question 6

Public assistance in the United States today incorporates elements of job training, transportation subsidies, housing subsidies, but not tax credits for low-income people.

Question 7

Aid to the poor is called

A)entitlements.
B)means-tested entitlements.
C)social safety net.
D)public assistance.
E)social insurance.

Question 8

The percentage of the American workforce now covered by Social Security is approximately

A)35%.
B)50%.
C)75%.
D)80%.
E)90%.

Question 9

The first public assistance programs were actually created in the late 1800s when states established aid programs to help

A)veterans.
B)poor single mothers and their children.
C)blind citizens.
D)widows.
E)war orphans.

Question 10

Social security is financed from general taxes.

Question 11

In absolute numbers, most poor people are

A)African Americans.
B)Hispanic Americans.
C)Asian Americans.
D)White Americans.
E)Native Americans.

Question 12

Social Security is funded by

A)income tax.
B)payroll taxes on employers and employees.
C)general taxes.
D)annual budget agreements in Congress.
E)block grants.

Question 13

The most visible health care official in government is the

A)surveyor general.
B)solicitor general.
C)surgeon general.
D)health czar.
E)food and drug czar.

Question 14

Aid programs restricted to one group of citizens only are called categorical aid.

Question 15

In the United States, public schools are primarily the responsibility of

A)the federal government.
B)the Federal Department of Education.
C)state and local governments.
D)states.
E)local governments.

Question 16

Which of the following was NOT part of the Great Society?

A)Food Stamps
B)Head Start
C)Medicaid
D)Social Security
E)Medicare

Question 17

The many programs that the federal government provides to protect Americans against economic and social misfortune are called the social safety net.

Question 18

Most scholars trace the federal government's effort to protect citizens against economic and personal hard times to the Great Society of the 1960s.

Question 19

Who was responsible for the expansion of social programs during the 1930s?

A)Theodore Roosevelt
B)Calvin Coolidge
C)Herbert Hoover
D)Franklin D.Rooseveltn
E)Harry Truman

Question 20

Medicaid is an example of a

A)means-tested entitlement.
B)social security.
C)housing assistance.
D)senior citizen program.
E)None of the above

Question 21

The United States government has approximately how many domestic funding programs?

A)46
B)487
C)856
D)975
E)1,250

Question 22

You must be over 65 years old to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income.

Question 23

Public assistance is defined as

A)programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.
B)programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.
C)the many programs that the federal government provides to protect Americans against economic and social misfortune.
D)aid to the poor.
E)programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes.

Question 24

Most public assistance programs are means-tested entitlement programs, which means that

A)written exams are required.
B)oral and written exams are required.
C)applicants must prove their poverty.
D)applicants' financial records are closely examined by federal investigators.
E)any children in the family must be put in foster homes.

Question 25

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, Medicare benefits will be cut.

Question 26

What was the first type of help for the poor?

A)Educational assistance
B)Social security
C)Medicaid
D)Welfare
E)Medicare

Question 27

The surgeon general is the head of the Public Health Service.

Question 28

The first financial security systems in the United States were for

A)farmers.
B)orphans.
C)widows.
D)immigrants.
E)veterans.

Question 29

Since 1950, human resource spending has doubled.

Question 30

Most scholars trace the federal government's effort to protect citizens against economic and personal hard times to

A)the 1840s.
B)the 1880s.
C)the 1930s.
D)the 1950s.
E)the 1960s.

Question 31

President Johnson is responsible for the welfare reform initiative.

Question 32

The first goal of federal domestic social policy is to protect citizens against social and economic problems by creating

A)a social safety net.
B)employment for all citizens.
C)equal salaries for government workers.
D)affordable housing for everyone.
E)equal outcomes based upon effort.

Question 33

The second goal of federal social policy is to

A)raise the quality of life for all.
B)create employment for all citizens.
C)equalize salaries for all citizens.
D)supply affordable housing for everyone.
E)make voting rights a top priority.

Question 34

Aid programs restricted to one group of citizens only are called

A)categorical aid.
B)welfare.
C)entitlement aid.
D)individual aid.
E)grant aid.

Question 35

Means-tested entitlements are defined

A)as programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.
B)programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.
C)the many programs that the federal government provides to protect Americans against economic and social misfortune.
D)aid to the poor.
E)programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes.

Question 36

The social safety net is defined as

A)as programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.
B)programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.
C)the many programs that the federal government provides to protect Americans against economic and social misfortune.
D)aid to the poor.
E)programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes.

Question 37

Most western governments expanded their social programs long before the U.S.did because

A)they had more need of them.
B)they believed that people could not support themselves.
C)the U.S.believed that needy people were not working hard enough.
D)the U.S.had almost no needy people.
E)most of the western governments had no charities in place.

Question 38

Federal domestic policy focuses on ____ broad goals

A)several
B)nine
C)many
D)two
E)three

Question 39

Veterans' relief was the nation's first

A)charitable work.
B)relief work.
C)entitlement program.
D)medical coverage program.
E)act as a new government.

Question 40

Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens are called

A)entitlements.
B)means-tested entitlements.
C)social safety nets.
D)public assistance.
E)social insurance.

Question 41

In providing federal assistance, the most generous states in the country tend to be located in the

A)Northeast and West.
B)South and Midwest.
C)West and Southwest.
D)East and South.
E)North and South.

Question 42

In 1983, Congress made a number of changes to Social Security to deal with the pending shortfall including

A)raising the retirement age at which one qualifies for Social Security benefits.
B)increasing Social Security taxes.
C)imposing the first ever tax on the Social Security payments to upper-income individuals.
D)imposing a one-time cut in the annual cost-of-living increase in benefits.
E)All of the above

Question 43

Social insurance is defined as

A)programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.
B)programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.
C)the many programs that the federal government provides to protect Americans against economic and social misfortune.
D)aid to the poor.
E)programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes.

Question 44

The federal government also provides what some critics label ________________ to favored industries such as agriculture and corporate bailouts to businesses such as investment banks.

A)bailout programs
B)corporate welfare
C)middle class welfare
D)AFDC
E)Food Stamps

Question 45

The poverty level standard changes with the size of the family and the cost of living.For 2008, individuals who made just over $_______ and families of four who made just over $_______were eligible for means-tested assistance.

A)8000 and 18000
B)9000 and 19000
C)10000 and 21000
D)6000 and 16000
E)7000 and 17000

Question 46

In 2007, the federal minimum wage was increased to

A)$5.25 per hour.
B)$5.75 per hour.
C)$6.75 per hour.
D)$7.25 per hour.
E)$8.50 per hour.

Question 47

In 2008, Social Security and Medicare expenditures totaled how much?

A)$56 million
B)$755 million
C)$341 billion
D)$966 billion
E)$2 trillion

Question 48

The 1996 Welfare Reform Legislation included which of the following?

A)Providing welfare benefits to legal immigrants.
B)A 5-year time limit on benefits.
C)Required recipients to enter some kind of work training program within 2 months of receiving benefits.
D)All of the above
E)None of the above

Question 49

As a percentage within their own population, a larger proportion of which of these groups is poor?

A)African Americans and Hispanic Americans
B)African Americans and white Americans
C)Hispanic Americans and white Americans
D)Asian Americans and Native Americans
E)White Americans and Native Americans

Question 50

Programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes, are called

A)entitlements.
B)means-tested entitlements.
C)the social safety net.
D)public assistance.
E)social insurance.

Question 51

More women than men are poor in

A)the western states.
B)terms of absolute numbers and proportions.
C)in absolute numbers only.
D)by proportion only.
E)in the southern states.

Question 52

In providing federal assistance, the least generous states are in the

A)South.
B)Northeast.
C)West.
D)North
E)Midwest.

Question 53

The federal government began protecting women and children against poverty with which of the following?

A)National School Lunch Act
B)Earned Income Tax Credit
C)Infancy and Maternity Protection Act
D)Aid to Families with Dependent Children
E)Federal Surplus Relief Corporation

Question 54

"Middle-class welfare" refers to

A)aid to college students in the form of college loans.
B)aid to home buyers in the form of tax deductions for home mortgages.
C)access to national parks and forests.
D)tax credits for college tuition payments.
E)All of the above

Question 55

Social Security was designed primarily to benefit

A)the working poor.
B)single mothers.
C)ethnic or racial minorities.
D)older workers.
E)the disabled.

Question 56

Beneficiaries of the Social Security Act include

A)widows and widowers.
B)children of deceased or disabled persons.
C)retired persons.
D)disabled workers.
E)All of the above

Question 57

President Lyndon B.Johnson was successful in getting Congress to enact the Great Society's social programs.Which of the following was NOT a Great Society program?

A)Medicare
B)Social Security
C)Head Start
D)Medicaid
E)Food stamps

Question 58

Many federal assistance programs are partnerships with state governments because

A)states and local governments have the administrative agencies to stay in touch with recipients of aid.
B)states have been responsible for protecting their citizens against hardship since the United States was formed.
C)states provide the bulk of the funds for aid programs.
D)Both A and B are correct.
E)Both B and C are correct

Question 59

Public assistance in the United States today incorporates elements of

A)job training.
B)transportation subsidies.
C)housing subsidies.
D)tax credits for low-income people.
E)All of the above

Question 60

The "feminization of poverty" refers to

A)poor women who are feminists.
B)women who help the poor.
C)feminist women who help the poor.
D)the growing numbers of poor women.
E)the tendency for men to help poor women.

Question 61

The program that provides insurance for all reasonable hospital, medical, and prescription drug insurance to individuals who are also entitled to Social Security is known as what?

A)Medicaid
B)Medicare
C)Social Security
D)FDIC insurance
E)Supplemental security income

Question 62

What started as a one-room laboratory on Staten Island in 1887?

A)National Institutions of Health
B)Public Health Commission
C)Center for Infectious Disease
D)Food and Drug Administration
E)None of the above

Question 63

All employee taxes are matched by employers

A)according to a proportional plan.
B)dollar for dollar.
C)according to the amount of seniority each employee has.
D)two to one.
E)fifty cents of each dollar.

Question 64

As part of the New Deal agenda, the federal government

A)made loans to states and localities to aid the poor.
B)cut interest rates.
C)invested billions in banks.
D)acquired several investment banks.
E)made loans directly to poor people.

Question 65

Since 1950 human resource spending has

A)stayed about the same.
B)doubled.
C)increased 150%.
D)tripled.
E)quadrupled.

Question 66

Beneficiaries of the Social Security Act include

A)widows and widowers.
B)children of deceased or disabled persons.
C)retired persons.
D)disabled workers.
E)All of the above

Question 67

Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) was established to

A)aid in the care of children orphaned by natural disaster.
B)build bridges over flooded rivers.
C)give unemployed workers cash grants to get them through the summer.
D)give bankers actual paper money to put in bank vaults.
E)supply natural disaster relief to southern states.

Question 68

Which of the following has NOT a problem associated with the rise in health care costs?

A)Employers are shifting more costs to employees
B)Stronger health and safety regulations on job sites
C)Increased life expectancy
D)Physicians are given incentives to use expensive technology
E)New technology

Question 69

Controlling crime is considered primarily a(n) ________________ matter.

A)ethical
B)regional
C)state and local
D)religious
E)federal

Question 70

Public welfare assistance an individual may receive in a lifetime is limited to

A)three years.
B)five years.
C)eight years.
D)no limitation.
E)two months after job training begins.

Question 71

The stock market crashed in

A)1900.
B)1919.
C)1929.
D)1945.
E)1939.

Question 72

The federal government's top crime priority today is

A)the war on drugs.
B)securing the borders.
C)terrorism.
D)illegal immigration.
E)None of the above

Question 73

The federal government enforces its laws primarily through the

A)House of Representatives.
B)Department of Homeland Security.
C)Drug Enforcement Agency.
D)Department of Justice.
E)None of the above

Question 74

The first 100 days of 1933 produced the most significant list of legislation ever passed in U.S.history, including the creation of the

A)Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA).
B)Center for Disease Control (CDC).
C)Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
D)Works Progress Administration (WPA).
E)None of the above

Question 75

The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act reflects a ______ year effort to expand the social safety net.

A)10
B)20
C)30
D)40
E)50

Question 76

In 2008, what percentage of bachelor's degrees were earned by whites?

A)55%
B)65%
C)70%
D)75%
E)80%

Question 77

In 2010, the federal government provided approximately _______ of financial aid that college students receive.

A)$50 billion.
B)$70 billion.
C)$90 billion.
D)$1.1 trillion.
E)$1.5 trillion.

Question 78

The president responsible for the passage of Great Society legislation was

A)Franklin D.Roosevelt.
B)Harry Truman.
C)Lyndon B.Johnson.
D)Richard Nixon.
E)John F.Kennedy.

Question 79

In 2000, the average life expectancy was

A)65 years.
B)69 years.
C)75 years.
D)79 years.
E)85 years.

Question 80

Which of the following is NOT a federal agency promoting health care?

A)PHS
B)FDA
C)CDC
D)NIH
E)EPA