Deck 17: Domestic Policy

Question 1

Under the provisions of the Clean Air Act of 1970, who was given enforcement responsibility for air quality standards?

A) local governments
B) the states
C) the Department of the Interior
D) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
E) the Department of Energy

Answer 1

B

Question 2

People with NIMBY ("not-in-my-backyard") syndrome take which of the following stances on civic engagement?

A) They never participate until directly threatened by government action.
B) They rarely participate, viewing government as corrupt and ineffective.
C) They often participate, but form narrow ideological positions.
D) They often participate in an attempt to limit government authority.
E) They often participate in an attempt to expand government authority.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following was instrumental in bringing awareness to the dangers of pesticides, and resulted in the creation of a presidential panel to investigate them?

A) the fire on Cuyahoga River in northeast Ohio
B) Earth Day festivities in 1970
C) the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency
D) the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
E) the passage of the Clean Air Act

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of these groups does the government rely on to assist in overseeing compliance, and in reporting violators of national laws and regulations?

A) public officials
B) citizens
C) interest groups
D) the media
E) All these answers are correct.

Question 5

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insures bank deposits up to

A) $10,000.
B) $25,000.
C) $50,000.
D) $100,000.
E) $250,000.

Question 6

How are social insurance programs funded?

A) by tax revenue collected specifically for these programs
B) by the general revenues of the government
C) by direct subsidies from private companies
D) by money paid from all taxpayers
E) by loans from the U.S. Treasury

Question 7

All of the following came as a result of the new environmental awareness that followed the first Earth Day in April 1970, EXCEPT

A) the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
B) the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
C) the passage of the Environmental Protection Act.
D) a cascade of groundbreaking environmental legislation.
E) the increasing activism of environmental interest groups.

Question 8

The higher incidence of environmental threats and subsequent health problems in lower-income communities is referred to as environmental

A) terrorism.
B) segregation.
C) racism.
D) discrimination.
E) exclusion.

Question 9

All of the following are considered cash transfers EXCEPT

A) unemployment checks.
B) social security checks.
C) Pell grants to college students.
D) Medicaid services.
E) tax breaks.

Question 10

Which of the following was so successful at bringing attention to environmental concerns that many consider it the beginning of the environmental movement?

A) the fire on Cuyahoga River in northeast Ohio
B) Earth Day festivities in 1970
C) the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency
D) the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring
E) the passage of the Clean Air Act

Question 11

According to the 2014 Pew Research poll discussed in the text, what is the HIGHEST priority for Republicans?

A) defending the country from terrorism
B) improving the educational system
C) reducing health care costs
D) strengthening the economy
E) reducing crime

Question 12

Since 1789, when the states ratified the U.S. Constitution, the national government's scope of responsibility for domestic matters has

A) rapidly contacted.
B) gradually contracted.
C) remained constant.
D) gradually expanded.
E) rapidly expanded.

Question 13

According to the 2014 Pew Research poll discussed in the text, what is the HIGHEST priority for independents?

A) defending the country from terrorism
B) improving the educational system
C) reducing health care costs
D) strengthening the economy
E) reducing crime

Question 14

Which current policy area is viewed by some as a national security issue, by others as an economic issue, and still others as a humanitarian cause?

A) environmental policy
B) immigration policy
C) energy policy
D) health policy
E) financial reform policy

Question 15

According to the 2013 Gallup poll discussed in the text, the HIGHEST percentage of Americans identify themselves as

A) Democrats.
B) Republicans.
C) independents.
D) Libertarians.
E) conservatives.

Question 16

Which piece of environmental legislation regulates the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes and encourages recycling?

A) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
B) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
C) Federal Water Pollution Control Act
D) Clean Air Act
E) Environmental Protection Act

Question 17

Using the domestic policy tool of _______, governments hire public servants to dispense services.

A) direct provision
B) indirect provision
C) cash transfer
D) in-kind assistance
E) direct subsidy

Question 18

Which of the following statements about the compliance provisions of the Clean Air Act is accurate?

A) The law gives citizens the right to sue those who are violating standards.
B) Under the law, only states have the right to sue those who are violating standards.
C) The law gives only the Environmental Protection Agency the right to sue those who are violating standards.
D) Under the law, only environmental interest groups have the right to sue those who are violating standards.
E) The law does not provide any legal right to sue with regard to the violation of its standards.

Question 19

Government-supported safety nets

A) are generally supported by those with a conservative ideology.
B) deal exclusively with the economic well-being of citizens.
C) are a group of policies that concern public safety and national security issues.
D) are programs that ensure that the physiological needs of citizens are met.
E) are rarely supported by those that are liberal in inclination, like Democrats.

Question 20

Government benefits guaranteed to all who meet the eligibility requirements are BEST known as

A) entitlement programs.
B) contributory programs.
C) social insurance programs.
D) noncontributory programs.
E) limited-access programs.

Question 21

Which country is the largest producer of natural gas?

A) Saudi Arabia
B) Canada
C) Venezuela
D) Iran
E) United States

Question 22

What was President Bush's response to the 2001 alarm sounded by Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham over an "energy-supply crisis" in the United States?

A) a policy that increased research and development for alternative energy
B) a recommendation that the country decrease its use of domestically produced coal
C) a renewed commitment to the energy policies of his predecessors
D) a policy that increased the production of fossil fuels
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 23

________ are government benefits with an automatic cost of living increase based on inflation.

A) Indexed benefits
B) Progressive benefits
C) Fixed benefits
D) Means-tested benefits
E) Annuitized benefits

Question 24

Which president declared an "energy crisis" and promoted conservation and energy efficiency measures?

A) Gerald Ford
B) Jimmy Carter
C) Ronald Reagan
D) George H. W. Bush
E) Bill Clinton

Question 25

All of the following are considered nonrenewable energy sources EXCEPT

A) crude oil.
B) natural gas.
C) coal.
D) nuclear power.
E) biomass.

Question 26

All of the following are considered renewable energy sources EXCEPT

A) solar.
B) natural gas.
C) geothermal.
D) hydropower.
E) biomass.

Question 27

Which piece of environmental legislation is also known as the Superfund law, and pays for cleanup of the nation's most toxic waste dumps?

A) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
B) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act
C) Federal Water Pollution Control Act
D) Clean Air Act
E) Environmental Protection Act

Question 28

The amount of a worker's earnings that are subject to the Social Security tax is called

A) sheltered income.
B) covered income.
C) indexed benefit.
D) the living wage.
E) earned income.

Question 29

Which of the following has/have done the LEAST to create policies and programs to combat global warming?

A) state governments
B) local governments
C) Congress
D) the Obama administration
E) climate change interest groups

Question 30

Which of the following was created by President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal policies?

A) publicly-supported job creation
B) establishment of a more regulated capitalist economy
C) income security for retired citizens
D) a safety net for people in financial need
E) All these answers are correct.

Question 31

Which of the following events served as a catalyst for the development of a U.S. energy policy?

A) election of Ronald Reagan
B) explosion of toxic waste site in Elizabeth, New Jersey
C) construction of the Keystone XL pipeline
D) oil spill from the Exxon Valdez
E) OPEC oil embargo

Question 32

Established in 1972, the Supplementary Security Income (SSI) program involves which type of benefit?

A) indexed benefit
B) progressive benefit
C) fixed benefit
D) means-tested benefit
E) annuitized benefit

Question 33

Which of the following statements about social security payments is NOT accurate?

A) Current workers contribute to social security through FICA contributions.
B) Current workers' contributions are paid out to today's beneficiaries.
C) Most people collect less from Social Security than they pay into the fund.
D) Money left over after today's payments are made is invested.
E) The pay-as-you-go system will eventually be unable to cover the full costs of OASI.

Question 34

Which of the following statements about the Kyoto Protocol is accurate?

A) It was created because of international concerns for clean air.
B) It calls on countries to work toward decreasing carbon emissions.
C) It cast doubt on the science behind theories of global warming.
D) The United States and 191 other nations are signatories.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 35

What was the federal government's response to lower oil prices during the 1990s?

A) the use of excess funds to research alternative fuels
B) the construction of a new gas pipeline from Canada to Texas
C) increased tax incentives to incentivize use of alternative energy
D) reduced funding for research and development of alternative energy
E) decreased production of fossil fuels for conservation

Question 36

Which of the following is the LARGEST source of petroleum product imports to the United States?

A) Canada
B) Saudi Arabia
C) Venezuela
D) Nigeria
E) Mexico

Question 37

What age limit is included in the provisions of the Social Security Disability Act of 1956, which provides benefits to workers disabled before the OASI-designated retirement age?

A) after age 40
B) after age 45
C) after age 50
D) after age 55
E) after age 57

Question 38

What is the largest source of energy in the United States?

A) natural gas
B) crude oil
C) coal
D) nuclear
E) hydropower

Question 39

Like OASI, Social Security Disability Insurance is a

A) direct subsidy.
B) noncontributory program.
C) non-indexed benefit.
D) means-tested program.
E) contributory program.

Question 40

The unemployment compensation program created by the Social Security Act of 1935 is funded by

A) employees.
B) employers.
C) the federal government.
D) state governments.
E) employees, employers, and both the federal and state governments.

Question 41

The Department of Homeland Security was formed in

A) 1947.
B) 1969.
C) 1986.
D) 2002.
E) 2010.

Question 42

As mandated by federal law, which of the following was an eligibility requirement for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits in every state?

A) a single parent
B) presence in the home of a child under 18
C) parent stays at home with child(ren)
D) no assistance from absent parent
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 43

What share of a regular employee's hourly wage must employers pay for overtime work, or all hours worked over 40 hours in a week?

A) one and a quarter times
B) one and a half times
C) one and three quarter times
D) two times
E) two and a quarter times

Question 44

Which of the following statements about the minimum wage is accurate?

A) The minimum wage guarantees workers a living wage.
B) Those earning minimum wage automatically receive COLA adjustments.
C) Only the federal government can set a minimum wage.
D) Commissioned sales employees are exempt from minimum wage requirements.
E) The minimum wage ensures that workers do not live in poverty.

Question 45

How do most government agencies determine eligibility for most in-kind assistance safety-net programs?

A) HHS's poverty guidelines
B) Census Bureau's poverty thresholds
C) PRWORA recommendations
D) Family Support Act guidelines
E) Congressional Budget Office poverty thresholds

Question 46

________ is an example of a tax break that the government uses to keep low-wage earners out of poverty.

A) The American Opportunity Tax Credit
B) The Work Opportunity Tax Credit
C) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
D) Aid to Dependent Children
E) The Earned Income Tax Credit

Question 47

Most federal money spent on housing assistance is in the form of

A) block grants to states.
B) grants-in-aid to states.
C) direct cash transfers.
D) in-kind assistance.
E) tax breaks.

Question 48

Homeland security can succeed only as an intergovernmental effort involving which of the following actors?

A) local and state law enforcement
B) federal intelligence agencies
C) first responders and local officials
D) federal assistance agencies such as the Office of Domestic Preparedness
E) All these answers are correct.

Question 49

Which of the following is the LARGEST category of immigrants who are authorized to come permanently to the United States?

A) those who are seeking humanitarian protection from persecution
B) those with special employment skills
C) those seeking to reunify with family who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
D) those who became eligible pursuant to a lottery
E) those who come over to work as farm laborers

Question 50

For how many weeks can an employee who is let go through no fault of his or her own receive unemployment compensation?

A) no more than 36 weeks
B) 365 days
C) 13 weeks
D) until gainfully employed
E) 26 weeks

Question 51

Beginning in the late _______, the number of woman-headed households with children living in poverty began to increase, a phenomenon known as the feminization of poverty.

A) 1930s
B) 1940s
C) 1950s
D) 1960s
E) 1970s

Question 52

The Affordable Care Act

A) prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions.
B) requires everyone to pay for private health insurance, even if they are covered under a company or government insurance program.
C) does not provide any specific provisions for preventative health care, like diabetes screening and mammograms.
D) will not be fully implemented until 2020.
E) All these answers are correct.

Question 53

In what way is the minimum wage increased?

A) yearly, with cost of living adjustment to keep up with inflation
B) through new legislation approved by Congress and the president
C) through an index, like OASI
D) after the beneficiary is means-tested
E) automatically, when it is determined that it will no longer keep workers out of poverty

Question 54

All of the following are challenges policy makers face in their considerations of homeland security EXCEPT

A) the amount of intrusion into citizens' lives.
B) whether to coordinate initiatives under one federal agency.
C) the appropriate amount of funding for improved communications and response.
D) how to handle the intergovernmental aspect of homeland security.
E) how to coordinate efforts to respond to homeland disasters.

Question 55

In what year will most of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, such as the one requiring everyone to purchase health insurance, come into force?

A) 2014
B) 2015
C) 2016
D) 2017
E) 2018

Question 56

Under the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) replaced the AFDC program. TANF is different from AFDC because it

A) deals with both single family and two-family households.
B) is not an entitlement program.
C) takes all flexibility away from the states and replaces it with strict federal regulations.
D) does not have work requirements.
E) is not concerned with children's parentage.

Question 57

Which president's "Great Society" plan created government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid?

A) Dwight Eisenhower
B) John F. Kennedy
C) Lyndon Johnson
D) Richard Nixon
E) Jimmy Carter

Question 58

How did the Affordable Care Act affect Medicaid?

A) It ended most Medicaid benefits and instead provided them through the Affordable Care Act.
B) It ended all Medicaid benefits.
C) It required that Medicaid services be merged with Medicare.
D) It allowed states to expand Medicaid for low-income people.
E) It made Medicaid the centerpiece of health care in the United States.

Question 59

What is the minimum age at which a person can receive Medicare health insurance benefits?

A) 55 years of age
B) 57 years of age
C) 60 years of age
D) 63 years of age
E) 65 years of age

Question 60

Which of the following groups is/are excluded from permanent immigration to the United States?

A) foreign anarchists or political extremists
B) foreign nationals with a terrorist history
C) foreign nationals with a criminal history
D) foreign nationals perceived as health risks
E) All these answers are correct.

Question 61

Outline the relationship between energy use and global warming.

Question 62

Define direct provision and provide examples of its application.

Question 63

Identify examples of direct subsidies created by the U.S. government.

Question 64

Define food insecurity and explain the programs designed to address food insecurity.

Question 65

Which of the following regions is the LARGEST source of immigrants to the United States?

A) Asia
B) Europe
C) Africa
D) Central America and Mexico
E) South America

Question 66

Discuss the purposes and features of the minimum wage, and identify groups of workers not guaranteed it.

Question 67

Outline the factors that complicate the formation of national domestic policy.

Question 68

Explain the purposes of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 regarding people's access to health insurance.

Question 69

Describe the circumstances that led to the creation of Earth Day.

Question 70

Identify and discuss important features of the OASI Program established by the Social Security Act.

Question 71

Approximately how many undocumented immigrants enter the United States every year?

A) 40,000
B) 120,000
C) 240,000
D) 500,000
E) 940,000

Question 72

What is the top country to which American citizens emigrate?

A) Israel
B) United Kingdom
C) Canada
D) Australia
E) Mexico

Question 73

Discuss the circumstances that led to the development of a national energy policy in the United States.