Deck 2: Contexts of Public Policy

Question 1

Which federal funding mechanism has resulted in states going to court to fight the federal government?

A) General revenue sharing
B) Categorical grants
C) Unfunded mandates
D) Block grants

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The ideological movement known as "Libertarians" is committed to which of the following?

A) oppose restrictions on sexually explicit speech
B) conservative economic agenda
C) liberal social agenda
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT related to the demographic context of public policy?

A) Population movement from the East and North to the West and South
B) Psychic and social stress caused by the break down of the traditional family.
C) Globalization.
D) The aging of the population.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

According to the text, which of the following is the main actor in intergovernmental relations?

A) executive
B) courts
C) congress
D) Federal Reserve Board
E) recipients of services

Question 5

Which of the following demographic characteristics have resulted in changes in public policy?

A) The increase in the Hispanic proportion of the population
B) The children born during the "baby boom"
C) The high-rate of single-parent families, mostly-female head homes
D) All of the above
E) none of the above

Question 6

With respect to the institutional context of American policy, it can be said:

A) the federal system affects formulation of policies
B) the presence of the federal government has expanded in many areas of life
C) public distrust of American institutions has grown
D) all of the above

Question 7

The average American is becoming:

A) younger
B) older
C) more liberal
D) more traditional
E) submissive to authority

Question 8

During the 1990s, federal government transfers of money to the states

A) grew rapidly
B) declined rapidly
C) remained the same
D) grew slowly
E) the federal government does not transfer money to the states.

Question 9

In the United States, responsibility for national defense lies primarily with

A) the individual states.
B) the federal government
C) local governments
D) international governmental organizations (IGOs)

Question 10

Within the U.S. federal system, the responsibilities state and national government have varied. The national government increased its responsibilities for domestic policy ______________

A) steadily since the beginning of our government
B) primarily in the 18^th century
C) primarily in the 19^th century
D) primarily in the 20^th century
E) primarily in the 21^st century

Question 11

Prior to 1930, poverty was not seen as a problem, but was viewed as an inevitable social condition.

Question 12

The ideological spectrum in America in the last two decades has become:

A) more conservative
B) less polarized
C) more liberal

Question 13

Which of the following is part of the institutional context of American public policy?

A) Limited Government
B) Two-party system
C) Federalism
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 14

Which is NOT a more or less constant contemporary "policy context" in the United States?

A) government structures
B) environmental issues
C) economy
D) cultural changes

Question 15

The distrust of American political and social institutions is NOT related to the ______________

A) Vietnam War
B) political scandals in recent decades
C) 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
D) doubts about the performance of large national government

Question 16

Which culturally attitude is NOT perceived as being an issue by conservatives and Communitarians:

A) Television and movie portrayals
B) Increased acceptance of abortion, pornography and sexual promiscuity
C) Traditional American values
D) The role of women in the workplace and in public life

Question 17

Interstate compacts are examples of horizontal intergovernmental relations. Which of the following is NOT an interstate compact?

A) No Child Left Behind
B) Colorado River Authority
C) Delaware River Basin Compact
D) Education Commission of the States

Question 18

Which is NOT true of the legislative trends due to the changing population trends?

A) The South & West gained 40 seats in Congress between 1980 and 2000
B) The large urban centers of New York, Baltimore, Chicago & Cleveland have experienced declining population
C) The North & Northeast have gained congressional seats
D) Voting patterns reflect demographic changes

Question 19

Federal and confederal are terms that mean the same thing.

Question 20

Among the alleged problems in American federalism are:

A) red tape
B) unfunded mandates
C) distortion of state/local priorities
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 21

Which form of funding gives money to state or local units for general purposes instead of for a specific project?

A) general revenue sharing
B) block grants
C) unfunded mandates
D) private funding

Question 22

In the ideological context of public policy which is true of conservatives?

A) They tend to have a deeper commitment to equality than do liberals.
B) They tend to value civil and personal freedoms more than liberals.
C) They are more ready to limit economic freedom.
D) They are committed to tradition and authority.

Question 23

Federalism is
A) a unitary system of government
B) a confederate form of government
C) both

A) and B

Question 24

Factors that have contributed to the decline of the American public's trust of government institutions are

A) budget deficits.
B) Watergate and Vietnam.
C) corruption scandals.
D) all of the above.

Question 25

"Intergovernmental Interaction" includes which of the following?

A) regulations
B) partial preemption
C) cross-cutting requirements
D) all of the above
E) (a) and (c) only

Question 26

The population that will be sixty-five and older is increasing at twice the national population and will reach ______________ percent by 2030.

A) 12
B) 50
C) 25
D) 20

Question 27

Although Hispanics share many of the same problems experienced by African-Americans, they also must deal with ________________________.

A) Poverty
B) Racial discrimination
C) Language and culture
D) Anti-immigration sentiments

Question 28

The New Right is mostly concerned with

A) Same-sex marriage
B) Income distribution
C) Government economic action
D) None of the above
E) All of the above

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT an emphasis of the Communitarian movement?

A) community policing
B) family restoration
C) national security
D) education reform
E) local neighborhood revitalization

Question 30

Opponents of shifting responsibility from the federal government to the states argue that

A) States will be equally sensitive to issues such as equity, fairness and civil rights
B) States are not likely to have the resources to fund the programs
C) States may not always be inclined to continue programs
D) B & C only
E) All of the above

Question 31

The threat from the federal government to withhold federal funding from states for failure to comply with certain conditions on a federally funded program is called ___________.

A) Partial preemption
B) Cross-cutting requirements
C) Crossover sanctions
D) Direct Order

Question 32

In the ideological context of public policy which is true of Communists and Socialists?

A) They stress fundamental change in the social and economic system.
B) They are committed to tradition and authority.
C) They support traditional family values.
D) They are considered the "radical right".
E) All of the above

Question 33

The difference in family life of the college-educated and affluent compared to lower income families includes

A) Marriage
B) Living together
C) Out of wedlock children
D) Homeownership
E) B and C

Question 34

Economically challenging times exacerbated racial tension and affect the controversy over affirmative action and immigration

Question 35

Which one of the following is NOT one of the four types of regulations that are a part of intergovernmental relations?

A) direct cuts
B) direct orders
C) cross-cutting requirements
D) crossover sanctions
E) partial preemption

Question 36

Budget deficits were eliminated in 1990's under which administration?

A) President Clinton
B) President George H.W. Bush
C) President Gerald Ford
D) President Ronald Reagan

Question 37

Today ideological groups, such as liberals and conservatives, are more internally fragmented than in the past.

Question 38

Conservatism today includes which of the following:

A) Neo-conservatives
B) the Tea Party
C) New Right
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 39

Today the Democratic and Republican parties are more internally fragmented than in the past.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT an important contextual factor in the development of American public policy in the past 10 years?

A) economic uncertainty
B) immigration
C) the increase in Marxist attitudes in the public
D) the increase in conservative attitudes