Deck 2: An Overview of the Policy Process

Question 1

In the mid-1960s, David Easton first pioneered a model that states that the public policy process is a product of a system. The public policy process is influenced by and influences the environment in which it operates. This model is known as the

A)bi-linear model.
B)systems model.
C)linear model.
D)Dave's model.
E)analysis model.

Answer 1

systems model.

Question 2

Power in the United States is said to be fragmented because

A)there are 50 states.
B)there are three branches of government.
C)there are a large number of units of government at all levels.
D)all of the above.
E)none of the above.

Answer 2

all of the above.

Question 3

In a systems model of the policy process, the demands on the policy making system to do something about a problem are called

A)outputs.
B)inputs.
C)initiatives.
D)demographics.

Answer 3

inputs.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a part of the policy environment in the systems model?

A)social environment
B)political environment
C)structural environment
D)public environment
E)All of the above are part of the policy environment.

Question 5

Which of the following is one of the stages in the Stages Model of the policy process?

A)evaluation
B)enactment
C)issue emergence
D)alternative selection
E)All of the above are stages in this model.

Question 6

Which of the following is not one of the stages in the Stages Model of the policy process?

A)evaluation
B)public approval
C)enactment
D)issue emergence
E)alternative selection

Question 7

The main critique of the "stages" model of the policy process is that it

A)is too complicated .
B)assumes a linear and orderly policy process.
C)ignores politics.
D)fails to account for the shortcomings of Congress.

Question 8

The largest broad racial or ethnic category into which Americans are classified is

A)African American
B)Hispanic
C)Asian
D)Caucasian

Question 9

Which category of family has the highest median household income in the United States?

A)Married couple families
B)Married, wife in paid labor force
C)Female householder with no husband present
D)Wife not in paid labor force

Question 10

Which category of family has the lowest median household income in the United States?

A)Married couple families
B)Married, wife in paid labor force
C)Female householder with no husband present
D)Wife not in paid labor force

Question 11

Since the mid-1960s, the most important issue cited by respondents to opinion polls has been:

A)Defense
B)The Economy
C)Energy
D)Health care
E)International relations

Question 12

What pattern best characterizes the relationship between public approval of Congress and of the president?

A)When approval for one branch is relatively low, approval of the other branch is relatively higher.
B)Americans approve or disapprove of both branches equally.
C)High approval for one branch equals high approval of the other branch.
D)There is no relationship between approval of Congress and the president.

Question 13

In constant dollar terms since 1945, the Gross Domestic Product of the United States has generally

A)Grown.
B)Declined.
C)Remained flat.
D)Wildly swung between growth and contraction.

Question 14

From 2008 to 2011, the federal budget deficit as a proportion of GDP

A)Sharply grew.
B)Gradually grew
C)Declined.
D)Remained flat.
E)Wildly changed as economic problems have come and gone.

Question 15

The top 20 percent of Americans earned approximately what proportion of national income in 2006?

A)20 percent.
B)40 percent.
C)90 percent.
D)50 percent.

Question 16

The Administrative Procedure Act requires regulatory agencies to follow certain procedures in rulemaking such as

A)Public comment periods.
B)Publishing rulemaking activity in the Federal Registry.
C)Public notice of new rules.
D)All of the above.

Question 17

The news media

A)Have little role in the policy process because they simply cover celebrity news and fluff.
B)Are important for highlighting issues and problems, but do not generally provide policy solutions.
C)Are central to the policy process.
D)Are ignored by policy makers because they have their own source of expertise and information.

Question 18

The policy environment

A)Contains the structural, social, and economic, environments where policy making takes place.
B)Contains the political system in which public policy takes place.
C)Is influenced by and influences its environment.
D)All of the above.

Question 19

Inputs into the systems model of politics and policy include

A)Laws, regulations and decisions.
B)Election results, public opinion, communication to elected officials, and personal experiences of decision makers.
C)Rules developed by administrative agencies.
D)None of the above.

Question 20

Outputs from the systems model of politics and policy include

A)Laws, regulations and decisions.
B)Election results, public opinion, communication to elected officials, and personal experiences of decision makers.
C)Rules developed by administrative agencies.
D)None of the above.

Question 21

The most common measure of economic activity is

A)Inflation rates
B)Gross domestic product (GDP)
C)Unemployment rate
D)Stock market fluctuations

Question 22

An economic depression is characterized by

A)extremely high unemployment and significant reduction in the GDP that is deeper and longer than a typical recession.
B)a period of economic contraction when the value of the GDP shrinks for two consecutive quarters.
C)a crisis in the stock market.
D)a rise in the national gross product.

Question 23

All of the following are policy process inputs except

A)Public opinion
B)Election results
C)Regulations
D)Interest group activity

Question 24

List two inputs in the systems model of the policy process, and why they are important

Question 25

What is a recession? A depression? What, if any, is the difference between these two economic phenomena?

Question 26

Explain the difference between a statute law and a regulation

Question 27

What is a "black box" and why is it a major criticism of Easton's systems model?

Question 28

List two outputs of the systems model of the policy process, and why they are important

Question 29

Provide one critique of the stages model of the policy process, and explain why it remains a useful tool for students of the policy process

Question 30

Choose one element of the policy environment and explain its importance

Question 31

Explain why demographic changes matter in public policy

Question 32

What does unequal distribution of wealth matter in terms of public policy? Does it matter at all? Why or why not?

Question 33

How and why do policymakers use public opinion polling data?

Question 34

All states use the initiative and referendum processes as inputs into policy making

Question 35

The public's preferences for particular policies cannot be determined from the results of an election

Question 36

How do interest groups provide inputs to the policy process?

Question 37

How do the news media matter in the policy process?

Question 38

Define and provide an example of a social movement

Question 39

How do policy process inputs translate into outputs?

Question 40

A powerful interest group does not necessarily have to have a lot of members

Question 41

All other things being equal, a larger interest group is likely to be more influential in policy making than is a smaller group

Question 42

Compared to the rest of the developed world, the United States has one of least equal distributions of wealth in the world

Question 43

Electoral turnout is higher for presidential elections than for congressional elections

Question 44

Overall, the mean age of the population of the United States is becoming older

Question 45

Separation of powers is the division of powers between the federal and state governments

Question 46

The dominant ideological foundation of our constitutional system is classical liberalism

Question 47

Electoral turnout is higher for congressional elections than for presidential elections

Question 48

Income and wealth are generally evenly distributed in the United States

Question 49

Laws and regulations are examples of outputs in the systems model

Question 50

Overall, the mean age of the population of the United States is becoming younger

Question 51

Public policies reflect changing attitudes about gender roles, which in turn have implications for families and the workforce.

Question 52

People's perceptions of their economic well-being have a significant influence on politics

Question 53

The dominant ideological foundation of our constitutional system is welfare socialism

Question 54

Women's rate of labor force participation now equals men's labor force participation.