Deck 11: Public Assistance Programs

Question 1

In 2008 the average federal SSI payment was $________a month.

A)874
B)1250
C)50
D)539

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The number of SSI recipients who are disabled is about

A)1.2 million.
B)790,000.
C)6.5 million.
D)500,000.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A majority of federal dollars are spent on

A)Income security programs.
B)Debt interest.
C)Military defense.
D)Health care.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In 2009,what was the approximate number of SSI recipients in millions?

A)16.5
B)4.1
C)11.9
D)7.6

Question 5

The percent of TANF children who live with their father only is

A)10 percent.
B)1 percent.
C)20 percent.
D)35 percent.

Question 6

Do TANF benefits influence decisions relating to family composition by encouraging women to head their own households? Why or why not?

Question 7

John was born in a very poor neighborhood and has had a life of privation.There wasn't a good school in his neighborhood,and as a result,his education was very
Deficient.John has had difficulty finding a good job,in particular because he does not
Own a car and public transportation is very inefficient in the city he lives in.He has
Had a couple of runs-in with the law and likes to drink.According to welfare
Reformers of the 1990's he is

A)Behaviorally poor.
B)Cash poor.
C)Suffering the result of structural inequalities in his social environment.
D)In need of a good woman.

Question 8

Discuss two of the myths that underlie the discussion surrounding public assistance.

Question 9

A possible "moral hazard" of the welfare system is

A)The idea that if you are poor,you deserve to be poor.
B)The belief that the benefits available to welfare recipients are not available to the working poor.
C)That it is creating larger and larger deficits.
D)Poor people are immoral.

Question 10

What amount of resources will disqualify a person from receiving SSI benefits?

A)more than $5,000
B)more than $4,000
C)more than $3,000
D)more than $2,000

Question 11

Name and describe the major public assistance programs in U.S.social welfare
policy.

Question 12

Following the implementation of PRWORA,the size of TANF caseloads

A)Has no relationship to poverty rates
B)Decreases with poverty rates.
C)Increases with poverty rates.
D)Decreases with unemployment.

Question 13

The percent of TANF recipients who eventually return to it

A)75 percent.
B)25 percent.
C)15 percent.
D)10 percent.

Question 14

What do we mean when we say that TANF is now a disentitlement?

A)The grants to states do not automatically go up each year.
B)The "no man in the house" rule.
C)Beneficiaries must meet certain income thresholds.
D)Beneficiaries must meet with their case manager on a regular basis.

Question 15

When President Clinton promised to "End welfare as we know it," he intended to

A)End welfare forever.
B)Modify welfare to make it more efficient and effective.
C)Punish immoral young women.
D)Pacify the radical left.

Question 16

Discuss the evolution of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)program,mentioning key dates in its development.

Question 17

One of the reasons people oppose welfare is that

A)Most welfare families include a father who refuses to work.
B)People need an incentive to work,and welfare is a disincentive.
C)It is better to spend money on foreign aid.
D)The church opposes welfare.

Question 18

President Clinton stated he would "End welfare as we know it." This means that

A)Medicaid is no longer an entitlement.
B)Welfare is still an entitlement program under certain conditions.
C)Welfare is no longer an entitlement program.
D)The TANF program no longer exists.

Question 19

Using information from class and the text,argue for or against the following statement regarding public assistance: "It is easy to get on public assistance and too many undeserving people are receiving benefits."

Question 20

The TANF block grant has four specific work requirements.Which of the following is NOT one of the work requirements?

A)A state must require nonexempt unemployed parents or caregivers to participate in community service after receiving assistance for two months.
B)States must outline how they will require a parent or caregiver receiving benefits to engage in work not later than 24 months after they receive
Assistance.
C)A state must meet a work participation rate for all families of 50 percent.
D)Participants must work 40 hours a week in a job with benefits.
Essay Questions