Question 1

Which of the following statements is NOT true about Medicaid?

Accepted Answer

Medicaid does not serve all Americans who cannot afford health insurance. Eligibility requirements vary by state and are based on income, family size, disability status, and other factors. While Medicaid does provide coverage to many low-income individuals and families, it is not available to everyone who cannot afford health insurance.

Question 2

The U.S.social welfare system differs markedly from those of Western European democracies,a situation that is attributable in large part to America's

Accepted Answer

The cultural emphasis on individualism in American society and the federal system of government, which gives states more autonomy in designing their own social welfare programs, contribute to the differences between the U.S. social welfare system and those of Western European democracies.

Question 3

The EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit)represents a reallocation of income to

Accepted Answer

The EITC is a tax credit designed to provide relief to lower-income working individuals and families. It is specifically targeted towards those who have earned income but may still struggle to make ends meet. The credit is not available to wealthy individuals, corporations, or middle-class taxpayers.

Question 4

Social insurance programs have high levels of public support because

Accepted Answer

Social insurance programs are usually self-financing through payroll deductions or premiums, which makes them less reliant on government funding. This feature creates a sense of ownership and self-sufficiency among beneficiaries, which in turn generates public support.

Question 5

The Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)program was unpopular in part because of

Accepted Answer

The AFDC program was often criticized and unpopular due to the perception that it encouraged welfare dependency and irresponsibility among recipients. This led to calls for welfare reform and changes to the program.

Question 6

The bureaucratic costs of welfare are substantially lower in Europe because most European countries

Accepted Answer

European countries often have unitary systems of government, which can streamline the administration of welfare programs compared to federal systems, where the division of responsibilities between national and local governments can complicate and increase the cost of administration.

Question 7

Franklin D.Roosevelt's New Deal represented the concept of ________ government.

Accepted Answer

The New Deal was a set of policies and programs implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to stimulate economic recovery and provide relief to Americans suffering from the Great Depression. It represented a shift towards greater government intervention in the economy and social welfare, with the aim of promoting a "positive" role for the government in improving people's lives.

Question 8

The defining characteristic of a social insurance program is that

Accepted Answer

The defining characteristic of a social insurance program is that eligibility is restricted to individuals who paid special payroll taxes during their working years. This distinguishes it from a welfare program which is targeted at those who are most in need of assistance, and it is also not administered jointly by the national government and the states. Social insurance programs are not administered through private insurance companies, but rather by the government.

Question 9

Which of the following is true of social security and Medicare?

Accepted Answer

Families in the top fifth of the income population receive more in social security and Medicare benefits than the government spends in total on TANF, SSI, food stamps, and housing subsidies for the poor. This is due to the fact that social security and Medicare benefits are not means-tested, meaning that eligibility is not based on income or wealth. Therefore, even affluent individuals who have paid into these programs throughout their working lives are eligible to receive benefits.

Question 10

The poverty line is defined as

Accepted Answer

The poverty line is defined as three times the annual cost of a thrifty food budget for an urban family of four according to the government. This calculation is adjusted based on family size and location.

Question 11

________ has the highest child poverty rate among the major industrialized nations.

Accepted Answer

The United States has the highest child poverty rate among the major industrialized nations, with more than 1 in 5 children living below the poverty line. This is despite the fact that the US is one of the wealthiest nations in the world.

Question 12

Poverty is a condition that today affects roughly one in ________ Americans.

Accepted Answer

Poverty affects approximately one in eight Americans, indicating a significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line.

Question 13

________ was terminated in 1996.

Accepted Answer

AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) was terminated in 1996 and replaced with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).

Question 14

The term means test refers to

Accepted Answer

Means test is a process of determining whether an individual or household is eligible to receive certain benefits from the government based on their income and assets. It is commonly used to determine eligibility for public assistance programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, and housing subsidies. Option A is incorrect as it refers to a specific tax on Social Security benefits. Option C and D are incorrect as there is no mandatory physical or psychological examination required to receive Medicare or Medicaid benefits. Option E is incorrect as there is a correct answer.

Question 15

According to survey data,

Accepted Answer

According to survey data from the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans believe that "poor people have become too dependent on government assistance programs and that they should do more to help themselves." This suggests that many Americans believe that welfare recipients could get along without assistance if they tried, which aligns with choice B.

Question 16

The Food Stamps program is

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are valid criticisms of the Food Stamps program. Some individuals believe that the program allows undeserving individuals to receive aid, while others argue that the program stigmatizes its users by publicly identifying them as welfare cases. Additionally, the program is an in-kind benefit, providing aid in the form of food instead of cash, and some people think that the program is too costly. Therefore, all of the answer choices are correct.

Question 17

In his book,Losing Ground,Charles Murray argues that

Accepted Answer

Charles Murray argues that welfare programs create a culture of dependency that discourages work and leads to a permanent underclass of unproductive individuals who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. He believes that welfare reform should focus on promoting self-sufficiency and personal responsibility rather than simply providing assistance. Murray does not advocate for the termination of welfare programs altogether, but rather for significant changes in the way they are structured and administered.

Question 18

The Social Security benefits that today's retirees receive are funded primarily by

Accepted Answer

Social Security benefits are primarily funded by payroll taxes on people who are currently working. These taxes are deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund, which is used to pay benefits to current retirees. The trust fund is separate from the general fund of the government, and its resources are not used to pay for other government programs. However, as the number of retirees increases and the number of workers paying into the system decreases, there are concerns about the long-term financial sustainability of Social Security.

Question 19

The child poverty rate in the United States is about

Accepted Answer

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the child poverty rate in the United States in 2019 was 18.7 percent, which rounds up to 20 percent. Therefore, the best choice is B, with the closest percentage to the actual child poverty rate in the U.S.

Question 20

The term entitlement refers to a program

Accepted Answer

An entitlement program is a government program that provides guaranteed benefits to any individual who meets the eligibility criteria. This means that individuals who qualify for the program are entitled to receive the benefits, regardless of their income or other factors. Examples of entitlement programs in the United States include Social Security and Medicare.

Quiz 16: Welfare and Education Policy: Providing for Personal Security and Need