Question 1

The Obama administration brought about a major expansion of federal health care policy when it passed the:

Accepted Answer

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was a major expansion of federal health care policy under the Obama administration. It aimed to provide affordable health care options for all Americans and included provisions such as the individual mandate, Medicaid expansion, and health insurance marketplaces. While other programs such as Medicare Part D and Medicaid were also expanded under Obama, the Affordable Care Act was the largest and most significant expansion of federal health care policy during his presidency.

Question 2

Probably the greatest long-term threat to the viability of the Social Security system is the:

Accepted Answer

The pending retirement of baby boomers poses a significant long-term threat to the Social Security system due to the large increase in beneficiaries without a proportional increase in the workforce contributing to the system.

Question 3

Proponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act argued that the following would occur if it was signed into law?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Proponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable...

Question 4

Contributory programs are financed by taxation,which justifiably can be called:

Accepted Answer

Contributory programs, such as Social Security or Medicare, are funded by taxes that are taken out of an individual's paycheck. This can be seen as forced savings because the individual is financially contributing to the program in order to receive benefits in the future. It is not considered extortion or blackmail because participation in the program is voluntary and individuals have the option to opt-out. It is also not taxation without representation as citizens have the ability to vote for elected officials who make decisions on taxation and government programs. Inflation-protected investing is not relevant to the financing of contributory programs.

Question 5

Social plans financed in whole or in part by taxation or other mandatory investments by their present or future recipients are described as:

Accepted Answer

Contributory programs are social plans that require mandatory investments by their present or future recipients, usually in the form of taxes or payroll deductions. Examples of contributory programs include Social Security and Medicare.

Question 6

The allocations of land grants to farmers and to railroad companies by Alexander Hamilton to encourage western settlement are early examples of:

Accepted Answer

The allocation of land grants to farmers and railroad companies by Alexander Hamilton can be considered as an early form of government subsidies. By providing these grants, the government was providing financial aid and support to these entities in order to encourage western settlement and economic growth.

Question 7

Congress can do all of the following if tax revenues become inadequate to fund Social Security EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Congress does not have the power to change the federal fund rate, which is determined by the Federal Reserve. The other options listed are within Congress's ability to change if tax revenues become inadequate to fund Social Security.

Question 8

In his 2000 presidential campaign,Al Gore was ridiculed for his proposal to reform Social Security by keeping the trust fund in interest-bearing government securities but in what he called a(n):

Accepted Answer

Al Gore referred to keeping the Social Security trust fund in a "locked box" during his 2000 presidential campaign. This was an attempt to assure voters that the funds would not be used for any other purpose than Social Security. The term became a popular catchphrase during the campaign.

Question 9

Cost-of-living adjustments for the Social Security system are based on changes in the:

Accepted Answer

Cost-of-living adjustments for the Social Security system are based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, which measures the average change in prices for goods and services consumed by households. This index is used as a measure of inflation and is used to determine the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment each year.

Question 10

After the terrorist attacks of 2001,the Pentagon used which of the following powers to request weapons and surveillance systems from private businesses,such as Lockheed Martin?

Accepted Answer

The Pentagon used its contracting powers to request weapons and surveillance systems from private businesses after the terrorist attacks of 2001. This allowed them to make agreements with these companies for the supplies they needed.

Question 11

Social Security is an example of a ________ program.

Accepted Answer

Social Security is a contributory program because workers pay into the system through payroll taxes and are eligible to receive benefits once they meet certain eligibility requirements, such as reaching retirement age.

Question 12

The Medicare spending bill passed by Bush and a majority-Republican Congress in 2003:

Accepted Answer

The Medicare spending bill passed by Bush and a majority-Republican Congress in 2003 added a prescription drug benefit to the package of health benefits for the elderly. This is commonly referred to as Medicare Part D. It did not diminish the long-term cost of Medicare, decrease the range of services offered under Medicare, dramatically decrease the premiums for Medicare coverage, or increase the reimbursements to doctors treating Medicare patients.

Question 13

An example of a noncontributory program is:

Accepted Answer

Medicaid is a noncontributory program because it is funded by general taxes and does not require individuals to make contributions in order to receive benefits. Social Security, Medicare, and old-age insurance are contributory programs because individuals pay into the programs through taxes, and then receive benefits based on their contributions. Unemployment compensation is partially contributory in that employers pay taxes into the program, but individuals must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to receive benefits.

Question 14

Since 1950,the average incomes of every income group increased-though the incomes of the wealthiest Americans (the top 5 percent)increased more sharply than those of any others.This observation is also referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The observation described pertains to the income gap, which is the difference in income between different groups of people.

Question 15

The adjustment of Social Security benefits to account for changes in living costs is an example of the practice of:

Accepted Answer

The adjustment of Social Security benefits to account for changes in living costs is accomplished through indexing. This practice involves tying increases in benefits and tax thresholds to inflation, ensuring that they keep pace with the rising cost of living over time.

Question 16

The largest single expansion in contributory programs after 1935 was the establishment in 1965 of:

Accepted Answer

Medicare was the largest single expansion in contributory programs after 1935, as it provided health insurance for people over 65 and those with disabilities. It was established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs.

Question 17

Social Security is a tax best classified as a ________ tax.

Accepted Answer

Social Security is a regressive tax because low-income earners pay a higher percentage of their income towards Social Security taxes than high-income earners. The tax rate for Social Security is a fixed percentage, which means that as income increases, the percentage paid in Social Security taxes decreases.

Question 18

Social Security has had its moments of potential crisis in the past,but the only real crisis was in the:

Accepted Answer

The late 1970s saw historic national inflation, which caused concerns for Social Security's sustainability. The other options had their own economic challenges, but did not create a significant crisis for Social Security.

Question 19

The process of periodically adjusting social benefits or wages to account for increases in the cost of living is called:

Accepted Answer

Indexing refers to the periodic adjustment of social benefits or wages to account for increases in the cost of living. Inflation refers to a general increase in prices and decrease in the purchasing power of money. Benchmarking refers to the process of comparing an organization's performance to that of its competitors. Bracket creep refers to the phenomenon of taxpayers being pushed into higher tax brackets due to inflation. Benefit recalibration is not a commonly used term in this context.

Question 20

Grants of cash or other commodities to an individual or organization that are used to promote activities desired by the government are called:

Accepted Answer

Subsidies are direct grants of cash or other commodities to individuals or organizations that are intended to promote activities desired by the government. This can include subsidies for agriculture, education, or healthcare, among other things.

Quiz 13: Introduction to Public Policy