Question 1

Which of the following is a means-tested program?

Accepted Answer

A)  Social Security 
B)  No Child Left Behind 
C)  Medicare 
D)  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 
E)  the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Question 2

Which of the following explains the welfare state in America?

Accepted Answer

A)  The American political culture favors an extensive welfare state. 
B)  The American political culture opposes an extensive welfare state. 
C)  Few Americans are in poverty, so welfare would not benefit many people. 
D)  Most politicians favor welfare expansion, but their constituents do not. 
E)  Most constituents and politicians favor welfare expansion.

Question 3

Social Security is aimed at what group of people?

Accepted Answer

A)  children 
B)  business owners 
C)  seniors 
D)  the poor 
E)  college students

Question 4

Which of the following best reflects the current Republican view regarding national involvement in ensuring health care coverage?

Accepted Answer

A)  Republicans have called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare. 
B)  Republicans have called for improvements to the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare. 
C)  Republicans intend to replace the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare, with a single-payer system. 
D)  Republicans have avoided taking a position on health care. 
E)  Republicans were initially against the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare, but they now support it.

Question 5

Why are some safety net programs referred to as entitlements?

Accepted Answer

A)  because benefits are distributed automatically to citizens who qualify, based on a set of guidelines 
B)  because they are benefits available only to the working poor in the United States 
C)  because they are benefits funded through the Title 9 section of the 1965 Civil Rights Act 
D)  because they are benefits that are distributed on a case-by-case basis to select citizens in extreme need 
E)  because they are benefits that one earns by working, and thus the person is entitled to them

Question 6

Which of the following is a factor that influences the special character of the American safety net system?

Accepted Answer

A)  the federal deficit 
B)  Federalism and the U.S. Constitution 
C)  popular culture 
D)  strong labor unions 
E)  the system of checks and balances

Question 7

Which of the following best explains the reason for continued public support for Social Security?

Accepted Answer

A)  Social Security provides funds to only those people whose income falls below a certain level when they retire. 
B)  Social Security provides funds to retirees who paid in to the system, and it serves as a safety net to reduce poverty among seniors. 
C)  Social Security provides options for seniors to invest in private markets to supplement retirement income. 
D)  Social Security provides health care coverage to all seniors when they retire. 
E)  Social Security provides health care coverage to low-income seniors when they retire.

Question 8

What has been the U.S. government's recent trend regarding budget deficits and the national debt, and what factors are driving this trend?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What has been the U.S. government's recent...

Question 9

Inflation is best understood as the rate at which __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  gross domestic product expands 
B)  prices for goods and services decrease and purchasing power is increased 
C)  prices for goods and services increase and purchasing power is reduced 
D)  the federal government increases taxes to raise revenue 
E)  the Federal Reserve Board expands the money supply

Question 10

Which of the following is most accurate regarding the future of Social Security?

Accepted Answer

A)  Social Security will likely need adjustments to meet future demands. 
B)  Social Security is expected to run out of money by 2014. 
C)  Social Security is expected to be financially stable for the next 50 years. 
D)  Social Security is expected to be financially stable for the next 100 years. 
E)  Social Security will be replaced by a private investment program beginning in 2015.

Question 11

What are some of the reasons that the United States has failed to adopt universal health coverage? Why was comprehensive health care reform so difficult to pass in the United States? Why was (and is) the Affordable Care Act so controversial?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are some of the reasons that...

Question 12

Which of the following could be seen as evidence in support of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare?

Accepted Answer

A)  Private insurance companies are adequate to provide health care coverage to nearly all Americans. 
B)  Uninsured Americans have access to health care because hospitals are required to treat patients with life-threatening conditions. 
C)  Health care costs have risen substantially over the past few decades. 
D)  Health care costs have remained stable over the past few decades. 
E)  Health care costs have declined over the past few decades.

Question 13

How does the welfare system in the United States compare to other democracies?

Accepted Answer

A)  The United States has a less developed welfare system than other democracies. 
B)  The United States has a more developed welfare system than other democracies. 
C)  The United States has a very similar welfare system to many other democracies. 
D)  The United States has no welfare system, while other democracies have developed welfare systems. 
E)  The United States has a limited welfare system that is still more developed than other democracies.

Question 14

In a given year, if the federal government spends more than it collects in revenue, the result is a/an __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a given year, if the federal...

Question 15

Because of the Great Recession, Congress is more likely to deregulate commercial and investment banks.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The economic theory of regulation holds that most regulation results from pressure by public interest groups to protect citizens.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Which of the following would be considered a regulatory policy?

Accepted Answer

A)  a social insurance policy 
B)  a food safety policy 
C)  a monetary policy 
D)  a redistributive policy 
E)  a federal stimulus policy

Question 18

What is the main purpose of monetary policy?

Accepted Answer

A)  to affect how much money is available to businesses and banks 
B)  to control the amount of public debt sold to foreign states 
C)  to control the interest rates on money lent to foreign states 
D)  to equalize income disparity among citizens of the United States 
E)  to expand the government's revenue base so as to reduce the deficit

Question 19

If a government wanted to use monetary policy to increase economic growth, which of the following steps should be taken?

Accepted Answer

A)  Decrease interest rates to increase the amount of money in supply. 
B)  Increase the amount of foreign currency kept on reserve in U.S. banks. 
C)  Increase the amount of public revenue for investment by raising taxes. 
D)  Increase the government spending on public works projects. 
E)  Print a larger amount of money to increase the money supply.

Question 20

Medicare is a program in which policy area?

Accepted Answer

A)  welfare policy 
B)  health policy 
C)  education policy 
D)  environmental policy 
E)  foreign policy

Exam 17: Domestic Policies

Which of the following is a means-tested program?

Which of the following explains the welfare state in America?

Social Security is aimed at what group of people?

Which of the following best reflects the current Republican view regarding national involvement in ensuring health care coverage?

Why are some safety net programs referred to as entitlements?

Which of the following is a factor that influences the special character of the American safety net system?

Which of the following best explains the reason for continued public support for Social Security?

What has been the U.S. government's recent trend regarding budget deficits and the national debt, and what factors are driving this trend?

Inflation is best understood as the rate at which __________.

Which of the following is most accurate regarding the future of Social Security?

What are some of the reasons that the United States has failed to adopt universal health coverage? Why was comprehensive health care reform so difficult to pass in the United States? Why was (and is) the Affordable Care Act so controversial?

Which of the following could be seen as evidence in support of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as Obamacare?

How does the welfare system in the United States compare to other democracies?

In a given year, if the federal government spends more than it collects in revenue, the result is a/an __________.

Because of the Great Recession, Congress is more likely to deregulate commercial and investment banks.

The economic theory of regulation holds that most regulation results from pressure by public interest groups to protect citizens.

Which of the following would be considered a regulatory policy?

What is the main purpose of monetary policy?

If a government wanted to use monetary policy to increase economic growth, which of the following steps should be taken?

Medicare is a program in which policy area?