AP GoPo Policy Unit Take-Home Questions

  1. Which of the following is NOT one of the measures used by the Fed to control the money supply?
  2. It dictates the minimum prime lending rate by commercial banks.
  3. It can buy and sell government securities in the market, thereby either expanding or contracting the money supply.
  4. It sets reserve requirements that determine the amount of money that banks must keep in reserve at all times.
  5. It sets discount rates for the money that banks can borrow from the Federal Reserve.
  6. None of the above.
  1. Policies that attempt to provide assistance and support to specific groups in society are called
  2. tax subsidies.d. equal opportunity policies.
  3. redistributive policies.e. social welfare policies.
  4. anti-poverty policies.
  1. Income is the amount
  2. of money the government recognizes as yours to spend.
  3. of money collected between two points in time.
  4. one earns that is subject to a sales tax.
  5. of money given by the government directly to individuals.
  6. one owns, including stocks, bonds, bank accounts, cars, houses and such.
  1. Wealth is the amount
  2. of money the government recognizes as yours to spend.
  3. of money collected between two points in time.
  4. one earns that is subject to a sales tax.
  5. of money given by the government directly to individuals.
  6. one owns, including stocks, bonds, bank accounts, cars, houses and such.
  1. Which of the following is TRUE about wealth and income in American society?
  2. Wealth and income are distributed about the same in society.
  3. Income is distributed less equally than wealth.
  4. Wealth is distributed less equally than income.
  5. Wealth and income are the same thing.
  6. None of the above.
  1. The poverty line is measured by
  2. the boundaries of an urban ghetto.
  3. the minimum wage extended on a yearly basis.
  4. the number of people filing for unemployment benefits.
  5. taking into account what a family would need to spend to maintain an “austere” standard of living.
  6. the amount of income tax a family pays to the federal government.
  1. Inflation is especially hard for
  2. people with fixed incomes.d. poor people.
  3. people with fixed mortgage payments.e. both A & B.
  4. wealthy people.
  1. The feminization of poverty refers to
  2. higher incarceration rates of women today compared to 20 years ago.
  3. the high incidence of poverty among unmarried mothers and their children.
  4. the high number of women who qualify for entitlement programs.
  5. higher rates of homelessness among women.
  6. high poverty levels among the elderly, who tend to be female.
  7. An entitlement program is one
  8. which provides benefits to everyone.
  9. which requires a means test to qualify.
  10. to which only a small group of people are entitled.
  11. guaranteed in the Constitution.
  12. which provides benefits, regardless of financial need.
  1. Which of the following is an example of an entitlement?
  2. Aid to Families with Dependent Childrend. Food Stamps
  3. Medicaide. low-interest college loans
  4. Social Security
  1. Which of the following is NOT a means-tested program?
  2. Food Stampsd. Medicare
  3. Medicaide. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
  4. Supplementary Security Income
  1. A mixed political economy is one in which
  2. inflation and unemployment are unrelated.
  3. the government controls some, but not all, sectors of the economy.
  4. the principle of laissez-faire is combined with a command system.
  5. both agricultural and manufacturing sectors are active.
  6. the government, while not commanding the economy, is still deeply involved in economic decisions.
  1. The 1996 Welfare Reform Bill
  2. gave each state a fixed amount to run its own welfare programs.
  3. enjoyed widespread support of Republican congressmen, despite being encouraged by a Democratic president.
  4. required people on welfare to find work within two years, or lose all their benefits.
  5. placed a lifetime maximum of 5 years on welfare.
  6. all of the above.
  1. An example of the kind of consumer policy that was first adopted in the 1960s and 1970s was
  2. the creation of a Product Safety Commission to regulate the safety of items sold to consumers.
  3. protection against adulterated food and drugs.
  4. the creation of the Federal Trade Commission to regulate fair business practices.
  5. trust-busting.
  6. protection against unfair competition that would artificially raise consumer prices.
  1. Americans have ______healthcare.
  2. high-tech, expensive, and unequald. high-tech, inexpensive, and equal
  3. low-tech, inexpensive, and unequale. low-tech, expensive, and unequal
  4. high-tech, expensive, and equal
  1. _____ was the first president to call for national health insurance.
  2. Trumanb. Obama.c. LBJd. CarterE. Clinton
  1. The majority of those in the US with no health insurance are
  2. full-time workers and their families.d. part-time workers.
  3. senior citizens.e. Welfare recipients and their families.
  4. unemployed.
  1. Medicare was adopted in 1965 to provide government health insurance to
  2. children.d. the elderly.
  3. veterans.e. government employees.
  4. the poor.
  5. Which of the following is NOT true about Medicare?
  6. Part A provides hospitalization insurance.
  7. Part B permits the purchasing of inexpensive coverage for doctors fees and other expenses.
  8. It was begun by Congress in recognition of the special health needs of elderly Americans.
  9. It has been relatively inexpensive, and may serve as a model for lowering health care costs for all.
  10. It is part of the Social Security system and covers 40+million people.
  1. Which of the following does NOT contribute to higher costs of medical care in the US?
  2. The fact that Americans are the world’s healthiest people
  3. Malpractice insurance for doctors and the payout of malpractice settlements
  4. Doctors practicing defensive medicine to ensure that they cannot be sued
  5. Overbuilding of medical care facilities, and the pervasive lack of incentive to be more efficient
  6. New technologies, drugs and procedures
  1. Medicaid is a program designed to provide health care for
  2. children.b. the elderly. c. government employees. d. veterans. e. the poor.
  1. Of the following groups, which is least likely to favor greater regulation or government activity in the healthcare field?
  2. insurance companiesd. the poor
  3. big businessese. the elderly
  4. small businesses
  1. Which of the following is NOT true about the Environmental Protection Agency?
  2. It is in charge of administering policies dealing with toxic wastes, such as dangerous chemicals.
  3. It sets standards for “ambient air.”
  4. It was established in the 1910s.
  5. It enforces the Clean Air Act, the Water Pollution Control Act, and many other environmental bills.
  6. It is the nation’s largest regulatory agency.
  1. Environmental impact statements
  2. require approval of government projects by the EPA.
  3. must be submitted every time a government agency proposes to take some action that will have an impact on the environment.
  4. are studies of the specific effects the environment has on humans.
  5. prohibit any action that would be detrimental to the environment.
  6. are evaluations of environmental damage that has been caused by an existing land use.
  1. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as originally passed, required that the government
  2. reintroduce gray wolves into all national parks.
  3. actively protect each of the hundreds of species listed as endangered, unless that protection would cause severe economic harm to the local region.
  4. merely acknowledge that some species were likely to go extinct.
  5. choose which species were significant enough to protect from extinction, while others would be allowed to die off.
  6. actively protect each of the hundreds of species listed as endangered, regardless of the economic effect on the surrounding region.
  1. Who is most likely to shout “NIMBY?”
  2. Republicans
  3. Those who do not want hazardous waste treatment facilities in their community
  4. Nuclear power advocates
  5. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency
  6. Those who want tough environmental laws repealed in order to promote economic growth and job opportunities
  1. Which of the following statements about the Superfund is FALSE?
  2. It has been highly successful.
  3. Its purpose is to pay for cleaning up toxic waste.
  4. The law can force polluters to clean up pollution that occurred even before the law was passed.
  5. It was created by taxing chemical products.
  6. A single polluter can be forced to pay for cleanup of a site that was also polluted by many others.
  1. The dramatic change that has occurred in policymaking as a result of the emergence of complicated, high-technology issues is that
  2. a small number of government experts now control most policymaking with little input for the uninformed public.
  3. well-informed interest groups, with their own scientists, now play a major role in policymaking.
  4. individual citizen-politicians are now the most active element in the technological policymaking process because the experts are no longer trusted or understood by most people.
  5. interest groups now focus on dramatic statements and loud protests to gain attention and influence policymaking.
  6. the scope of government has actually decreased due to the need for specialization and expertise.
  1. Which of the following is NOT one of the three ultimate tools of foreign policy?
  2. diplomaticd. military
  3. judiciale. economic
  4. none of the above
  1. Member countries of the United Nations agree to
  2. limit the organization’s activities to a peacekeeping function, and not involve themselves in economic development or health, education and welfare concerns.
  3. adopt capitalist economic systems.
  4. renounce war and respect certain human and economic freedoms.
  5. elect their leaders through the democratic process.
  6. adopt the US Constitution as their model for self-government.
  1. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an example of a
  2. United Nations agency.d. nongovernmental organization.
  3. regional organization for economic purposes.e. multinational corporation.
  4. regional organization for military purposes.
  1. The Cold War led to all of the following EXCEPT
  2. the use of atomic weapons.
  3. a policy of brinkmanship.
  4. mutually assured destruction.
  5. the growth of the military-industrial complex.
  6. an arms race between the US and the Soviet Union.
  1. The North American Free Trade Agreement is designed to eliminate most ______among Canada, Mexico and the US.
  2. importsb. exportsc. subsidiesd. border patrols.e. tariffs
  1. The containment doctrine was
  2. intended to prevent Soviet expansion after World War II.
  3. the Soviet policy of building the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall to restrict American influence to Western Europe after World War II.
  4. the policy of cooperation and relaxation of tensions with the Soviet Union.
  5. the policy of nuclear arms agreements to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.
  6. first proposed as a military maneuver during the Korean War as a means of preventing Chinese advances.
  1. The head of the foreign policy arm of the federal government who traditionally advises the president is the
  2. US Ambassador to the United Nations.d. Secretary of State.
  3. Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.e. Secretary of Defense.
  4. National Security Assistant.
  1. In détente,
  2. international relations shifted from a bipolar to a multipolar world.
  3. nuclear rearmament was emphasized.
  4. unilateral arms reductions were common.
  5. international relations shifted from a multipolar to a bipolar world.
  6. diplomacy and propaganda replaced the threat of force.
  1. The key word that could be used to describe today’s international economy is
  2. protectionism.d. interdependency.
  3. self-sufficiency.e. isolationism.
  4. bankruptcy.
  1. Which of the following statements about events in the late 1980s and early 1990s marking the end of the Cold War is FALSE?
  2. The Berlin Wall, separation East and West Germany, was torn down.
  3. Eastern European nations overthrew their communist regimes and established free, democratic governments.
  4. Mass protests in Tiananmen Square led to sweeping democratic reforms in China.
  5. The collapse of communism was sparked by the policies of Soviet communist leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
  6. The former Soviet Union split into 15 separate countries.

The US Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion.

39. Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing federal laws for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

a. Congress lacks expertise while agencies possess expertise.

b. federal agencies, because they are elected and congressional committees are appointed, have more authority.

c. executing federal laws is time-consuming, and Congress wants to focus on other tasks.

d. Congress does not wanted to be blamed for bad policy.

e. the bureaucracy is more efficient than the congressional process.

40. Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent by utilizing all of the following EXCEPT

a. impeaching the Cabinet secretaries who refuse to comply with Congress’ directives.

b. oversight/hearings.

c. the budget process of appropriations.

d. changing laws.

e. restructuring, dissolving, or creating new agencies.

41. Fiscal policy is

a. the manipulation of interest rates by the government to affect economic growth rates.

b. the reduction of taxes in order to stimulate the economy.

c. the manipulation of the supply of money and credit in private hands.

d. based on the principle that government should not meddle with the economy.

e. taxing, spending and borrowing decisions shaped mostly by Congress and the President.

42. The POTUS affects fiscal policy by

a. his use of the media to gain public support for his policies.

b. his appointment of the Secretary of the Treasury.

c. his position as Commander in Chief.

d. proposing the federal budget, and signing or vetoing legislation related to revenue and appropriations.

e. using executive agreements.

43. The legislative branch affects fiscal policy primarily by

a. legislative oversight.

b. passing the federal budget and passing taxing/spending legislation.

c. limits placed on the budget by the House Rules Committee.

d. the minority party’s expected use of the filibuster to prevent the POTUS’ plans.

e. encouraging spending in their home districts.

44. Monetary policy includes all of the following EXCEPT

a. regulating the money supply.

b. controlling inflation/deflation.

c. instituting a freeze on prices.

d. adjusting interest rates to regulate the economy.

e. adjusting bank reserve requirements.

45. The Federal Reserve Board is given independence in establishing monetary policy for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

a. the majority party in Congress earns the “right” to make policy by having the support of the people.

b. it removes politics from monetary policy.

c. Congress and the POTUS can avoid making difficult decisions by delegating decision making.

d. the Federal Reserve Board relies on expertise when making decisions.

e. the Federal Reserve Board makes economic policies more efficiently.

46. Political factors can make it difficult for federal government to enact public policy. Which of these is NOT one of those factors?

a. chambers of Congress controlled by different parties

b. difficulty predicting party support in Congress

c. growth in the number of interest groups and PACs

d. POTUS and Congress controlled by different parties (divided government)

e. the brevity of a congressional term

What was the most interesting or significant thing you learned this take-home policy unit? Why? Be specific.