The Constitution & Foundations of Government
Basics of Public Policy
Potpourri
How Closely Did You Read?
Bring It On: Advanced Questions!
100

This Article of the Constitution focuses on the Executive Branch and the Presidency.

What is "Article II"?

100

Over the first few weeks of the course, we agreed upon a basic definition of "public policy."  What is that definition?

What is:  "a government action to solve a public problem"?

100

This is the term for government achieving an objective for the lowest cost.

What is "efficiency"?

100

Your textbook outlines 3 "Constitutional actors" in the policy process.  Name the 3 actors!

What is: (1) Congress; (2) the President; and (3) the Courts?

100

This philosopher and political theorist believed the state of nature is a condition of war of everyone against everyone---basically "Lord of the Flies."  Name that philosopher!

Who is Thomas Hobbes?

200

This is the basic vocabulary term for powers shared by the national and state government.

What is "concurrent powers"?

200

Your textbook outlines three key groups of actors involved with the policy implementation process.  Name those 3 groups!

What are: (1) managers; (2) doers; and (3) fixers.

200

A Williamsburg police officer pulls you over for not wearing a seatbelt.  This is an example of the officer enforcing what type of policy?

What is a "regulatory policy"?

200

These nonelected government officials occupy varying levels of key involvement in the public policy process.

Who are "bureaucrats"?

200

This is the term for "sudden and rare events that spark intense media and public attention because of their sheer magnitude or because of the harm they reveal."

What are "focusing events"?

300

Madison warned against "mischiefs of _________", a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one, especially in politics.

What is a "faction"?

300

This type of policy allows government to give goods and services to the majority of the population but at the expense of all taxpayers---for example public roads or public education.

What is "distributive policy"?

300
No Child Left Behind education policy is an example of what type of coordination requirement?

What is "vertical coordination"?

300

This is the term for the inefficient allocation of goods and services by the free market.

What is a "market failure"?

300

Based on the syllabus, the midterm exam next Tuesday is worth how much of your semester grade in PUBP 201?

What is "25%"?

400

Name the 3 primary functions of Congress!

What are: (1) lawmaking; (2) budget process; and (3) oversight?

400

This is the term for the set of activities directed toward putting a program into effect; a complex process that can take months, or even years, to fully complete.

What is "implementation"?

400

This is the term for options that change people's behavior through rewards or punishments, sanctions, or incentives.

What are "inducements"?

400

Pluralist theory is often contrasted with this theory, which suggests that only a few prominent people in society have the power to influence policymaking.  Name that theory!

What is "elite theory"?

400

Your textbook outlines and describes the three "streams" proposed by Kingdon that must unite for a "policy window" to open and place a potential policy on the public agenda.  Name the 3 streams!

What are:  (1) problem stream; (2) policy stream; and (3) political stream.

500

It takes this many votes in the Senate to invoke "cloture" to end debate (or the threat of a filibuster) and conduct most business that includes the consideration of legislation...

What is "60" votes?

500

This level of the agenda setting process is the first and broadest level and encompasses all the possible ideas that could be discussed or considered by government.

What is the "agenda universe"?

500

This Republican U.S. Senator from Arizona cast the deciding vote to stop the "repeal and replace" initiative to end Obamacare during the start of President Trump's first term in 2017.  Name that Senator!

Who is "John McCain"?

500

Public policy scholars have mostly focused on studying this phase of the process in the literature.

What is "implementation"?

500

Name the six stages of the "heuristic model of public policymaking", the main model we've used so far this semester to describe the policymaking process.

What are:  (1) Problem ID, (2) Agenda Setting, (3) Formulation, (4) Legitimation, (5) Implementation

(6) Evaluation.