Topic 2: Public Policy

What are elected officials doing when they use the media to hold news conferences?

• Communicating with the public

• Giving an opinion poll

• Enforcing laws

• Passing laws

What term refers to the problems the government leaders consider most important and receive the most attention?

• Interest groups

• PAC

• Public opinion

• Public agenda

All of the following are ways interest groups influence public policy EXCEPT --

• lobbying government officials

• making political contributions

• running candidates for office

• identifying issues

Which of the following DOES NOT describe one way that an individual can influence public policy?

• strike for higher wages and better benefits at a company

• join interest groups

• participate in politics by voting, campaigning, and running for office

• express opinions by lobbying, writing editorials, and demonstrating

Public policy can be made by . . .

• Corporations

• Businesses

• Government

• Individuals

The stand the government takes on an issue is called

• public sphere

• public policy

• public opinion

• public works

Which of the following has the steps of the public policy process in the correct order?

• Issue Identification, Agenda Setting, Policy Adoption, Policy Formulation, Implementation, Evaluation.

• Agenda Setting, Policy Formulation, Policy Adoption, Evaluation, Implementation, Issue Identification.

• Implementation, Evaluation, Agenda Setting, Issue Identification, Policy Formulation, Policy Adoption.

• Issue Identification, Agenda Setting, Policy Formulation, Policy Adoption, Implementation, Evaluation.

What is an example of a policy to protect the environment?

• Increase taxes

• Build a new school

• Protection of wildlife

• Response to global economy

John Morgan has been hired by a special interest group to try to influence legislators’ votes on their behalf.  Mr. Morgan's job title is –

• Governor

• President

• Senator

• Lobbyist

Viewpoint 1: Healthcare should be universal, because all people have a right to healthcare, and no one deserves to spend all their savings on a hospital visit.

Viewpoint 2: Healthcare should have more private options. Competition between different organizations will help lower the healthcare prices.

What can we learn from these two viewpoints?

• Doctors would lose money if we had universal healthcare

• Privatized healthcare will help us cure more diseases

• Healthcare right now is very expensive

• The healthcare system does not need to change