PSC Public Policy and Administration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary function of administrative agencies (bureaucracies) in the U.S. federal government?
- To create constitutional amendments and broad legislation
- To implement and administer laws passed by Congress through regulations and services (Correct answer)
- To serve as an independent check on the Supreme Court
- To conduct elections and certify voting results
Correct answer: To implement and administer laws passed by Congress through regulations and services
Federal agencies implement legislation by issuing regulations, enforcing laws, providing services, and managing programs — translating broad statutory mandates into specific administrative actions.
Question 2: What is 'regulatory capture' in public administration?
- When Congress reclaims authority delegated to an agency
- When a regulatory agency comes to be dominated by the industry it is supposed to regulate (Correct answer)
- When the president removes an agency head for political reasons
- When courts overturn an agency's regulatory decisions
Correct answer: When a regulatory agency comes to be dominated by the industry it is supposed to regulate
Regulatory capture occurs when a regulatory agency acts in the interest of the regulated industry rather than the public interest, often due to the industry's superior information, resources, and influence.
Question 3: In the United States, the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) primarily governs:
- The election of members of Congress
- The process federal agencies must follow when creating regulations and making decisions (Correct answer)
- The appointment of federal judges and agency heads
- The budgeting process for federal spending
Correct answer: The process federal agencies must follow when creating regulations and making decisions
The APA (1946) establishes uniform standards for federal agency rulemaking and adjudication, including requirements for public notice and comment before regulations take effect.
Question 4: What is a 'means-tested' social program?
- A program available to all citizens regardless of income
- A program whose benefits are limited to individuals or families below a specified income or asset threshold (Correct answer)
- A program that requires participants to take a standardized examination
- A program funded entirely by recipient contributions
Correct answer: A program whose benefits are limited to individuals or families below a specified income or asset threshold
Means-tested programs like Medicaid and SNAP restrict benefits to those who demonstrate financial need by meeting specified income and/or asset criteria.
Question 5: What does 'federalism' mean for the implementation of social policy in the United States?
- All social programs are uniformly administered by the federal government
- Social programs may be jointly funded and administered by federal and state governments, with varying state-level standards (Correct answer)
- States have no role in implementing federally funded programs
- The federal government can override all state-level social policies
Correct answer: Social programs may be jointly funded and administered by federal and state governments, with varying state-level standards
American federalism means many social programs (Medicaid, TANF, unemployment insurance) are jointly funded by federal and state governments but administered by states, leading to significant variation in benefits and eligibility across states.
Question 6: What is 'street-level bureaucracy,' a concept developed by Michael Lipsky?
- Local government agencies that manage city infrastructure
- The frontline public employees (teachers, police, social workers) whose daily decisions effectively make public policy (Correct answer)
- The informal networks of city officials that bypass formal channels
- Urban development agencies focused on neighborhood revitalization
Correct answer: The frontline public employees (teachers, police, social workers) whose daily decisions effectively make public policy
Lipsky argued that street-level bureaucrats — frontline workers who directly interact with citizens — effectively make policy through their discretionary decisions, not just administrators at the top.
PSC Public Policy and Administration 2
What is the primary function of administrative agencies (bureaucracies) in the U.S. federal government?