PSC Public Policy and Administration 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the policy process, what is the 'agenda-setting' stage?
- When the legislature votes on a proposed law
- When an issue gains enough public and political attention to be considered for government action (Correct answer)
- When agencies develop regulations to implement a law
- When courts review the constitutionality of a policy
Correct answer: When an issue gains enough public and political attention to be considered for government action
Agenda-setting is the process by which certain issues attract the attention of government decision-makers and become candidates for policy action, while others remain off the agenda.
Question 2: What distinguishes 'public policy' from a law or statute?
- Public policy is always created by administrative agencies, never by legislatures
- Public policy refers broadly to a course of governmental action or inaction on a problem, including laws, regulations, and programs (Correct answer)
- Public policy can only be changed through constitutional amendment
- Public policy is created exclusively by the executive branch
Correct answer: Public policy refers broadly to a course of governmental action or inaction on a problem, including laws, regulations, and programs
Public policy is a broader concept than a single law — it encompasses the overall direction of government action or inaction, including statutes, executive orders, regulations, and spending decisions.
Question 3: What is 'cost-benefit analysis' in the context of public policy?
- Evaluating a policy by comparing the total economic costs to the total economic benefits (Correct answer)
- Measuring public approval for a proposed government program
- Calculating the administrative costs of running a government agency
- Reviewing judicial decisions for their impact on policy outcomes
Correct answer: Evaluating a policy by comparing the total economic costs to the total economic benefits
Cost-benefit analysis quantifies and compares the costs and benefits of a policy or program to determine whether its total benefits exceed total costs, informing rational policy choices.
Question 4: The 'iron triangle' in U.S. public policy describes the mutually reinforcing relationship among:
- The president, the Senate, and the House of Representatives
- Congressional committees, executive agencies, and interest groups (Correct answer)
- The Supreme Court, federal agencies, and state governments
- Political parties, media organizations, and think tanks
Correct answer: Congressional committees, executive agencies, and interest groups
The iron triangle describes the stable, mutually beneficial relationships among congressional subcommittees, executive bureaucratic agencies, and organized interest groups that shape policy in specific areas.
Question 5: What is 'incrementalism' as a model of policy-making?
- The rapid overhaul of existing policy in response to major crises
- The tendency for policy to change through small, gradual steps rather than comprehensive reform (Correct answer)
- A theory that policies should be based on scientific modeling
- The process of delegating policy decisions to local governments
Correct answer: The tendency for policy to change through small, gradual steps rather than comprehensive reform
Charles Lindblom's incrementalism argues that policymakers typically 'muddle through,' making small adjustments to existing policies rather than comprehensive rational changes, due to limited information and political constraints.
Question 6: What is 'implementation' in the policy process?
- Drafting legislation to address a public problem
- The process by which government agencies carry out and put into effect enacted policy (Correct answer)
- Evaluating whether a policy has achieved its goals
- Lobbying Congress to pass a new program
Correct answer: The process by which government agencies carry out and put into effect enacted policy
Policy implementation is the stage where agencies translate legislation into action — issuing regulations, allocating budgets, hiring staff, and delivering services.
PSC Public Policy and Administration 1
In the policy process, what is the 'agenda-setting' stage?