Federal Government: Chapter 16 – Domestic Policy

Vocabulary flashcards related to Chapter 16 – Domestic Policy.

Public Policy

A stable, purposive set of government actions that addresses broad societal concerns.

Private Bills

Benefit individuals or small groups and are not considered public policy.

Policy as Formal Expression

Formal expression of government intent, like legislation, executive orders, and court decisions.

Bureaucratic Implementation

Officials often lack detailed expertise but provide technical guidance and enforcement.

Private Goods

Can be owned by a person or group, excluding others from use.

Free-Market Economics

Market forces of supply and demand with government intervention; effective for markets.

Libertarians

Believe in minor government intervention.

Public Goods (Collective Goods)

Not excludable and are infinite.

Common Goods

Not excludable but may be finite.

Tragedy of the Commons

Individuals exhaust a common resource by acting in their own self-interest.

Toll Goods

Open to the public but with a price

Distributive Policy

Diffuse costs and concentrated benefits, funded by taxpayers, benefiting specific groups.

Regulatory Policy

Concentrated costs and diffuse benefits; restricts behaviors to benefit the broader public.

Redistributive Policy

Concentrated costs and benefits transferring wealth from wealthier to poorer segments.

Social Welfare Policy

Designed to prevent democratic instability due to poverty and provide economic stimulus.

Social Security

Provides income to elderly, disabled, and survivors; funded by payroll tax.

Medicare

Provides healthcare to seniors and retirees; funded by payroll taxes.

Medicaid

Health insurance for low-income individuals; joint federal-state program.

Policy Advocates

Driven by goals, justice, morality, personal or group benefits to influence policy.

Policy Analysts

Objective evaluation of policy options and impacts to inform decision-makers.

Agenda Setting

Problem Identification Alternative Specification.

Policy Enactment

Decision-making by elected branches.

Policy Implementation

Administered by government agencies.

Top-down Implementation

Uniform implementation.

Bottom-up Implementation

Local flexibility.

Policy Evaluation

Assessing 'How well did this policy do what designed to do?'

Laissez-Faire Economics

Minimal government interference; views recessions as self-correcting cycles.

Keynesian Economics

Emphasizes government spending to stimulate consumption to correct deep recessions.

Supply-Side Economics

Emphasizes production over consumption; advocates for reduced taxes and regulation.

Mandatory Spending

Earmarked for entitlement programs guaranteed to those who meet qualification.

Discretionary Spending

Congress must pass legislation to authorize money to be spent each year.

Progressive Taxes

Higher-income individuals taxed at higher rates to supports consumer spending.

Regressive Taxes

Lower-income individuals pay a higher share of income; designed to protect investment incentives.

Public Policy Defined

A stable, purposive set of government actions.

Public Policy As Outcomes

Legislation, Executive orders, Court decisions, Bureaucratic Implementation.

Retirement Benefits

Benefits based on lifetime earnings Survivors can also qualify

Disability Benefits

For workers unable to work for 12+ months

Supplemental Security Income

For low-income elderly or severely disabled individuals

Governmental Analysis

Examples of Analysts: Think Tanks.

Keynesian Tax Preference

Progressive Taxes.

Supply-Side Tax Preference

Regressive Taxes.