PUBPOL Quiz

Monopoly

A single firm dominates a market, reducing competition and increasing prices (e.g., Sherman Act)

Positive Externalities

Benefits that spill over to third parties; governments may subsidize or provide these goods (e.g., education)

Negative Externalities

Costs imposed on third parties; governments intervene through regulation, taxes, or cap-and-trade (e.g., pollution)

Public Goods

Non-excludable and non-rivalrous goods that markets underprovide (e.g., national defense)

Imperfect Information

When buyers or sellers lack full information, leading to inefficient outcomes; governments require disclosure or regulation

Egalitarianism

Belief in equal treatment and rights for all individuals (e.g., Voting Rights Act)

Utilitarianism

Policy should maximize the greatest good for the greatest number (e.g., eminent domain)

Libertarianism

Emphasizes individual freedom and minimal government intervention (e.g., lower taxes)

Socialism

Supports redistribution of resources based on need rather than market outcomes

Rational Actor Theory

Politicians act in self-interest, primarily to secure re-election

Group Conflict Theory

Public policy results from competition among organized interest groups

Legislative Branch

Passes laws, controls the budget, confirms appointments

Executive Branch

Enforces laws, issues executive orders, directs federal agencies

Judicial Branch

Interprets laws, reviews constitutionality, resolves disputes

Bill

A proposed law that must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president

Resolution

A non-binding statement expressing congressional opinion or internal decisions

Filibuster

A Senate tactic allowing unlimited debate to delay or block legislation

Cloture

A Senate procedure requiring 60 votes to end debate and overcome a filibuster

Conference Committee

A committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill

Veto Override

Congressional power to override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers

Delegated Powers

Powers granted to the federal government (e.g., regulating interstate commerce)

Reserved Powers

Powers retained by the states (e.g., education policy)

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by federal and state governments (e.g., taxation)

Implied Powers

Powers derived from the Necessary and Proper Clause

Supremacy Clause

Federal law takes precedence over state law

Commerce Clause

Allows Congress to regulate interstate commerce (Gibbons v. Ogden)

Dual Federalism

Clear division of responsibilities between state and federal governments

Cooperative Federalism

State and federal governments share responsibilities (e.g., New Deal programs)

New Federalism

Shifts power back to states, often through block grants

Categorical Grants

Federal funds with strict conditions on use (e.g., Medicaid)

Block Grants

Federal funds with broad state discretion (e.g., TANF)

General Public

The overall population

Attentive Public

People who closely follow politics

Issue Public

People highly engaged with a specific policy issue

Random Sampling

Method where every individual has an equal chance of selection

Sampling Frame

The list from which survey respondents are drawn

Response Rate

Percentage of contacted individuals who complete a survey

Margin of Error

The range showing possible survey inaccuracy

Salience

The importance of an issue to the public

Coherence

The consistency of public opinion across issues

Elite Theory

Policy is shaped by a small group of powerful individuals

Group Theory

Policy outcomes reflect competition among interest groups

Grassroots Mobilization

Political influence driven by ordinary citizens

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Allows unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions

Dark Money

Political spending by organizations that do not disclose donors

Super PACs

Organizations that can spend unlimited money independently of campaigns

Lobbying

Direct efforts to influence lawmakers and policy decisions

Social Insurance

Programs funded by payroll taxes (e.g., Social Security, Medicare)

Social Assistance

Means-tested programs for low-income individuals (e.g., Medicaid, TANF)

Entitlement Spending

Spending that is automatically funded by law

Discretionary Spending

Spending that requires annual congressional approval

Johnson v. M’Intosh (1823)

Only the federal government may acquire land from Native American tribes

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

Defined tribes as “domestic dependent nations”

Worcester v. Georgia (1832)

States cannot impose laws on tribal lands

Plenary Power

Congress has ultimate authority over tribal affairs

Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta (2022)

Allowed state prosecution of non-Native offenders on tribal land, weakening tribal sovereignty

Agenda Setting

Identifying issues for government action

Policy Formulation

Developing policy proposals

Policy Adoption

Enacting legislation

Policy Implementation

Carrying out policies through agencies (top-down or street-level)

Policy Evaluation

Assessing effectiveness before (ex ante) or after (ex post) implementation

Policy Change

Modification of policy over time

Path Dependency

Policies become difficult to change once established

Critical Junctures

Moments of crisis that allow major policy shifts

Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Theory

Policy change occurs when problems, policies, and politics align

Steps of How a Bill Becomes a Law

Introduce → Committee → Debate/Vote → Conference → Final vote → President signs or vetoes

Revenue Bills Origination

Tax bills start in House

Executive Rulemaking

Agencies create regulations via notice-and-comment

Contemporary Challenges to Separation of Powers

Executive expansion gridlock judicial policymaking executive orders

Forms of Policy Legitimation

Public approval constitutional authority expertise performance success

Limited Sovereignty

Tribal self-rule under federal authority

Federal Trust Responsibility

Federal duty to protect tribal lands resources welfare

Punctuated Equilibrium Theory

Long stability short bursts of major policy change

Advocacy Coalition Framework

Coalitions with shared beliefs compete to shape policy

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977

President regulates foreign commerce during emergencies

Administrative Procedure Act

Rules for agency rulemaking transparency public input

Medicare vs. Medicaid

Medicare seniors/disabled Medicaid low-income joint state-federal

AFDC vs. TANF

AFDC guaranteed aid TANF limited aid work/time limits

Indian Removal Act

Forced relocation of tribes west

Dawes Act

Allotment divided tribal lands weakened tribes

Indian Reorganization Act

Ended allotment restored tribal governments

Indian Self-Determination Act

Tribes run federal programs themselves

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Expanded coverage Medicaid expansion marketplaces

Intergovernmental Grants

Federal money to states/local gov for policy implementation

Bills vs Resolutions

Bills = law need president; Resolutions = opinion/internal business

Marshall Trilogy Significance

Tribes = domestic dependent nations limited sovereignty federal trust/plenary power

Public Opinion Polls

Show public attitudes but limited by sampling frame response rate wording margin of error

Entitlement Programs

Programs automatically funded by law for eligible individuals like Social Security Medicare

Federalism Examples

Dual = clear state/fed split (e.g., 1800s tariffs) Cooperative = shared responsibility (e.g., New Deal programs) New = state control via block grants (e.g., TANF)