AMERICAN AND PUBLIC POLICY EXAM WITH QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026 #14
What are the elements of public policy? - correct answer goals
Plans or proposals
Programs - more specific then plans and goals
Decisions or choices - where the actions are taken
Where do we see the elements of public policy? - correct answer 1. Legal expressions -
laws, executive orders, regulations, and judicial rulings
2. Actions of policy makers - presidents, governors, or legislators (ex: direct government
payments like social security)
Policy outputs vs. Policy outcomes - correct answer output: the formal action the
government takes to pursue goals
Outcome: the effects the actions have on society
What is the definition of the government? - correct answer federal constitution:
congress, president, various executive branches, and the federal court system.
State and local levels - correct answer state constitutions and local statues
Federalism - correct answer sharing authority between national, states, and local
governments.
What is the relationship between politics and public policy? - correct answer electoral
process: we choose our own representatives
Political survival: desire for winning election or reelection by showing the population
what they want.
Policy analysis - correct answer -examining public policy and the policy process or both.
Once we find problems with better solutions it goes into public debate.
-the study of the causes and consequences of policy decisions.
Contexts of public policy (what you have to think about when it comes to public policy) -
correct answer social
Economic
Political
Governing
Cultural
Social contexts - correct answer societal changes..as society changes so does public
policy
Economic contexts - correct answer state of the economy. This could include welfare
policies and borrowing money for wars.
, Political context - correct answer political/ideological issues.
>looking at the strength of the two major parties
>looking at the influence of the minor parties
>differences between liberals and conservatives - how well they can compromise in the
middle
>ability of organized interest groups (ex: military industrial context: business groups that
make money out of selling weapons. Eisenhower) - 99.9% of interest groups are located
in dc
>public opinion, expectation, and level of trust
>caveat: are the political labels (conservative, republican, democratic, liberal) reliable?
No
>us with a weak party system: when we select the candidate of each party we allow
anyone to be a candidate there is no strong pressure from the political leaders but in
europe the party leaders collect information and decide who the candidates should be
for elections.
Governing context - correct answer structure of government-separation of power: the
authority to act is widely dispersed among constitutional institutions and policy actors
therefore both the president and congress must find common ground.
Consequence of separation of power - lengthy process and less focused or coherent
policy due to inevitable compromise
Cultural context - correct answer political culture - widely held values, beliefs, and
attitudes such as trust
Variation - blue and red states
Cultural perspectives
Why does government intervene? - correct answer political reasons: changes in public
opinion
Moral/ethical reasons: doesn't matter what the public opinion may be
Economics and market failure: government in the market is a bad thing because it
makes the economy inefficient.
When would the government intervene in market failure?
(1-4) - correct answer a situation in which the private market is not efficient
1. Monopolies - correct answer the market is dominated by one monopoly supplier
1. Oligopolies - correct answer the market is dominated by a few small suppliers
2. Externalities - correct answer decisions and actions of those involved in the market
exchange that effect others. Third part - negative externality (pollution) positive
externality (education)
ANSWERS 2026 #14
What are the elements of public policy? - correct answer goals
Plans or proposals
Programs - more specific then plans and goals
Decisions or choices - where the actions are taken
Where do we see the elements of public policy? - correct answer 1. Legal expressions -
laws, executive orders, regulations, and judicial rulings
2. Actions of policy makers - presidents, governors, or legislators (ex: direct government
payments like social security)
Policy outputs vs. Policy outcomes - correct answer output: the formal action the
government takes to pursue goals
Outcome: the effects the actions have on society
What is the definition of the government? - correct answer federal constitution:
congress, president, various executive branches, and the federal court system.
State and local levels - correct answer state constitutions and local statues
Federalism - correct answer sharing authority between national, states, and local
governments.
What is the relationship between politics and public policy? - correct answer electoral
process: we choose our own representatives
Political survival: desire for winning election or reelection by showing the population
what they want.
Policy analysis - correct answer -examining public policy and the policy process or both.
Once we find problems with better solutions it goes into public debate.
-the study of the causes and consequences of policy decisions.
Contexts of public policy (what you have to think about when it comes to public policy) -
correct answer social
Economic
Political
Governing
Cultural
Social contexts - correct answer societal changes..as society changes so does public
policy
Economic contexts - correct answer state of the economy. This could include welfare
policies and borrowing money for wars.
, Political context - correct answer political/ideological issues.
>looking at the strength of the two major parties
>looking at the influence of the minor parties
>differences between liberals and conservatives - how well they can compromise in the
middle
>ability of organized interest groups (ex: military industrial context: business groups that
make money out of selling weapons. Eisenhower) - 99.9% of interest groups are located
in dc
>public opinion, expectation, and level of trust
>caveat: are the political labels (conservative, republican, democratic, liberal) reliable?
No
>us with a weak party system: when we select the candidate of each party we allow
anyone to be a candidate there is no strong pressure from the political leaders but in
europe the party leaders collect information and decide who the candidates should be
for elections.
Governing context - correct answer structure of government-separation of power: the
authority to act is widely dispersed among constitutional institutions and policy actors
therefore both the president and congress must find common ground.
Consequence of separation of power - lengthy process and less focused or coherent
policy due to inevitable compromise
Cultural context - correct answer political culture - widely held values, beliefs, and
attitudes such as trust
Variation - blue and red states
Cultural perspectives
Why does government intervene? - correct answer political reasons: changes in public
opinion
Moral/ethical reasons: doesn't matter what the public opinion may be
Economics and market failure: government in the market is a bad thing because it
makes the economy inefficient.
When would the government intervene in market failure?
(1-4) - correct answer a situation in which the private market is not efficient
1. Monopolies - correct answer the market is dominated by one monopoly supplier
1. Oligopolies - correct answer the market is dominated by a few small suppliers
2. Externalities - correct answer decisions and actions of those involved in the market
exchange that effect others. Third part - negative externality (pollution) positive
externality (education)
