POLS 207 ROBLYER COMPREHENSIVE TEST
EXAM 5 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ What are characteristics of a policy? Answer: Broad or specific
Combination of principles, promises, and action
Consistent or inconsistent
Serve a select few or many
◉ How is silence a policy? Answer: Denies legitimacy to a cause and
its advocates
Americans have a short attention span, so silence leads to the issue
being forgotten and no change in current policy will occur
◉ How is doing nothing a policy? Answer: All words and no action
leads to no actual change
Americans have short attention span, so...
◉ What are two reasons for doing nothing? Answer: Partisan
Incidental
,◉ What are partisan reasons for doing nothing? Answer: "Tossing a
bone" to those demanding action
Enabling credit claiming and plausible deniability
◉ What is an incidental reason for doing nothing? Answer: Budget
shortfalls, packed schedules, too many bills
◉ What is the difference between silence and doing nothing?
Answer: Silence- nothing is aid about the proposed issue
Doing nothing- words are said about the issue, but there is no action
takenterm-6
◉ Explain the endless cycle of policymaking Answer: People shape
policy and policy impacts people
◉ Who are the people in the policymaking lifecycle? Answer: Elected
officials
Parties
Interest groups
Donors
Public
◉ How do people shape policy? Answer: Legislating
, Lobbying
Contacting
Donating
Vetoing
Silence
◉ What are some possible policy points? Answer: Budgets
Laws
Rules
Court decisions
Executive action
Letting status quo stand
◉ Who should policy matter to? Answer: A lot of policy should
matter to some of us, while some policy should matter to all of us
◉ What are the effects of time on policy? Answer: What we do not
care about now can cost us as a whole in the future
◉ What are the "Big 4" policy areas? Answer: Poverty
Healthcare
Education
EXAM 5 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ What are characteristics of a policy? Answer: Broad or specific
Combination of principles, promises, and action
Consistent or inconsistent
Serve a select few or many
◉ How is silence a policy? Answer: Denies legitimacy to a cause and
its advocates
Americans have a short attention span, so silence leads to the issue
being forgotten and no change in current policy will occur
◉ How is doing nothing a policy? Answer: All words and no action
leads to no actual change
Americans have short attention span, so...
◉ What are two reasons for doing nothing? Answer: Partisan
Incidental
,◉ What are partisan reasons for doing nothing? Answer: "Tossing a
bone" to those demanding action
Enabling credit claiming and plausible deniability
◉ What is an incidental reason for doing nothing? Answer: Budget
shortfalls, packed schedules, too many bills
◉ What is the difference between silence and doing nothing?
Answer: Silence- nothing is aid about the proposed issue
Doing nothing- words are said about the issue, but there is no action
takenterm-6
◉ Explain the endless cycle of policymaking Answer: People shape
policy and policy impacts people
◉ Who are the people in the policymaking lifecycle? Answer: Elected
officials
Parties
Interest groups
Donors
Public
◉ How do people shape policy? Answer: Legislating
, Lobbying
Contacting
Donating
Vetoing
Silence
◉ What are some possible policy points? Answer: Budgets
Laws
Rules
Court decisions
Executive action
Letting status quo stand
◉ Who should policy matter to? Answer: A lot of policy should
matter to some of us, while some policy should matter to all of us
◉ What are the effects of time on policy? Answer: What we do not
care about now can cost us as a whole in the future
◉ What are the "Big 4" policy areas? Answer: Poverty
Healthcare
Education
