Deck 14: Challenges and Myths in American Social Policy: Exploring Welfare State, Taxation, and Social Programs

Question 1

Americans have developed a multi-faceted mythology to justify our failure to develop a generous welfare state. This set of interrelated beliefs include:

A) social problems can be avoided by creating equal opportunity
B) social problems do more harm than good
C) laissez-faire policies suffice to solve social problems
D) all of these are correct

Answer 1

D

Question 2

During the Reagan years, President Reagan increased military spending at a rate that was

A) unprecedented during peacetime.
B) made popular by his Strategic Defense Initiative.
C) prompted by international conflict.
D) consistent with the spending patterns at the time of European nations and Japan.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The current American welfare state developed

A) over a period of 200 years.
B) mostly in the early part of the 20th century.
C) relatively recently in American history.
D) from the founding of the colonies.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

When examining the question of how well the American Welfare State addresses key important social problems that afflict vulnerable populations, one flaw focuses on the stated "success" of foster children graduating from foster care. 30% of what population was once in foster care?

A) Incarcerated
B) High school dropouts
C) Homeless
D) Addicted

Question 5

Even when domestic expenditures of local, state, and federal authorities are aggregated, Americans devote ________ to domestic spending than many other industrialized nations.

A) a relatively smaller share
B) a relatively larger share
C) an equal share
D) a considerably larger share

Question 6

Social programs can provide much needed assistance and even promote changes in cultural attitudes, but even if well- conceived and funded, they often cannot eradicate major social problem.

Question 7

Many American consumers pay relatively large shares of their personal income for social, medical, and educational services, and local and federal governments have increased fees and payment shares for many public programs. One example of this is that elderly persons pay a large share of medical costs under Medicare in the form of

A) taxes.
B) fees.
C) a deduction from social security benefits.
D) rebates.

Question 8

American social policy places greater emphasis than other western industrialized nations on

A) universal programs.
B) means-tested programs.
C) in-kind assistance.
D) individual initiative.

Question 9

Relatively low levels of American taxes have placed significant downward pressure on budget allocations for social programs.

Question 10

If large cuts were made in Medicaid and Medicare services, then the rise in medical spending would cease.

Question 11

Americans pay relatively low taxes compared to European nations.

Question 12

From 1950 onward, scarce federal revenues have been significantly depleted by

A) military spending.
B) low level taxes.
C) infrastructure.
D) entitlements.

Question 13

Families headed by single mothers were 5.4 times more likely than married couple families to live in poverty. In 2011, how many women in households with no spouse present live in poverty?

A) 4 in 10
B) 6 in 10
C) 1 in 10
D) 2 in 10

Question 14

The United States has

A) a relatively weak radical tradition.
B) a relatively weak conservative movement.
C) a strong socialist tradition.
D) an overwhelming tendency toward conservatism.

Question 15

The Constitution slowed the growth of social programs in the United States by

A) not explicitly defining social policy roles for the federal government.
B) explicitly defining social policy roles for the federal government.
C) providing conflicting messages defining social policy roles for the federal government.
D) forbidding explicitly defining social policy roles for the federal government.

Question 16

When it finally emerged, the American welfare state was structured so as to deter widespread support. What was one major factor?

A) White, blue-collar workers found social programs irrelevant to their needs and were inclined to believe such programs were only used by people of color.
B) White, blue-collar workers found social programs irrelevant to their needs and were encouraged to believe the programs were based in Socialism.
C) Recipients of the programs were inclined to believe such programs were only used by people of color and that the programs were based in Socialism.
D) None of these are correct.

Question 17

European societies are more homogeneous than the United States because, until recently, they have not experienced waves of immigration.

Question 18

Tax expenditures are

A) costs of administering the tax collection system.
B) the cost to the government of tax evasion.
C) social welfare benefits delivered through the tax system.
D) largely kept by the local government.

Question 19

Considerable progress has not been made in one of the following areas:

A) Addressing poverty among elderly persons
B) Challenges to the civil rights of vulnerable populations
C) Unemployment and lack of services for persons with disabilities
D) Secondary school needs for low-income children

Question 20

American conservatives have traditionally fought social reforms because they require

A) enlargement of the federal government.
B) increases in taxation.
C) runs counter to the economic interests of corporations.
D) All of these are correct.

Question 21

Ageism hindered the development of family planning, day care, and affirmative action programs.

Question 22

One anti-reform factor in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s was the Republican tenet that doing good inevitably leads to harm.

Question 23

Americans have yet to learn that the success of single programs is unlikely when the program is underfunded or poorly implemented.

Question 24

Jefferson hoped that Americans could avoid the perils of class-structured society if all residents were granted access to land and to education.

Question 25

If conservatives tend to favor extensive use of the private sector, free markets, local government, and state government, liberals generally want few federal entitlements to remain intact.