Question 1

How do Washington policy makers try to solve the prisoner's dilemma of fixing entitlements?

Accepted Answer

Bipartisan commissions that allows the two players to communicate and make a credible commitment for following through on reform.

Question 2

What are the consequences of having a political system with power dispersed across different institutions?

Accepted Answer

A)   It makes it impossible to get anything done.
B)   No one can dictate a solution on his or her own.
C)   It leads to constant chaos because of uncertainty.
D)   The lack of decision maker returns the focus to unilateral action. B

Question 3

The young invincibles are considered to be the healthiest and most insured group within the health care system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

The Kyoto Protocol faced serious opposition in the U.S. Senate because ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   it punished countries that relied on coal more heavily than those that used natural gas
B)   developing nations did not face any short-term limits, while rich nations bore all of the short-term reductions
C)   the mandate that all power needed to come from renewable sources would have severely affected the economy of the United States
D)   developing countries could plant trees and consider converting to renewable energy while continuing to emit greenhouse gasses

Question 5

The only way to solve the tragedy of the commons is ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   embracing technological changes
B)   making incremental changes to policy
C)   subsidizing those who will be made worse off
D)   a comprehensive approach

Question 6

If greenhouse gas emissions are a global concern, why doesn't each nation simply reduce its emissions?

Accepted Answer

A)   There is no popular support for such reductions in any country.
B)   There is no way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without imposing significant costs on citizens.
C)   The uncertainty that other nations will follow suit.
D)   Democratic states are willing to make changes, but there are fears that dictators could demand unreasonable concessions to follow suit.

Question 7

No one reaches agreement until they are staring just over the fisca cliff.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Why does dealing with the policy challenges of Medicare and Social Security create a prisoner's dilemma?

Accepted Answer

A)   The benefits awarded by these programs are not regulated in any way, so seniors consume a large share of the federal economy.
B)   The transaction costs of reaching a deal are high because there are so many actors who will want to be involved.
C)   Finding a focal point to start the discussions is a very real challenge and with neither side knowing where to start the conversation.
D)   Each side knows that they could benefit from reaching a landmark entitlement reform deal if they could just trust the other side to cooperate.

Question 9

What is the fiscal cliff and how did it affect the United States?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the fiscal cliff and how...

Question 10

A key reason as to why the tax bill passed in 2017 was that it followed Mancur Olson's logic of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   collective action
B)   fiscal responsibility
C)   global commons
D)   entitlement reform

Question 11

What do the struggles over tax reform illustrate about American politics?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do the struggles over tax reform...

Question 12

President Trump withdrew from the Paris accord on the argument that it will ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   undermine the economy of the United States
B)   allow other countries to free ride on the efforts of the United State
C)   the American people are not satisfied nor interested with what it represents
D)   it is bad for business

Question 13

Greenhouse gas emissions represent a classic example of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   transaction costs
B)   free riding
C)   agenda setting
D)   tragedy of the commons

Question 14

How do the guarantees of Social Security and Medicare create a policy challenge?

Accepted Answer

A)   Decision makers have to keep programs solvent as well as dealing with political barriers to making any cuts that would maintain their solvency.
B)   Decision makers have to figure out to balance the requirements of funding these programs in the context of spending on other national needs.
C)   Decision makers must determine how to adjust the benefits and the taxes that fund these programs to more effectively redistribute income.
D)   Shifting control of these programs to independent agencies makes oversight a very challenging task.

Question 15

Not everyone who has paid into this system receives these benefits.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

How does free riding affect the cost of health insurance?

Accepted Answer

A)   It has a dramatic effect on those who choose not to buy coverage because they will have to pay hefty bills if they need treatment.
B)   It decreases the availability of health care for all because fewer people choose to enter the health care profession.
C)   Premiums rise for those with health care because insurance companies need to pay more for an increasingly expensive risk pool.
D)   Indirectly at best because insurance companies could keep the cost of premiums down if they deployed technology more effectively.

Question 17

The 2017 tax bill was, from Mancur Olson's perspective, the perfect bill to make many friends and few enemies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Why are entitlements such a difficult issue for policymakers to solve?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why are entitlements such a difficult issue...

Question 19

Why are greenhouse gasses a classic example of tragedy of the commons?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why are greenhouse gasses a classic example...

Question 20

Discuss the claim that the Trump Administration's stance on the Paris accord is tantamount to free riding.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the claim that the Trump Administration's...

Exam 15: Is There a Logic to American Policy

How do Washington policy makers try to solve the prisoner's dilemma of fixing entitlements?

What are the consequences of having a political system with power dispersed across different institutions?

The young invincibles are considered to be the healthiest and most insured group within the health care system.

The Kyoto Protocol faced serious opposition in the U.S. Senate because ______.

The only way to solve the tragedy of the commons is ______.

If greenhouse gas emissions are a global concern, why doesn't each nation simply reduce its emissions?

No one reaches agreement until they are staring just over the fisca cliff.

Why does dealing with the policy challenges of Medicare and Social Security create a prisoner's dilemma?

What is the fiscal cliff and how did it affect the United States?

A key reason as to why the tax bill passed in 2017 was that it followed Mancur Olson's logic of ______.

What do the struggles over tax reform illustrate about American politics?

President Trump withdrew from the Paris accord on the argument that it will ______.

Greenhouse gas emissions represent a classic example of ______.

How do the guarantees of Social Security and Medicare create a policy challenge?

Not everyone who has paid into this system receives these benefits.

How does free riding affect the cost of health insurance?

The 2017 tax bill was, from Mancur Olson's perspective, the perfect bill to make many friends and few enemies.

Why are entitlements such a difficult issue for policymakers to solve?

Why are greenhouse gasses a classic example of tragedy of the commons?

Discuss the claim that the Trump Administration's stance on the Paris accord is tantamount to free riding.