Download Unit Six: Public Policy

AP Government and Politics Course Outline
Unit Six: Public Policy
Overview: Public policy is a course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a problem.
Public policy is expressed in the body of laws, regulations, decisions and actions of government. Policy analysis
may be used to formulate public policy and to evaluate its effectiveness. Public policies are governmental
policies based on law; they are authoritarian and binding on people. Public policy is a course of action or
inaction chosen by public authorities to address a
Unit 6 Dates to Remember
problem
Assigned Reading
-Sabato Chapters 17-18-19
Important Terms and Concepts
Public Policy Quiz
5/7 or 5/8
1. Economic Policy
(Depending on which day you have this class)
2. Monetary Policy*
3. Fiscal Policy*
4. Foreign Policy
5. Social Welfare Policy*
6. Entitlement (program)*
Note: If you are taking an AP Exam this
7. Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending*
week and are missing the quiz you will
8. Means-tested program*
9. Non means-based program*
need to make arrangements with me to
10. Policy adoption*
make it up. The PowerPoint on Public
11. Policy implementation*
Policy is posted on my blog and you
12. Deregulation
should give greater focus to the starred
13. GDP
14. Interventionist state
items on this outline (in addition to the
15. Role of each governmental branch in
concepts on the PowerPoint)
policy-making*
when studying.
16. IGOs (Intergovernmental Organizations)*
17. Multilateral/Multilateralism*
18. Pragmatism
14. Civil Rights Act(s)
19. Unilateralism
15. Freedom of Information Act
20. NATO*
16. Telecommunications Act
21. WTO*
17. Voting Rights Act
22. GAO
18. Bush Doctrine
23. Stages of the policy-making process*
19. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
24. The Federal Reserve*
20. USA PATRIOT Act*
25. Mixed-market economy*
21. Airline Deregulation Act
22. Bretton Woods Agreement
Important Policies to Know for Quiz
23. Budget Enforcement Act
1. Aid to Families w/Dependent Children*
24. CAFTA
2. Fair Housing Act
25. Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act
3. Medicaid*
26. Gramm-Rudman Act
4. Medicare*
27. NAFTA*
5. IDEA*
28. Trouble Assets Relief Program
6. Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and
Modernization Act
29. ANWR Oil Drilling Policy
7. No Child Left Behind*
30. CERCLA
8. Affordable Care Act
31. Clean Air Act
9. Race to the Top
32. Clean Water Act(s)
10. Social Security Act
33. Clear Skies Act
11. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
34. Endangered Species Act*
(TANF)*
12. Americans with Disabilities Act
13. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
Unit 6 Review Questions for Unit 6 Policy Quiz
1. How are public policies made??
a. Elite view
b. Bureaucratic view
c. Interest group view
d. Pluralist view
2. What are the stages of policy-making process?
3. What is the role of the three branches of government in the policy-making process?
a. The Legislative Branch
b. The Executive Branch
c. The Judicial Branch
4. What is the role of the Government Accounting Office (GAO) in policy evaluation?
Social Welfare Policy (Chapter 17)
5. What are the differences between non-means based programs and means-tested programs?
Be certain to give an example of each.
6. What is an entitlement program? How is eligibility set for these programs?
Economic Policy (Chapter 18)
7. What is fiscal policy? How does Congress influence fiscal policy? The president?
8. What is monetary policy? How does Congress influence fiscal policy? The president?
9. What is at the heart of the argument between conservatives and liberals concerning fiscal
policy?
The Policies
10. Study the Policies focusing mainly on those that are starred.