Test Questions | Chapter 6 Committing to an Issue Building Agendas Jansson

Jansson, Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate, 7^th Edition

Test Bank

Chapter 6: Committing to an Issue: Building Agendas

1. The agenda building process refers to:

1. Processes by which certain issues gain the serious attention of decision makers.
2. Processes to shape the agendas of committee meeting in legislatures.
3. A series of actions directed toward change.
4. Well-positioned arguments for or against a specific piece of legislation.

PG: 175

2. Legislators often avoid placing issues on the agenda that:

1. Are not likely to be resolved.
2. Give them little political advantage in reelection.
3. Are not supported by special interest groups.
4. Do not involve support of vulnerable populations.

PG: 177

3. Agency executives will often ignore an issue if:

1. They do not agree with it ideologically.
2. They are too busy with management problems.
3. They feel it will lead to internal conflict.
4. All of the above choices are correct.

PG: 177

4. After a problem has been diagnosed, the policy practitioner must:

1. Start negotiations.
2. Place it in context.
3. Moderate it.
4. Find supporters.

PG: 178-179

5. Rationalists assume that:

1. Decision makers place items on the agenda only when technical reports call for change.
2. Change is initiated based on client request.
3. It is best to initiate change only when you have the support of the legislature.
4. Change is necessary when items on the agenda are dated and ineffective.

PG: 180

6. Incrementalists assume that executives favor ________ changes in existing policy in response to complaints or pressure:

1. Grandiose.
2. Controversial.
3. Modest.
4. No.

PG: 180

7. The “garbage can” theory of agenda building refers to:

1. Problems that have been deemed unsolvable.
2. Solutions that are not implemented.
3. A problem or solution that has been raised, but not yet placed on an agenda.
4. Ideas that are raised and dismissed.

PG: 181

8. Analyzing problem and solution streams, political realities, and recent professional trends are part of which stage in agenda building?

a. The diagnosing stage.

b. The softening stage.

c. The activating stage.

d. The building stage.

PG: 181

9. Before beginning policy practice it is important to:

1. Acquire funding.
2. Examine the streams of problems and solutions surrounding the issue.
3. Secure the backing of an agency or political party.
4. Examine how this problem is dealt with in other countries.

PG: 183

10. A specific policy innovation will be difficult to achieve when:

1. The issue is already politicized.
2. It will be relatively cheap to implement.
3. Its magnitude is limited.
4. Decision makers believe it will improve their chances of reelection.

PG: 185

11. How can a policy advocate convince others that a condition is a problem?

1. Staging a protest march.
2. Offering a solution.
3. Using data and research.
4. All of the above choices.

PG: 186

12. A period of time that favors the advancement of an initiative is called:

1. An interval.
2. A window of opportunity.
3. The time span.
4. A schedule.

PG: 189

13. In a win-win atmosphere, two parties believe that:

1. The party in government will benefit from the new policy.
2. The party in opposition will benefit from the policy.
3. They can both benefit from the new policy.
4. The policy will help their candidate be elected.

PG: 192

14. Direct-service staff can participate in agenda building by:

1. Working within agencies.
2. Locating unaddressed or poorly addressed community needs.
3. Joining already existing coalitions and advocacy groups.
4. All of these choices.

PG: 194

15. The agenda building process:

1. Is often skewed against unpopular issues and powerless groups.
2. Favors unpopular issues and powerless groups.
3. Should bypass unpopular issues and powerless groups.
4. Is not pertinent to unpopular issues and powerless groups.

PG: 194

16. Groups that tackle unpopular issues:

1. Should give up and focus energy on issues that have a chance.
2. Lay the groundwork for subsequent policy changes.
3. Are able to gain political support.
4. Have the best chance at initiating change at the agency level.

PG: 195

17. Policy advocates who use protests as part of their strategy should realize that:

1. A protest is considered a replacement for traditional channels to get proposals accepted.
2. A protest may harden policy officials against the reform.
3. Protests are usually ignored by policy officials.
4. Protests are usually ignored by the general public.

PG: 195

18. Wedge issues are:

1. Issues that are alike.
2. Issues that favor two opposing groups.
3. Issues that are divisive.
4. Issues that are dead on the agenda.

PG: 195

19. Agenda building is a central part of a political campaign because:

a. Candidates seek issues that will generate support.

b. Policy advocates work for political parties.

c. There is no other time to build an agenda.

d. The two parties often try to find common ground.

PG: 196

20. When engaged in agenda building, policy advocates use value clarifying skills to:

1. Analyze the political stream.
2. Use data to find a solution.
3. Help a problem reach an agency.
4. Decide if it is worthwhile to invest energy in promoting a certain issue.

PG: 197