Define and identify the four major components of the scientific method
→ -Theory
→ -Operationalization
→ -Observation
→ -Analysis
Theory
→ Some basic understanding of things that helps us simplify and explain complex
relationships
Operationalization
→ How to turn abstract conc...
→ Some basic understanding of things that helps us simplify and explain complex
relationships
Operationalization
→ How to turn abstract concepts into something tangible/meaningful
Observation
→ How to measure
Analysis
→ How to demonstrate causality or pattern?
independent variable
→ -Causes, explanations.
→ -Things that we think are important factors in driving the outcomes (dependent
variables) that we are interested in.
→
→ Examples. ideology, motivation, the political and economic situation, etc.
→ A factor, event, or outcome that we want to explain.
→
→ Ex: Performance of a public organization, outcomes for clients of public programs, the
decisions that policymakers make etc...
Normative statement
→ are opinions. (the way we think the world should be)
Empirical statement
→ A fact-based statement. (the way the world is)
major role and responsibilities for the federal gov
→ -has fewer spending categories
→ -focuses more on national security/defense and entitlement programs
major role and responsibilities for the state gov
→ -have considerable policymaking powers and authority in areas like criminal justice,
healthcare, education, social welfare, infrastructure, and transportation
→
→ - state governments also play a major brokering role, as the intermediary level,
between the federal and local governements
major role and responsibilities for the local gov
→ -tend to focus on the direct delivery of goods and services
→
→ -Primary spending is on elementary and secondary education,
→ health, hospitals, welfare, and utilities.
→ -spending on social welfare programs
→ -programs such as Medicare, to which individuals are "entitled" by law) over last four
decades
How much spending at the federal level falls within entitlement spending
→ Increase in entitlement program spending over last four decades
How is entitlement spending projected to change in the coming years
→ it will continue to increase
What is a special district
→ These are special purpose government districts that exist separately from local
governments. Usually made for serving a very specific purpose or task.
What purpose do these special district serve (see video)
→ mostly provide a single service such as education, cemeteries, transportation, or fire
protection, and they usually are used for ongoing service provision
→
→ (including street lighting, park maintenance, and storm-drainage management)
What are direct tools of government
→ government provides goods and services, income support, interest on the national debt,
direct loans. like Police and fire protection
→ contracting out of government programs to nongovernmental partners and funding
grant, voucher, and loan programs.
→ -regulations
→ -tax breaks
Which type of tool is most used by the three levels of government?
→ indirect tools
What are polyarchies
→ Government controls means of production, relies heavily on coercive mechanisms of
command and control, based on central planning
What are markets
→ buyers and sellers participate voluntarily, prices determined based on amount that
people willing to pay, sellers must compete to produce highest quality goods for
lowest costs
How are these two economic structures used in the United States
→ they are two basic ways to organize an economy to provide goods and services; the
US organizes its economy in a mixed way
What is a public good
→ -service that is provided without profit to all members of a society either by the
government or a private individual
→ -non-excludable and non-rival
How does the classification of goods as public goods relate to the ways that people think
about the appropriate role for government in providing these goods
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