ACTIVITY 28.4
Connecting Broad Social Goals and Public Policies
Public policies:
1. Requiring health insurance by all members of society.
2. Indoor smoking laws that prohibit smoking to improve air quality.
3. Tariffs imposed on imported clothing to protect domestic manufacturers of
clothing.
4. Requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets.
5. Taxing capital gains at a lower rate than wage income.
6. Shortening the length of time unemployment benefits may be collected.
7. Taxing sodas that contain excessive amounts of sugar.
8. Providing subsidies to farmers.
Working within your group, answer the following questions about one or more of
the eight public policies above, as directed by your teacher.
1. Which broad social goals are most likely targeted by this public policy?
Explain.
2. Explain how implementing this public policy could result in a trade-off that
harms other broad social goals.
