An important reason for why public policy and public opinion may not coincide in the United States is that...

a) the American system of government includes arrangements, such as an appointed judiciary, which may produce policy decisions that run contraty to prevailing popular sentiment.
b)the American system of government relies too heavily on the initiative process.
c) the American system of government was designed to respond only to the elite's needs and demands.
d) the American public fears a "tyranny of the majority"
e) the American system of government was not designed to account for public opinion.

economic efficiency requires

The correct answer is a) the American system of government includes arrangements, such as an appointed judiciary, which may produce policy decisions that run contrary to prevailing popular sentiment.

Explanation:

In the United States, the government operates under a system with various checks and balances, which means that power is separated and shared between different branches of government. Public policy is the set of rules, regulations, and actions taken by the government to address societal issues, while public opinion refers to the views, beliefs, and attitudes held by the general population.

The American system of government includes an appointed judiciary, where judges are appointed rather than elected. This means that they are not directly influenced by the will of the people. As a result, judicial decisions may sometimes go against prevailing popular sentiment. This is because judges, when making decisions, are expected to interpret the law and the Constitution objectively, rather than cater to public opinion.

This dynamic can create a discrepancy between public policy and public opinion in the United States. Policy decisions made by the judiciary or other branches of government may not always align with the immediate desires or preferences of the public, leading to a divergence between what the public wants and what policies are actually implemented.