Deck 12: The Bureaucracy: Bureaucratic Politics

Question 1

How does Congress exercise control over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy?

A)by issuing executive orders
B)by issuing reports through the Office of Management and Budget
C)by nominating appointees to key positions in federal agencies
D)by confirming appointees to key positions in federal agencies

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from engaging in what activity?

A)adjudicating legal disputes
B)exercising administrative discretion
C)running for elected office
D)refusing to implement laws passed by Congress

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which law designates the steps that federal agencies must follow in issuing rules and regulations?

A)the Administrative Procedures Act
B)the Freedom of Information Act
C)the Hatch Act
D)the Pendleton Act

Answer 3

A

Question 4

What are discretionary funds?

A)funds available to be spent in accordance with the best judgment of a bureaucrat
B)funds that the president can make available to a bureaucratic agency
C)funds that are earmarked for various specific purposes
D)funds that an agency is required to save in order to cover unanticipated expenses

Question 5

The Administrative Procedures Act states that agencies must take what step before issuing new rules and regulations?

A)They must get approval from the president.
B)They must get approval from Congress.
C)They must consult with an administrative law judge.
D)They must solicit public comments.

Question 6

Refer to Table 12.1.The __________ was one of the first executive branch departments in the U.S.government.

A)Department of Agriculture
B)Department of Labor
C)Department of the Interior
D)Treasury Department

Question 7

Under the spoils system,who was awarded jobs in the federal bureaucracy?

A)those who scored highest on aptitude tests
B)those who did not affiliate with a political party
C)those who previously served in the military
D)those who helped candidates win the election

Question 8

Cabinet departments employ about what percentage of all federal workers?

A)20 percent
B)40 percent
C)60 percent
D)80 percent

Question 9

Which civil service system was introduced in the Pendleton Act of 1883?

A)the agency system
B)the General Schedule
C)the merit system
D)the Social Security system

Question 10

What function is the National Labor Relations board carrying out when it settles disputes between labor and management on federal labor laws?

A)creating regulations
B)adjudicating/engaging in quasi-judicial processes
C)providing expert advice
D)providing a check on congressional power

Question 11

__________ budgeting demands justification for the entire budget request of an agency,not just its requested increase in funding.

A)Continuing
B)Discretionary
C)Incremental
D)Zero-based

Question 12

Cabinet secretaries are appointed by __________ and confirmed by __________.

A)the president; the Senate
B)the president; the House of Representatives
C)the president; the Supreme Court
D)the Senate; the president

Question 13

The civil service system was introduced following passage of what law?

A)the Hatch Act
B)the Pendleton Act
C)the Administrative Procedures Act
D)the Freedom of Information Act

Question 14

Max Weber identified which of the following as a characteristic of bureaucracy?

A)inefficiency
B)transparency
C)consensus-making
D)task specialization

Question 15

The __________ is the departments,agencies,and offices within the executive branch that perform the functions of government.

A)administration
B)bureaucracy
C)cabinet
D)civil service

Question 16

__________ refers to the authority of administrators in the federal bureaucracy to make choices concerning the best way to implement policies and spend money.

A)Adjudication
B)Discretion
C)Division of labor
D)Independence

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a bureaucratic organization?

A)the Department of Defense
B)the U.S.House of Representatives
C)the U.S.Supreme Court
D)the Democratic Party

Question 18

What is implementation?

A)the process by which a law or policy is put into practice
B)the development of rules governing the operation of a government program
C)a set of procedures executive branch agencies must follow when issuing rules
D)the process by which government agencies settle legal disputes

Question 19

__________ are formal rules created by government agencies that determine how laws are implemented.

A)Policies
B)Procedures
C)Regulations
D)Standards

Question 20

What executive branch department was most recently created?

A)the Department of Health and Human Services
B)the Department of Transportation
C)the Department of Homeland Security
D)the Department of Labor

Question 21

How does the president exercise control over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy?

A)by confirming federal appointees
B)by nominating federal appointees
C)by signing executive agreements
D)by creating or abolishing agencies

Question 22

How do government corporations differ from private companies?

A)Government corporations perform activities that private companies cannot.
B)Government corporations cannot borrow money,whereas private companies can.
C)Government corporations cannot sell stock,whereas private companies can.
D)Government corporations can borrow money,whereas private companies cannot.

Question 23

Congress and the president share which of the following powers over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy?

A)the power to influence budgets
B)the power to issue executive orders
C)the power to sign executive agreements
D)the power to hold oversight hearings

Question 24

One purpose of the Administrative Procedures Act is to __________.

A)ensure opportunities for public participation in the rule-making process
B)give federal agencies greater discretion in the rule-making process
C)streamline bureaucratic activities in the rule-making process
D)give the president greater control over the rule-making process

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of Max Weber's merit principle?

A)citizens evaluating political candidates based on personal characteristics
B)citizens evaluating political candidates based on candidates' work experience
C)agencies hiring people based on their performance on entrance exams
D)agency officials evaluating a policy proposal based on its merits

Question 26

Which of Max Weber's characteristics of bureaucracy is illustrated by a government agency in which the greatest authority resides with the agency head?

A)administrative discretion
B)the merit principle
C)division of labor/task specialization
D)hierarchy/chain of command

Question 27

If an agency is considering a new rule or policy,what does it need to do in order to satisfy the Administrative Procedures Act?

A)file the appropriate documents with the courts and hold a congressional hearing
B)give public notice,solicit comments,and hold public hearings
C)keep the rule or policy confidential until it is approved
D)provide an opportunity for interest groups to review the new rule or policy as it is drafted

Question 28

What stance do bureaucrats typically take on program budgeting?

A)They prefer program budgeting to incremental budgeting.
B)They prefer program budgeting to zero-based budgeting.
C)They prefer zero-based budgeting to program budgeting.
D)They generally oppose program budgeting.

Question 29

Which of the following is a function of departments and agencies within the federal bureaucracy?

A)issuing executive orders
B)issuing executive agreements
C)implementing public policies
D)reviewing court decisions

Question 30

How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring federal employees?

A)It required hiring decisions to be based on partisan loyalty rather than merit.
B)It required hiring decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty.
C)It continued to allow hiring on the basis of partisan loyalty,but made firing federal employees easier.
D)It continued to allow hiring on the basis of partisan loyalty,but made firing federal employees more difficult.

Question 31

In recent years,privatization and outsourcing has __________.

A)increased at the federal level
B)decreased at the federal level
C)decreased at the state level
D)received greater public support

Question 32

What role is the National Labor Relations Board taking when it settles a dispute between labor and management on federal labor laws?

A)regulation
B)oversight
C)rule-making
D)adjudication

Question 33

Which of the following is an example of an independent agency?

A)the Social Security Administration
B)the Department of Health and Human Services
C)the Consumer Product Safety Commission
D)the Tennessee Valley Authority

Question 34

What is the main purpose served by government corporations?

A)generating profit for the federal government
B)providing services not fully trusted to the private sector
C)breaking up monopolies
D)expanding international trade

Question 35

Which of the following illustrates the bureaucratic characteristic of impersonality?

A)an agency dividing its workload among many specialized workers
B)an agency emphasizing the uniform application of rules
C)an agency ignoring public complaints about its operations
D)an agency ignoring the policy objectives of the president and Congress

Question 36

Before 1883,how were government jobs awarded?

A)Jobs were awarded based on an applicants' expertise.
B)Jobs were awarded based on an applicants' personal wealth.
C)Jobs were awarded based on an applicants' performance on entrance exams.
D)Jobs were awarded based on an applicants' loyalty to the party in power.

Question 37

How do departments differ from independent agencies?

A)Department heads are appointed by the president; agency heads are not.
B)Agency heads are part of the president's cabinet; department heads are not.
C)Department heads are part of the president's cabinet; agency heads are not.
D)Departments cover a wider range of functions than agencies.

Question 38

Which statement best describes the quasi-judicial decisions made by government agencies?

A)These decisions do not have the force of law.
B)These decisions can be appealed to federal courts.
C)These decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
D)These decisions can be overturned by Congress.

Question 39

Congress generally encourages __________ as a means of getting information and controlling the bureaucracy.

A)continual resolutions
B)increased regulation
C)outsourcing
D)whistle-blowing

Question 40

What role is the Environmental Protection Agency taking when it sets limits on air pollution from power plants?

A)regulation
B)adjudication
C)intervention
D)oversight

Question 41

Why was the spoils system ultimately abolished?

A)due to growing concerns about a poorly functioning federal bureaucracy
B)due to public pressure to shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy
C)due to a Supreme Court decision ruling the spoils system unconstitutional
D)due to the diversification of federal bureaucracy following the Civil War

Question 42

Which of the following agencies is most removed from presidential and congressional control?

A)the Department of Defense
B)the Department of Justice
C)the Environmental Protection Agency
D)the Federal Reserve System

Question 43

What is a goal common to both the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act?

A)reducing the exercise of administrative discretion
B)reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy
C)increasing presidential control of the federal bureaucracy
D)increasing congressional control of the federal bureaucracy

Question 44

How is incremental budgeting different from zero-based budgeting?

A)Incremental budgeting is a more time-consuming process than zero-based budgeting.
B)Incremental budgeting promotes greater stability of government programs than zero-based budgeting.
C)Incremental budgeting involves evaluating an agency's entire budget,whereas zero-based budgeting focuses on requested increases in funding.
D)Incremental budgeting is initiated by Congress,whereas zero-based budgeting is initiated by the president.

Question 45

Many bureaucracies owe their very existence to __________.

A)the Administrative Procedures Act of 1946
B)a majority vote in the Senate and approval from the judicial branch
C)the president's right to create various "Schedule C" agencies
D)strong interest groups that successfully lobbied Congress to create them

Question 46

Which of the following was a consequence of the spoils,or patronage,system?

A)The federal bureaucracy was staffed with people who lacked expertise.
B)There was low turnover in the federal bureaucracy between presidential administrations.
C)Only wealthy people could get jobs in the federal bureaucracy.
D)There was less government corruption.

Question 47

Which circumstance creates a challenge to the implementation of federal laws?

A)when Congress passes a law that contains ambiguity
B)when Congress calls agency heads to testify at formal hearings
C)when functions are transferred to the private sector
D)when each chamber of Congress is controlled by a different party

Question 48

Which of the following is a drawback of outsourcing?

A)The bidding process is competitive.
B)The private sector has fewer rules and regulations.
C)The private sector may be less accountable.
D)Privatized services often cost more to deliver.

Question 49

What was the purpose of the Hatch Act?

A)to prohibit federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity
B)to promote transparency in the federal bureaucracy
C)to limit congressional control of the federal bureaucracy
D)to prohibit awarding government jobs based on partisan loyalty

Question 50

Which of the following is a primary goal of privatization or outsourcing?

A)to provide services that the private sector cannot
B)to spur economic growth
C)to improve the efficiency of public service delivery
D)to expand the size of the federal bureaucracy

Question 51

What event served as a catalyst for the creation of the Pendleton Act?

A)the growth of the Republican party in the 1880s
B)the expansion of the federal bureaucracy in the 1880s
C)the assassination of James Garfield in 1881
D)the election of Rutherford B.Hayes in 1876

Question 52

How are Cabinet secretaries similar to independent agency administrators?

A)Both are appointed by the president.
B)Neither can be fired by the president.
C)Both typically remain in office over multiple presidential administrations.
D)Both are part of federal civil service system.

Question 53

When would Congress be most likely to allow a federal agency significant discretion in rule-making?

A)following a congressional election
B)following a presidential election
C)following the passage of a law dealing with specialist issues
D)following the passage of a law supported by both political parties

Question 54

Which of the following statements best describes the president's influence over agency budgets?

A)The president has final say over all department budgets,but has no control of the budgets of independent agencies.
B)The president has final say over the budgets of independent agencies,but has no control of department budgets.
C)The president has sole authority to determine executive administrative budgets.
D)The president influences the initial budget proposal,but depends on Congress for appropriations of federal money.

Question 55

Under what circumstance are bureaucrats most likely to exercise discretion?

A)when an agency is creating environmental regulations
B)when an agency is under congressional investigation
C)when an agency is implementing a law that contains ambiguity
D)when an agency is elevated to the status of a Cabinet department

Question 56

Why is privatization/outsourcing seen as an attractive option for the delivery of public services?

A)Private companies may deliver services more efficiently.
B)Private companies may deliver services more equitably.
C)Privatization increases government's accountability to the public.
D)Privatization ensures higher employment levels.

Question 57

What advantage do Cabinet departments have over other organizations in the federal bureaucracy?

A)Cabinet departments may operate independently from the presidency.
B)Cabinet officers cannot be fired as easily as other bureaucrats.
C)Cabinet departments typically have larger budgets.
D)Cabinet departments are more isolated and protected from partisan politics.

Question 58

Which of the following factors contributes to budget maximization?

A)the president's desire to increase the size of the federal bureaucracy
B)public demands to increase the size of government
C)the overall secrecy of the budgeting process
D)bureaucrats' belief in the value of their programs and tasks

Question 59

Judicial oversight in the bureaucracy tends to focus on __________.

A)budgetary matters that involve the president's cabinet
B)presidential appointments to agencies and commissions
C)responding to injunctions against executive agencies
D)whether agencies are acting beyond the authority granted them by Congress

Question 60

According to the text,which of the following exercises the closest oversight of bureaucracy?

A)the cabinet
B)Congress
C)the courts
D)interest groups

Question 61

After a president nominates an individual to be a Cabinet secretary,that appointment must be confirmed by __________.

A)the Supreme Court
B)Congress
C)the Chief of Staff
D)the Senate

Question 62

What are units in the executive branch that make and enforce rules to protect the public interest,such as the Federal Reserve Board?

A)the Cabinets
B)independent agencies
C)White house staffers
D)independent regulatory commissions

Question 63

Refer to Table 12.1.The most recently-created Cabinet department is the __________.

A)Department of Veterans Affairs
B)Department of Homeland Security
C)Department of Education
D)Department of Energy

Question 64

Which of the following is one way that Congress can exercise control over the federal bureaucracy?

A)transferring agency funds
B)appointing department and agency heads and subheads
C)calling Cabinet meetings
D)creating or abolishing agencies

Question 65

Presidential use of the spoils system lasted through the 1950s.

Question 66

A method of budgeting that focuses on requested increases in funding for existing programs,accepting as legitimate their previous year's expenditures,is __________.

A)adjudication
B)incremental budgeting
C)outsourcing
D)bureaucratic budgeting

Question 67

Which of the following is one way that the president can exercise control over the federal bureaucracy?

A)conducting oversight hearings
B)confirming appointments of agency heads and subheads
C)appointing or removing policymaking officials
D)creating or abolishing agencies

Question 68

Decision-making by a federal agency as to whether an individual or organization has complied with or violated government laws or regulations and whether penalties or corrective actions should be applied is called __________.

A)adjudication
B)bureaucratic politics
C)trial
D)federal bureaucracy

Question 69

The transfer of government functions from the federal government to the private sector is called __________.

A)adjudication
B)bureaucratic politics
C)competitive bureaucracy
D)outsourcing

Question 70

The __________ reinforced reforms initiated under the __________ by further restricted political influence on the bureaucracy by preventing federal employees from engaging in political activities.

A)New Deal; Pendleton Act
B)Hatch Act; Pendleton Act
C)Pendleton Act; Administrative Procedures Act
D)Administrative Procedures Act; Federal Courts Act

Question 71

Federal agencies are prohibited from engaging in adjudication,or quasi-judicial processes.

Question 72

The president has sole authority to create or abolish federal agencies and departments.

Question 73

According to Max Weber,bureaucracies are characterized by hierarchical authority structures.

Question 74

Federal courts can issue injunctions to an executive agency before it issues or enforces a regulation or undertakes a particular action.

Question 75

The __________ led to the creation of a bipartisan commission to oversee appointments to the federal bureaucracy.

A)Pendleton Act
B)Judiciary Act
C)Hatch Act
D)Federal Courts Act

Question 76

Which of the following refers to the ability of federal bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or presidential intentions?

A)outsourcing
B)congressional constraint
C)discretion
D)adjudication

Question 77

A(n)__________ is a corporation created and funded by the government to provide some public service.

A)outsourced corporation
B)private company
C)limited liability corporation
D)government corporation

Question 78

The __________ was enacted in 1946 to ensure that federal agencies do not act capriciously or arbitrarily in the creation of rules and regulations.

A)Pendleton Act
B)Judiciary Act
C)Administrative Procedures Act
D)Federal Courts Act

Question 79

According to the __________,federal agencies must solicit public comments before issuing new rules and regulations.

A)Pendleton Act
B)Judiciary Act
C)Hatch Act
D)Administrative Procedures Act

Question 80

The federal bureaucracy consists of the departments,agencies,and offices within the __________ that perform the functions of government.

A)Senate
B)executive branch
C)Cabinet
D)legislative branch