Question 1

Which factor has led to the expansion of the president's capacity as manager-in-chief of the federal bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

The expansion of the president's capacity as manager-in-chief of the federal bureaucracy has been driven by the need for additional White House staff to follow through on presidential decisions. As the federal government has grown in size and complexity, modern presidents have needed to rely more heavily on their staff to manage agencies and programs, making the president's role as manager-in-chief more important than ever. This has led to a proliferation of White House offices and advisers focused on specific policy areas, as well as an expansion of the president's role in shaping the federal budget and overseeing agency operations.

Question 2

Protection from coalitional drift comes at the price of an increased potential for

Accepted Answer

Protection from coalitional drift means a focus on rigid bureaucratic structures and protocols, which can result in bureaucratic drift, where organizations become overly bureaucratic and resistant to change or adaptation.

Question 3

Which term defines congressional efforts to exercise control over the activities of bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch through hearings, investigations, and other techniques?

Accepted Answer

Oversight is the term that defines congressional efforts to exercise control over the activities of bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch through hearings, investigations, and other techniques. Regulation refers to the process of creating rules and standards that organizations must follow, while invigilation and superintendence are synonymous with oversight. Macromanagement refers to the process of managing at a high-level, focusing on overall strategy and direction, rather than specific details.

Question 4

By implementing the laws and policies passed by elected officials, bureaucrats can be seen as

Accepted Answer

Bureaucrats serve as agents of Congress and the presidency by implementing the laws and policies passed by elected officials. While they may have some influence on policy, they primarily work to execute the decisions made by those in positions of power.

Question 5

Which choice is an example of a powerful before-the-fact political weapon for controlling the bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

The appointment process is a powerful before-the-fact political weapon for controlling the bureaucracy because it enables the President to select individuals who share their policy preferences and ideology. By appointing like-minded individuals to leadership positions in the bureaucracy, the President can influence decision-making and ensure that policies are implemented in a way that aligns with their agenda. Additionally, the threat of removal can also be used to ensure compliance with the President's agenda.

Question 6

A situation in which an entity chooses to rely on another entity to perform a task or service for it but risks not having the task done according to its wishes is sometimes called a(n)

Accepted Answer

The situation described in the question is a classic example of a principal-agent problem, where an entity (the principal) hires another entity (the agent) to perform a task on its behalf but faces the risk that the agent will not act in the principal's best interests. This can occur due to misaligned incentives, information asymmetry, or other factors. The principal-agent problem is ubiquitous in business, government, and other areas where one entity delegates tasks to another. The other answer choices are less relevant or incorrect.

Question 7

In 2013, President Obama nominated Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense to lead the Defense Department.There was substantial controversy in the Senate regarding some of Hagel's policy positions, and a number of senators attempted to block Hagel's confirmation as secretary, although he was eventually approved by a vote of 58-41.This attempt to block Hagel's confirmation is an example of which type of control to address the principal-agent problem?

Accepted Answer

Attempting to block Hagel's confirmation as secretary is an example of a before-the-fact control mechanism because it is an attempt to prevent a potential agent from being appointed to a position of power where they could potentially act against the principal's interests. This type of control mechanism is proactive and attempts to prevent problems before they occur.

Question 8

Congressional activities such as congressional casework, communications between congressional staff and agency staffs, and the use of public hearings to discuss agency budgets and past decisions are examples of

Accepted Answer

These activities are all examples of oversight, which refers to the process by which Congress monitors, reviews, and evaluates the actions of the executive branch agencies and departments to ensure that they are following laws and serving the public interest.

Question 9

Which of the following is a plausible motivation for explaining the budget-maximizing behavior of bureaucrats?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a plausible...

Question 10

The 1921 Budget and Accounting Act conferred agenda-setting powers over the budget to the president.This change in power over the budget helped create what is now known as

Accepted Answer

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 shifted the power over the budget to the president, giving him more control over the budget and its priorities. This change helped create the managerial presidency, which is characterized by a president who actively manages the executive branch and its programs, and plays a key role in budgetary decisions.

Question 11

Which term defines the frequent phenomenon of bureaucratic implementation that produces policy more to the liking of the bureaucracy than originally legislated, but not so much as to trigger a political reaction from elected officials?

Accepted Answer

Bureaucratic drift is the term that defines the frequent phenomenon of bureaucratic implementation that produces policy more to the liking of the bureaucracy than originally legislated, but not so much as to trigger a political reaction from elected officials.

Question 12

Close connections between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and legislative committees are known as cozy little triangles.Which of the following connections is NOT part of this relationship?

Accepted Answer

Seeking input from constituents is not necessarily part of the cozy triangle relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and legislative committees. While legislators may take input from constituents into account, the primary relationships in the cozy triangle are between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and legislative committees.

Question 13

The prospect that enacted policy will change because the composition of the enacting coalition is temporary and provisional is called __________ drift.

Accepted Answer

Coalitional drift occurs when policies change because the temporary coalition that enacted them falls apart, which can happen if some of the members of the coalition leave or if new members with different preferences join. Bureaucratic drift refers to the tendency of agencies to implement policies in ways other than those originally intended by the legislature. Enactment, majority, and legislative are not relevant terms to describe this phenomenon.

Question 14

To prevent coalitional drift from threatening carefully fashioned policies, legislators often resort to the costly strategy of

Accepted Answer

Insulating the bureaucracy from politics and securing sources of revenue is the best strategy to prevent coalitional drift. This strategy allows for more stability and continuity in implementing policies, as agencies are shielded from political influence and have a steady source of funding. This helps maintain the original intentions and goals of the policy, reducing the risk of coalitional drift.

Question 15

In the U.S.House of Representatives, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence reviews the performance of the Central Intelligence Agency in helping prevent international terrorism.What is this review known as?

Accepted Answer

The review conducted by the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence regarding the performance of the Central Intelligence Agency is known as oversight. Oversight refers to the process of monitoring and reviewing the actions of a government agency or organization to ensure that its operations are functioning effectively and efficiently, and within the legal and ethical boundaries.

Question 16

In 2013, it was revealed that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was inappropriately targeting political groups applying for tax-exempt status.Prior to this revelation, the House Ways and Means Committee had been investigating allegations of political discrimination by the IRS against various political groups.This investigation by the House Ways and Means Committee is an example of which type of control to address the principal-agent problem?

Accepted Answer

The investigation by the House Ways and Means Committee is an example of an after-the-fact control mechanism because it occurred after the IRS had already engaged in inappropriate targeting of political groups. After-the-fact controls are designed to detect and correct problems or deviations from expectations after they have occurred, which is precisely what the investigation aimed to do.

Question 17

The observation that "you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself" was made by

Accepted Answer

This observation was made by James Madison, reflecting his views on the necessity of a strong, yet self-regulating government, as articulated in the Federalist Papers, particularly Federalist No. 51.

Question 18

A Congress or president that passes a law can be voted out of office in the next election.The newly elected members may wish to change the law passed during the previous session.This is an example of

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of coalitional drift, which occurs when shifts in political power, such as changes in the composition of Congress or the presidency, lead to changes in policy preferences and potentially the alteration or repeal of existing laws.

Question 19

In his classic treatment of bureaucrats, the economist William Niskanen proposed that, for purposes of modeling bureaucratic behavior, a bureau chief or department head should be thought of as a(n)

Accepted Answer

Niskanen's proposal is known as the "budget-maximizing model" of bureaucracy, which suggests that bureau chiefs or department heads will seek to maximize their budget in order to increase their own power and prestige within the organization.

Question 20

The Department of Justice was recently involved in a scandal for secretly obtaining the phone records of reporters from the Associated Press.Which of the following options is available to Congress if it decides to investigate the scandal?

Accepted Answer

The House Judiciary Committee could decide to hold public hearings and call individuals from the Department of Justice to defend themselves publicly. This option would allow Congress to investigate the scandal, gather information, and make the findings public through the hearings. It would provide a forum for members of Congress to ask questions and hold the Department of Justice accountable for their actions. The other options listed are either not within the realm of Congress's authority, not feasible, or unconstitutional.

Quiz 8: The Executive Branch: Bureaucracy in a Democracy