Deck 14: The Federal Bureaucracy

Question 1

Questions 13 and 14 refer to the following image. Credit: Frank Cotham/The Cartoon Bank
Which of the following is the cartoonist's main argument?

A)Bureaucracies keep everyone safe and comfortable.
B)The hierarchical nature of bureaucracies can be problematic.
C)Government would be unable to run without bureaucrats at the highest level.
D)People at the top of the bureaucratic hierarchy always protect their subordinates.-Consider This: Civil servants are often frustrated by the ways in which rules are applied by their superiors.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

“Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), an employee may take an active part in political management or in political campaigns, except an employee may not—
(1) use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election;
(2) knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution from any person…
(3) run for the nomination or as a candidate for election to a partisan political office; or
(4) knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person who—
(A) has an application for any compensation, grant, contract, ruling, license, permit, or certificate pending before the employing office of such employee; or
(B) is the subject of or a participant in an ongoing audit, investigation, or enforcement action being carried out by the employing office of such employee..”
--Hatch Act, amended 1993

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

A)reducing the exercise of administrative discretion -Consider This: The overall goal of civil service reform has been to create a nonpartisan government service,free of patronage or party influence.
B)reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy
C)increasing presidential control of the federal bureaucracy
D)streamlining the policy implementation process

Answer 2

reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy

Question 3

First, for open, competitive examinations for testing the fitness of applicants for the public service now classified or to be classified hereunder. Such examinations shall be practical in their character, and so far as may be shall relate to those matters which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the service into which they seek to be appointed.
Second, that all the offices, places, and employments so arranged or to be arranged in classes shall be filled by selections according to grade from among those graded highest as the results of such competitive examinations.
Third, appointments to the public service aforesaid in the departments at Washington shall be apportioned among the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia upon the basis of population as ascertained at the last preceding census….
--Pendleton Act, 1883

-Which of the following was system created by the Pendleton Act designed to address?

A)executive privilege -Consider This: Executive privilege pertains to the president releasing information.
B)the spoils system
C)division of labor within the government
D)bureaucratic slowdown in the government

Answer 3

the spoils system

Question 4

Those who believe that regulations on business and industry are too numerous and too complex are most likely to favor the policy of __________.

A)incentive systems
B)command-and-control systems
C)executive orders -Consider This: Although executive orders can streamline the regulatory process,they are sometimes unpopular because of their lack of representational involvement.
D)deregulation

Question 5

Questions 11 and 12 refer to the following image.
Implementation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images
Based on the image,which of the following aided implementation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

A)federal registrars dispatched to Southern counties
B)the support of Southern governors
C)the spoils system
D)the use of incentive systems -Consider This: When the typical forms of regulatory control failed to achieve results in the federal government's attempt to uphold African American voting rights in the South,a more direct method of bureaucratic intervention was utilized.

Question 6

Which of the following contributed to the successful implementation of the Voting Rights Act?

A)The policy was widely supported by policymakers and the public.
B)The policy required only minor changes in how states ran their elections.
C)The goals of the policy were clearly stated and there were adequate means to achieve them.
D)The policy was implemented slowly and received nearly unanimous support in Congress.-Consider This: The Voting Rights Act was highly controversial,even in Congress,and implementation was relatively swift with straightforward implementation measures.

Question 7

Which of the following grants bureaucracies the authority to issue regulations?

A)the General Accounting Office -Consider This: While the General Accounting Office assists Congress in legislative and oversight activities in addition to general auditing authority,the office is not responsible for putting forth bureaucratic regulations.
B)Congress
C)the president
D)the Internal Revenue Service

Question 8

“Subject to the provisions of subsection (b), an employee may take an active part in political management or in political campaigns, except an employee may not—
(1) use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election;
(2) knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution from any person…
(3) run for the nomination or as a candidate for election to a partisan political office; or
(4) knowingly solicit or discourage the participation in any political activity of any person who—
(A) has an application for any compensation, grant, contract, ruling, license, permit, or certificate pending before the employing office of such employee; or
(B) is the subject of or a participant in an ongoing audit, investigation, or enforcement action being carried out by the employing office of such employee..”
--Hatch Act, amended 1993

-What are federal employees prohibited from doing under the Hatch Act as amended?

A)adjudicating legal disputes
B)exercising administrative discretion
C)running for partisan office
D)running voter registration drives -Consider This: The Hatch Act was designed to prevent civil service employees from engaging in activities that would demonstrate a choice of sides in elections; it does not prevent non-aligned involvement in elections generally.

Question 9

Which of the following is a means of enforcing a bureaucratic regulation?

A)sending inspectors to evaluate compliance
B)charging higher taxes to those not in compliance
C)deploying the armed forces to force compliance
D)sending members of Congress to assess the need for new legislation -Consider This: Congress is responsible for setting strategies used to empower regulatory agencies,not for personally ensuring compliance with rules and guidelines.

Question 10

First, for open, competitive examinations for testing the fitness of applicants for the public service now classified or to be classified hereunder. Such examinations shall be practical in their character, and so far as may be shall relate to those matters which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the persons examined to discharge the duties of the service into which they seek to be appointed.
Second, that all the offices, places, and employments so arranged or to be arranged in classes shall be filled by selections according to grade from among those graded highest as the results of such competitive examinations.
Third, appointments to the public service aforesaid in the departments at Washington shall be apportioned among the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia upon the basis of population as ascertained at the last preceding census….
--Pendleton Act, 1883

-Why was the spoils system ultimately replaced by the civil service system?

A)due to growing concerns about a poorly functioning federal bureaucracy
B)due to public pressure to shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy -Consider This: The civil service system expanded the federal bureaucracy.
C)due to a Supreme Court decision ruling the spoils system unconstitutional
D)due to congressional demands for greater control over the federal bureaucracy

Question 11

What refers to the authority of administrators in the federal bureaucracy to make choices concerning the best way to implement policies?

A)Adjudication -Consider This: Adjudication refers to a ruling made as part of a judicial procedure whereas the practice in question concerns decisions made at the agency level.
B)Discretion
C)Division of labor
D)Executive control

Question 12

Questions 6 and 7 refer to the following charts.
Characteristics of federal non-postal civilian employees Source: United States Office of Personnel Management,Common Characteristics of the
Government,Fiscal Year 2015 (Washington,DC: 2016).
Based on the charts,which of the following is true of civilian employees?

A)Most are college graduates under 40.-Consider This: The average age of civil servants is 47.
B)The majority are white males over 40.
C)Young women are predominant among civilian employees.
D)Most are minorities over 60.

Question 13

Which of the following is the approach to regulation in which the government tells business how to meet certain goals,makes sure these directions are followed,and punishes those who do not follow the orders?

A)The spoils system
B)Command-and-control policy
C)The shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later system
D)The incentive system -Consider This: The incentive system is designed to offer rewards for business compliance with government standards rather than strict and specific regulation of those businesses.The approach in question,however,is highly specific in the directives provided by government.

Question 14

Departmental service of federal non-postal civilian employees Source: Budget of the United States Government,Fiscal Year 2017: Analytical Perspectives
(Washington,DC: U.S.Government Printing Office,2016),Tables 8.2 and 8.3.

-Which of Max Weber's characteristics of bureaucracy do the categories in the chart reflect?

A)inefficiency -Consider This: Although Weber acknowledged that extensive bureaucratic rules may at times go to extremes,he stressed the consistency of these rules rather than a tendency to promote inefficiency.In general,he addressed characteristics designed to aid the work of bureaucrats,who he saw as experts in their respective fields.
B)hierarchical structure
C)extensive rules
D)task specialization

Question 15

Questions 6 and 7 refer to the following charts.
Characteristics of federal non-postal civilian employees Source: United States Office of Personnel Management,Common Characteristics of the
Government,Fiscal Year 2015 (Washington,DC: 2016).
Which of the following statements about civil servants is true?

A)Civil servants represent the American elite.-Consider This: Judges,legislators,and lawyers are more likely to have higher education levels and greater wealth than civil servants.
B)Civil servants go through a process similar to presidential appointees.
C)There are too many civil servants to attain proper demographic information.
D)Civil servants are representative of the American population as a whole.

Question 16

What is implementation?

A)the process of translating policy goals and objectives into an ongoing program
B)a set of procedures executive branch agencies must follow when issuing rules -Consider This: Implementation takes place in all three branches of government as policies become operational.
C)the process by which government agencies settle legal disputes
D)a set of rules enforcing government agreements with private contractors

Question 17

Credit: Frank Cotham/The Cartoon Bank

-Which of Max Weber's characteristics of bureaucracy is illustrated by this cartoon?

A)administrative discretion
B)the merit principle
C)task specialization -Consider This: Task specialization is designed to effectively utilize the services of experts,who have higher technical ability than amateurs.The characteristic in question,however,refers to the bureaucratic structure of power and responsibility.
D)hierarchical authority structure

Question 18

By whom are Cabinet secretaries chosen and confirmed?

A)the president; the Senate
B)the president; the House of Representatives -Consider This: The Constitutional provision that presidential nominees must be made with the "advice and consent" of the Senate dates back to the nation's founders.The founders viewed the House of Representatives as the segment of Congress more likely to be susceptible to the whims of democratic sentiment.
C)the president; the Supreme Court
D)the Senate; the president

Question 19

Questions 4 and 5 refer to the following chart.
Departmental service of federal non-postal civilian employees Source: Budget of the United States Government,Fiscal Year 2017: Analytical Perspectives
(Washington,DC: U.S.Government Printing Office,2016),Tables 8.2 and 8.3.
Based on the chart,which of the following federal bureaucracies employs the most people?

A)the Department of Homeland Security
B)the Department of Defense
C)the Department of Veterans Affairs
D)the U.S.Postal Service -Consider This: Although the Postal Service employs over a half a million people,the Postal Service is an independent establishment under the Executive Branch and operates as a government corporation.The agency in question makes up more than half of the government bureaucracy.

Question 20

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 -Consider This: The spoils system was used extensively by President Andrew Jackson,who rewarded political support with patronage.
C)those who previously served in the military
D)those who helped candidates win election

Question 21

Which of the following powers do Congress and the president share 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 -Consider This: Congress has many powers not designated to the president,such as the power to hold oversight hearings.As a result,the president can attempt to indirectly exert authority over areas under the formal control of Congress.

Question 22

Which of the following is a function of the federal bureaucracy?

A)issuing executive orders
B)issuing executive agreements
C)implementing laws passed by Congress
D)implementing state statutes -Consider This: The federal bureaucracy translates national policy goals in practice,not legislation passed at the state level.

Question 23

Which of the following is a primary goal of privatizing government functions?

A)to provide services that the private sector cannot
B)to strengthen government accountability -Consider This: The focus of privatization for many of its proponents is to provide performance incentives for government bureaucracy as a result of market competition with private contractors.
C)to improve the efficiency of public service delivery
D)to expand the size of the federal bureaucracy

Question 24

Which of the following is most consistent with the incentive system approach to regulatory policy?

A)requiring a restaurant to serve sugary soft drinks in smaller cups
B)lowering the drinking age and requiring states to implement the new standards
C)reducing federal subsidies to public schools whose students have excessive absences
D)lowering taxes for bourbon distilleries in order to boost the Kentucky economy -Consider This: The incentive system approach to regulation is designed to institute a market-like approach to public policy management to encourage a desired policy benefit.

Question 25

Which of the following is a part of the federal bureaucracy?

A)the Department of Defense
B)the U.S.House of Representatives -Consider This: Bureaucrats are non-elected government officials charged with policy making at the administrative level.
C)the U.S.Supreme Court
D)the Democratic Party

Question 26

Who are the three main players in an iron triangle?

A)Congress,the president,and the courts
B)businesses,interest groups,and political action committees -Consider This: Members of iron triangles are characterized by mutual dependency in which all of the entities provide some benefit to the others.
C)politicians,candidates,and bureaucrats
D)bureaucratic agencies,interest groups,and congressional committees and subcommittees

Question 27

Which of the following best describes the policies related to firing federal civil servants?

A)The courts can fire civil servants for legal or political reasons.
B)It is often difficult and time consuming to fire a civil servant.
C)Federal civil servants cannot be fired because they have life tenure.-Consider This: The civil service system is designed to insulate federal employees from political firings,but does not prevent them from being fired for cause.
D)The president retains sole authority to hire and fire federal civil servants.

Question 28

How do government corporations differ from private companies?

A)Government corporations perform activities that private companies cannot.-Consider This: Government corporations are distinct from other segments of the federal bureaucracy in part because of their ability to perform many of the same services as their private counterparts.This does not mean,however,that they function as publicly-traded companies do.
B)Government corporations need less government oversight than private companies.
C)Government corporations cannot sell stock,whereas private companies can.
D)Government corporations can borrow money,whereas private companies cannot.

Question 29

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

A)regulation
B)adjudication
C)oversight -Consider This: The EPA has the authority to change or control a practice in the private section,powers above and beyond the reach of supervision.
D)deliberation

Question 30

What does a government corporation do?

A)generate significant profit for the federal government -Consider This: The U.S.Postal Service,a government corporation,went nearly a decade without making a profit,while its competitors in private industry consistently earned revenue.
B)provide services that could be provided by the private sector
C)break up monopolies and promote free-market principles
D)expand international trade

Question 31

What regulates industries using marketlike strategies such as rewards?

A)patronage system -Consider This: The system of patronage is imposed when political leaders reward political support with employment of promotion whereas the system in question relates to a regulatory process designed to encourage compliance.
B)iron triangle
C)executive order
D)incentive system

Question 32

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

A)evaluating political candidates based on personal characteristics
B)evaluating political candidates based on work experience -Consider This: Weber viewed the bureaucracy as an impartial mechanism for evaluating non-elected federal employees rather than politicians.
C)hiring bureaucrats based on their ability to do the job
D)evaluating a policy proposal based on its benefits

Question 33

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

A)the Department of Defense
B)the Department of Justice -Consider This: The Department of Justice resides in the executive branch,giving the president more control over personnel decisions than in other branches or independent commissions.
C)the Environmental Protection Agency
D)the Federal Reserve Board

Question 34

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 proposes agency budgets,but depends on Congress for appropriations of federal money.
C)The president has sole authority to determine executive administrative budgets.-Consider This: Although the head of the executive branch,the president does not hold "power of the purse," as specified in the Constitution.
D)The president has no authority in the budgeting process.

Question 35

Which of the following is a likely first step in obtaining a civil service job?

A)taking a test
B)helping on a political campaign -Consider This: Due to civil service reform,federal positions are now earned through a merit-based system rather than political patronage.
C)donating to campaign coffers
D)networking with civil service workers

Question 36

How has privatization of government functions to contractors changed in recent years?

A)increased at the federal level
B)provided services more efficiently at the federal level -Consider This: The efficiency often associated with private contractors is typically the result of their association with competition; in practice,however,no-bid government contracts are prevalent,preventing competition.
C)decreased at the state level
D)received greater public support

Question 37

The heads of independent regulatory commissions are __________.

A)elected -Consider This: Many of these commissions regulate specific sectors of the economy,requiring specialization and expertise in particular areas of leadership.Though still appointed through a Constitutional process,these individuals are not chosen through elections.
B)part of the president's cabinet
C)selected by the president and confirmed by the Senate
D)allowed to charge for their services

Question 38

Which of the following is a government corporation?

A)the Food and Drug Administration -Consider This: Government corporations often charge for their services and offer services that could potentially be provided by private entities.
B)the Federal Elections Commission
C)the U.S.Postal Service
D)the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Question 39

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

A)the General Services Administration
B)the Department of Health and Human Services
C)the Consumer Product Safety Commission
D)the U.S.Postal Service -Consider This: As a government corporation,the Postal Service does not qualify as an independent executive agency whereas those that are operate without the jurisdiction of a cabinet department,regulatory commission,or one of the branches of government.

Question 40

How do standard operating procedures influence bureaucratic decision making?

A)They promote uniform application of rules.
B)They promote administrative discretion.
C)They promote close coordination with Congress on implementation decisions.
D)They promote coordination across agencies on implementation decisions.- Consider This: SOPs are designed to streamline the execution of processes through standard application,thus eliminating the need for extensive coordination on issues of implementation.

Question 41

How do command-and-control policies differ from incentive systems?

A)Command-and-control policies use marketlike strategies,whereas incentive systems do not.-Consider This: Incentive strategies utilize market-like strategies to encourage particular policy results while command-and-control policies require a specific regulatory path.
B)Command-and-control policies are typically more efficient than incentive systems.
C)Command-and-control policies are typically more equitable than incentive systems.
D)Command-and-control policies typically focus on punishing those who violate the law,whereas incentive systems often include rewards.

Question 42

Which of the following was a consequence of the spoils system?

A)The federal bureaucracy was staffed with people who often lacked expertise.
B)There was low turnover in the federal bureaucracy between presidential administrations.
C)There was little government corruption.
D)Voter turnout was lower.-Consider This: In a system where political appointees were rewarded for their support by politicians,voter turnout was consistently higher for both parties.

Question 43

Which of the following is a drawback of privatization of government functions?

A)Privatization reduces the ability to scrutinize government functions.
B)The bidding process involves too many rules.-Consider This: Many private companies receive no-bid contracts through the government,eliminating the need for lengthy bidding procedures.As a result,privatization does not always result in more competition but does decrease federal involvement in some policy execution.
C)Privatized services often cost less to deliver.
D)Privatized service delivery is often too slow.

Question 44

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 vague law
D)when an agency is proposing legislation -Consider This: Administrative discretion allows bureaucrats to bring the gap between the policy prescription and the situation on the ground.

Question 45

What event served as a catalyst for the creation of the Pendleton Act?
B)Hayes in 1876

A)the growth of the Republican Party in the 1880s
B)the expansion of the federal bureaucracy in the 1880s -Consider This: Although patronage expanded the federal bureaucracy during the Gilded Age,it took a dramatic and unanticipated development to encourage civil service reform.
C)the assassination of James Garfield in 1881
D)the election of Rutherford

Question 46

Why do its proponents argue that deregulation is good public policy?

A)Deregulation protects consumers by guarding against inflation and price gouging.-Consider This: While proponents of deregulation argue that expensive regulatory costs increase prices,their concerns are distinct from inflation and price gauging and focused more on increasing competition.
B)Deregulation addresses fundamental flaws in the free-market economy.
C)Eliminating costly regulations makes U.S.products more competitive in the world marketplace.
D)Without as many regulations,workers will be less likely to be injured in workplace accidents.

Question 47

Why do Americans tend to think that red tape is more prevalent than it actually is?

A)Americans tend to notice the bureaucracy only when it is inefficient and not when it works well.
B)Americans unwittingly transfer their negative assessments of private bureaucracies (such as businesses and churches)to the public sphere.
C)Americans generally have poor experiences when dealing with bureaucrats.-Consider This: Studies show that at least two-thirds of Americans who have had dealings with bureaucrats have characterized their experiences as favorable.Despite this,Americans typically do not give credit to bureaucracies themselves for promoting greater organization or streamlining complex processes.
D)Red is a more inflammatory color than black.