Deck 13: The Federal Bureaucracy

Question 1

The word bureaucracy refers to

A)a form of organization that operates through impersonal, uniform rules and procedures.
B)any group of officials who act as intermediaries between citizens and government.
C)any irrational organization.
D)the top-level career officials in the federal government.
E)the legislative pages.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The merit system is defined as a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected is called an independent regulatory commission.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Rule making by government entities is governed by

A)the Twenty-First Amendment.
B)the entities themselves.
C)Article III of the Constitution.
D)Article I of the Constitution.
E)the Administrative Procedure Act. Page

Question 5

A government agency that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program, is called a(n)

A)independent agency.
B)department.
C)independent regulatory commission.
D)government corporation.
E)independent department.

Question 6

Review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program is called

A)central clearance.
B)uncontrollable spending.
C)entitlement program.
D)police patrol oversight.
E)fire alarm oversight.

Question 7

The process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules or spending is called

A)implementation.
B)a rule.
C)the Federal Register.
D)administrative discretion.
E)oversight.

Question 8

Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens are known as

A)central clearance.
B)uncontrollable spending.
C)entitlement programs.
D)police patrol oversight.
E)fire alarm oversight.

Question 9

Which of the following statements provides an example of standardization?

A)Necessary work skills are so specifically delineated that employees can be trained in enough detail to succeed.
B)The leader is in charge of every last person in the organization.
C)Rules are implemented through formal processes.
D)Clients are assured that they will be treated fairly with whomever they talk.
E)Training is mandatory when new technology is adopted.

Question 10

As a general rule, independent agencies are

A)larger than departments and work on specific problems.
B)smaller than departments and work on state budgets.
C)smaller than departments and work on local elections.
D)larger than departments and work on general issues.
E)smaller than federal departments and work on specific problems.

Question 11

Added together, about ___________ million people work for the federal government.

A)20
B)15
C)25
D)10
E)30

Question 12

Government organizations are classified into four broad categories.Which of the following is NOT one of the four categories?

A)Departments
B)Independent agencies
C)Bureaus
D)Independent regulatory commissions
E)Government corporations

Question 13

The spoils system is defined as

A)a group of federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political, selection.
B)a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
C)a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
D)an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
E)an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 14

Government corporations are distinct from other agencies and bureaus in the federal bureaucracy because they are NOT allowed to make money through the sale of services.

Question 15

Which of the following is a power the president CANNOT use to control federal departments and agencies?

A)Appointment
B)Budgeting
C)Reorganization
D)Judicial review
E)All of the above powers can be used

Question 16

Which agency hears charges of wrongdoing and orders corrective and disciplinary action against executive employees or agencies when necessary?

A)Civil Service Commission
B)Office of Management and Budget
C)Office of Personnel Management
D)Merit Systems Protection Board
E)Senior Executive Service

Question 17

A career government employee is known as an insider.

Question 18

When the term bureaucracy was first coined, it referred to fast, effective, and rational administration.

Question 19

Legislative or executive review of a particular government program or organization is

A)implementation.
B)a rule.
C)the Federal Register.
D)administrative discretion.
E)oversight.

Question 20

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is

A)a group of federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political, selection.
B)a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
C)a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
D)an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
E)an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 21

Which of the following statements provides an example of centralization?

A)Necessary work skills are so specifically delineated that employees can be trained in enough detail to succeed.
B)The leader is in charge of every last person in the organization.
C)Rules are implemented through formal processes.
D)Clients are assured that they will be treated fairly by whomever they talk to.
E)Training is mandatory when new technology is adopted.

Question 22

What did the framers expect regarding the bureaucracy?

A)Congress would manage the federal departments and agencies.
B)Federal departments and agencies would be relatively small.
C)President Washington would assign the executive duties to the vice president.
D)Congress would appoint the cabinet and they would administer the government.
E)Bureaucracy would be left to the states except for the national army.

Question 23

About 700,000 people work for the federal government

A)in the armed forces.
B)in the civil service.
C)under contracts to private firms.
D)under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments.
E)in the postal service.

Question 24

Another word for federal bureaucracy is federal

A)administration.
B)branch.
C)government.
D)work force.
E)corporation.

Question 25

The textbook offers a definition of bureaucrat as a(n)

A)career government employee.
B)temporary government employee.
C)mid level government employee.
D)entry level government employee.
E)executive or managerial level government employee.

Question 26

The bureaucracy is structured so employees follow orders or are fired.This is called

A)specialization.
B)centralization.
C)standardization.
D)expertise.
E)accountability.

Question 27

In addition to regular full-time employees, about 7.6 million people work for the federal government

A)in the armed forces.
B)in the civil service.
C)under contracts to private firms.
D)under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments.
E)in the postal service.

Question 28

Under the system of checks and balances, the party that wins the presidency has complete control of the national government.

Question 29

About 2.9 million people work for the federal government

A)in the armed forces.
B)in the civil service.
C)under contracts to private firms.
D)under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments.
E)in the postal service.

Question 30

Most federal agencies implement the law through the creation of regulations or the spending of government resources.

Question 31

The federal administration is responsible for one task: to faithfully

A)interpret all laws.
B)execute all laws.
C)execute the orders of the president.
D)execute the orders of the cabinet.
E)execute convicted felons.

Question 32

Which of the following statements provides an example of accountability?

A)Necessary work skills are so specifically delineated, employees can be trained in enough detail to succeed.
B)The leader is in charge of every last person in the organization.
C)Rules are implemented through formal processes.
D)Clients are assured that they will be treated fairly whomever they talk to.
E)Completion of training is mandatory when new technology is adopted.

Question 33

Which of the following statements provides an example of specialization?

A)Because their necessary work skills are so specifically delineated, employees can be trained in enough detail to succeed.
B)The leader is in charge of every last person in the organization.
C)Rules are implemented through formal processes.
D)Clients are assured that they will be treated fairly by whomever they talk to.
E)Training is mandatory when new technology is adopted.

Question 34

The Federal Administration is responsible for which of the following tasks?

A)To balance the budget
B)To make the country safe from terrorists
C)To faithfully execute all the laws
D)To veto bills
E)None of the above

Question 35

About 1.4 million people work for the federal government

A)in the armed forces.
B)in the civil service.
C)under contracts to private firms.
D)under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments.
E)in the postal service.

Question 36

Since 1965 the number of full-time federal employees has

A)grown sharply.
B)remained relatively stable.
C)sharply declined.
D)increased 45%.
E)decreased 45%.

Question 37

All proposed new rules or regulations must be published in the Federal Register.

Question 38

The textbook offers a definition of bureaucracy as a form of organization that operates through

A)personal rules and procedures.
B)uniform rules and flexible procedures.
C)impersonal, uniform rules and procedures.
D)flexible rules and uniform procedures.
E)impersonal rules and flexible procedures.

Question 39

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 40

Oversight in which the executive and legislative branches of the federal government watch the bureaucracy through a routine pattern of reading key reports and monitoring budgets is called fire alarm oversight.

Question 41

The only department NOT headed by a secretary is

A)Homeland Security.
B)Justice.
C)Treasury.
D)State.
E)Agriculture.

Question 42

All of the following can be considered characteristics that bureaucracies derive their strength from EXCEPT

A)unionization.
B)centralization.
C)standardization.
D)accountability.
E)specialization.

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of an independent regulatory commission?

A)Department of Homeland Security
B)Department of Commerce
C)Federal Reserve Board
D)Environmental Protection Agency
E)United States Postal Service

Question 44

Today's 15 departments spend ____% of all federal dollars.

A)23
B)43
C)93
D)63
E)83

Question 45

All of the following are examples of independent agencies EXCEPT the

A)Environmental Protection Agency.
B)Central Intelligence Agency.
C)Federal Election Agency.
D)National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
E)National Security Agency.

Question 46

Independent regulatory commissions have all of these special characteristics EXCEPT

A)they do not report directly to the president.
B)they perform legislative functions.
C)their members are political appointees whose terms coincide with the president's.
D)they have judicial functions.
E)their commissioners must be confirmed by the Senate.

Question 47

Independent regulatory commissioners are appointed by the

A)Senate.
B)House.
C)commission.
D)president.
E)vice president.

Question 48

________________________ are perhaps the least understood organizations in the federal bureaucracy.

A)Departments
B)Independent Agencies
C)Independent Regulatory Commissions
D)Government corporations
E)Bureaus

Question 49

Independent regulatory commissions are less responsive to political pressure from either Congress or the president because

A)the judiciary controls them.
B)commissioners cannot be removed from office without cause before their term expires.
C)three-fourths vote is required in both houses.
D)commissioners are appointed for life.
E)they do not rely upon congress for funding.

Question 50

A ________ is usually the largest organization in government, and is also the highest rank in the federal hierarchy.

A)division
B)bureau
C)cabinet
D)department
E)commission

Question 51

Measured by budget, the ______ is the largest department of government.

A)State Department.
B)Treasury Department.
C)Department of Health and Human Services.
D)Department of Veterans Affairs
E)Department of Homeland Security.

Question 52

All of the following are examples of independent regulatory commissions EXCEPT the

A)Consumer Product Safety Commission.
B)Securities and Exchange Commission.
C)Federal Election Commission.
D)Federal Communications Commission.
E)Federal Veterans Affairs Commission.

Question 53

Congress created the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989 under pressure from veterans' groups.This is a good example of a(n)

A)single-purpose department.
B)patchwork department.
C)military department.
D)umbrella department.
E)independent department.

Question 54

Independent agencies are usually headed by _______________, the second most senior title in the federal bureaucracy behind secretary or attorney general.

A)a senior manager
B)a vice president
C)a congressional representative
D)an administrator
E)a federal coordinator

Question 55

How long is the term of the Federal Reserve Board Chair?

A)2 years
B)5 years
C)10 years
D)4 years
E)It is a lifetime appointment.

Question 56

The number of federal governmental departments is

A)8.
B)10.
C)15.
D)70.
E)93.

Question 57

A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected is called a(n)

A)independent agency.
B)department.
C)independent regulatory commission.
D)government corporation.
E)independent department.

Question 58

All of the following are examples of government corporations EXCEPT

A)the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
B)the U.S.Postal Service.
C)the Environmental Protection Corporation.
D)the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
E)AmeriCorps.

Question 59

A government entity that is independent of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches is called a(n)

A)independent agency.
B)department.
C)independent regulatory commission.
D)government corporation.
E)independent department.

Question 60

The Department of Homeland Security was created by combining elements of 22 separate agencies.It is a good example of a(n)

A)single-purpose department.
B)patchwork department.
C)military department.
D)umbrella department.
E)independent department.

Question 61

The president also appoints another _____ U.S.marshals, U.S.attorneys, and ambassadors to foreign nations, but usually makes these appointments on a nonpolitical basis.

A)500
B)1000
C)1500
D)2000
E)2500

Question 62

Which of the following is NOT a government corporation?

A)Corporation for Public Broadcasting
B)U.S.Postal Service
C)Amtrak
D)American Airlines
E)Americorps

Question 63

The civil service is defined as

A)federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political, selection.
B)a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
C)a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
D)an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
E)an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 64

____________________ were created by Congress to undertake independent commercial activities.

A)Independent regulatory commissions
B)Cabinet departments
C)Independent agencies
D)Government corporations
E)Presidential commissions

Question 65

The Environmental Protection Agency best exemplifies a(an)

A)independent agency.
B)independent regulatory board.
C)government corporation.
D)bureau.
E)department.

Question 66

EXCEPT for individuals who are extraordinarily close to the President, the first step to being an appointee is being selected by

A)the president.
B)the vice-president.
C)the Office of Personnel Management.
D)White House Presidential Personnel Office.
E)the party organization.

Question 67

The office that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations is the

A)Civil Service Office.
B)Office of Personnel Management.
C)Civil Service Administration.
D)General Accounting Office.
E)Office of Human Resources.

Question 68

Roughly ____ presidential appointees head federal departments and agencies.

A)1500
B)2500
C)3000
D)3500
E)4000

Question 69

Independent agencies report

A)directly to the voters.
B)directly to Congress.
C)to the president.
D)directly to the federal courts.
E)None of the above

Question 70

Government corporations are distinct from other agencies and bureaus in the federal bureaucracy because they

A)report directly to the OMB rather than Congress.
B)are allowed to make money through the sale of services.
C)all have a small number of employees.
D)are operated as a co-op.
E)have to follow merit system rules more closely.

Question 71

The merit system that came into existence after the assassination of President James Garfield in 1881 was part of the

A)Office of Personnel Management.
B)Pendleton Act.
C)Hatch Act.
D)Garfield Employment Act.
E)Civil Service Reform Act.

Question 72

There are roughly ____ independent agencies today.

A)40
B)50
C)70
D)60
E)30

Question 73

An example of a government corporation is the

A)Securities and Exchange Commission.
B)U.S.Mint.
C)Government Printing Office.
D)U.S.Postal Service.
E)Department of Education.

Question 74

The president's power to choose his own cabinet is limited by the fact that

A)he must choose from a group of applicants approved by the House.
B)he must choose from a group of applicants approved by his party.
C)his selections must be confirmed by the Senate.
D)nominations to cabinet positions must originate from within the department itself.
E)All of the above

Question 75

The Merit Systems Protection Board is

A)federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political selection.
B)a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
C)a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
D)an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
E)an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 76

For the first 100 years of U.S.history members of the federal civil service were selected in part because of their political loyalty to the president's party.This was known as

A)the federal rewards system.
B)federal capitalism.
C)the compensation system.
D)the spoils system or patronage.
E)national clienteleism.

Question 77

Except for individuals who are extraordinarily close to the president, senior presidential appointees are selected through a four-step process which includes all of the below EXCEPT

A)selection by the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
B)the White House clearance process.
C)delivery of the nominee's name to the Senate Clerk.
D)House of Representatives confirmation.
E)Senate confirmation.

Question 78

The senior presidential appointees are selected through a ____ step process.

A)2
B)4
C)6
D)8
E)10

Question 79

The merit system is defined as

A)federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political selection.
B)a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
C)a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
D)an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
E)an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 80

Presidential appointees generally leave their post when

A)they have completed their duties.
B)the president's term is up.
C)their service is no longer needed.
D)All of the above
E)None of the above