Question 1

All of the following statement are true about cabinet departments $\bold{except}$

Accepted Answer

New cabinet departments are created by Congress, not the president.

Question 2

With regard to cabinet departments and the president,

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are true. While presidents have considerable control over cabinet departments, they may not always be able to get them to respond to their wishes. Presidents are able to appoint or fire officials, but lower-level employees within departments may resist change or continue to carry out policies from previous administrations.

Question 3

When the industry that is being regulated gains control over the agency that is supposed to regulate it, the process is called

Accepted Answer

Capture is the process where the regulated industry gains control over the regulatory agency, thus undermining the regulatory process. Cooption is the process of the regulatory agency getting too close to the regulated industry, leading to a conflict of interest. Complacency refers to the regulatory agency's failure to enforce regulations effectively. Collusion is an illegal cooperation between two parties, while pork refers to government spending on projects that are not essential but benefit certain groups or individuals.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about terrorism is true?

Accepted Answer

The statement that billions have been spent to create a bureaucracy designed to protect Americans in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, is true.

Question 5

In 2008, the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP)

Accepted Answer

The Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP) provided bailouts to banks, automobile companies, and the AIG insurance company during the 2008 economic downturn. It was not used to create government-sponsored enterprises or provide bailouts to homeowners. While it was a significant intervention in the economy, it was not the first time the government had intervened in a business failure in American history. Additionally, TARP did not specifically provide assistance for small businesses to expand.

Question 6

The Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are all examples of

Accepted Answer

These agencies are all independent regulatory agencies, meaning they operate independently from the executive branch of the government and have regulatory authority over specific industries or aspects of society.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true about government corporations?

Accepted Answer

Government corporations are typically owned by the government and do not have stockholders like private corporations. They are established to provide services that could be provided by the private sector but are often not profitable or feasible for private companies to undertake.

Question 8

Which part of the federal government employs most of the government's staff?

Accepted Answer

The executive branch, which is led by the President, employs the majority of the federal government's staff. This includes agencies such as the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The legislative branch (Congress) and the judiciary (Federal courts) employ significantly fewer people in comparison. The IRS is a department within the Executive Branch.

Question 9

Which of the following is not one of the four major types of structures within the executive branch?

Accepted Answer

The four major types of structures within the executive branch are independent regulatory agencies, cabinet departments, government corporations, and independent executive agencies. Privatized bureaucracies are not a part of the executive branch structure.

Question 10

The Social Security Administration, Small Business Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution are examples of

Accepted Answer

The Social Security Administration, Small Business Administration, and the Smithsonian Institution are all independent executive agencies. These agencies are established by Congress under the Executive Branch to carry out specific duties and functions, but they operate independently of cabinet departments and are not subject to the same level of presidential control.

Question 11

The FDIC can take over a private bank by

Accepted Answer

The FDIC can take over a private bank by purchasing preferred stock in the bank to keep the bank afloat while a new owner is found. This allows the FDIC to provide financial assistance to the struggling bank without taking direct ownership.

Question 12

Education, Commerce, and Energy are examples of

Accepted Answer

Education, Commerce, and Energy are all cabinet departments, which are executive departments within the executive branch of the federal government. These departments are headed by a cabinet secretary who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Question 13

Independent executive agencies are

Accepted Answer

Independent executive agencies are federal agencies that are not part of cabinet departments, but report directly to the president. Examples include the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Reserve Board.

Question 14

The cabinet departments, in terms of organization, are

Accepted Answer

Cabinet departments are line organizations, meaning they have a hierarchical structure with a clear chain of command. Each department is headed by a secretary who reports directly to the president.

Question 15

Independent regulatory agencies

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed are true statements about independent regulatory agencies. They are independent of all three branches of government, have the power to create rules with the force of law, enforce those rules, and decide disputes related to those rules.

Question 16

Controversies that have led some to question whether Army rules have added to military fatalities include

Accepted Answer

The requirement that all Army medevac helicopters be accompanied by a gunship, an incident when the Army supplied inappropriate ammunition for M-16 rifles that caused them to jam, and a failure to provide armor to military vehicles at the beginning of the Iraq War have all been cited as controversies that have led some to question whether Army rules have added to military fatalities.

Question 17

_________ were set up because Congress felt it was unable to handle the complexities and technicalities required to carry out specific laws in the public interest; these entities were given executive, legislative, and judicial functions by Congress.

Accepted Answer

The description given fits that of independent regulatory agencies, which were created to handle technical and complicated issues with regulatory oversight functions. Cabinet departments have executive functions, independent executive agencies have specific executive functions but not necessarily legislative and judicial ones, government corporations are created to perform specific commercial functions, and courts of limited jurisdiction have exclusively judicial functions.

Question 18

The only cabinet department not headed by a secretary is

Accepted Answer

The Department of Justice is headed by the Attorney General, not a secretary.

Question 19

Amtrak, the U.S. Postal Service, and the FDIC are examples of

Accepted Answer

Amtrak, the U.S. Postal Service, and the FDIC are all examples of government corporations, which are entities that provide a public service but operate like private corporations with their own management structure and funding.

Question 20

Which of the following was the first cabinet department created?

Accepted Answer

The first cabinet department created was the Department of State in 1789, and the most recently created was the Department of Homeland Security in 2002.

Quiz 12: The Bureaucracy

All of the following statement are true about cabinet departments except\bold{except}except