Question 1

Which of the following is an example of a welfare agency?

Accepted Answer

The Department of Health and Human Services is a federal welfare agency responsible for administering a variety of programs related to healthcare, social services, and income assistance. The other options listed are not specifically welfare agencies but rather government entities related to other functions such as mail delivery, food safety, and animal welfare.

Question 2

Policies having to do with taxing and spending are generally referred to as

Accepted Answer

Policies related to taxing and spending are collectively known as fiscal policies. These policies aim to stabilize the economy by regulating government expenditure and revenues. Fiscal policies are formulated and implemented by the government to influence the economic activities of the country. Examples of fiscal policies include changes in taxation, government spending, and transfer payments. The welfare policies focus on the provision of social services and assistance to underprivileged groups. Monetary policies deal with changes in the money supply, interest rates, and credit availability. Pecuniary and treasury policies are not specific categories of economic policies.

Question 3

The agency that administers the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program is the

Accepted Answer

The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This program provides financial assistance and other support services to low-income families with children.

Question 4

The Food Stamp Program, which is only given to individuals who can demonstrate that they meet the needs-based criteria for the program, is an example of a program that is

Accepted Answer

The Food Stamp Program is means-tested, meaning that eligibility and benefit levels are based on an individual's income and resources. This program is designed to provide assistance to those who are deemed to have a financial need.

Question 5

All of the following are tasks of the Treasury Department EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The Federal Reserve, not the Treasury Department, is responsible for regulating interest rates to influence the supply of money to banks.

Question 6

Most of the federal regulatory agencies date back to their initial creation in the

Accepted Answer

Most of the federal regulatory agencies were established in response to the Great Depression of the 1930s, including agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Question 7

Policies having to do with banks, credit, and currency are generally referred to as

Accepted Answer

Policies related to banks, credit, and currency are usually referred to as monetary policies, as they deal with the supply of money and credit in the economy, as well as the operations of banks and other financial institutions. Fiscal policies refer to government spending and taxation decisions. Welfare policies refer to programs and initiatives aimed at helping individuals and households in need. Pecuniary and treasury policies are more specific terms that relate to financial matters, such as exchange rates and government borrowing.

Question 8

Programs that require applicants to demonstrate that their total annual cash earnings fall below an officially defined poverty line before they are eligible to receive public assistance are considered to be

Accepted Answer

Means-tested programs are those that determine eligibility based on an individual's financial need, often using an officially defined poverty line as a threshold. The other choices describe concepts that are similar in meaning but are not commonly used terms in the context of public assistance programs.

Question 9

During the 1930s, most of the important regulatory programs were delegated to independent commissions with direct responsibility to Congress rather than to the president.This lack of presidential control was the basis of the 1930s reference to these agencies as the

Accepted Answer

The phrase "headless fourth branch" refers to the independent commissions that were created during the 1930s with direct responsibility to Congress and no direct control by the president. This term emphasizes the idea that these agencies were separate from the executive branch and had significant power and influence over government policy.

Question 10

Which agencies influence how much money is in the economy, who has money, who has credit, and what incentives for saving and spending exist?

Accepted Answer

Agencies of redistribution play a significant role in influencing the amount of money in the economy, who has access to money and credit, and the incentives for saving and spending. These agencies are involved in redistributing resources from one segment of the population to another, often through taxation, social security, welfare programs, and other mechanisms aimed at addressing economic disparities and promoting economic stability.

Question 11

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an example of an agency whose primary mission is to eliminate or restrict certain behaviors, also known as a

Accepted Answer

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a regulatory agency whose primary mission is to regulate and enforce safety and health standards in the workplace in order to eliminate or restrict certain behaviors that may cause harm or injury to workers. Regulatory agencies are government agencies that are responsible for creating and enforcing rules and regulations related to a specific industry or issue.

Question 12

Which choice is an example of a government department agency that is both an agency for the maintenance of the Union and a fiscal agency?

Accepted Answer

The Treasury Department serves as both an agency for the maintenance of the Union, as it manages the country's finances and deals with economic issues, and a fiscal agency, as it oversees the collection and management of taxes and other revenue for the government. The other choices listed do not fulfill both roles. The Federal Reserve System is primarily responsible for monetary policy and regulating banks, while the Congressional Budget Office and Bureau of the Budget are responsible for budget analysis and planning. The Securities and Exchange Commission regulates securities markets.

Question 13

A department, bureau, or independent agency whose primary mission is to eliminate or restrict certain behaviors defined as negative (either in themselves or in their consequences) is called a(n)

Accepted Answer

A regulatory agency is responsible for regulating and enforcing laws and regulations related to particular behaviors or industries. Their main goal is to eliminate or restrict behaviors that are seen as negative or harmful, such as pollution or unsafe working conditions. Independent commissions are similar, but they are typically created to oversee a specific issue or area, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Social agencies may also work to eliminate negative behaviors, but their focus is usually on providing services or support to individuals or communities in need. Agencies for the maintenance of the union and prohibitive agencies are not commonly used terms in this context.

Question 14

What is the largest federal welfare agency in terms of total budget and number of beneficiaries?

Accepted Answer

The Social Security Administration is the largest federal welfare agency in terms of total budget ($944 billion in 2020) and number of beneficiaries (over 69 million people receive Social Security benefits).

Question 15

The defense bureaucracy ensures political support among elected officials by allocating military bases, contracts, facilities, and jobs to the various states and districts from which the legislators are elected according to the

Accepted Answer

The distributive tendency refers to the practice of allocating resources, such as military bases and contracts, among different states and districts in order to gain political support from legislators who represent those areas. This helps to ensure that elected officials will continue to support the defense bureaucracy's funding and policy priorities, even if those priorities may not necessarily be in the best interests of the country as a whole.

Question 16

Which agency is responsible for adjusting the supply of money to the needs of banks in different regions and for the commerce and industry in each region?

Accepted Answer

The Federal Reserve System is responsible for adjusting the supply of money to the needs of banks and commerce and industry in different regions. It manages the nation's monetary policy, regulates banks and financial institutions, and acts as a lender of last resort to banks in need of funds. The other agencies listed do not have this responsibility.

Question 17

Rules made by regulatory agencies and commissions are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Rules made by regulatory agencies and commissions are considered administrative legislation, as they are created by administrative agencies rather than by legislative bodies (statutory law) or local governments (civil ordinances). Bureaucratic adjudication is the process through which agencies resolve disputes, rather than the creation of rules. Lex agencia is not a commonly used term in legal contexts.

Question 18

Most of the important regulatory programs were delegated to independent commissions with direct responsibility to

Accepted Answer

Independent commissions are typically created by Congress to regulate specific areas and are accountable to Congress rather than directly to the president or other entities.

Question 19

In what agency is the administration of fiscal policy primarily performed?

Accepted Answer

The administration of fiscal policy, such as managing government spending and revenue, is primarily performed by the Treasury Department.

Question 20

Which federal agency has authority over the credit rates and lending activities of the nation's most important banks?

Accepted Answer

The Federal Reserve System is responsible for overseeing the credit rates and lending activities of the nation's most important banks. This includes setting interest rates and regulating the money supply to promote stability in the financial system. The Treasury Department is responsible for managing the nation's finances and issuing debt, but it does not have direct authority over bank lending. The Internal Revenue Service is responsible for collecting taxes, and the Securities and Exchange Commission regulates securities transactions, but neither agency has direct oversight of bank lending activities. The Department of the Interior is responsible for managing the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage, and has no authority over banking activities.

Quiz 8: The Executive Branch: Bureaucracy in a Democracy