American Government-Federal Bereaucracy – Flashcards
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1) Each bureaucratic agency is created initially by A) constitutional provision. B) the president. C) the bureaucracy itself. D) Congress. E) order of a federal court.
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D Page Ref: 467 Edition: National
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2) Which of the following statements about bureaucracies is FALSE? A) Bureaucratic power extends to every corner of American economic and social life. B) Bureaucracies are scarcely hinted at in the Constitution. C) Nothing better illustrates the complexity of modern government than its massive bureaucracies. D) Each bureaucratic agency is created by the president. E) How to manage and control bureaucracies is a central problem of democratic government.
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D Page Ref: 467 Edition: National
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3) Which of the following is TRUE about the federal bureaucracy? A) Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C. B) The state and local governments have far more employees than the federal bureaucracy. C) The size of the federal bureaucracy has grown dramatically over the past twenty years. D) Most Americans are dissatisfied with their encounters with bureaucrats. E) all of the above
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B Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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4) Studies have found that most Americans A) dislike bureaucrats. B) are indifferent about bureaucracies and bureaucrats. C) are satisfied with the help received from bureaucrats. D) actually like bureaucracies. E) want the government bureaucracy dismantled.
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C Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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5) Which of the following statements about the size of bureaucracies is FALSE? A) State and local public employees far outnumber civilian federal government employees. B) As a percentage of Americaʹs total work force, federal government employment has been growing. C) Almost all the growth in the number of public employees has occurred in state and local governments. D) Federal government employment amounts to about three percent of all civilian jobs. E) None of the above; all of the above statements are TRUE.
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B Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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6) As a percentage of the total work force, federal government employment is A) rapidly becoming greater than employment in the private sector. B) greater than state and local government employment. C) rising. D) declining. E) stabilizing.
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D Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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7) The classic conception of a bureaucracy was advanced by ________, who argued that the bureaucracy was a ʺrationalʺ way for a modern society to conduct its business. A) Max Weber B) Thomas Jefferson C) John Locke D) Charles L. Schultze E) James Madison
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A Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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8) In addition to a hierarchical authority structure, Max Weber argued that a bureaucracy involves all of the following EXCEPT A) extensive rules. B) an incentive system. C) task specialization. D) the merit principle. E) hierarchical authority structure.
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B Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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9) The Weberian theory of bureaucracies views them in the most positive light as A) acquisitive. B) inefficient. C) monopolistic. D) hierarchical. E) democratic.
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D Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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10) The Weberian model depicts a bureaucracy as A) fundamentally dangerous to a democratic society. B) inefficient, primarily concerned with maximizing its budget, and largely responsible for the growth of modern government. C) wasteful, bloated, over-staffed, over-paid and arrogant. D) a well-organized machine with plenty of working but hierarchical parts. E) ambling and groping, affected by chance, and largely operating by a loosely run style of trial and error.
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D Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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11) The Weberian model views bureaucracies as A) promoting good monopolies. B) loosely organized and loosely run. C) largely self-serving. D) efficient and necessary. E) hindering democracy.
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D Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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12) Which of the following would NOT be considered part of the Weberian model of bureaucracy? A) task specialization B) decentralized authority structure C) extensive rules D) impersonality E) A and D only
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B Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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13) Which of the following statements about bureaucracies is FALSE? A) Bureaucracies are simply a way of organizing people to perform work. B) The vast majority of tasks carried out by governments are noncontroversial. C) Bureaucracies receive very little credit when they function well. D) Government bureaucracies have been shown to be less efficient and effective than private bureaucracies. E) Bureaucracies are prevalent in all levels of government.
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D Page Ref: 469-470 Edition: National
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14) The ________ employs about one-fourth of all federal civilian workers, more than any other department or agency. A) Department of Education B) Department of Health and Human Services C) Department of Defense D) Department of Justice E) Department of Labor
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C Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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15) There are roughly ________ civilian and military federal government employees A) 800,000 B) 3,000,000 C) 2,100,000 D) 4,000,000 E) 500,000
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D Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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16) As a whole, the permanent bureaucracy is A) nearly all white, male, and well-paid. B) overwhelmingly African American, female, and not so well-paid. C) more broadly representative of the American people than legislators, judges, or presidential appointees. D) better paid than are similar jobs in the private sector. E) a reflection of participatory politics, since most government workers are hired through the patronage system.
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C Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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17) As a whole, the permanent federal bureaucracy is A) less diverse in terms of the type of jobs than the private sector. B) dominated by white males. C) more broadly representative of the American people than the rest of the federal government. D) composed of an American elite. E) now employing 15 percent of the American work force.
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C Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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18) ________ is a hiring and promotion system based on knowing the right people, working in an election campaign, making large political donations, and/or having the right connections to win jobs with the government. A) The patronage system B) The federal Civil Service C) The bureaucracy D) The golden gate E) Administrative discretion
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A Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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19) Patronage is a hiring and promotion system based on A) knowing the right people. B) civil service exams. C) talent and skill. D) the Pendelton Act. E) the merit principle.
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A Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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20) Until the late-nineteenth century, most government employees got their jobs through A) the patronage system. B) the merit principle. C) hereditary preferences. D) civil service testing. E) a lottery system.
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A Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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21) The ________ Act was passed partly as a memorial to the memory of President James Garfield, who was assassinated in 1881. A) Pendleton Civil Service B) Treason C) Voting Rights D) Hatch E) Interstate Commerce
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A Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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22) The Pendleton Act established the A) patronage system. B) federal civil service. C) Office of Management and Budget. D) plum book. E) Interstate Commerce Commission.
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B Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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23) The rationale for all civil service systems is based on A) patronage. B) the merit principle. C) the Hatch Act. D) the plum book. E) voluntary service.
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B Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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24) The Hatch Act, passed in 1940, A) established the patronage system for federal employment. B) prohibited the president from firing the heads of independent executive agencies. C) prohibits federal civil service employees from active participation in partisan politics. D) required the publication of the plum book. E) established the federal civil service.
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C Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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25) Once hired into the federal bureaucracy, a person is assigned a ________ rating, which determines oneʹs salary range. A) Federal Register B) Weber C) General Schedule D) step ladder E) plum book
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C Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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26) The federal civil service was created by A) Article IV of the Constitution. B) an executive order of President Arthur. C) the Office of Management and Budget. D) the merit principle. E) the Pendleton Act.
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E Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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27) The rationale for the civil service rests on the A) goal of centralizing government employment at the federal level. B) desire to create a nonpartisan government service and promotion on the basis of merit. C) General Schedule rating system for patronage appointees. D) the need to separate military institutions from civilian institutions to prevent undue military influence. E) need for job replacements when a new party comes to power.
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B Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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28) Federal employees are prohibited from active participation in partisan politics through the A) Twenty-fifth Amendment. B) Pendleton Act. C) Supreme Court ruling in Democratic National Committee v. Hayes. D) Hatch Act. E) merit system.
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D Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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29) Which of the following is a legitimate criticism of the federal civil service? A) Firing incompetents is extremely difficult. B) Workers are not protected against political firings. C) It does not operate on the merit principle. D) Too many federal civil servants are actively involved in partisan politics. E) all of the above
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A Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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30) Which of the following would be included in a plum book? A) doctors at a Veteranʹs Administration hospital B) postal carriers C) the phone numbers of a Congress memberʹs sex partners D) Senate committee chairs E) Cabinet secretaries
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E Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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31) Which of the following statements about the hiring and firing of civil servants is FALSE? A) The Office of Personnel Management has elaborate rules about hiring, promotion, and firing of civil servants. B) The top of the civil service is composed of about 9,000 members of the Senior Executive Service. C) Once hired, civil servants are assigned a General Schedule ranging from GS-1 to GS-18. D) Due to the merit system, it is easy to fire incompetent civil servants. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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32) The plum book lists A) all federal contracts available for bid. B) top federal jobs available by Presidential appointment. C) all civil service jobs above GS-12. D) job openings in the prestigious Office of Personnel Management. E) appeals filed with the Merit Systems Protection Board.
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B Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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33) Which of the following statements about plum book appointees is FALSE? A) Most presidents seek appointees with sympathy for similar policy positions. B) Ambassadorship appointments often go to large campaign contributors. C) Plum book appointees are often instrumental in changing and reforming their agencies. D) Presidents often consider sex, region, and race in making plum book appointments. E) none of the above
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C Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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34) Which of the following is NOT true about presidential appointees to bureaucracies? A) They often do not know their own agency subordinates very well, much less people in other agencies. B) They must be recommended by the Office of Personnel Managementʹs ʺrule of three.ʺ C) As political appointees, they are often unaccustomed to the administrative routines, budget cycles, and legal complexities of their agencies or departments. D) They tend to spend fewer years in their positions than those in the civil service. E) none of the above
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B Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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35) According to Hugh Heclo, the plum book system of recruiting federal employees tends to result in the appointment of A) talented experts with proven party loyalty. B) people with access to the Internet, but not necessarily the most qualified people. C) senior civil servants to sensitive posts. D) administrators who do not stay long enough in their appointed position to be effective. E) large numbers of women and minorities, just as it was intended to do.
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D Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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36) Which Cabinet department is charged with overseeing the nationʹs national resources? A) Homeland Security B) Environmental Protection Agency C) Defense D) State E) Interior
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E Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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37) The real work of a Cabinet department is done A) by the entire Cabinet. B) by the presidentʹs staff. C) by the undersecretaries. D) by the secretary. E) in the bureaus.
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E Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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38) The largest federal agency based on dollars spent is the A) Department of Defense. B) Department of Justice. C) State Department. D) Department of Health and Human Services. E) Social Security Administration.
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E Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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39) Which of these is the newest government agency? A) Drug Enforcement Agency B) Social Security Administration C) Department of Health and Human Services D) Drug Interdiction Agency E) Cyberspace Commission
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B Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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40) The Cabinet department that has the largest budget is the Department of A) Health and Human Services. B) Defense. C) Commerce. D) the Treasury. E) Education.
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A Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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41) Bureaus in the federal bureaucracy are also known as all of the following EXCEPT A) an administration. B) an office. C) a department. D) a service. E) none of the above
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C Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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42) The Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Reserve Board are examples of A) dependent presidential boards. B) independent regulatory agencies. C) government corporations. D) Cabinet departments. E) independent executive agencies.
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B Page Ref: 475-477 Edition: National
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43) Which of the following statements about independent regulatory commissions is FALSE? A) Regulatory commission members cannot be fired by the president. B) Regulatory commissions consist of five to ten members. C) Regulatory commission members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. D) Regulatory commission members may not be drawn from the ranks of present or former employees of the regulated industry. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 475-478 Edition: National
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44) An independent regulatory agency is governed by A) a small commission, usually with five to ten members, appointed by the president and subject to presidential firing. B) members of the Senior Executive Service of the federal civil service. C) a small commission, usually with five to ten members, appointed by the president for fixed terms. D) a single executive appointed by and removable by the president. E) a single executive appointed by the Senate committee responsible for the agencyʹs oversight.
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C Page Ref: 477-478 Edition: National
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45) The parts of the federal bureaucracy with responsibility for different sectors of the economy, and making and enforcing rules designed to protect the public interest, are the A) independent executive agencies. B) independent regulatory agencies. C) commercial ministries. D) government corporations. E) Cabinet departments.
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B Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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46) The General Services Administration and the National Aeronautical and Space Administration are examples of A) government corporations. B) independent regulatory agencies. C) Cabinet departments. D) presidential administrative agencies. E) independent executive agencies.
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E Page Ref: 479-480 Edition: National
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47) Independent regulatory agencies have A) complete independence from the president, but their policymakers are appointed by Congress. B) powerful rule-making, dispute-settling, and enforcement authority. C) no real enforcement power any more, and remain today as part of the federal government only in a ceremonial role. D) no formal ties to either the president or the Congress. E) governing commissions composed of long-time federal Civil Service employees.
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B Page Ref: 475 Edition: National
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48) Amtrak and the United States Postal Service are examples of A) government corporations. B) independent executive agencies. C) Cabinet departments. D) executive commercial agencies. E) independent regulatory agencies.
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A Page Ref: 479 Edition: National
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49) Government corporations A) operate an airline, manufacture steel, and provide health insurance. B) provide services and charge for them. C) tend to be captured by interest groups. D) are independent regulatory agencies. E) sell stock and pay dividends.
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B Page Ref: 479 Edition: National
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50) An obstacle to the successful implementation of public policy is A) the failure of Congress to pass authorizing legislation. B) the over-specialization of civil service employees. C) competition between the private and public sectors. D) unclear policy goals and poorly designed policies. E) all of the above
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D Page Ref: 481 Edition: National
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51) Once a policy decision has been made, such as by passing a legislative act or issuing an executive order, the bureaucracy is responsible for A) its ratification. B) its implementation. C) its deregulation. D) funding it. E) judging its merits.
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B Page Ref: 480 Edition: National
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52) The main job of federal bureaucrats is to A) advise the president and Cabinet on internal affairs. B) countervail the power of private corporations, especially monopolies. C) compete with the private sector for monopoly power. D) protect the interests of their constituencies. E) implement and regulate government policies.
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E Page Ref: 480 Edition: National
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53) Creating new agencies, developing guidelines, and coordinating resources to achieve a policy goal is called A) bureaucratization. B) regulation. C) implementation. D) actualization. E) policymaking.
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C Page Ref: 480 Edition: National
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54) Which of the following is NOT a reason that policy implementation sometimes breaks down in the federal bureaucracy? A) fragmentation of responsibilities B) lack of standard operating procedures C) lack of clarity in the original policy decision D) faulty program design E) lack of resources
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B Page Ref: 481-488 Edition: National
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55) Vigorous disputes over the implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 in regard to funding for womenʹs athletic programs arose primarily due to A) faulty program design. B) lack of clarity in the original policy decision. C) adherence to administrative routine. D) fragmentation of responsibilities. E) all of the above
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B Page Ref: 482-483 Edition: National
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56) Section 844 of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 A) was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. B) specifically prohibits sex discrimination in college sports. C) was supported by most colleges and universities. D) was vaguely written, eventually resulting in scores of court cases. E) was interpreted by Congress to exclude college football.
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D Page Ref: 482 Edition: National
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57) A major complaint of the Food and Drug Administration is A) its lack of clarity. B) the fragmentation of responsibilities. C) that there is no administrative discretion. D) that too much food is contaminated by dirt and rodents. E) the shortage of personnel.
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E Page Ref: 483 Edition: National
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58) Which of the following is NOT true about standard operating procedures? A) They provide routine rules to help bureaucrats make numerous everyday decisions. B) Each federal department and agency has a plum book which lists its standard operating procedures. C) They can sometimes be so routinized that they are difficult to change even in the face of changing circumstances. D) They are referred to as ʺred tapeʺ by those who find them burdensome. E) They are used by street-level bureaucrats.
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B Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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59) Standard operating procedures A) usually prove to be unjust and discriminatory when followed to the letter. B) save time and bring uniformity to complex organizations. C) were waived by the Reagan Administration in an effort to make the bureaucracy more flexible and customize the solutions to problems. D) give authority to administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem. E) are frustrating and inappropriate in addressing most situations.
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B Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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60) Standard operating procedures accomplish all of the following EXCEPT A) bring uniformity to complex organizations. B) save time. C) make personnel interchangeable. D) reduce red tape. E) treat citizens equally, regardless of class or race.
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D Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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61) ________ is the authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem. A) Standard operating procedure B) Administrative discretion C) Administratorsʹ disposition D) Executive power E) Deregulation
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B Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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62) Standard operating procedures become frustrating to citizens and obstacles to action when they A) do not directly apply to a particular situation. B) slow bureaucratic responses to citizensʹ needs. C) are not specifically codified. D) transfer personnel to different posts. E) are not closely followed.
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A Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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63) The authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem is called A) policy implementation. B) selective management. C) the merit principle. D) the definition of alternatives. E) administrative discretion.
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E Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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64) Administrative discretion is greatest when A) rules and regulations are not written down. B) when standard operating procedures are used. C) an agency has elaborate rules and regulations. D) a particular agency is the subject of media coverage. E) rules do not fit a case.
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E Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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65) The Federal Aviation Administrationʹs protocol for for hijackings assumed that A) the pilot would be able to radio air traffic controllers and alert them to the problem. B) the FAA would be able to pinpoint the aircraft involved. C) there would be enough time for the government to formulate a response. D) the hijackers would be motivated in part by a desire to stay alive. E) All of the above
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E Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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66) Those civil service employees who are in constant contact with the public (often a hostile one) and have considerable discretion are known as A) street-level bureaucrats. B) routinizers. C) General Schedule foot soldiers. D) the Senior Executive Service. E) civil servants.
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A Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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67) Administrative personnel who exercise discretion, pay attention to routine, and deal directly with clients, A) are called street-level bureaucrats. B) are limited to high-level positions in the administration. C) implement federal policies. D) are part of the Senior Executive Service. E) are usually dismissed for not following standard operating procedures.
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A Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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68) Which of the following would not be considered a street-level bureaucrat? A) a municipal court judge B) an assistant secretary in the Department of Transportation C) a welfare worker D) a mail carrier who delivers mail exclusively in a high-rise building E) a police officer
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B Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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69) When bureaucrats are asked to execute orders with which they do not agree, A) they usually ignore the orders. B) they are likely to lose their jobs if they do not follow through with the orders. C) they can file a Conflict Of Interest Form and will be exempted from that duty by their boss. D) implementation follows standard operating procedures. E) slippage is likely to occur between policy decisions and performance.
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E Page Ref: 486 Edition: National
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70) Which of the following statements is FALSE? A) Bureaucrats are often fired for using too much administrative discretion. B) Pay raises in the bureaucracy tend to be small and across-the-board. C) Removing appointed officials may be politically embarrassing to the president. D) A government agency cannot expand just because it is performing a service effectively and efficiently. E) none of the above
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A Page Ref: 486 Edition: National
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71) The diffusion of responsibility within the bureaucracy A) makes the coordination of policies both time-consuming and difficult. B) increases administrative discretion. C) allows for a diversity of opinion thus facilitating effective administration. D) helps diminish the use of administrative discretion. E) facilitates the use of inter-bureaucracy standard operating procedures.
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A Page Ref: 487 Edition: National
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72) Proposals to reorganize the government in order to solve the problem of bureaucratic fragmentation A) are often opposed by agencies not wanting to be submerged within a broader bureaucratic unit. B) tend to be supported by Republican presidents, who advocate governmental centralization. C) are opposed by congressional committees, fearing they will be given greater responsibility to oversee larger and more diverse agencies. D) are supported by interest groups, who feel they could better control the regulatory programs of a reorganized bureaucracy. E) are supported and opposed for all of these reasons.
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A Page Ref: 488 Edition: National
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73) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 A) was very difficult to implement because of the fragmentation of responsibility for implementing it. B) was successfully implemented thanks to its clear goal, its clear methods to achieve the goal, and its lack of bureaucratic fragmentation. C) failed to achieve its policy goals because of the outright hostility of street-level bureaucrats. D) was impossible to implement because of a lack of clarity in the legislation. E) All but D are true.
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B Page Ref: 488 Edition: National
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74) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was successful for all of the following reasons EXCEPT A) its goal was clear. B) its implementation was straightforward. C) the authority of the implementors was plain. D) it was universally supported. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 488-489 Edition: National
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75) The use of government authority to control or change some practice in the private sector is known as A) socialism. B) regulation. C) oversight. D) executive review. E) public administration.
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B Page Ref: 489 Edition: National
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76) The use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector is called A) regulation. B) patronage. C) administrative discretion. D) policy implementation. E) public administration.
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A Page Ref: 489 Edition: National
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77) Which of the following statements about government regulation in America is accurate? A) The Constitution set up only six regulatory agencies; the others have been created within the past 100 years or so. B) The Federal Communications Commission was the first independent regulatory agency. C) Until 1887, the federal government made almost no regulatory policies and had no regulatory agencies. D) Regulatory agencies tended to be more popular in the early years of the nationʹs history, then grew more controversial during the late-nineteenth century. E) both A and C
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C Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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78) In the case of Munn v. Illinois, decided in 1877, the United States Supreme Court A) ruled that states could not impose corporate income taxes. B) ruled that the Civil Service System was constitutional. C) outlawed the patronage system. D) held that government had no right to regulate the business operations of a firm. E) upheld the right of government to regulate the business operations of a firm.
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E Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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79) Until 1887, the federal government A) had almost no regulatory policies. B) was involved only in social regulation. C) owned and operated most of the major industries in the country. D) forbade the states from passing regulatory policies. E) was involved only in economic regulation.
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A Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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80) The Supreme Court case of Munn v. Illinois(1877) A) declared that regulation was not within the realm of state powers. B) first established the right to own property as one of the rights of the Bill of Rights. C) set the precedent for deregulation. D) upheld the right of government to regulate the business operations of a firm. E) upheld the constitutionality of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
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D Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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81) Most regulatory agencies adopt specific ________ to carry out a policy, based on what they believe was the intended purpose of the specific policy at hand. A) guidelines B) iron triangles C) incentive systems D) mandates E) merit principles
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A Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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82) Whatever strategy Congress permits a regulatory agency to use, all regulation contains the following elements EXCEPT A) some means of enforcing compliance. B) a grant of power and set of directions from Congress. C) a set of rules and guidelines by the regulatory agency itself. D) an incentive system to maximize performance by those regulated. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 492 Edition: National
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83) All regulations contain each of the following elements EXCEPT A) a grant of power and set of directions from Congress B) some means of enforcing compliance with congressional goals and agency regulations C) presidential oversight and control of enforcement D) a set of rules and guidelines by the regulatory agency itself E) All of these are elements of the regulatory process.
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C Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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84) When Congress passes regulatory legislation for which it has established goals, it then A) grants power to regulatory agencies to develop guidelines and enforce compliance. B) assigns responsibility for administration to regulatory agencies and responsibility for enforcement to the courts. C) establishes the guidelines that regulatory agencies must implement. D) grants interest groups the power to develop the rules governing the new policy. E) authorizes the president to use his administrative discretion to implement the legislation.
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A Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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85) One proposed solution to the ʺproblemʺ of the proliferation of regulatory agencies and policies has been A) deregulation. B) deproliferation. C) budget cuts. D) standard operating procedures. E) the incentive system.
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A Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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86) Deregulation has resulted, at least in part, in each of the following EXCEPT A) environmental damage. B) the proliferation of government agencies. C) competitive airline fares. D) an expensive bailout of the savings and loan industry. E) less government oversight in some key areas.
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B Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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87) Which of the following is NOT an accusation made against the regulatory system? A) Excessive regulation contributed to the savings and loan industry disaster of the 1980s. B) If the producer is faced with expensive regulations, costs will inevitably be passed along to the consumer in the form of higher prices. C) Regulations do not always work well, and they simply create massive regulatory bureaucracies. D) Other nations have laxer regulations on pollution, worker safety, and other business practices, thus American exports often cost more. E) All of these have been criticisms of regulation.
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A Page Ref: 491-492 Edition: National
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88) Each of the following is a criticism of regulation EXCEPT that it A) lowers prices. B) does not work. C) distorts market forces. D) is too complex. E) gives bureaucrats too much power.
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A Page Ref: 491-492 Edition: National
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89) Most of the government is composed of A) regulators. B) lawyers. C) bureaucrats. D) elected legislators. E) politicians.
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C Page Ref: 493 Edition: National
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90) Executive orders are issued by A) independent regulatory agencies. B) any federal agency or department. C) Congress. D) members of the Senior Executive Service. E) the president.
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E Page Ref: 494 Edition: National
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91) Which of the following is NOT a method a president can use to control the bureaucracy? A) issue executive orders or more informal requests B) rewrite statutes to make instructions clearer as to how policies are intended C) appoint people to head an agency who share the presidentʹs goals and strategies D) tinker with an agencyʹs recommended budget E) request a congressional oversight hearing
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B Page Ref: 494-495 Edition: National
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92) Which of the following statements about Congress and the bureaucracy is FALSE? A) Bureaucracies can help Congress find answers to policy problems. B) Bureaucracies help provide services to constituents. C) Members of Congress often find a big bureaucracy congenial. D) Congress has found it easy to control the bureaucracy. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 495-496 Edition: National
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93) Congress tries to control the bureaucracy through each of the following EXCEPT A) rewriting legislation. B) influencing the appointment of agency heads. C) holding hearings. D) issuing congressional orders. E) both A and B
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D Page Ref: 495-496 Edition: National
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94) Congress tries to control the bureaucracy through A) rewriting laws and budgets and holding hearings. B) deregulation. C) the use of executive orders and appointments. D) the creation of ʺiron triangles.ʺ E) all of the above
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A Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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95) To limit bureaucratic discretion and make its instructions clearer, Congress can A) deregulate. B) write new and more detailed legislation. C) hold congressional hearings. D) reregulate. E) threaten to cut an agencyʹs budget.
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B Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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96) As the oversight powers of Congress in regard to the bureaucracy have become more vigorous, A) Congress is increasingly the policy-implementation branch of government. B) it has become easier to rein in the bureaucracy. C) they have also become more fragmented. D) ʺiron trianglesʺ have weakened considerably. E) the amount of government corruption has decreased dramatically.
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C Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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97) A major problem for presidents and Congress in controlling bureaucracies is the existence of A) the plum book. B) Supreme Court rulings curbing the scope of their oversight. C) ʺiron triangles.ʺ D) standard operating procedures. E) the incentive system.
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C Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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98) An ʺiron triangleʺ is also referred to as A) a government corporation. B) a reverse diagonal. C) a subgovernment. D) the alphabet soup of American government. E) an issue network.
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C Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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99) An ʺiron triangleʺ consists of A) representatives of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government. B) the president, the head of a relevant congressional committee, and the head of any regulatory agency. C) a bureaucratic agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee or subcommittee. D) the metal stamp used to certify that the president has approved a new regulation and it now takes legal effect. E) those favoring regulation X, those opposing regulation X, and the regulatory agency in charge of overseeing X.
answer
C Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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100) A(n) ________ consists of an administrative agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee or subcommittee. A) issue network B) independent executive agency C) triumvirate D) administrative discretion triad E) ʺiron triangleʺ
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E Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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101) ʺIron trianglesʺ face challenges from a growing number of A) street-level bureaucrats. B) subgovernments. C) plastics and softer metals. D) administrative discretions. E) issue networks.
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E Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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102) Issue networks are A) a growing participatory force in bureaucratic decision making whose membersʹ interest in issues is intellectual or emotional rather than material. B) the same as ʺiron triangles.ʺ C) the relatively new television stations that specialize in political coverage. D) subject to standard operating procedures. E) two or more agencies that share regulatory power when a policy or regulation affects more than one regulatory body.
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A Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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103) Subgovernments promote A) centralization of authority. B) strong executive branch control of policymaking. C) the control of the bureaucracy by Congress. D) decentralized and fragmented policymaking. E) presidential control of bureaucratic discretion.
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D Page Ref: 496-497 Edition: National
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104) A group of participants in bureaucratic policymaking with technical policy expertise and intellectual and emotional commitment to the issue is called A) a government corporation. B) an ʺiron triangleʺ. C) a subgovernment. D) an issue network. E) a vested cohort.
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D Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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105) Which of the following is NOT an area in which an ʺiron triangleʺ has controlled federal policy over the past several decades? A) nuclear power policy B) environmental policy C) pesticide policy D) smoking & tobacco policy E) none of the above
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B Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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106) Which of the following is NOT true about ʺiron trianglesʺ? A) They present tremendous difficulties for Congress and the president when they attempt to control the bureaucracy. B) They add a strong decentralizing and fragmenting element to the governmentʹs policymaking process. C) They are also known as subgovernments. D) They are indestructible. E) none of the above
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D Page Ref: 496-497 Edition: National
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107) ʺIron trianglesʺ are composed of A) primarily iron, but also metallic, alloys. B) bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees. C) urban bureaucracies, state bureaucracies, and federal bureaucracies. D) congressional committees, state governments, and bureaucratic agencies. E) senators, governors, and department heads.
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B Page Ref: 496-497 Edition: National
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108) In 1887, Congress established the first regulatory agency, the ________, and charged it with regulating the railroads, their prices, and their services to farmers. A) Department of Transportation B) Railroad Commission C) American Railway Union D) Federal Trade Commission E) Interstate Commerce Commission
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E Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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109) Which of the following statements about bureaucracies and the scope of government is FALSE? A) When the president and Congress chose to deregulate certain areas of the economy or cut taxes, the bureaucracy prevented them from doing so. B) The federal bureaucracy has actually shrunk in size relative to the population it serves. C) The bureaucracy is now expected to play an active role in dealing with social and economic problems. D) The federal bureaucracy has not grown over the past two generations. E) none of the above
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A Page Ref: 498-499 Edition: National True/False Questions
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1) Each bureaucratic agency is created by Congress, which sets its budget and writes the basic policies it is to administer.
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TRUE Page Ref: 467 Edition: National
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2) Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C., or the D.C. metropolitan area.
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FALSE Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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3) Over the past two generations, the federal bureaucracy has shrunk in size relative to the population it serves.
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TRUE Page Ref: 469 Edition: National
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4) Bureaucracies are a little like referees: When they work well, no one gives them much credit, but when they work poorly, everyone calls them unfair, incompetent, or inefficient.
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TRUE Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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5) Scholars have demonstrated that government bureaucracies are efficient and effective than private bureaucracies.
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FALSE Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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6) The Department of Health and Human Services employs the largest number of civilian workers in the federal bureaucracy.
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FALSE Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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7) Altogether, the Department of Defense employs about one-half of federal civilian workers in addition to the 1.5 million men and women in uniform.
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FALSE Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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8) The Hatch Act of 1940 prohibits civil service employees from active participation in partisan politics.
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TRUE Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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9) The Federal Trade Commission is an independent regulatory agency of the federal government which regulates the railroad and trucking industries.
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FALSE Page Ref: 477 Edition: National
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10) Commission members of independent regulatory commissions can be fired by the president.
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FALSE Page Ref: 477 Edition: National
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11) The government established Amtrak as the government corporation providing passenger railroad service when the private passenger railroads became a sick industry some years ago.
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TRUE Page Ref: 479 Edition: National
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12) The General Service Administration (GSA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are all examples of regulatory agencies.
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FALSE Page Ref: 479 Edition: National
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13) Section 844 of Title IX of the Education Act of 1972 is an example of clarity in legislative goals.
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FALSE Page Ref: 481-482 Edition: National
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14) Policy problems that Congress cannot resolve are likely to be easily resolved by bureaucrats.
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FALSE Page Ref: 482 Edition: National
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15) Government agencies are always given the necessary resources and authority to implement a policy by Congress.
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FALSE Page Ref: 483 Edition: National
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16) Street bureaucrats are those civil service employees who have the highest GS ratings.
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FALSE Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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17) Most bureaucrats are guided by standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help them make numerous everyday decisions based on a consistent, set routine.
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TRUE Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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18) A strong argument for deregulation is that the number and complexity of regulatory policies have made regulation too complex and burdensome.
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TRUE Page Ref: 491-492 Edition: National
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19) One of the staunchest supporters of deregulation was President Ronald Reagan.
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TRUE Page Ref: 492 Edition: National
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20) Since Congress holds the power of the purse, the president has no authority over an agencyʹs budget.
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FALSE Page Ref: 493-494 Edition: National
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21) The Supreme Court, Congress, and the federal bureaucracy headed by the president constitute what is often called the ʺiron triangle.ʺ
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FALSE Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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1) The classic conception of ________ was advanced by the German sociologist Max Weber, who stressed that it was a ʺrationalʺ way for modern society to conduct its business: a well-organized machine with plenty of working, but hierarchical, parts.
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bureaucracy Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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2) What are the main elements of the Weberian model of bureaucracies?
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a hierarchical authority structure, task specialization, extensive rules, merit principle and impersonality Page Ref: 468 Edition: National
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3) Only the ________ has more civilian employees in the federal bureaucracy than does the United States Postal Service.
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Department of Defense Page Ref: 470 Edition: National
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4) Define the term patronage and give an example of how it was used.
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a hiring and promotion system based on political reasons rather than on merit or competence; answers will vary Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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5) After President James Garfieldʹs assassination in 1881, the new president pushed Congress into passing the Pendleton ________ Act.
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Civil Service Page Ref: 472 Edition: National
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6) What is the function of the Office of Personnel Management?
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in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government Page Ref: 473 Edition: National
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7) As a new administration prepares to take control of the government, Congress publishes the ________, which lists top federal jobs available for direct presidential appointment.
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plum book Page Ref: 474 Edition: National
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8) The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve Board are both examples of ________, each governed by a small commission, usually with five to ten members appointed by the president for fixed terms and confirmed by the Senate.
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independent regulatory agencies Page Ref: 475-478 Edition: National
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9) What are independent executive agencies? Give an example.
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government agencies that are not regulatory agencies or government corporations yet whose administrators are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; General Services Administration, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Page Ref: 479-480 Edition: National
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10) To help bureaucrats make everyday decisions in a routine manner, they are required to follow set rules known as ________, which some criticize as ʺred tape.ʺ
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standard operating procedures Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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11) Why are standard operating procedures important to an agency?
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Answers will vary. Page Ref: 484 Edition: National
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12) What is meant by administrative discretion, and when is it most often used?
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the authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem; greatest when standard operating procedures do not fit for a case Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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13) ________ bureaucrats are those who are in constant contact with the public (often a hostile one) and have considerable discretion; they include police officers, welfare workers, and lower court judges.
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Street-level Page Ref: 485 Edition: National
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14) The first federal regulatory agency was the ________, set up in 1887 to regulate the railroads, their prices, and their services to farmers.
answer
Interstate Commerce Commission Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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15) What is the significance of the Supreme Court case of Munn v. Illinois(1877)?
answer
Supreme Court case in which the Court upheld the right of government to regulate the business operations of a firm Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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16) List the three elements contained in all regulation.
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A grant of power from Congress, guidelines issued by a regulatory agency, and a means of enforcement. Page Ref: 491 Edition: National
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17) The idea behind ________ is that the number and complexity of regulatory policies have made regulation too complex and burdensome, and that regulation raises prices, distorts market forces, and does not do what it sets out to do.
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deregulation Page Ref: 491-492 Edition: National
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18) What is an executive order and why are they issued?
answer
regulations originating from the executive branch; used by presidents to control the bureaucracy Page Ref: 494 Edition: National
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19) An ʺiron triangleʺ consists of a(n) ________, a Congressional committee or subcommittee, and a bureaucratic agency.
answer
interest group Page Ref: 496 Edition: National
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20) What are issue networks? Explain their significance.
answer
consist of individuals with technical policy expertise and those who are drawn to an issue out of intellectual or emotional commitments rather than material interests; these individuals work aside subgovernments, complicating their calculations and decreasing the predictability of those involved in subgovernments Page Ref: 496 Edition: National Essay Questions
