Chapter 14 – The Bureaucracy in a Democracy – Flashcards
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Bureaucracy
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complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles of organization used by large institutions to coordinate work.
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implementation
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the efforts of departments and agencies to translate laws into specific bureaucratic rules and actions
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Spoils system?
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- virtually no central bureaucracy at this time (before the 1880s) - most jobs were with the post office or the courts - simple jobs, often used to support political supporters
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merit system
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appointees in public bureaucracy must objectively be deemed qualified for those positions
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department
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the largest subunit of the executive branch
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Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, 1883
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- covered positions much be obtained by passing an exam - servants can't be fired without cause
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independent agency
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agency that is not part of the cabinet department ; usually have sweeping mandates
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Government Corporations
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government agency that performs market-orientated public service and raises revenues to fund its activities ; highly independent
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regulatory agency
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a department, bureau, or independent agency who's primary mission is to impose limits, restrictions, or other obligations, on the conduct of individuals or companies in the private
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fiscal policy
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the governments use of taxing, monetary, and spending powers to manipulate the economy
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Service provision
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The federal government either directly provides or works with states and the private sector to provide many services
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Federal Reserve System
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a system of 12 Federal Reserve banks that facilitates exchanges of cash, checks, and credit; regulates member banks; and uses monetary policies to fight inflation and deflation
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revenue agency
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the agency responsible for collecting taxes
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Privitation
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paying private contractors to perform tasks previously performed by government employees
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devolution
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a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government,
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oversight
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the effort by Congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies
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The Department of Agriculture was created
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to promote interest of farmers, and during the late nineteenth century
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________ declared that "the era of big government is over" in 1996.
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Bill Clinton
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Which of the following agencies is responsible for promoting the public welfare?
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- Department of Veteran Affairs - Department of Labor - Department of Health and Human Services - Department of Interior
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Since the 1950s, compared with the entire workforce, the number of federal employees has ________.
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gradually declined
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The "virtual fourth branch of government" refers to ________.
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government contracting
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Which agency was created in 2005?
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Office of the Director of National Intelligence
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Which of the following is true about the National Performance Review?
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the size of the federal workforce was reduced by about 25%
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Which of the following statements about congressional oversight of the bureaucracy is most accurate?
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While the number of oversight hearings has increased over time as the bureaucracy has expanded, the extent of oversight does depend somewhat on which party controls the White House.
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Devolution describes a process through which
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the federal government is downsized by delegating the implementation of programs to state and local governments.
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The most significant example of devolution in recent decades has been in the area of ________.
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welfare policy
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Which of the following is NOT a way in which Congress can exercise oversight?
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having members of Congress work part-time for a particular agency that is struggling to meet the demands Congress has placed on it
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Which one of the following is NOT part of the Justice Department?
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The Internal Revenue Service
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The controversy over the Patriot Act reveals the complications of balancing ________ with the ________.
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national security ; ciil liberties of individuals
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The ________ administers the federal school lunch program.
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Department of Agriculture
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Which of the following is NOT a major role of bureaucracy?
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passing laws
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he creation of the U.S. Northern Command was important because it
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breached the long-standing line between domestic law enforcement and foreign military operations for the first time
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The greatest number of federal government professionals working abroad are under the authority of the Department of ________.
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Defense
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Which of the following statements best describes how recent administrations have approached the issue of bureaucratic reform?
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Republican administrations have aimed to make the existing bureaucracy work more effectively while Democratic administrations have sought to reduce bureaucracy by contracting out government work to private companies.
