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The ____ is the departments, agencies, and offices within the executive branch that perform the functions of government. |
bureaucracy |
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Max Weber identified which of the following as a characteristic of bureaucracy? |
task specialization |
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The civil service system was introduced following passage of what law? |
the Pendleton Act |
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Under the spoils system, who was awarded jobs in the federal bureaucracy? |
those who helped candidates win election |
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What proportion of the total economy did the government consume in 2012? |
one-fourth |
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the largest organizational unit in the federal bureaucracy is a(n) _____. |
department |
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_____ refers to the authority of administrators in the federal bureaucracy to make choices concerning the best way to implement policies. |
Discretion |
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The _____ was one of the first executive branch departments in the US government. |
Treasury Department |
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Cabinet secretaries are appointed by _____ and confirmed by _____. |
the president; the Senate |
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Political appointees in the federal bureaucracy _____. |
may remain in office until a new president is elected |
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What is implementation? |
the process by which a law or policy is put into practice |
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The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from engaging in what activity? |
running for elected office |
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Under our constitutional system, the president has the authority to _____. |
make changes in an agency’s annual budget proposals |
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What function is the National Labor Relations board carrying out when it settles disputes between labor and management on federal labor laws? |
adjudicating/engaging in quasi-judicial process |
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Which of the following is an example of Max Weber’s merit principle? |
agencies hiring people based on their performance on entrance exams |
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Before 1883, how were government jobs awarded? |
Jobs were awarded bases on applicant’s loyalty to the party in power |
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Which of the following is a function of departments and agencies within the federal bureaucracy? |
implementing public policies |
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How does the president exercise control over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy? |
by nominating federal appointees |
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Which of the following is an example of an independent executive agency? |
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
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Which of the following is an example of a government corporation? |
the Tennessee Valley Authority |
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Congress’s watchdog over executive branch spending is _____. |
the General Accountability Office (GAO) |
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How did the Pendleton Act reform the system of hiring and firing federal employees? |
it required hiring and firing decisions to be based on merit rather than partisan loyalty |
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What is the main purpose served by government corporations? |
providing services not fully trusted to the private sector |
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Which of Max Weber’s characteristics of bureaucracy is illustrated by a government agency in which of the greatest authority resides with the agency head? |
hierarchy/chain of command |
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One of the formal tools used by Congress for oversight of the bureaucracy is… |
authorization of spending |
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What is the major purpose of an independent regulatory commission? |
to regulate commerce |
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Which statement best describes the quasi-judicial decisions made by government agencies? |
these decisions can be appealed to federal courts |
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What role is the Environmental Protection Agency taking when it sets limits on air pollution from power plants? |
regulation |
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According to Figure 8.1, when did the largest growth in the federal workforce occur? |
during WW II |
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How did Americans’ attitudes about the role of government change as a result of the Great Depression and Roosevelt’s New Deal |
People became more accepting of the federal government’s role in economic policy |
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Congress and the president share which of the following powers over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy? |
the power to influence budgets |
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How do departments differ from independent agencies? |
Department heads are part of the president’s cabinet; agency heads are not |
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How do government corporations differ from private companies? |
Government corporations perform activities that private companies cannot |
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How are independent regulatory commissions similar to independent executive agencies? |
both operate outside of executive department control |
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Which of the following statements best describes the president’s influence over agency budgets? |
the president influences the initial budget proposals, but depends on Congress for appropriations of federal money. |
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How do independent regulatory commissions differ from independent agencies? |
Commissions are more difficult to remove from office than agency heads |
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What was the purpose of the Hatch Act? |
to prohibit federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity |
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What is a goal common to both the Pendleton Act and the Hatch Act? |
reducing the influence of partisan politics on the federal bureaucracy |
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How are Cabinet secretaries similar to independent agency administrators? |
both are appointed by president |
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Which of the following is currently a major concern about the federal workforce? |
the large number of workers who will soon be eligible to retire |
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While the president has the authority to appoint an remove agency heads and other top bureaucrats, Congress has the authority to _____. |
refuse to appropriate funds for certain programs |
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Which of the following was a consequence of the spoils, or patronage, system? |
the federal bureaucracy was staffed with people who lacked expertise |
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Under what circumstance are bureaucrats most likely to exercise discretion? |
when an agency is implementing a law that contains ambiguity |
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How has the government spending changed over the past fifty years? |
the government now pays for a lager portion of its spending by borrowing |
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What event served as a catalyst for the creation of the Pendleton Act? |
the assassination of James Garfield in 1881 |
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When the law requires an agency to conduct a formal hearing before issuing rules, what effect does this have on the agency’s rule-making procedure? |
the courts tend to give greater deference to agency decisions |
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Which circumstance creates a challenge to the implementation of federal laws? |
when Congress passes a law that contains ambiguity |
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What factor contributed to the growth of federal bureaucracy during the twentieth century? |
increased demands upon government during the Great Depression |
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Under what circumstance might a president set up a policy coordinating committee (PSC)? |
when various agencies need to work together to ensure consistent policies |
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Why was the spoils system ultimately replaced by the civil service system? |
due to growing concerns about a poorly functioning federal bureaucracy |
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When would Congress be most likely to allow a federal agency significant discretion in rule-making? |
following the passage of a law dealing with specialist issues |
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What factor was influential in driving expansion of the federal bureaucracy in the post-Civil War era? |
a series of poor harvests and agricultural distribution problems |
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Which of the following is a member of the White House Staff? |
the national security advisor |
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In the process and structure of public policymaking, "iron triangle" refer to the … |
networks of congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups that strongly influence the policy process |
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Which of the following best describes the primary role of the attorney general? |
serving as the chief executive officer of the department of justice |
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When independent regulatory agencies make rules, enforce those rules, and adjudicate disputes arising under those rules, they risk violating the constitutional concept of |
separation of powers |
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The role Congress plays in ensuring that executive branch agencies are carrying out their legislated responsibilities is known as |
legislative oversight |
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