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Q:
How does a merit system differ from a system of patronage in the selection of government employees for the civil service?
Q:
What is the purpose of a federal regulatory agency? Give three examples of regulatory agencies and briefly describe the primary role of each agency.
Q:
What is the role of the Cabinet-level departments and why are they important to the president? How are the heads of these Cabinet-level departments chosen?
Q:
The term "bureaucracy" normally creates negative images of bloated and ineffective government. However, the bureaucracy is a necessary part of government and has sometimes been referred to as the fourth branch of government. Describe some of the ways that the bureaucracy serves a useful and important role.
Q:
Which branch of the government funds, creates, sets rules for, and provides oversight of the bureaucracy?
A.Executive
B.Legislative
C.Judicial
D.Presidential
E.all of the branches listed above share these responsibilities equally
Q:
In exercising its oversight function, Congress is most likely to
A.hold hearings.
B.conduct impeachment hearings.
C.issue executive orders.
D.go to court to get executive documents.
E.override a president's veto.
Q:
The Tennessee Valley Authority was established to
A.promote economic development in Tennessee.
B.provide electricity to a part of the country that had not been served by private utilities.
C.ensure the continued provision of rail transportation.
D.help the South recover from reconstruction.
E.provide jobs to displaced Appalachian coal miners.
Q:
Established by Congress to run the nation's trains, Amtrak is an example of a/an
A.international regulatory council.
B.government corporation.
C.independent executive agency.
D.interagency council.
E.captured clientele agency.
Q:
Which of the following is an independent regulatory commission?
A.The Department of Labor
B.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
C.The Tennessee Valley Authority
D.The Securities and Exchange Commission
E.The United States Post Office
Q:
The U.S. government is increasingly turning to __________ to complete military tasks in Iraq.
A.gay and lesbian soldiers
B.untrained soldiers
C.convicted felons who were previously ineligible for military service
D.private contractors
E.diplomatic immunity
Q:
A typical low-level federal civilian employee gets his or her job by
A.helping the president win election or reelection.
B.knowing the right person.
C.doing well enough on a civil service exam.
D.bribing the correct person.
E.giving sufficient campaign contributions.
Q:
Hundreds of new federal agencies were created to regulate business practices and various aspects of the economy in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the Great Depression during the administration of President
A.Theodore Roosevelt.
B.Franklin Roosevelt.
C.James Garfield.
D.Lyndon Johnson.
E.Herbert Hoover.
Q:
Franklin Roosevelt believed that the best way to get the country out of the Great Depression was
A.through a hands-off approach.
B.through a laissez-faire approach.
C.through far-ranging government intervention in the economy.
D.by taxing unemployed Americans in order to provide an incentive for them to find work.
E.massive grants to private corporations so that they could afford to hire unemployed Americans.
Q:
The Department of Commerce and Labor was established by ________ to oversee and regulate intolerable labor practices and employer-employee relations.
A.Abraham Lincoln
B.James A. Garfield
C.Teddy Roosevelt
D.Franklin Delano Roosevelt
E.Dwight Eisenhower
Q:
Which president, whose assassination led to the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, sought to overhaul the civil service?
A.Abraham Lincoln
B.James A. Garfield
C.William McKinley
D.William Howard Taft
E.William Henry Harrison
Q:
Which bureaucracy was created to regulate the rates charged by railroads for shipping freight?
A.the Railroad Commission
B.Amtrak
C.the Interstate Commerce Commission
D.the Agency on Shipping and Freight
E.the Northern Pacific Railroad Association
Q:
The Department of Commerce and Labor was established by Theodore Roosevelt to
A.regulate labor practices and employer-employee relations.
B.promote economic development in the South.
C.implement the rural electrification program.
D.collect taxes from businesses and oversee mergers and acquisitions.
E.promote the rail industry.
Q:
Of the following positions, which is the most likely to be covered by the civil service system?
A.the White House chief of staff
B.the Secretary of Labor
C.a demographer at the Census Bureau
D.the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
E.a policy expert working in the White House
Q:
The Pendleton Act established that civil servants would be selected on the basis of
A.their qualifications.
B.the spoils system.
C.patronage.
D.seniority.
E.party affiliation.
Q:
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) were created in 1978 to replace the old Civil Service Commission. Which of the following is NOT a purpose of these two agencies?
A.actively investigating federal employees in order to identify and prosecute those who participate in political activities
B.administering the system of federal hiring
C.protecting the rights of federal employees
D.conducting hearings and deciding cases in which there are charges of wrongdoing in hiring and firing of employees
E.evaluating the effectiveness of federal hiring and retention practices
Q:
Which of the following is one of the restrictions created by enactment of the Hatch Act of 1939?
A.Employees may not work for a private company while employed by the federal government.
B.All federal employees must have a high school diploma.
C.Federal employees must be paid on an equal basis with the private sector.
D.Federal employees are not subject to the minimum wage.
E.Federal workers are prohibited from running for office or actively campaigning for a political candidate.
Q:
In 1883 Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. The act instituted a system of hiring federal employees based on qualifications such as experience, education, and standardized testing. This procedure is referred to as
A.patronage.
B.partisanship.
C.the merit system.
D.field screening.
E.managerial discretion.
Q:
Prior to about 1900 the federal government hired employees according to their political affiliation and loyalty. "To the victor goes the spoils" was the credo. Such a system of employee management is referred to as
A.civil service.
B.patronage.
C.employment security.
D.employee deregulation.
E.managed labor.
Q:
The majority of federal employees are protected from partisan political maneuvering and are insulated from changes in the presidential administrations. This workforce is referred to as
A.civil service.
B.regulated management.
C.labor corp.
D.employment security.
E.patronage.
Q:
The federal bureaucracy currently employees approximately how many civilian personnel?
A.150,000
B.600,000
C.1.2 million
D.2.7 million
E.12 million
Q:
The Executive Office of the President is an agency of the federal bureaucracy that is managed by the White House Chief of Staff. Which of the following positions or units is NOT included in this agency?
A.White House Press Secretary
B.Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
C.National Security Council (NSC)
D.U.S. Secretary of State
E.White House Counsel
Q:
Which government corporation operates a railroad service of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, maintaining 20,000 miles of track and operating 500 stations across the nation?
A.Norfolk and Southern Railroad
B.Conrail
C.AMTRAK
D.United Freight
E.Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Q:
Which of the following is a unit of the federal bureaucracy that is set up to run like a private company even though it serves an important public purpose?
A.government corporation
B.independent agency
C.regulatory agency
D.profit-sharing agency
E.state agency
Q:
Which federal regulatory agency, created in 1934 as a direct response to the stock market crash of 1929, is responsible for rulemaking with respect to the stock market and corporate bookkeeping practices?
A.Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
B.Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
C.Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
D.Federal Reserve Board
E.U.S. Treasury
Q:
Which federal regulatory agency was created to help administer the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by investigating violations of the act?
A.Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
B.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
C.Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
D.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
E.U.S. Department of Justice
Q:
Which of the following is the largest of the regulatory agencies, one that enforces regulations and rules concerning air and water quality as well as hazardous materials?
A.Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
B.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
C.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
D.Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
E.Department of the Interior
Q:
Which federal regulatory agency was created in 1914 with the authority to implement rules and regulations that encourage competition in industry?
A.Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
B.Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
C.Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
D.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
E.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Q:
Federal agencies that are responsible for implementing rules and regulations with respect to individual or corporate conduct related to some aspect of the economy are called
A.independent agencies.
B.congressional agencies.
C.executive branch sub-divisions.
D.regulatory agencies.
E.interstate agencies.
Q:
Some federal agencies do not have high cabinet-level status but they do report directly to the president. Such agencies, which include NASA and the Small Business Administration, are referred to as
A.Cabinet departments.
B.independent agencies.
C.administrative units.
D.congressional subdivisions.
E.inner circle agencies.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a primary unit of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security?
A.Emergency Preparedness and Response
B.Science and Technology
C.the Secret Service
D.the United States Military
E.Border and Transportation Security
Q:
Only Congress has the power to create a federal Cabinet-level department. The most recent federal Cabinet to be created was the
A.State Department.
B.Department of Education.
C.Department of Homeland Security.
D.Department of Justice.
E.Attorney General's Office.
Q:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a primary unit of which agency?
A.Department of Homeland Security
B.Department of Defense
C.Department of Commerce
D.Congressional Budget Office
E.Federal Bureau of Investigation
Q:
The sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Labor that sets policies for conduct of negotiations between employers and employees is the
A.Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS).
B.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
C.AFL-CIO.
D.Magistrate's Court.
E.State Department.
Q:
The sub-agency of the U.S. Department of Labor that develops standards to promote safe workplace environments and implements regulations to enforce these standards with employers is the
A.Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS).
B.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
C.Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
D.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
E.Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a sub-unit of the Department of Defense?
A.U.S. Army
B.U.S. Navy
C.U.S. Marines
D.U.S. Coast Guard
E.National Guard
Q:
The federal Cabinet-level agency that has the primary charge of protecting the nation from terrorism and responding to emergency situations is the
A.State Department.
B.Central Intelligence Agency.
C.Department of Homeland Security.
D.Department of Justice.
E.Department of Defense.
Q:
At the head of each Cabinet department is a secretary. How does a secretary obtain his/her position?
A.nominated by and answers directly to the Senate
B.nominated by and is subordinate to the judicial branch
C.nominated by Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the state governments
D.appointed by the president but must be confirmed by the Senate
E.appointed by the president at his/her discretion without oversight
Q:
Which of the following is NOT a Cabinet department of the executive branch?
A.Department of Defense
B.Department of Education
C.Department of Justice
D.State Department
E.Judicial Branch
Q:
The federal bureaucracy is made up of a variety of agencies. The 15 major administrative organizations within the bureaucracy that report directly to the president are called
A.mini-bureaucracies.
B.state governments.
C.judicial branches.
D.Cabinet departments.
E.administrative units.
Q:
An ongoing debate in American government is the question of which level of government should have the authority to provide programs and services to citizens. Beginning in the 1980s many of the services provided by the federal government were relinquished to the state governments. This process is known as
A.deregulation.
B.devolution.
C.privatization.
D.reinvention.
E.revolution.
Q:
Eliminating government oversight and laws concerning certain activities, resulting in less government intervention, is referred to as
A.bureaucracy.
B.downsizing.
C.outsourcing.
D.deregulation.
E.privatization.
Q:
Beginning in the 1980s, the federal government has used a variety of methods to reduce the size and tax burden of the federal bureaucracy. One such method is privatization. Which of the following does NOT describe an intended purpose of privatization?
A.to increase the number of employees supported by the federal government
B.to replace government-provided services with services provided by the private sector
C.to keep costs for services lower than those provided by government agencies
D.to allow for less government red tape and fewer civil service restrictions
E.to allow private companies to have more flexibility to compete and adapt to changing circumstances
Q:
While expanded federal programs are often popular for Americans, this much larger bureaucracy suffers during a downturn in economic growth, such as was experienced in the 1970s. Why does an economic downturn create such challenges?
A.There are fewer citizens for the bureaucracy to serve.
B.Economic downturns often create federal budget deficits that make it very difficult to continue supporting a large bureaucracy.
C.State governments begin to take away the federal government's role in providing social benefits.
D.Downturns in the economy always create international tensions that require a stronger military presence, which in turn drains off available resources.
E.Since the U.S. Constitution requires a balanced budget, the federal government must eliminate agencies when income decreases.
Q:
President Johnson's Great Society programs in the 1960s built upon President Roosevelt's New Deal programs of the 1930s as they responded to the growing prosperity in the American economy. Which of the following was NOT a goal of Johnson's policies?
A.to promote social justice
B.to create a safety net for the poor
C.to guarantee health care for the elderly
D.to greatly expand educational opportunities for all Americans
E.to force the state governments to assume the responsibility for social assistance
Q:
By the 1930s the federal bureaucracy had grown significantly. In response, President Roosevelt in 1936 created the Brownlow Commission. What was the purpose of this commission?
A.to identify funding sources in order to expand the federal government's reach
B.to investigate ways in which the president could circumvent the powers of Congress
C.to reduce the number of federal agencies
D.to investigate how to make the growing bureaucracy more efficient and more responsive to the president
E.to expand U.S. military powers throughout Europe and Asia
Q:
President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs were created to counter the negative effects of the Great Depression. Which of the following was NOT one of the federal agencies that Roosevelt was instrumental in creating during his 13-year tenure?
A.Social Security Administration
B.Securities and Exchange Commission
C.Department of the Treasury
D.Civilian Conservation Corp
E.Widow's Benefits
Q:
What is meant by the term "administrative judge"?
A.It is a judge that does not preside in a courtroom but handles court-related paperwork.
B.It is a judge who serves as a magistrate.
C.It is a judge who works within a federal agency to hold hearings and make judgments on cases related to that agency.
D.It is a lower court judge who determines guilt but not punishments.
E.It is another name for an appellate court judge, such as those on the Court of Appeals.
Q:
The federal bureaucracy currently employs thousands of people. Comparatively, during the administration of President George Washington the total number of agencies was _____ and the total number of federal employees was _____.
A.two; ten
B.three; about fifty
C.four; about one hundred and eighty
D.six; more than one thousand
E.twelve; more than fifteen thousand
Q:
Though it is federal agency and not a court, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may take what action against a company that violates an employee's rights?
A.The EEOC has authority to adjudicate a case against a company and impose a punishment and fine.
B.The EEOC has full judicial powers to imprison offenders.
C.The EEOC and other federal agencies have no powers to enforce administrative rules and must rely solely on the federal courts.
D.State courts have authority over federal agencies that operate within their jurisdictions.
E.The EEOC has does not have original jurisdiction in a case but serves as an appellate level review for lower federal courts.
Q:
Some federal agencies are given bureaucratic powers to adjudicate cases on behalf of the United States government. Which of the following is NOT a federal agency with adjudication powers?
A.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
B.National Labor Relations Board
C.Federal Communication Commission
D.Environmental Protection Agency
E.National Park Service
Q:
As an agency under direction of the Congress, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) makes budget recommendations to Congress. What is the other primary purpose of the CBO?
A.It recommends salaries for legislators.
B.It presents a completed budget to the president each year for his/her approval.
C.It conducts research such as program effectiveness studies at the direction of Congress.
D.It serves as the treasury for the Congress.
E.It functions as a bank within the capitol building.
Q:
As a bureaucratic agency under direction of Congress, what is the purpose of the General Accounting Office (GAO)?
A.it manages the U.S. Treasury
B.it is an auditing agency that investigates the actions or inactions of other agencies
C.it is an enforcement arm of Congress that prosecutes criminal activity among agency employees
D.it acts as a liaison between the president and Congress concerning the federal budget
E.it is an agency that lobbies Congress for favorable funding or legislation for the executive branch
Q:
A common and effective method for Congress to enforce its oversight of a federal agency with which it is dissatisfied is to
A.abolish the agency.
B.transfer the agency to the executive branch.
C.hold extensive Congressional hearings.
D.reduce or eliminate the agency's budget.
E.prosecute the agency's officials.
Q:
Though Congress may delegate power to the bureaucratic agencies, Congress does not normally give open-ended power, and it does not relinquish all power. The process of retaining ultimate authority is called
A.auditing.
B.congressional prerogative.
C.congressional oversight.
D.partial delegation.
E.retention.
Q:
What is meant by "delegated congressional power"?
A.Congress delegates limited powers of lawmaking to the president.
B.Congress chooses how it wishes to enforce particular laws and states decide whether to support these decisions.
C.Congress surrenders its lawmaking powers to the state legislatures.
D.Though Congress has the constitutional power to make laws, it gives an agency the effective power to make laws related to the agency's particular sphere of influence.
E.The Supreme Court takes the authority to make laws from Congress and delegates it instead to the agencies.
Q:
What is meant by "administrative law"?
A.ethical standards for agency employees including all managers and administrators
B.laws that relate specifically to the authority of an administrative agency, are created by that agency, and carry the enforceability of law
C.laws in which Congress dictates how an agency head will conduct his or her business
D.laws created by the president that all federal agencies must follow but state agencies may disregard in certain cases
E.court opinions that carry the weight of law based on Supreme Court rulings that have stood over time
Q:
What is meant by "administrative discretion"?
A.The federal courts have considerable oversight ability and latitude to steer an agency.
B.An agency is not bound by its written regulations and may adapt its procedures to meet the particular circumstance.
C.Having enacted the legislation, Congress has reserved the right to create administrative guidelines for an agency.
D.When laws are vague, a federal agency usually has considerable freedom in deciding how to implement them.
E.In regard to a federal agency, the president has considerable freedom to dictate to the agency how a law will be implemented.
Q:
The federal bureaucracy that is charged with regulating air and water quality standards is the
A.National Park Service.
B.Department of the Interior.
C.Environmental Protection Agency.
D.Sierra Club.
E.Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
Q:
The federal bureaucracy that develops workplace safety regulations and enforces them is the
A.Environmental Protection Agency.
B.Department of Commerce.
C.American Federation of Labor.
D.Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
E.Employment Security Commission.
Q:
When a bureaucratic unit or agency drafts a set of regulations to implement a program, those regulations must be officially published and made accessible to the public. The format for publishing the regulations is called the
A.Federal Register.
B.United States Code.
C.Federal Statutes.
D.Supreme Court Reporter.
E.Washington Post.
Q:
Which term refers to the process in which the federal bureaucracy carries out a law passed by Congress?
A.rules and regulations
B.execution
C.policy implementation
D.bureaucratic oversight
E.policy development
Q:
Each bureaucratic unit or agency has a written procedure for carrying out its programs or services. These procedures are referred to as
A.red tape.
B.regulations.
C.statutes.
D.writs.
E.implementation cycles.
Q:
The federal government's bureaucracy is ultimately the responsibility of
A.the President of the United States.
B.the Congressional Business Office.
C.the Oversight Committee of the Supreme Court.
D.the White House chief of staff.
E.the bureaucracy itself.
Q:
What provisions or requirements does the U.S. Constitution make concerning the federal bureaucracy?
A.The bureaucracy must be in tune with the needs of the citizenry and must be structured in a way to meet those needs.
B.The bureaucracy must be separate from political parties in order that it not fall prey to political pressures.
C.The Constitution places the president as head of the bureaucracy.
D.The bureaucracy must not be allowed to grow larger than the military.
E.The bureaucracy is an important reality in American federal government, though the Constitution makes no mention of it.
Q:
Sociologist Max Weber, an early student of bureaucratic organizations, identified several common characteristics of effective bureaucracies. Which of the following would NOT be on Weber's list?
A.hierarchical arrangement with a clear chain of command from top to bottom
B.a focus on the professionalism of all employees
C.hiring and promotional decisions that are normally influenced by local politicians
D.organization based on a division of labor, expertise, and specialization
E.a common set of rules and regulations for carrying out organizational functions
Q:
Most organizations have a common set of rules for carrying out functions that characterize the operations. These formal rules are called
A.statutes.
B.recommendations.
C.bureaucratic guidelines.
D.standard operating procedures.
E.standardized commands.
Q:
Which term often carries negative connotations of overgrown government, excessive rules and paperwork, and a burdensome process?
A.civil service
B.populism
C.communism
D.bureaucracy
E.Washington
Q:
What was the "Reagan Revolution"?
A.It was a period in the 1960s when militant radicals on college campuses revolted against the fiscal and social policies of President Reagan.
B.It was a period of planned and rapid growth in the impact and reach of the federal government during the 1980s.
C.It was a term used to describe the administration of President Reagan during the 1980s as he aggressively sought to reduce the burden of government, a policy that was popular with voters at the time.
D.It referred to a voter uprising in California while Ronald Reagan was governor, aimed at dramatically changing the course of that state's government.
E.It referred to President Reagan's focus on moral and social issues during his administration.
Q:
Several presidents have been elected using a campaign promise to reduce the size of what they perceive to be a bloated federal government. Ronald Reagan was one such campaigner. What is the usual outcome of the administrations of these successful candidates?
A.The new presidents normally succeed in reducing the size of the federal government, but the next president usually returns to the excessive spending.
B.Presidents with such tight-fisted policies are never successful.
C.Upon realizing that they will not be able to deliver on their promises, the new presidents normally admit their mistakes and change the direction of their policies.
D.The new presidents usually realize quickly that, in order to accomplish other promises, they will ultimately leave office with a federal budget much larger than when they arrived.
E.The American voters love conservative fiscal policies and the new presidents are usually quite successful because of this.
Q:
The United States has witnessed several presidential elections in which one candidate's campaign platform was built on a promise to reduce the size of the federal government and cut taxes. The first successful campaign to use this platform was
A.George Washington in 1788.
B.Thomas Jefferson in 1800.
C.Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.
D.Ronald Reagan in 1980.
E.Bill Clinton in 1992.
Q:
The United States Constitution allows for removal of the president by the process of
A.recall election.
B.impeachment.
C.congressional declaration.
D.criminal conviction only.
E.a vote of the state legislatures.
Q:
Because of Franklin Roosevelt's tenure as president, the Twenty-second Amendment was ratified and enacted in 1951. This amendment places what restriction on presidents?
A.The person seeking the office of president must have been a citizen of the United States for at least 10 years.
B.The person seeking the office of president must first have served at least one term in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.
C.Any one person may only serve one term as president.
D.Any one person may be elected as president no more than twice.
E.The president must have a college degree.
Q:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first elected president in 1932, has the distinction of being the longest serving president in American history. To how many terms was he elected?
A.two
B.three
C.four
D.five
E.six
Q:
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Austria but has been a United States citizen for nearly 25 years. Why can he not serve as President of the United States?
A.He is a sitting governor from California.
B.Austria was an enemy of the United States in World War II, so by law no one from that country can serve as president.
C.Only persons having become citizens in the last 10 years may be elected as president.
D.The California state constitution prohibits its governors from serving as president.
E.Article II of the U.S. Constitution states that only natural born citizens are allowed to hold the office of president.
Q:
Article II of the United States Constitution requires what minimum and/or maximum age for a person to serve as president?
A.no minimum or maximum age
B.minimum age of 25, maximum age of 70
C.minimum age of 18
D.minimum age of 25
E.minimum age of 35