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Q:
Describe the following organizations of the executive branch: cabinet departments, independent executive agencies, independent regulatory agencies, and government corporations.
Q:
Contrast government corporations with their private-sector counterparts. Should the Federal Government privatize government corporations? Why or why not?
Q:
A major power that Congress has over the federal bureaucracy is the
a. authority to select high-level bureaucrats.
b. power to refuse to appropriate funds for a particular agency.
c. authority to fire bureaucrats for not executing policy passed by Congress.
d. power to find agency actions unconstitutional.
e. power to appoint agency heads.
Q:
Iron triangles are made up of
a. economic interests, citizen activists, and government interest groups.
b. lobbyists, interest groups, and court cases used to promote government action to help the interest of these groups.
c. legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups that make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests.
d. political parties, interest groups, and voters who want their candidates to win.
e. watchdog citizens, presidential advisors, and members of the federal bureaucracy that make policies that benefit their respective interests.
Q:
Through negotiated rulemaking, federal agencies have begun encouraging businesses and public-interest groups to become directly involved ina. taking responsibility for their own self-regulation.b. drafting the regulations that affect them.c. lobbying Congress to relax regulations.d. lobbying the president concerning bureaucratic reorganization.e. administering regulations.
Q:
A statute enacted by Congress that authorizes the creation of an administrative agency is
a. an appropriations authorization.
b. enabling legislation.
c. an executive order.
d. statutory authorization.
e. the Civil Service Act of 1978.
Q:
A whistleblower is
a. a worker who does not accomplish his or her tasks by the end of a day.
b. someone who brings public attention to gross governmental inefficiency or illegal action.
c. a worker hired in excess of the labor requirements of an agency.
d. an ombudsman.
e. someone who leaks the contents of a presidential speech to the press before it is given.
Q:
Privatization isa. the replacement of government services with services provided by private firms.b. when the Small Business Administration gives loans to individuals.c. hiring practices of the bureaucracy.d. the replacement of private services with state or local government services.e. the abolition of entire government departments.
Q:
Laws requiring that existing programs be reviewed regularly for their effectiveness and be terminated unless specifically extended are called
a. trial legislation.
b. interim legislation.
c. sunshine legislation.
d. termination legislation.
e. sunset legislation.
Q:
The major beneficiaries of the Freedom of Information Act have been
a. members of Congress.
b. people with criminal records.
c. news organizations.
d. nonprofit organizations.
e. health insurance companies.
Q:
Which of the following requirements exist under the Freedom of Information Act?a. Government agencies have to tell the media if budgets are exceeded.b. Federal agencies must disclose to individuals information contained in government files.c. The Act made obsolete the Government in the Sunshine Act.d. Executive agencies must release all information to congressional committees.e. Surveillance by the National Security Agency on individual Americans is prohibited.
Q:
The Government in the Sunshine Act required that
a. all federal agencies headed by committees hold their meetings regularly in public session.
b. all federal agencies terminate after five years unless Congress grants the agency an extension.
c. all federal agencies hold at least half of their public meeting outside of Washington, D.C.
d. at least forty percent of upper level positions within an agency be filled by females or ethnic minorities.
e. all federal agency meetings on personnel problems or court proceedings be held in public session.
Q:
In 1978, the ______ was created to oversee promotions, employees' rights, and other employment matters.
a. Civil Service Commission
b. Office of Personnel Management
c. Ministry of Personnel
d. Civilian Employment Agency
e. Merit Systems Protection Board
Q:
Which of the following agencies is the initial central personnel agency of the national government?a. The Civil Service Commissionb. The Office of Personnel Managementc. The Department of Social Servicesd. The Plum Agencye. Department of Human Resources
Q:
The Pendleton Act established
a. federal civil service protections to the states.
b. the judicial appointment system.
c. the maximum number of government employees selected by the spoils system.
d. the principle of employment on the basis of open, competitive examinations.
e. a merit system during the Civil War.
Q:
The merit system refers to
a. job appointment based on competitive examinations.
b. a system of checks on Congress intended to prevent discrimination.
c. a process of selecting policies based on their value.
d. a system that was used for hiring bureaucrats under Andrew Jackson.
e. using work experience in lieu of educational qualifications when applying for federal positions.
Q:
Which of the following BEST defines the spoils system?a. Using civil service exams to hire qualified individualsb. The brainchild of President Abraham Lincolnc. Making the impounding of federal spending illegald. The awarding of government jobs to political supporters and friendse. Cutting entire agencies that are considered "spoiled" by corruption
Q:
What percent of federal employees have been fired for incompetence in recent years?
a. Fewer than 0.1%
b. 10%
c. 12%
d. 5%
e. More than 50%
Q:
The average term of service for political appointees is
a. less than one year.
b. less than two years.
c. more than two years but less than a president's full term in office.
d. four years.
e. more than ten years.
Q:
After each presidential election, all of the jobs that usually go to the politically well-connected are listed in what is informally known as thea. Most Wanted List.b. Beige Book.c. Congressional Quarterly.d. Federal Register.e. Plum Book.
Q:
The two categories of bureaucrats are _____ and _____ .
a. partisan appointees; nonpartisan appointees.
b. congressional appointees; presidential appointees.
c. civil servants; private employees.
d. political appointees; patronage employees.
e. political appointees; civil servants.
Q:
One type of government corporation is the ______, a business created by the federal government itself, which then sells part or all of the corporation's stock to private investors.a. collaborative companyb. temporary agencyc. federal takeoverd. government-sponsored enterprisee. public-private partnership
Q:
Which of the following is the largest and most famous government corporation?a. Amtrakb. The Department of Homeland Securityc. The U.S. Postal Serviced. The Reconstruction Finance Corporatione. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Q:
Which of the following statements is true regarding government corporations?
a. Profits from government corporations are distributed as dividends.
b. Government corporations must pay taxes on profits.
c. Government corporations do not employee many people.
d. You can buy shares of stock in both a private corporation and a government corporation.
e. Government corporations do not have any stockholders.
Q:
Significant deregulation was initiated during the presidency of
a. John F. Kennedy.
b. Richard Nixon.
c. Jimmy Carter.
d. George H.W. Bush.
e. Barack Obama.
Q:
Agency capture is whena. an agency takes over an industry.b. the industry that is being regulated gains control over the agency that is supposed to regulate it.c. the agency completely ignores an industry that it is supposed to regulate.d. the agency abolishes a private corporation and merges it with itself.e. pork-barrel spending occurs.
Q:
Heads of regulatory agencies and members of agency boards or commissions are
a. hired through a merit-based open hiring system.
b. appointed by the House of Representatives.
c. appointed by the Senate.
d. appointed by the president.
e. legally required to be all from the same political party.
Q:
Regulatory agencies and commissions perform
a. only executive functions.
b. only legislative functions.
c. only judicial functions.
d. some functions of all branches of governmentlegislative, executive, and judicial.
e. private corporate functions.
Q:
Which of the following independent regulatory agencies was the first one created by Congress?a. The National Wildlife Service.b. The Federal Reserve.c. The Department of Health and Human Services.d. The Office of Management and Budget.e. The Interstate Commerce Commission.
Q:
Because Congress felt it was unable to handle the complexities and technicalities required to carry out specific laws in the public interest, it created
a. cabinet departments.
b. independent executive agencies.
c. independent regulatory agencies.
d. government corporations.
e. private associations.
Q:
Typically, an independent regulatory agency is responsible for
a. monitoring the actions of the cabinet department heads.
b. national defense-related legislation.
c. monitoring the lower courts.
d. a specific type of public policy.
e. monitoring the actions of Congress.
Q:
Independent executive agencies area. private organizations.b. responsible for regulating major aspects of the economy.c. federal agencies that are not part of a cabinet department, but report directly to the president.d. responsible directly to Congress.e. staffed entirely by political appointees.
Q:
In terms of numbers, each cabinet department is served by
a. a handful of individuals, selected directly by the president.
b. dozens of individuals.
c. hundreds of individuals, a few of whom are under Presidential control.
d. thousands of individuals, a few of whom are under Presidential control.
e. hundreds of individuals.
Q:
Labor, Agriculture, and Interior are examples of
a. cabinet departments.
b. government corporations.
c. independent regulatory agencies.
d. independent executive agencies.
e. corporations subject to regulation.
Q:
Which of the following Cabinet departments is not headed by a Secretary of that department?a. Defense.b. State.c. Justice.d. Treasury.e. Interior.
Q:
Which of the following is true regarding the establishment of cabinet departments?
a. The first cabinet department to be created was Treasury and the most recently created was Education.
b. The first cabinet department to be created was State and the most recently created was Homeland Security.
c. The first cabinet department to be created was War and the most recently created was Energy.
d. The first cabinet department to be created was Treasury and the most recently created was Health and Human Services.
e. The first cabinet department to be created was State and the most recently created was Veterans Affairs.
Q:
In terms of management, the cabinet departments are considered
a. line organizations.
b. lacking personnel.
c. the watchdogs for independent agencies.
d. part of the judicial branch.
e. accountable directly to Congress.
Q:
Which of the following is true about the cabinet departments?a. All were described and mandated by the Constitution.b. All are privatized bureaucracies.c. All are directly accountable to the president.d. All consist of agencies that set up rules for Congress in passing laws.e. The official cabinet departments cannot ever number more than ten, according to the Constitution.
Q:
Which part of the federal government employs most of the government's staff?
a. The judiciary
b. The legislative branch
c. The federal courts
d. The executive branch
e. The Internal Revenue Service
Q:
Which of the following is NOT one of the four major types of structures within the executive branch?
a. Independent regulatory agencies
b. Cabinet departments
c. Privatized bureaucracies
d. Government corporations
e. Independent executive agencies
Q:
Government spending in 2007 increased mostly due to legislation designed to addressa. infrastructure spending.b. education spending cuts.c. foreign aid.d. the "Great Recession."e. the stock market crash of 1929.
Q:
Since 1952, government employment has
a. grown mostly at the state and local levels.
b. grown at the state level but decreased at the local level.
c. grown at the local level but decreased at the state level.
d. decreased at every level.
e. decreased at the state and local levels but increased at the federal level.
Q:
Excluding military members, the number of federal government employees has
a. increased significantly in the last several decades.
b. remained relatively stable for the last several decades.
c. decreased substantially in the last few decades..
d. grown to exceed the number of local government employees.
e. grown to exceed the number of state government employees.
Q:
How many employees are there in the federal bureaucracy, excluding members of the armed forces?a. 200,000b. 500,000c. 1 milliond. 2.7 millione. 14 million
Q:
The original government bureaucracy included the Attorney General's Office and the departments of
a. Security, Treasury, and the Interior.
b. State, War, and Energy.
c. State, War, and Treasury.
d. Treasury and Transportation.
e. Defense and Education.
Q:
In 1789, the government's bureaucracy was
a. nonexistent.
b. miniscule.
c. about half the size it is today.
d. organized around five departments.
e. funded privately by wealthy politicians.
Q:
Which of the following statements best describe how much the President has changed the structure and function of the bureaucracy?a. Presidents have been somewhat able to do this.b. Presidents have been very reluctant to change anything, much less the bureaucracy.c. Presidents have not tried to do so.d. Presidents have changed the structure and function of the bureaucracy significantly.e. Presidents have not changed the structure and function of the bureaucracy.
Q:
One of the important differences between public bureaucracies and private corporations is that government bureaucracies
a. are not organized to make a profit, whereas private corporations are.
b. have a single set of leaders, whereas private corporations do not.
c. are much larger than private corporations.
d. are not intended to serve the citizenry as private corporations are.
e. present an opportunity for career advancement, whereas private corporations do not.
Q:
In contrast to government bureaucracies, private corporations
a. are subject to the dictates of Congress for their funding.
b. have a single set of leaders.
c. require a division of labor to handle complex problems, while governments do not.
d. are supposed to perform their functions efficiently to conserve taxpayer dollars.
e. cannot be considered bureaucratic organizations.
Q:
The units of organization inside a bureaucracy are divideda. by Congressional committee jurisdiction.b. by Congressional mandate.c. according to the desires of the President.d. according to the specialization and expertise of the employees.e. along the pay grade of the employees.
Q:
Bureaucracy is the name given to
a. a large organization, structured hierarchically, that carries out specific functions.
b. any organization that has major problems when attempting to accomplish its goals.
c. a group of people who work to enforce policies in a way that prevents quick results.
d. any large branch of a government that has power to interpret laws.
e. government organizations, but not to corporate or university organizations.
Q:
Polls consistently report that the majority of Americans support
a. "big government."
b. "less government."
c. removing protections for endangered species.
d. defunding Medicare.
e. eliminating most social programs.
Q:
Describe the process, per the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, in the event of a President being unable to discharge the duties of his office.
Q:
Compare the two impeachment occurrences in U.S. history with the near-impeachment of President Nixon. Should any of the three Presidents involved have been impeached and convicted? Why or why not?
Q:
Does the way Presidents use their cabinets indicate that the cabinet has more power than the President, or vice versa? Explain your answer.
Q:
Explain the concept of executive privilege and how it has been used by the presidents.
Q:
Analyze the president's functions as party chief and superpolitician.
Q:
Examine the president's role as chief legislator, and outline the impact of the other two branches of government on this role.
Q:
How have presidents exercised their role as commander in chief? How did Congress attempt to limit this power in the War Powers Resolution?
Q:
Examine the president's role as chief diplomat.
Q:
Explain the president's role as head of state.
Q:
What are the constitutional requirements to run for the presidency? Should more be added? Explain.
Q:
After the Speaker of the House, the next person in the line of succession to the presidency is the
a. Senate president pro tempore.
b. Secretary of State.
c. Chief of Staff.
d. Attorney General.
e. Secretary of Homeland Security.
Q:
According to the Twentyfifth Amendment, if a president's ability to discharge his normal functions is in question and he is unable to communicate,
a. the Supreme Court is empowered to select a physician to certify whether or not the president is able to perform the functions of his office.
b. the Speaker of the House becomes acting president until the matter is resolved.
c. a majority of the cabinet, including the vice president, can declare the president incapable.
d. the president must be permanently removed from office.
e. the vice president has the exclusive power to determine the president's capability.
Q:
The National Security Council is a link betweena. Congress and the president.b. leaders of foreign governments and the president.c. the Securities and Exchange Commission and the president.d. the president's key foreign and military advisers and the president.e. state governments and the president.
Q:
The Office of Management and Budget is charged with
a. helping Congress write the budget.
b. helping the president prepare the annual budget.
c. revising the budget passed by Congress.
d. reducing the scope of the federal budget.
e. replacing the House Appropriations Committee.
Q:
The personal office of the president isa. the Office of Economic Advisers.b. the cabinet.c. the Executive Office of the President.d. the White House Office.e. the Domestic Policy Council.
Q:
The organization established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to assist the president in carrying out major duties is calleda. the kitchen cabinet.b. the cabinet.c. the Executive Office of the President.d. the Council of Presidential Advisors.e. the system of checks on executive power.
Q:
All of the following are true of the president's cabinet EXCEPT
a. originally, it consisted of only four officials.
b. they usually have some experience in the area of the cabinet position.
c. they are heads of executive departments.
d. it is thoroughly detailed in the Constitution as to what the cabinet should do.
e. the cabinet is an advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions.
Q:
Informal advisers to the president are referred to as
a. FOP, or friends of the President.
b. the kitchen cabinet.
c. the Executive Counsel.
d. the cabinet.
e. the brain trust.
Q:
Today, the members of the cabineta. are an informal group of presidential advisers.b. are limited to the heads of the fifteen executive departments.c. include fourteen department secretaries and the attorney general, plus other top officials chosen by the president.d. include only the heads of the Departments of State, Justice, Defense, and Treasury, plus the heads of the EPA, CIA, and FBI.e. are a subset of any six executive department heads, chosen by the president.
Q:
_____ and _____ are the only presidents in American history to have been impeached and acquitted.
a. Andrew Johnson; Bill Clinton
b. Richard Nixon; Franklin Roosevelt
c. Andrew Jackson; Herbert Hoover
d. Thomas Jefferson; Martin Van Buren
e. Andrew Jackson; Jimmy Carter
Q:
In the history of the United States, no president has ever
a. been impeached and acquitted.
b. died while in office.
c. been impeached and convicted.
d. resigned from office.
e. been impeached.
Q:
According to the Constitution, impeachmenta. cannot be used against an incumbent president.b. can only be applied to a president who has committed treason.c. can only be used against a president who has committed a violation of criminal law.d. charges are voted on by the House of Representatives and, if approved, go to the Senate for a trial.e. has been used against only one president.
Q:
In United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court ruled that
a. a sitting president cannot be sued in civil court for offenses that occurred before the president took office.
b. executive privilege could not be used to prevent evidence from being heard in criminal proceedings.
c. congressional approval must be granted before presidents make use of executive privilege.
d. the president is immune from criminal prosecution except for impeachable crimes.
e. members of the Secret Service cannot be required to testify against the president.
Q:
Which of the following statements best defines executive privilege?
a. The President can withhold some information from Congress or the courts.
b. Members of the executive branch are free from prosecution.
c. The President employs the pocket veto at will.
d. The president makes political appointments.
e. It stipulates that requests from the President has the force of law.
Q:
An executive order must bea. published in the Federal Register.b. approved by Congress.c. approved by a majority of the cabinet.d. issued only when Congress is not in session.e. avoided in matters concerning foreign policy.
Q:
A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law is a(n)
a. legislative declaration.
b. presidential statute.
c. Congressional override.
d. emergency provision.
e. executive order.
Q:
Which of the following is true about Presidential emergency powers?
a. They are listed in the Twenty-second Amendment.
b. They have never been exercised.
c. They are listed in each amendment of the Bill of Rights.
d. They were first enunciated in the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp.
e. They are not outlined in the Constitution.
Q:
Which of the following best defines statutory power?a. Powers that are given to the President by the Constitutionb. Powers that are given to the Congressc. Power created for the president through laws enacted by Congressd. Temporary powerse. Inherent powers