Question 1

You work for an agency within the federal bureaucracy. What major responsibility of your agency is essentially an extension of how the president executes laws?

Accepted Answer

A)  Enforcing the ordinances 
B)  Enforcing the rules and regulations 
C)  Enforcing Supreme Court decisions 
D)  Enforcing executive orders 
E)  Enforcing political agendas 
A)  Enforcing the ordinances 
B)  Enforcing the rules and regulations 
C)  Enforcing Supreme Court decisions 
D)  Enforcing executive orders 
E)  Enforcing political agendas

Question 2

Describe attempts to make the federal bureaucracy more open, efficient, and responsive to the needs of U.S. citizens.

Accepted Answer

There have been several attempts to make

Question 3

Following a lawsuit, a large corporation recently agreed to implement the merit system. What did it agree to do?

Accepted Answer

A)  Base the selection, retention, and promotion of employees on examinations or performance 
B)  Implement a system of checks intended to prevent discrimination 
C)  Embrace a culture of complete transparency 
D)  Follow the system for hiring bureaucrats that was used by Andrew Jackson 
E)  Consider work experience in lieu of educational qualifications when filling positions 
A)  Base the selection, retention, and promotion of employees on examinations or performance 
B)  Implement a system of checks intended to prevent discrimination 
C)  Embrace a culture of complete transparency 
D)  Follow the system for hiring bureaucrats that was used by Andrew Jackson 
E)  Consider work experience in lieu of educational qualifications when filling positions

Question 4

Explain the concept of bureaucracy and why bureaucracies are necessary.

Accepted Answer

Bureaucracy is a system of organization

Question 5

What do the secretaries who head the departments in the executive branch also make up?

Accepted Answer

A)  The majority whip 
B)  The president's cabinet 
C)  The standing committee 
D)  The Supreme Court 
E)  The stand-alone independent agencies 
A)  The majority whip 
B)  The president's cabinet 
C)  The standing committee 
D)  The Supreme Court 
E)  The stand-alone independent agencies

Question 6

What is the basis for hiring decisions made under the civil service system?

Accepted Answer

A)  Patriotism 
B)  Political beliefs 
C)  Merit 
D)  Need 
E)  Patronage 
A)  Patriotism 
B)  Political beliefs 
C)  Merit 
D)  Need 
E)  Patronage

Question 7

Which of the following did the Government in the Sunshine Act require?

Accepted Answer

A)  That all federal agencies run by committees conduct their business regularly in public session 
B)  That all federal agencies terminate after five years unless Congress grants the agency an extension 
C)  That all federal agencies hold at least half of their public meetings outside Washington, D.C. 
D)  That at least 40% of upper-level positions within an agency be filled by females or ethnic minorities 
E)  That all federal agency meetings on personnel problems or court proceedings be held in public session 
A)  That all federal agencies run by committees conduct their business regularly in public session 
B)  That all federal agencies terminate after five years unless Congress grants the agency an extension 
C)  That all federal agencies hold at least half of their public meetings outside Washington, D.C. 
D)  That at least 40% of upper-level positions within an agency be filled by females or ethnic minorities 
E)  That all federal agency meetings on personnel problems or court proceedings be held in public session

Question 8

Provide a detailed discussion of how the Pendleton Act changed the nature of civil service employees.

Accepted Answer

The Pendleton Act, also known as the Civ

Question 9

Explain the costs and benefits of the privatization of federal services.

Accepted Answer

The privatization of federal services ca

Question 10

What is one important reason for the growth of the federal bureaucracy over time?

Accepted Answer

A)  The declining power of political parties 
B)  The expansion of U.S. lands and economy 
C)  The dawning of industrialization in Europe 
D)  The emergence of the civil rights movement 
E)  The growth of space exploration 
A)  The declining power of political parties 
B)  The expansion of U.S. lands and economy 
C)  The dawning of industrialization in Europe 
D)  The emergence of the civil rights movement 
E)  The growth of space exploration

Question 11

When the government sets limits on ingredients found in prescription medications or on factory emissions, this would be an example of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  A referendum 
B)  Deregulation 
C)  Gerrymandering 
D)  Regulation 
E)  An initiative 
A)  A referendum 
B)  Deregulation 
C)  Gerrymandering 
D)  Regulation 
E)  An initiative

Question 12

Review why expertise is fundamental to the core of the federal bureaucracy.

Accepted Answer

Expertise is fundamental to the core of

Question 13

The Civil Service is designed to protect employees from which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Taxes 
B)  Job loss 
C)  Partisanship 
D)  Government oversight 
E)  Unemployment 
A)  Taxes 
B)  Job loss 
C)  Partisanship 
D)  Government oversight 
E)  Unemployment

Question 14

Members of Congress disagree with the operations of a particular department within the federal bureaucracy and want to force changes. What means do they have to exercise some control over that department?

Accepted Answer

A)  Authority to select high-level bureaucrats 
B)  Authority to extend or limit appropriations 
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 
A)  Authority to select high-level bureaucrats 
B)  Authority to extend or limit appropriations 
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

Question 15

What did the Pendleton Act do?

Accepted Answer

A)  Extend federal civil service protections to the states 
B)  Reorganize the federal government and exempt a substantial number of government employees from civil service protections 
C)  Increase the number of government employees selected by the spoils system 
D)  Establish the principle of employment on the basis of open competitive examinations 
E)  Establish a merit system during the Civil War 
A)  Extend federal civil service protections to the states 
B)  Reorganize the federal government and exempt a substantial number of government employees from civil service protections 
C)  Increase the number of government employees selected by the spoils system 
D)  Establish the principle of employment on the basis of open competitive examinations 
E)  Establish a merit system during the Civil War

Question 16

In what way can hierarchical decision making be a disadvantage?

Accepted Answer

A)  The step-by-step review hinders the implementation of laws. 
B)  The process does not allow sufficient time for review. 
C)  Everyone can agree on a decision without it being consistent with the mission. 
D)  There are no assurances that policies will be administered equally across citizens. 
E)  Not everyone in the hierarchy has the expertise needed to contribute to the decision-making process. 
A)  The step-by-step review hinders the implementation of laws. 
B)  The process does not allow sufficient time for review. 
C)  Everyone can agree on a decision without it being consistent with the mission. 
D)  There are no assurances that policies will be administered equally across citizens. 
E)  Not everyone in the hierarchy has the expertise needed to contribute to the decision-making process.

Question 17

Discuss the history of attempts to reform the process of how individuals get positions in the federal bureaucracy.

Accepted Answer

The history of attempts to reform the pr

Question 18

Explain both sides of the issue of the privatization of government. Provide examples of ways privatization might make government more efficient and some of the unintended consequences of privatization.

Accepted Answer

Privatization of government services is

Question 19

In 1976, Congress enacted what legislation to increase transparency by requiring that government agencies hold open forums to allow the public to comment on their decisions, regulations, and performance?

Accepted Answer

A)  Freedom of Information Act 
B)  Government in the Sunshine Act 
C)  Hatch Act 
D)  Pendleton Act 
E)  Public Disclosure Act 
A)  Freedom of Information Act 
B)  Government in the Sunshine Act 
C)  Hatch Act 
D)  Pendleton Act 
E)  Public Disclosure Act

Question 20

Explain why presidents find the bureaucracy is not always as responsive as they might like.

Accepted Answer

Presidents often find the bureaucracy to

You work for an agency within the federal bureaucracy. What major responsibility of your agency is essentially an extension of how the president executes laws?

Describe attempts to make the federal bureaucracy more open, efficient, and responsive to the needs of U.S. citizens.

Following a lawsuit, a large corporation recently agreed to implement the merit system. What did it agree to do?

Explain the concept of bureaucracy and why bureaucracies are necessary.

What do the secretaries who head the departments in the executive branch also make up?

What is the basis for hiring decisions made under the civil service system?

Which of the following did the Government in the Sunshine Act require?

Provide a detailed discussion of how the Pendleton Act changed the nature of civil service employees.

Explain the costs and benefits of the privatization of federal services.

What is one important reason for the growth of the federal bureaucracy over time?

When the government sets limits on ingredients found in prescription medications or on factory emissions, this would be an example of which of the following?

Review why expertise is fundamental to the core of the federal bureaucracy.

The Civil Service is designed to protect employees from which of the following?

Members of Congress disagree with the operations of a particular department within the federal bureaucracy and want to force changes. What means do they have to exercise some control over that department?

What did the Pendleton Act do?

In what way can hierarchical decision making be a disadvantage?

Discuss the history of attempts to reform the process of how individuals get positions in the federal bureaucracy.

Explain both sides of the issue of the privatization of government. Provide examples of ways privatization might make government more efficient and some of the unintended consequences of privatization.

In 1976, Congress enacted what legislation to increase transparency by requiring that government agencies hold open forums to allow the public to comment on their decisions, regulations, and performance?

Explain why presidents find the bureaucracy is not always as responsive as they might like.

Gateways to American Democracy

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The News and Social Media

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Elections and Campaigns

Voting and Participation

Congress

The Presidency

The Judiciary

Economic, Domestic, and Foreign Policy

Filters

Exam 14: The Bureaucracy

You work for an agency within the federal bureaucracy. What major responsibility of your agency is essentially an extension of how the president executes laws?

Describe attempts to make the federal bureaucracy more open, efficient, and responsive to the needs of U.S. citizens.

Following a lawsuit, a large corporation recently agreed to implement the merit system. What did it agree to do?

Explain the concept of bureaucracy and why bureaucracies are necessary.

What do the secretaries who head the departments in the executive branch also make up?

What is the basis for hiring decisions made under the civil service system?

Which of the following did the Government in the Sunshine Act require?

Provide a detailed discussion of how the Pendleton Act changed the nature of civil service employees.

Explain the costs and benefits of the privatization of federal services.

What is one important reason for the growth of the federal bureaucracy over time?

When the government sets limits on ingredients found in prescription medications or on factory emissions, this would be an example of which of the following?

Review why expertise is fundamental to the core of the federal bureaucracy.

The Civil Service is designed to protect employees from which of the following?

Members of Congress disagree with the operations of a particular department within the federal bureaucracy and want to force changes. What means do they have to exercise some control over that department?

What did the Pendleton Act do?

In what way can hierarchical decision making be a disadvantage?

Discuss the history of attempts to reform the process of how individuals get positions in the federal bureaucracy.

Explain both sides of the issue of the privatization of government. Provide examples of ways privatization might make government more efficient and some of the unintended consequences of privatization.

In 1976, Congress enacted what legislation to increase transparency by requiring that government agencies hold open forums to allow the public to comment on their decisions, regulations, and performance?

Explain why presidents find the bureaucracy is not always as responsive as they might like.

Gateways to American Democracy

The Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The News and Social Media

Interest Groups

Political Parties

Elections and Campaigns

Voting and Participation

Congress

The Presidency

The Judiciary

Economic, Domestic, and Foreign Policy

Filters