Question 1

The politics of the IRS is interesting because

Accepted Answer

A)  it is the one government agency that does not have to obey court orders. 
B)  the IRS is the most popular agency in all of government, and this popularity leads almost all Americans to comply with the agency's rules. 
C)  Congress, the president, and the Treasury Department have little to no influence over the taxation decisions made by the IRS. 
D)  influence over tax decisions regarding exemptions is spread broadly throughout the 50 states and is not concentrated in any one area or among any one group. 
E)  contrary to popular perceptions, key tax decisions regarding exemptions are made by Congress, the president, and the Treasury Department rather than by the IRS itself. 
A)  it is the one government agency that does not have to obey court orders. 
B)  the IRS is the most popular agency in all of government, and this popularity leads almost all Americans to comply with the agency's rules. 
C)  Congress, the president, and the Treasury Department have little to no influence over the taxation decisions made by the IRS. 
D)  influence over tax decisions regarding exemptions is spread broadly throughout the 50 states and is not concentrated in any one area or among any one group. 
E)  contrary to popular perceptions, key tax decisions regarding exemptions are made by Congress, the president, and the Treasury Department rather than by the IRS itself.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a task of the Treasury Department?

Accepted Answer

A)  printing currency 
B)  managing the U.S. national debt 
C)  setting interest rates 
D)  administering fiscal policy 
E)  ensuring deposits individuals make at federally qualifying banks 
A)  printing currency 
B)  managing the U.S. national debt 
C)  setting interest rates 
D)  administering fiscal policy 
E)  ensuring deposits individuals make at federally qualifying banks

Question 3

Which of the following statements best characterizes the government's spending on federal contracts in recent years?

Accepted Answer

A)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has remained the same since 2000. 
B)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has decreased steadily since 2000. 
C)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has increased significantly overall since 2000, but for the first time in 13 years, spending on outside contractors declined in 2011. 
D)  The amount spent on federal contracts declined between 2000 and 2005 but has dramatically increased since 2005. 
E)  The amount spent on federal contracts increased between 2000 and 2005 but has dramatically decreased since 2005. 
A)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has remained the same since 2000. 
B)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has decreased steadily since 2000. 
C)  The amount of spending on federal contracts has increased significantly overall since 2000, but for the first time in 13 years, spending on outside contractors declined in 2011. 
D)  The amount spent on federal contracts declined between 2000 and 2005 but has dramatically increased since 2005. 
E)  The amount spent on federal contracts increased between 2000 and 2005 but has dramatically decreased since 2005.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about annual federal outlays is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has remained at essentially the same level every year since 1960. 
B)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has decreased significantly every year since 1960. 
C)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has increased significantly every year since 1960. 
D)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has experienced significant ups and downs over time. 
E)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has only increased once since 1960. 
A)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has remained at essentially the same level every year since 1960. 
B)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has decreased significantly every year since 1960. 
C)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has increased significantly every year since 1960. 
D)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has experienced significant ups and downs over time. 
E)  Federal spending as a percentage of gross domestic product has only increased once since 1960.

Question 5

The Freedom of Information Act is designed to

Accepted Answer

A)  lead to quicker filing of habeas corpus petitions. 
B)  make more national security documents available to the public. 
C)  prevent inefficiency and waste in government management. 
D)  expand the freedom of speech granted to government employees. 
E)  allow the government to acquire any information about a person to aid in a government investigation. 
A)  lead to quicker filing of habeas corpus petitions. 
B)  make more national security documents available to the public. 
C)  prevent inefficiency and waste in government management. 
D)  expand the freedom of speech granted to government employees. 
E)  allow the government to acquire any information about a person to aid in a government investigation.

Question 6

Which of the following was a way in which President Obama attempted to uphold his campaign promise to reduce government secrecy?

Accepted Answer

A)  making sure that every bill that was passed by Congress during his first term was put up on the White House website to be viewed by the public for at least five days before holding a vote 
B)  invoking the state secrets privilege to prevent lawsuits related to warrantless wiretapping and torture from going to trial 
C)  issuing an executive order designed to promote more rapid declassification of secret documents 
D)  repealing the USA PATRIOT Act 
E)  releasing a report by the Health and Human Services Department that indicated the health care reform law would actually increase the cost of health care and impose higher costs on consumers, even though this would make it harder for Congress to pass the bill 
A)  making sure that every bill that was passed by Congress during his first term was put up on the White House website to be viewed by the public for at least five days before holding a vote 
B)  invoking the state secrets privilege to prevent lawsuits related to warrantless wiretapping and torture from going to trial 
C)  issuing an executive order designed to promote more rapid declassification of secret documents 
D)  repealing the USA PATRIOT Act 
E)  releasing a report by the Health and Human Services Department that indicated the health care reform law would actually increase the cost of health care and impose higher costs on consumers, even though this would make it harder for Congress to pass the bill

Question 7

What was the mission of the National Performance Review?

Accepted Answer

A)  to reorganize the federal bureaucracy to make it more efficient, more accountable, and less wasteful 
B)  to review each administrative agency every four years to determine whether it is necessary 
C)  to analyze the job performance of federal employees 
D)  to make recommendations to Congress on government reforms 
E)  to review whether the government is spending more money than it brings in by way of revenue 
A)  to reorganize the federal bureaucracy to make it more efficient, more accountable, and less wasteful 
B)  to review each administrative agency every four years to determine whether it is necessary 
C)  to analyze the job performance of federal employees 
D)  to make recommendations to Congress on government reforms 
E)  to review whether the government is spending more money than it brings in by way of revenue

Question 8

Bureaucracies have often been criticized for being inefficient. What are some of the management techniques that have been used to make bureaucracies more efficient and responsive to needs? Why have many of these reforms had limited success?

Accepted Answer

Some of the management techniques that h

Question 9

Describe some ways in which the federal bureaucracy can be rendered more democratically accountable. Discuss the challenge of bureaucratic accountability. What is oversight? What are some possible ways in which the president can gain more control of the bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

There are several ways in which the fede

The politics of the IRS is interesting because

Which of the following is NOT a task of the Treasury Department?

Which of the following statements best characterizes the government's spending on federal contracts in recent years?

Which of the following statements about annual federal outlays is most accurate?

The Freedom of Information Act is designed to

Which of the following was a way in which President Obama attempted to uphold his campaign promise to reduce government secrecy?

What was the mission of the National Performance Review?

Bureaucracies have often been criticized for being inefficient. What are some of the management techniques that have been used to make bureaucracies more efficient and responsive to needs? Why have many of these reforms had limited success?

Describe some ways in which the federal bureaucracy can be rendered more democratically accountable. Discuss the challenge of bureaucratic accountability. What is oversight? What are some possible ways in which the president can gain more control of the bureaucracy?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters

Exam 14: Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The politics of the IRS is interesting because

Which of the following is NOT a task of the Treasury Department?

Which of the following statements best characterizes the government's spending on federal contracts in recent years?

Which of the following statements about annual federal outlays is most accurate?

The Freedom of Information Act is designed to

Which of the following was a way in which President Obama attempted to uphold his campaign promise to reduce government secrecy?

What was the mission of the National Performance Review?

Bureaucracies have often been criticized for being inefficient. What are some of the management techniques that have been used to make bureaucracies more efficient and responsive to needs? Why have many of these reforms had limited success?

Describe some ways in which the federal bureaucracy can be rendered more democratically accountable. Discuss the challenge of bureaucratic accountability. What is oversight? What are some possible ways in which the president can gain more control of the bureaucracy?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Participation and Voting

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

The Federal Courts

Government and the Economy

Social Policy

Foreign Policy and Democracy

Filters