Question 1

The civil service is defined as federal employees who work for government through a competitive, NOT political, selection.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The Department of Homeland Security was created by combining elements of 22 separate agencies; it is an umbrella department.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program is called

Accepted Answer

A) central clearance. 
B) uncontrollable spending. 
C) entitlement program. 
D) police patrol oversight. 
E) fire alarm oversight. 
A) central clearance. 
B) uncontrollable spending. 
C) entitlement program. 
D) police patrol oversight. 
E) fire alarm oversight.

Question 5

Except for individuals who are extraordinarily close to the president, senior presidential appointees are selected through a four-step process which includes all of the below EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) selection by the White House Presidential Personnel Office. 
B) the White House clearance process. 
C) delivery of the nominee's name to the Senate Clerk. 
D) House of Representatives confirmation. 
E) Senate confirmation. 
A) selection by the White House Presidential Personnel Office. 
B) the White House clearance process. 
C) delivery of the nominee's name to the Senate Clerk. 
D) House of Representatives confirmation. 
E) Senate confirmation.

Question 6

The assassination of President ____________ in 1881 led to a major reform of the federal hiring system.

Accepted Answer

A) Clinton 
B) Hayes 
C) Harding 
D) Arthur 
E) Garfield 
A) Clinton 
B) Hayes 
C) Harding 
D) Arthur 
E) Garfield

Question 7

Independent regulatory commissions have all of these special characteristics EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) they do not report directly to the president. 
B) they perform legislative functions. 
C) their members are political appointees whose terms coincide with the president's. 
D) they have judicial functions. 
E) their commissioners must be confirmed by the Senate. 
A) they do not report directly to the president. 
B) they perform legislative functions. 
C) their members are political appointees whose terms coincide with the president's. 
D) they have judicial functions. 
E) their commissioners must be confirmed by the Senate.

Question 8

A career government employee is known as an insider.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

The Federal Administration is responsible for which of the following tasks?

Accepted Answer

A) To balance the budget 
B) To make the country safe from terrorists 
C) To faithfully execute all the laws 
D) To veto bills 
E) None of the above 
A) To balance the budget 
B) To make the country safe from terrorists 
C) To faithfully execute all the laws 
D) To veto bills 
E) None of the above

Question 10

The Office of Management and Budget plays a key role in the oversight process.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

The textbook offers a definition of bureaucrat that defines one as a career government employee.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

The Merit Systems Protection Board is

Accepted Answer

A) federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political selection. 
B) a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends. 
C) a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage. 
D) an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
E) an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system. 
A) federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political selection. 
B) a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends. 
C) a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage. 
D) an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
E) an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 13

The spoils system is defined as

Accepted Answer

A) a group of federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political, selection. 
B) a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends. 
C) a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage. 
D) an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
E) an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system. 
A) a group of federal employees who work for government through a competitive, not political, selection. 
B) a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends. 
C) a system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage. 
D) an agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
E) an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Question 14

The bureaucracy is structured so employees follow orders or are fired.This is called

Accepted Answer

A) specialization. 
B) centralization. 
C) standardization. 
D) expertise. 
E) accountability. 
A) specialization. 
B) centralization. 
C) standardization. 
D) expertise. 
E) accountability.

Question 15

Government organizations are classified into four broad categories.Which of the following is NOT one of the four categories?

Accepted Answer

A) Departments 
B) Independent agencies 
C) Bureaus 
D) Independent regulatory commissions 
E) Government corporations 
A) Departments 
B) Independent agencies 
C) Bureaus 
D) Independent regulatory commissions 
E) Government corporations

Question 16

What did the framers expect regarding the bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

A) Congress would manage the federal departments and agencies. 
B) Federal departments and agencies would be relatively small. 
C) President Washington would assign the executive duties to the vice president. 
D) Congress would appoint the cabinet and they would administer the government. 
E) Bureaucracy would be left to the states except for the national army. 
A) Congress would manage the federal departments and agencies. 
B) Federal departments and agencies would be relatively small. 
C) President Washington would assign the executive duties to the vice president. 
D) Congress would appoint the cabinet and they would administer the government. 
E) Bureaucracy would be left to the states except for the national army.

Question 17

Oversight in which the executive and legislative branches of the federal government watch the bureaucracy through a routine pattern of reading key reports and monitoring budgets is

Accepted Answer

A) central clearance. 
B) uncontrollable spending. 
C) entitlement program. 
D) police patrol oversight. 
E) fire alarm oversight. 
A) central clearance. 
B) uncontrollable spending. 
C) entitlement program. 
D) police patrol oversight. 
E) fire alarm oversight.

Question 18

Independent regulatory commissions are less responsive to political pressure from either Congress or the president because

Accepted Answer

A) the judiciary controls them. 
B) commissioners cannot be removed from office without cause before their term expires. 
C) three-fourths vote is required in both houses. 
D) commissioners are appointed for life. 
E) they do not rely upon congress for funding. 
A) the judiciary controls them. 
B) commissioners cannot be removed from office without cause before their term expires. 
C) three-fourths vote is required in both houses. 
D) commissioners are appointed for life. 
E) they do not rely upon congress for funding.

Question 19

About 2.9 million people work for the federal government

Accepted Answer

A) in the armed forces. 
B) in the civil service. 
C) under contracts to private firms. 
D) under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments. 
E) in the postal service. 
A) in the armed forces. 
B) in the civil service. 
C) under contracts to private firms. 
D) under federal grants to colleges, universities, and state and local governments. 
E) in the postal service.

Question 20

Congress created the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989 under pressure from veterans' groups; it is a single-purpose department.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 13: The Federal Bureaucracy

The civil service is defined as federal employees who work for government through a competitive, NOT political, selection.

The Department of Homeland Security was created by combining elements of 22 separate agencies; it is an umbrella department.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is an independent agency that oversees and protects merit in the federal government personnel system.

Review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the Office of Management and Budget to ensure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program is called

Except for individuals who are extraordinarily close to the president, senior presidential appointees are selected through a four-step process which includes all of the below EXCEPT

The assassination of President ____________ in 1881 led to a major reform of the federal hiring system.

Independent regulatory commissions have all of these special characteristics EXCEPT

A career government employee is known as an insider.

The Federal Administration is responsible for which of the following tasks?

The Office of Management and Budget plays a key role in the oversight process.

The textbook offers a definition of bureaucrat that defines one as a career government employee.

The Merit Systems Protection Board is

The spoils system is defined as

The bureaucracy is structured so employees follow orders or are fired.This is called

Government organizations are classified into four broad categories.Which of the following is NOT one of the four categories?

What did the framers expect regarding the bureaucracy?

Oversight in which the executive and legislative branches of the federal government watch the bureaucracy through a routine pattern of reading key reports and monitoring budgets is

Independent regulatory commissions are less responsive to political pressure from either Congress or the president because

About 2.9 million people work for the federal government

Congress created the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989 under pressure from veterans' groups; it is a single-purpose department.

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