Question 1

The attempt of bureaucracies to translate laws into specific rules and actions is called

Accepted Answer

A)  adjudication. 
B)  regulation. 
C)  deregulation. 
D)  implementation. 
E)  rule making. 
A)  adjudication. 
B)  regulation. 
C)  deregulation. 
D)  implementation. 
E)  rule making. D

Question 2

When the federal government passes authority to administer a program down to state or local governments, it is called

Accepted Answer

A)  deregulation. 
B)  devolution. 
C)  termination. 
D)  privatization. 
E)  implementation. 
A)  deregulation. 
B)  devolution. 
C)  termination. 
D)  privatization. 
E)  implementation. B

Question 3

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 have been used to make bureaucracies more efficient and responsive to needs include streamlining processes, implementing performance-based evaluations, decentralizing decision-making, and promoting a customer-centric approach. These techniques aim to reduce red tape, improve accountability, and enhance the overall effectiveness of bureaucratic organizations.

However, many of these reforms have had limited success due to various reasons. One common challenge is resistance to change from within the bureaucracy itself. Employees may be hesitant to adopt new practices or may lack the necessary skills to implement them effectively. Additionally, political interference and conflicting priorities can hinder the successful implementation of management techniques. Furthermore, the sheer size and complexity of bureaucracies can make it difficult to enact widespread and lasting change.

In some cases, the focus on efficiency may also lead to unintended consequences, such as a loss of flexibility or a decrease in employee morale. It is important for management techniques to strike a balance between efficiency and responsiveness to ensure that the needs of both the organization and its stakeholders are met.

Overall, while management techniques can certainly help improve the efficiency and responsiveness of bureaucracies, their success is often contingent on a variety of internal and external factors that can be difficult to overcome.

Question 4

Cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries are chosen through the merit system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Bureaucracies must be rendered accountable by the president and Congress.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Before the Civil Service Act of 1883, how were government appointments handled?

Accepted Answer

A)  Appointments were made on the basis of merit. 
B)  Appointments were made on the basis of seniority. 
C)  Appointments were made to political supporters as part of a spoils system. 
D)  The Civil Service Act of 1883 created the first federal bureaucracy. 
E)  The president or his staff appointed all civil servants. 
A)  Appointments were made on the basis of merit. 
B)  Appointments were made on the basis of seniority. 
C)  Appointments were made to political supporters as part of a spoils system. 
D)  The Civil Service Act of 1883 created the first federal bureaucracy. 
E)  The president or his staff appointed all civil servants.

Question 7

The greatest number of federal government professionals working abroad are under the authority of the Department of

Accepted Answer

A)  State. 
B)  Defense. 
C)  Homeland Security. 
D)  Commerce. 
E)  the Exterior. 
A)  State. 
B)  Defense. 
C)  Homeland Security. 
D)  Commerce. 
E)  the Exterior.

Question 8

Which of the following is an independent agency?

Accepted Answer

A)  United States Postal Service 
B)  Department of Agriculture 
C)  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 
D)  Environmental Protection Agency (EP
A)  
E)  Forest Service 
A)  United States Postal Service 
B)  Department of Agriculture 
C)  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 
D)  Environmental Protection Agency (EP
A)  
E)  Forest Service

Question 9

Printing U.S. currency is the responsibility of the Department of the Interior.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Which of the following is not a key strategy used to promote bureaucratic reform?

Accepted Answer

A)  reinventing government 
B)  termination 
C)  devolution 
D)  regulation 
E)  privatization 
A)  reinventing government 
B)  termination 
C)  devolution 
D)  regulation 
E)  privatization

Question 11

The first regulatory agency was the ______, created by Congress in ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  U.S. Post Office; 1791 
B)  Interstate Commerce Commission; 1887 
C)  Federal Communications Commission; 1934 
D)  Environmental Protection Agency; 1970 
E)  Federal Trade Commission; 1914 
A)  U.S. Post Office; 1791 
B)  Interstate Commerce Commission; 1887 
C)  Federal Communications Commission; 1934 
D)  Environmental Protection Agency; 1970 
E)  Federal Trade Commission; 1914

Question 12

Congress was attempting to strike a balance between the need for secrecy in national security and the right of individuals to know what their government is doing when it passed the ______ Act.

Accepted Answer

A)  Sedition 
B)  Morill 
C)  Freedom of Information 
D)  Secrecy in Government 
E)  USA PATRIOT 
A)  Sedition 
B)  Morill 
C)  Freedom of Information 
D)  Secrecy in Government 
E)  USA PATRIOT

Question 13

The most visible indication of oversight is the

Accepted Answer

A)  use of a unanimous Supreme Court opinion by the lower federal courts to generate public support for a particular policy. 
B)  use of the nullification power by the states to declare an act of the federal government unconstitutional. 
C)  use of public hearings before congressional committees and subcommittees. 
D)  budget deficit. 
E)  using the Congressional Budget Office to report on how much particular legislation is going to cost the American taxpayer. 
A)  use of a unanimous Supreme Court opinion by the lower federal courts to generate public support for a particular policy. 
B)  use of the nullification power by the states to declare an act of the federal government unconstitutional. 
C)  use of public hearings before congressional committees and subcommittees. 
D)  budget deficit. 
E)  using the Congressional Budget Office to report on how much particular legislation is going to cost the American taxpayer.

Question 14

Public bureaucracies are powerful because

Accepted Answer

A)  they are not subject to control by the president or Congress. 
B)  their actions cannot be overturned or challenged by courts. 
C)  they have the power of both "the purse" and "the sword." 
D)  legislatures, chief executives, and the people delegate vast power to them to make sure a particular job is done. 
E)  every one of their employees is appointed for life. 
A)  they are not subject to control by the president or Congress. 
B)  their actions cannot be overturned or challenged by courts. 
C)  they have the power of both "the purse" and "the sword." 
D)  legislatures, chief executives, and the people delegate vast power to them to make sure a particular job is done. 
E)  every one of their employees is appointed for life.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

The federal bureaucracy can be rendered

Question 16

Which of the following is not part of the Justice Department?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Civil Rights division 
B)  the Antitrust division 
C)  the Internal Revenue Service 
D)  Criminal division 
E)  Tax division 
A)  the Civil Rights division 
B)  the Antitrust division 
C)  the Internal Revenue Service 
D)  Criminal division 
E)  Tax division

Question 17

The concept of oversight refers to the effort made by

Accepted Answer

A)  Congress to make executive agencies accountable for their actions. 
B)  the president to make Congress accountable for its actions. 
C)  the courts to make the legislative and executive branches responsible for their actions. 
D)  the states to make the federal government responsible for its actions. 
E)  the people to make federal government responsible for its actions. 
A)  Congress to make executive agencies accountable for their actions. 
B)  the president to make Congress accountable for its actions. 
C)  the courts to make the legislative and executive branches responsible for their actions. 
D)  the states to make the federal government responsible for its actions. 
E)  the people to make federal government responsible for its actions.

Question 18

Making permanent cuts in existing agencies is often difficult because

Accepted Answer

A)  most agencies have a supportive constituency that will fight to reinstate any cuts that are made. 
B)  the Constitution prevents cuts to federal agencies lasting longer than five years. 
C)  every permanent cut to a federal agency must be reviewed by the Supreme Court before it can be put into effect. 
D)  federal law requires that the government cut every agency equally. 
E)  the vast majority of agencies have been given permanent "budgetary immunity" from the president that protects them from cuts. 
A)  most agencies have a supportive constituency that will fight to reinstate any cuts that are made. 
B)  the Constitution prevents cuts to federal agencies lasting longer than five years. 
C)  every permanent cut to a federal agency must be reviewed by the Supreme Court before it can be put into effect. 
D)  federal law requires that the government cut every agency equally. 
E)  the vast majority of agencies have been given permanent "budgetary immunity" from the president that protects them from cuts.

Question 19

The USA PATRIOT Act

Accepted Answer

A)  stated Congress's approval of the invasion of Afghanistan. 
B)  allows the attorney general to detain any foreigner suspected of posing a threat to internal security. 
C)  grants authority over immigration cases to the Defense Department. 
D)  gave the Justice Department jurisdiction over all prisoners taken in Afghanistan. 
E)  restricted the government's ability to use wiretaps and issue search warrants. 
A)  stated Congress's approval of the invasion of Afghanistan. 
B)  allows the attorney general to detain any foreigner suspected of posing a threat to internal security. 
C)  grants authority over immigration cases to the Defense Department. 
D)  gave the Justice Department jurisdiction over all prisoners taken in Afghanistan. 
E)  restricted the government's ability to use wiretaps and issue search warrants.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a type of federal agency?

Accepted Answer

A)  public welfare 
B)  internal national security 
C)  state and local oversight 
D)  economic maintenance 
E)  external national security 
A)  public welfare 
B)  internal national security 
C)  state and local oversight 
D)  economic maintenance 
E)  external national security

Exam 14: Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The attempt of bureaucracies to translate laws into specific rules and actions is called

When the federal government passes authority to administer a program down to state or local governments, it is called

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?

Cabinet secretaries and undersecretaries are chosen through the merit system.

Bureaucracies must be rendered accountable by the president and Congress.

Before the Civil Service Act of 1883, how were government appointments handled?

The greatest number of federal government professionals working abroad are under the authority of the Department of

Which of the following is an independent agency?

Printing U.S. currency is the responsibility of the Department of the Interior.

Which of the following is not a key strategy used to promote bureaucratic reform?

The first regulatory agency was the ______, created by Congress in ______.

Congress was attempting to strike a balance between the need for secrecy in national security and the right of individuals to know what their government is doing when it passed the ______ Act.

The most visible indication of oversight is the

Public bureaucracies are powerful because

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

Which of the following is not part of the Justice Department?

The concept of oversight refers to the effort made by

Making permanent cuts in existing agencies is often difficult because

The USA PATRIOT Act

Which of the following is not a type of federal agency?

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