Question 1

The Office of Personnel Management is primary charged with

Accepted Answer

A) administering civil service laws and acting as a clearinghouse for agencies that are looking for workers. 
B)  administering examinations for patronage appointments. 
C)  overseeing and streamlining the federal workforce. 
D)  reviewing agency performance and determining which civil servants should be terminanted. 
E)  none of the above

Question 2

Compared with other federal agency employees, top political appointees to the executive branch are

Accepted Answer

A)  highly representative of the general population. 
B)  mostly liberal. 
C)  not at all representative of the general population. 
D)  protected by the civil service system. 
E)  typically overqualified for their positions.

Question 3

One way that president's control bureaucratic behavior is through the budget.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

From the 1820s to the 1890s, the spoils system benefited

Accepted Answer

A)  election winners. 
B)  election losers. 
C)  skilled technocrats. 
D)  the average voter. 
E)  none of the above

Question 5

In the timeline describing the creation of executive branch departments and selected agencies, independent commissions, and corporations, which of these was founded earliest?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Department of War 
B)  the Department of Justice 
C)  the Department of Commerce 
D)  the Department of Homeland Security 
E)  the Civil Rights Commission

Question 6

The highest policymaking positions in the U.S. executive branch are closed to civil servants and are reserved for presidential ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The highest policymaking positions in the U.S....

Question 7

Most observers have been impressed by both the scale and effectiveness of efforts to make government more "business-like."

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The sheer size and complexity of the federal bureaucracy often stymies attempts at presidential control.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

The ________, or Civil Service Act of 1883, created a bipartisan Civil Service Commission to oversee a system of appointments to certain executive branch posts on the basis of merit.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ________, or Civil Service Act of...

Question 10

Compare and contrast the tools available to Congress to influence the bureaucracy? Which one, do you think, is most effective and why? Even with these tools, is Congress able to consistently affect bureaucratic performance? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast the tools available to...

Question 11

Defeat of presidential nominees or appointments happens most often

Accepted Answer

A)  during periods of divided government. 
B)  during election years. 
C)  during congressional recesses. 
D)  during times of national crisis. 
E)  during a president's second term.

Question 12

The Constitution neither specifies the number and kinds of departments to be established nor describes other bureaucratic agencies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The National Labor Relations Board is involved with what is called quasi-judicial proceedings.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

One way that the federal government reduced the size and cost of its bureaucracy during the 1990s was to

Accepted Answer

A)  shift bureaucratic functions to the states. 
B)  increase congressional oversight of federal agencies. 
C)  require federal agencies to regulate themselves. 
D)  increase national financial aid to the states and shift functions to the national government. 
E)  increase the qualifications necessary for government service.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of an independent regulatory commission?

Accepted Answer

A)  U.S. Postal Service 
B)  Securities and Exchange Commission 
C)  American Battlefield Commission 
D)  National Health Commission 
E)  National Science Foundation

Question 16

Bureaucratic agencies are heavily insulated against presidential efforts to control them because

Accepted Answer

A)  of agency alliances with powerful interest groups. 
B)  of the control the executive branch holds over them. 
C)  Congress tends to write specific and rigid legislation that leaves little room for administrative discretion. 
D)  they usually represent the political party opposing the president. 
E)  None of the above is correct.

Question 17

Implementation of the law is also called carrying out or executing the law.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Federal departments are headed by

Accepted Answer

A)  cabinet-level secretaries. 
B)  members of the White House Office. 
C)  counselors. 
D)  Ministers. 
E)  congressional committee chairs.

Question 19

American's opinions toward the bureaucracy are best described as

Accepted Answer

A)  viewing the bureaucracy in a primarily favorable light. 
B)  viewing the bureaucracy with mistrust. 
C)  granting high prestige to government bureaucrats. 
D)  believing the public sector can do better than the private sector. 
E)  knowing that federal bureaucrats make the best decisions in a complex environment.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT one of the administrative units of the federal bureaucracy?

Accepted Answer

A)  departments 
B)  agencies 
C)  foundations 
D)  congressional committees 
E)  bureaus

Exam 13: The Executive Branch

The Office of Personnel Management is primary charged with

Compared with other federal agency employees, top political appointees to the executive branch are

One way that president's control bureaucratic behavior is through the budget.

From the 1820s to the 1890s, the spoils system benefited

In the timeline describing the creation of executive branch departments and selected agencies, independent commissions, and corporations, which of these was founded earliest?

The highest policymaking positions in the U.S. executive branch are closed to civil servants and are reserved for presidential ________.

Most observers have been impressed by both the scale and effectiveness of efforts to make government more "business-like."

The sheer size and complexity of the federal bureaucracy often stymies attempts at presidential control.

The ________, or Civil Service Act of 1883, created a bipartisan Civil Service Commission to oversee a system of appointments to certain executive branch posts on the basis of merit.

Compare and contrast the tools available to Congress to influence the bureaucracy? Which one, do you think, is most effective and why? Even with these tools, is Congress able to consistently affect bureaucratic performance? Why or why not?

Defeat of presidential nominees or appointments happens most often

The Constitution neither specifies the number and kinds of departments to be established nor describes other bureaucratic agencies.

The National Labor Relations Board is involved with what is called quasi-judicial proceedings.

One way that the federal government reduced the size and cost of its bureaucracy during the 1990s was to

Which of the following is an example of an independent regulatory commission?

Bureaucratic agencies are heavily insulated against presidential efforts to control them because

Implementation of the law is also called carrying out or executing the law.

Federal departments are headed by

American's opinions toward the bureaucracy are best described as

Which of the following is NOT one of the administrative units of the federal bureaucracy?