GOVT 220 The Bureaucracy Quiz Week 6 Module 6||Questions and Answers|2025/2026 Update 100% Correct.

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Quiz: The Bureaucracy • Covers the Chapter 15 material from Module 6: Week 6. Score for this attempt: 30 out of 30 . Question 1 1 / 1 pts What is one benefit of our current government-by-proxy ... system? It provides flexibility and takes advantage of private and nonprofit skills. It removes corruption. It is much more efficient. It is always significantly cheaper. It reduces conflict. Question 2 1 / 1 pts Congress can exercise authority over agencies through which of the following? The statutes that create and define them Control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hiring practices The use of discharge petitions Dismissal of agency heads The use of the Civil Service Exam Question 3 1 / 1 pts What do critics of government-by-proxy system argue is problematic about this system? It gives too much flexibility. It does not keep track of how the money we send to public and private agencies is used. The public disapproves of the system. It is significantly more expensive. It leads to much more partisan polarization. Question 4 1 / 1 pts Which of the following was created in 1978 to give the president more flexibility in dealing with high-level bureaucrats? Civil Service Reform Commission Merit System Protection Board Senior Executive Service (SES) Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Presidential Task Management Board (PTMB) Question 5 1 / 1 pts Why did the Civil War lead to an expansion of the bureaucracy? Citizens began to realize the importance of bureaucracy. Fighting the war led to the hiring of many new officials and the creation of new offices. The Union had better bureaucrats than the Confederacy. State governments were able to manage the growth in government from the war. Bureaucrats became popular among the people. Question 6 1 / 1 pts Which of the following statements about the civil service is accurate? The first limits on the merit system came from the Pendleton Act. The Office of Personnel Management plays a large role in securing civil service employees. Reform of the civil service first began under President Jimmy Carter in 1978. Since 1993, civil service employees are not allowed to participate in voter registration drives. Today, civil service employees may not make donations to political campaigns. Question 7 1 / 1 pts Which of the following terms refers to Congress formally setting aside money for a specific use? Allocation Appropriation Monetary-enhancement measure Fiscal measure Authorization measure Question 8 1 / 1 pts Why are iron triangles less common today than they once were? Agencies today are pressured by so many interest groups. They are no longer allowed by many agencies. Congressional leadership is much stronger today. The courts have stepped in to limit the intervention of interest groups in agency affairs. Special interests have aligned themselves with congressional leaders. Question 9 1 / 1 pts The discretionary authority of appointed officials is their authority to do which of the following? Shift federal dollars without clear authorization Not implement legislation Make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws Spend federal monies, even though such monies are not officially part of the federal bureaucracy Act on behalf of government officials and represent the government in courts of law Question 10 1 / 1 pts If 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? Authority to select high-level bureaucrats Authority to extend or limit appropriations Authority to fire bureaucrats for not executing policies passed by Congress Power to find agency actions unconstitutional Power to appoint agency heads Question 11 1 / 1 pts By definition, a bureaucracy must have all but which of the following? A large size Divided authority A complex structure Elected officials No one person who can make all of the decisions Question 12 1 / 1 pts In the First Congress, it was decided that appointed federal officials would be removable by whom? Either the president or Congress The president and Congress acting together The president alone Congress alone The Supreme Court Question 13 1 / 1 pts When an agency like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes an important decision, it is quite likely to be taken to court. This would be an example of which of the following? Government bureaucracy Impedimentary government Red tape Adversary culture Reciprocal administration Question 14 1 / 1 pts Which of the following is true of the Freedom of Information Act? It requires government agencies to notify the media if they are exceeding their budget for the fiscal year. It requires federal agencies to disclose information on file about an individual to that individual upon his or her request. It provides for a statute of limitations on the Government in the Sunshine Act. It requires executive agencies to release information to congressional oversight committees. It was repealed after 9/11. Question 15 1 / 1 pts Which of the following best describes how the major cabinet departments of the federal government were created? Through congressional legislation When the Constitution was initially ratified By constitutional amendments By executive order Through congressional legislation and by constitutional amendments Question 16 1 / 1 pts During most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, appointments to the civil service were based primarily on what? Merit Education Patronage Wealth Experience in government Question 17 1 / 1 pts The creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) led to the federal government doing what? Regulating the national economy for the first time in a meaningful way Supporting states’ efforts against regulation Assuming complete control of the railroads Opposing civil service reforms Instituting the income tax Question 18 1 / 1 pts Many of the problems of bureaucracy in the government arise from what? Its formality The political context Its remoteness from everyday life Its complexity Its transparency Question 19 1 / 1 pts The number of civilians working for the federal bureaucracy has not increased much since 1960. This observation fails to account for which of the following? The enormous decrease in the government workforce that occurred between 1986 and 1990 The enormous increase in the government workforce that occurred between 1965 and 1970 The enormous increase in state bureaucracies that occurred during this period The enormous increase in local bureaucracies that occurred during this period The growing number of people who work indirectly for the government Question 20 1 / 1 pts There are 15 major service organizations of the federal government, which include Treasury, Agriculture, Education, and more. What kind of departments are these? Cabinet Agency Legislative Mandated Constitutional Question 21 1 / 1 pts How has the growth of subcommittees in Congress affected the iron triangles of government? Iron triangles have been reduced. Iron triangles have increased. Iron triangles have become more powerful. There has been no effect on iron triangles. The power of iron triangles on agricultural issues has been enhanced. Question 22 1 / 1 pts The power of the House Appropriations Committee over agency budgets has recently diminished, in part because of what? An increase in marking-up practices by other House committees Congressional concern with meeting spending limits The 1983 Supreme Court ruling on the legislative veto A decline in the use of trust funds by Congress An increase in legislative inducements to restrict spending on entitlement programs Question 23 1 / 1 pts The “buddy system” allows an agency to circumvent the usual Office of Personnel Management (OPM) search process by doing what? Blanketing in a job candidate Issuing a merit dispensation Asking the president to appoint a specific candidate Tailoring a job description to a specific candidate Limiting the scope of a search to a specific region Question 24 1 / 1 pts Why does conflict among agencies exist? Some agencies seem to be working at cross-purposes with other agencies. The agencies are often controlled by different political parties. The agencies are generally prohibited from communicating with one another. The agencies often lack power. Members of Congress set up regulations to increase competition among agencies. Question 25 1 / 1 pts 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? A referendum Deregulation Mandate Regulation An initiative Question 26 1 / 1 pts During the early years of the federal government, which of these was the only department to hold significant power? Department of the Interior War Department U.S. Postal Service State Department Treasury Department Question 27 1 / 1 pts Which of the following describes the representation of African Americans and other minorities in the federal civil service? Underrepresented at the lowest grade levels Underrepresented at the executive level Neither over nor underrepresented at any level Overrepresented at all levels due to affirmative action Proportional to all other races Question 28 1 / 1 pts What do the secretaries who head the departments in the executive branch also make up? The majority whip The president's cabinet The standing committee The Supreme Court The stand-alone independent agencies Question 29 1 / 1 pts If you want to see the information the federal government has about you or about certain other subjects, how can you make the government release that information to you? File a request under the Freedom of Information Act File a request under the Bureaucratic Transparency Act File a request under the Bureaucratic Freedom Act File a request under the Informational Transparency Act File a request under the Government in the Sunshine Act Question 30 1 / 1 pts Why has the growth of subcommittees in Congress reduced the iron triangles of government? They are always in conflict with the agencies. They generally are less likely to authorize the agency. There are fewer people involved. They appropriate less money. There are many more important people and coalitions. Quiz Score: 30 out of 30 [Show More]

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