PLSC 001 Exam 2

In the process of administrative adjudication, agencies act most like a: Group of answer choices court. dictatorship legislature. police agency.

court

The presidential cabinet is a collective body that meets regularly to make important policy decisions jointly as a group. t or f

f

Congress gives the power to what type of agency to makes rules governing the conduct of people and businesses in certain economic sectors or types of commercial activity? Group of answer choices A public interest agency An independent agency An independent regulatory commission A clientele agency

An independent regulatory commission

What term refers to the offices, tasks, and principles that large organizations, including governments, employ to coordinate their work? Administration Bureaucracy Chain of command Civil service

Bureaucracy

How can a presidential veto be overridden? By a simple majority vote in both the House and Senate By a two-thirds majority vote in either the House or the Senate By majority votes in three-fourths of state legislatures By a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate

By a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate

What is the general term for providing minor services to constituents, introducing bills for specific citizens, and attempting to influence decisions by agencies and regulatory commissions on their behalf? Gerrymandering Glad-handing Constituency service (casework) Pork barreling

Constituency service (casework)

In the last 75 years, the proportion of people who work in state and local government has gone up, but the proportion of people who work for the federal government has stayed about the same. What trend in American governance does this reflect? Group of answer choices Agentic shift Capitalization Outsourcing Devolution

Devolution

A set of permanent executive branch agencies, such as the Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council, that perform defined management tasks for the president and compose a major part of what is called the "institutional presidency," is officially known as the: Executive Office of the President. cabinet. White House Directorate of Executive Affairs

Executive Office of the President.

Which term describes an understanding between the president and another country that has the force of a treaty but does not require a two-thirds vote of approval by the Senate? Foreign trade agreement Bilateral agreement Executive agreement International accord

Executive agreement

The most important revenue agency in the United States, which also happens to be one of the nation's largest bureaucracies, is the: Group of answer choices Department of Commerce Office of Management and Budget Securities and Exchange Commission Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

How has the rapid technological change, and the ease with which media can be created and spread, changed the practice of presidential public appeals? Group of answer choices it has made presidents more likely to appear on the most widely popular Internet media news and entertainment sites than on broadcast television. It has led to an increasing fragmentation of a mass media audience into small subgroups, making it more difficult for a president to reach all citizens. Evidence clearly shows that it has increased the likelihood that presidents will, in coming years, only appeal to their bases of support through social media. It has increased the likelihood that citizens will be exposed to presidential messages.

It has led to an increasing fragmentation of a mass media audience into small subgroups, making it more difficult for a president to reach all citizens.

One of the most important agencies to presidents has been this agency, which oversees preparation of the national budget, involves itself in the president's legislative proposals, and writes relevant policy reports for the executive. Congressional Budget Office Council of Economic Advisers Office of Management and Budget National Security Council

Office of Management and Budget

One of the most important agencies to presidents has been this agency, which oversees preparation of the national budget, involves itself in the president's legislative proposals, and writes relevant policy reports for the executive. Office of Management and Budget Congressional Budget Office National Security Council Council of Economic Advisers

Office of Management and Budget

Why can presidents not rely on their own parties as a reliable tool in policy making, even if they are still valuable? Members of Congress generally believe that their electoral prospects are unrelated to presidential success or popularity. The parties are unpopular with the public at large, with increasing numbers of voters describing themselves as independents. Presidents do not control members of their own party in Congress. To the contrary, members of Congress have considerable autonomy. Congressional leaders often try to sabotage their own party's presidents so they can defeat them in the next presidential primary contest.

Presidents do not control members of their own party in Congress. To the contrary, members of Congress have considerable autonomy.

In 2002, Congress created this internal security agency in order to coordinate the nation's defense against the threat of terrorism. Group of answer choices National Security Agency The Department of Homeland Security The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)'s Counter-Terrorism Division The Department of Internal Security

The Department of Homeland Security

Which two agencies take center stage among agencies for external national security? Group of answer choices The State Department and the Department of Defense The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security The State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation The Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence

The State Department and the Department of Defense

Until the Seventeenth Amendment passed, senators were selected by _______________. state governors only white, male property holders state legislatures elites within individual states

The majority and minority leaders

Why would opponents of a bill prefer an open rule to a closed rule? a. The open rule prevents a bill's supporter from making further demands on minority party legislators. b. Members of the House can exercise their filibuster power and block the legislation. c. The open rule allows the other chamber to make a decision on the bill first. d. The open rule makes it easier to add amendments that may weaken the bill's chances of passing.

The open rule makes it easier to add amendments that may weaken the bill's chances of passing.

Who has the highest military authority in the United States, with control of the entire military establishment? The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The secretary of defense The president as commander in chief the White House's national security advisor

The president as commander in chief

Could an American president decide, unilaterally, to recognize a breakaway or secessionist country's legitimacy by receiving its emissaries, even if the country it broke off from objected? Yes, since as head of state, presidents may receive foreign ambassadors and ministers Yes, since presidents would be able to do so through executive orders to the State Department No, since Congress must formally recognize foreign states before presidents may meet with their foreign representatives It depends on whether the Supreme Court insists on having a say in the situation

Yes, since as head of state, presidents may receive foreign ambassadors and ministers

An announcement made by presidents about how they will interpret or enact a congressional bill is known as: a signing statement. a presidential directive. executive review. a line-item veto.

a signing statement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), housed within the Department of Justice, is an example of: Group of answer choices an independent agency. a specialized, or bureau-level agency of a cabinet department. an independent cabinet department. a regulatory agency.

a specialized, or bureau-level agency of a cabinet department.

The application of rules and precedents to specific cases to settle disputes with regulated parties is known as: Group of answer choices oversight. administrative law review. administrative adjudication. rule making.

administrative adjudication.

A governmental agency set up by Congress to exist outside of a cabinet department is called: an independent agency. a clientele agency. a quasi-governmental organization. an independent regulatory commission

an independent agency

In the House of Representatives, what leaders are responsible for lining up party members on important votes and relaying voter information to the leaders? a. The majority and minority leaders b. majority and minority whips c. The Speaker of the House and the minority leader d. The Speaker of the House and the majority leader

b. Majority and minority whips

The district making up the area from which an official is elected is known as his or her: a. caucus b. power bloc c. constituency d. home turf

c. constituency

The traditional but informal designation for the heads of all the major departments of the federal government in the United States is the: white House executive council. cabinet. executive service. advisory staff.

cabinet

The Constitution grants the power to declare war to: Group of answer choices the president. the secretary of defense. the director of homeland security. Congress.

congress

Representatives who believe that they have been elected to do the bidding of those who sent them to Congress are said to be serving as: delegates. politicos. agents. trustees.

delegates

The policy of reducing the number of rules issued by federal regulatory agencies is known as: Group of answer choices devolution. privatizing. deregulation. administrative review.

deregulation

The primary task of the State Department is: Group of answer choices diplomacy. internal security. state and local relations. issuing passports and visas.

diplomacy

What is the term for a tool presidents can and often do wield that can have the broader effect of legislation, although it is first and foremost a management tool, the power virtually any CEO has to make "company policy"? Presidential command Presidential mandate Executive law Executive order

executive order

Presidents typically gain more political support the longer they are in office. t or f

f

Bureaucracies are only needed by public organization to carry out goals or directives. Large private organizations rarely feature them. Group of answer choices True False

false

Police-patrol oversight is more efficient than the fire-alarm variety given costs and the electoral incentives of members of Congress. Group of answer choices True False

false

Politicians delegate little power to bureaucrats. True False

false

An agency that does not actively monitor the businesses it regulates but instead waits for private citizens or interest groups to raise questions about the actions of the businesses can be said to use: Group of answer choices police patrol oversight. fire-alarm oversight. random oversight. routine oversight

fire-alarm oversight

Policies having to do with taxing and spending are generally referred to as: Group of answer choices monetary. fiscal. revenue-geared. welfare.

fiscal

Which term describes the act of redrawing congressional districts in such a way as to give unfair advantage to the political party in power? Gerrymandering Redistricting Redlining Reapportionment

gerrymandering

The tweets, freewheeling political rally speeches, and calls to live cable television news that marked the first year of the Trump administration were, despite their unusual nature, still in keeping with a presidential means of exercising influence known as: entering the arena. going public. propagandizing. going over Congress's head.

going public

The American president exercises a measure of judicial authority through his or her power to: give atonements and expiations. grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesties. offer paroles and probations. mandate subpoenas, writs of habeas corpus, and warrants of indemnity.

grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesties.

The primary task of bureaucracy, whether in government or the private sector, is: Group of answer choices implementation. cost saving. coordination. systems analysis.

implementation

The primary task of bureaucracy, whether in government or the private sector, is: Group of answer choices systems analysis. coordination. implementation. cost saving.

implementation

Holding a political office for which one is running is called: seniority. rank. tenure. incumbency.

incumbency

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are both: Group of answer choices independent agencies, ones that do not fall under the control of any cabinet department. government corporations, ones that serve some special public purposes or provide services. agencies of external national security that fall under the Department of Defense. bureaus or subdivisions of the Department of Defense.

independent agencies, ones that do not fall under the control of any cabinet department.

A form of implementation in which bureaucrats try to discern and carry out the intention of their political superiors is known as: Group of answer choices adjudication. interpretation. oversight. regulation.

interpretation

Compared to the House of Representatives, the Senate serves constituencies that are: smaller and more diverse larger and larger and more homogeneous. smaller and more homogeneous.

larger and more diverse

The franking privilege, which allows members of Congress to send mailings free of charge, reinforces an incumbency advantage because: a. members can remind constituents of their activities and service through these mailings, and make themselves more visible. b. members may more efficiently serve constituents and solve problems for them, given the importance of sending documents in such service. c. it is a more effective means of communication in service to all constituents than electronic mail, since some segments of the population do not have Internet access. d. it prevents candidates who are unable to raise large sums of money from running against them.

members can remind constituents of their activities and service through these mailings, and make themselves more visible.

The U.S. military has experienced problems with pork barrel politics because: Group of answer choices the creation of the Department of Defense by merging different agencies created a larger and more complex bureaucracy. recent wars, including those in Afghanistan and Iraq, required higher military spending. military spending—on contracts and military bases—can become a matter not just of military need but a concern of narrow political and economic interests. civilians who control the military have forced it on defense agencies.

military spending—on contracts and military bases—can become a matter not just of military need but a concern of narrow political and economic interests.

In 2018, a congressional committee briefly captured media and public attention when it questioned Facebook executive and cofounder Mark Zuckerberg about the privacy of its user data, in the wake of reports that a British research company had abused data in private research related to the 2016 presidential election. In so doing, the committee discussed past and ongoing data privacy-related actions undertaken against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission. As it involved not only a celebrity witness, but a federal agency's duties and actions under the law, the hearing was a classic case of a House committee engaged in: Group of answer choices a. ad hoc authority. b. enforcement and policy-making authority. c. oversight d. intrusion into executive branch affairs.

oversight

Which term defines congressional efforts to exercise control over the activities of bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch through hearings, investigations, and other techniques? Group of answer choices Oversight Micromanagement Rule making Regulation

oversight

n 2012, the Government Accountability Office, through which Congress can investigate the financial and administrative affairs of any government agency or program, uncovered evidence of lavish spending at conferences by administrators of the U.S. General Services Administration, the government's real estate and office services and supply agency. In so doing, this staff agency helped Congress in its _________ role. a. administrative b. oversight c. gatekeeping d. domestic policy intelligence

oversight

When the Supreme Court declared that President Nixon had to follow congressional demands to turn over secretly recorded White House tapes about the Watergate scandal, it might have seemed like a major loss for the White House. The president resigned shortly after the ruling was handed down, after all. While it was a loss for the Nixon White House, the Court's ruling was favorable over the long term for the presidency as an institution because the Court: recognized as valid the idea that presidents could invoke "executive privilege" in refusing to turn over to Congress conversations with advisers. established that presidents could secretly record conversations in all executive offices, without the knowledge of others involved, including foreign dignitaries. asserted that it could allow a limited invocation of executive privilege, even in situations involving alleged illegal presidential behavior, to block congressional access to presidential documents. recognized that presidents could constitutionally refuse to accede to congressional demands to turn over documents and conversations related to national security, if not domestic affairs.

recognized as valid the idea that presidents could invoke "executive privilege" in refusing to turn over to Congress conversations with advisers.

The framers of the U.S. Constitution decided that all "money" bills—that is, those involving taxation and revenue—should start in the House because: a. representatives were to be "close to the people," elected by popular vote every two years. b. the House would be more efficient, with centralized leadership and shorter debate times. c. House members would likely be more specialized, and gain expertise in budgeting. d. the Senate would be too preoccupied with its "advise and consent," or confirmation role, with presidential appointees.

representatives were to be "close to the people," elected by popular vote every two years.

In the United States, the head of a cabinet department is usually called a: Group of answer choices secretary. minister. general. chief administrator.

secretary

The tendency for candidates to win a higher percentage of the vote when running for a second term in office is called the: war-chest advantage. freshman flood. sophomore surge brand name effect.

sophomore surge

In 1957, Senator Strom Thurmond held the Senate floor and talked or answered questions—or filibustered, to use a Senate term for unlimited debate—for over 24 hours. The South Carolina lawmaker did so prior to a vote on the Civil Rights Act, legislation that most observers expected to easily pass—and which did, shortly after he concluded. During his time on the floor, he did not just talk about the law. Instead, he read the Declaration of Independence, jury rules, and even his grandmother's biscuit recipe. In so doing, however, Thurmond was using his time in a manner consistent with filibuster history, as a means of: a. gaining notoriety and media attention for himself, mostly. b. stalling or delaying Senate action or voting. c. forcing reform in chamber rules. d. annoying the opposition in hopes of forcing a parliamentary error.

stalling or delaying Senate action or voting.

A political strategy whereby the president makes the case to the people of the country that a certain policy needs to be enacted is known as "going public." t or f

t

A president uses the veto as a means to bargain with Congress. t or f

t

Congress delegates power to bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch rather than directly to the president. t or f

t

Congress has tended to give executive agencies broad mandates and draft legislation that offers few clear standards to guide executive implementation. t or f

t

In most cases, Congress delegates power to bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch rather than directly to the president. Group of answer choices t or f

t

When the Obama administration refused to comply with a congressional subpoena for documents related to Operation Fast and Furious, a Justice Department program created to combat drug trafficking, it did so by citing executive privilege. In so doing, he was following the example of many past presidents, especially those serving after Richard Nixon, because: presidents have noted that the State of the Union gives them the power to more properly address congressional concerns, at least once a year. presidents have hinted that their successors could pardon them for any crimes they may have committed while in office. the Supreme Court recognized, in a case involving Nixon's Watergate tapes, the validity of executive privilege. the Supreme Court decided, during the Nixon era, that presidents had the absolute power to keep any other branches from demanding its communications records.

the Supreme Court recognized, in a case involving Nixon's Watergate tapes, the validity of executive privilege.

After the rules for a federal public agency are approved, where are they published? Group of answer choices The Congressional Record The U.S. Regulatory Code The Federal Register Congress.gov

the federal register

Although the veto is one of the president's most formidable powers, recent presidents have rarely used it. This is likely because: the minimal use reflects the presidential turn toward the use of management tools, rather than legislative tools, in getting things done. the mere threat of a veto is often enough to make legislators alter a bill's content. one party almost always controls both chambers of Congress and the presidency, so vetoes are rarely necessary. members of Congress have, in more politically polarized times, engaged in obstructionist behavior, leading executives to propose fewer policies.

the mere threat of a veto is often enough to make legislators alter a bill's content.

If the president vetoes a bill, the veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in either the House or Senate. the president can take favored parts and enact them through an executive order anyway. the bill cannot be reintroduced for two years. the veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

the veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

Rules made by regulatory agencies and commissions are referred to as administrative legislation because: Group of answer choices they have the force of law. doing so makes it less likely than presidents will try to get rid of existing rules through executive orders. they apply, as law, to people working within federal cabinet departments or agencies. they do not have the same effect as congressional legislation but are still important to federal administration.

they have the force of law.

The behavior of members of Congress who may harbor hopes of winning a more prestigious elected position—for example, a senator thinking about running for president—can further complicate legislative dynamics, since: they rarely vote the way party leaders want. their ambition cannot be as easily checked. it is hard to say whether they will act as trustees or delegates in any given instance. they may be keeping other constituencies in mind when voting on given issues.

they may be keeping other constituencies in mind when voting on given issues.

Congress often deliberately leaves the question of how to enforce a law up to administrative agencies, ones given rule making and administrative adjudication. Group of answer choices True False

true

In contrast to their counterparts in private industry, public bureaucrats are required to maintain a far more thorough paper trail. Group of answer choices True False

true

Opponents of existing policies and agencies face high hurdles when trying to end them, but supporters of existing policies or agencies find maintaining the status quo easier. Group of answer choices True False

true

The key to the effectiveness of bureaucracies lies in their division of labor, which allows for coordination among workers handling specialized jobs or tasks. Group of answer choices True False

true

The rule-making authority often delegated to federal agencies by Congress is essentially a lawmaking authority. Group of answer choices True False

true

The Senate is unique among the world's legislative bodies for its commitment to: stifling floor debate. unlimited debate. partisan warfare. rules on politeness and means of addressing colleagues.

unlimited debate

Congress's ______________, passed in the early 1970s in the wake of the Vietnam conflict, declared that the president can send troops into action abroad only by authorization of Congress, or if U.S. troops are already under attack or seriously threatened. War Power Limitation Act Escalation Avoidance Act of 1973 War Powers Resolution Act War Power-Sharing Agreement

war power resolution act

Presidents appoint all federal judges—from the federal district level to the appeals courts to the Supreme Court: with the advice and consent of the Senate. with a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress. unilaterally, with input and advice from judicial leaders and members of Congress. with the advice and consent of Congress.

with the advice and consent of the Senate.