PLSC Exam 2

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

False

Clientele agencies are designed to serve the broad interests of the country. True False

False

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

False

Politicians delegate little power to bureaucrats. True False

False

Presidents typically gain more political support the longer they are in office. True False

False

The Constitution requires that the Supreme Court have nine justices, although a court with eight can make legal rulings until a ninth justice is appointed and confirmed. True False

False

The presidential cabinet is a collective body that meets regularly to make important policy decisions jointly as a group. True False

False

Which group helps set monetary policy for the United States by making changes to the interest rate and the money supply? Securities and Exchange Commission Consumer Financial Protection Board Federal Reserve Board Federal Deposit Insurance Commission

Federal Reserve Board

The two most common types of civil cases involve: contracts and torts. tax evasion and illegal drugs. traffic offenses and mail fraud. divorce and real estate

contracts and torts.

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

court

Most of the cases filed with the Supreme Court are dismissed without a ruling on their merits. True False

True

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

secretary

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? A public interest agency An independent regulatory commission A clientele agency An independent agency

An independent regulatory commission

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? An independent regulatory commission A clientele agency An independent agency A public interest agency

An independent regulatory commission

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

Bureaucracy

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

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

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

Congress

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 Pork barreling Constituency service (casework) Glad-handing

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? Devolution Capitalization Agentic shift Outsourcing

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: cabinet. Executive Office of the President. Directorate of Executive Affairs White House

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? Bilateral agreement International accord Executive agreement Foreign trade agreement

Executive agreement

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"? Executive order Presidential command Presidential mandate Executive law

Executive order

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

Gerrymandering

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

Incumbency

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

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

When the president takes no action on a bill for over 10 days, and Congress is in session, what happens to the bill? It becomes law, only without express presidential approval via a signature. The bill passes after the executive and Congress iron out differences over the legislation. It survives, but Congress must reconsider it in the context of presidential statements on the legislation. It dies, since the president has vetoed it in effect.

It becomes law, only without express presidential approval via a signature.

How has the rapid technological change, and the ease with which media can be created and spread, changed the practice of presidential public appeals? 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 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. 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.

What is the area of policy over which a committee is assigned responsibility? Jurisdiction Area of expertise Domain Central function

Jurisdiction

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. Council of Economic Advisers Congressional Budget Office Office of Management and Budget National Security Council

Office of Management and Budget

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

Oversight

Which term describes the direct services and benefits that congressional representatives provide for their districts, such as appointing supporters to government offices or conferring grants and licenses to constituents? Sponsorships Incumbency Patronage Franking privileges

Patronage

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

Who is the chief presiding officer in the U.S. House of Representatives? Majority leader Speaker of the House Majority whip Minority leader

Speaker of the House

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

The Department of Homeland Security

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

The Federal Register

In the House of Representatives, who determines the conditions under which (e.g. amount of debate, order of votes, types of amendments) bills come up for a vote? The Ways and Means Committee The Speaker Leadership PAC representatives The Rules Committee

The Rules Committee

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

The State Department and the Department of Defense

In most cases, Congress delegates power to bureaucratic agencies in the executive branch rather than directly to the president. True False

True

Which of the following explains why the Supreme Court has been more secure in its ability to strike down acts of Congress? Many Americans believe that federal law often supersedes state law. The limited use of judicial review during its infancy has helped reinforce greater acceptance of the Court's power to strike down laws. Congress has granted substantial enforcement power to the federal judiciary over time, including the right to hold Congress accountable through fines. Supreme Court justices have been less strategic about the decisions they make.

The limited use of judicial review during its infancy has helped reinforce greater acceptance of the Court's power to strike down laws.

What leaders hold most of the real power within the U.S. Senate and control the Senate's calendar or agenda for legislation? The majority leader and the vice president The vice president, with the majority and minority leaders The president pro tempore and the majority leader The majority and minority leaders

The majority and minority leaders

Why would opponents of a bill prefer an open rule to a closed rule? Members of the House can exercise their filibuster power and block the legislation. The open rule allows the other chamber to make a decision on the bill first. The open rule prevents a bill's supporter from making further demands on minority party legislators. 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 president, as commander in chief The secretary of defense the White House's national security advisor

The president, as commander in chief

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." True False

True

A president uses the veto as a means to bargain with Congress. True False

True

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

True

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

True

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

True

The U.S. Supreme Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction. 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. True False

True

The most effective power that Congress may use to control bureaucratic behavior is the power of the purse, or spending power. True False

True

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

True

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 Powers Resolution Act War Power-Sharing Agreement Escalation Avoidance Act of 1973 War Power Limitation Act

War Powers Resolution Act

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: an independent cabinet department. a specialized, or bureau-level agency of a cabinet department. an independent agency. 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: rule making. administrative adjudication. administrative law review. oversight.

administrative adjudication.

By implementing the laws and policies passed by elected officials, federal bureaucrats can be seen as: both principals and agents of the American people. agents only of presidents, who execute laws passed by Congress. principals of Congress and the presidency. agents of Congress and the presidency.

agents of Congress and the presidency.

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

an independent agency.

Attorneys on both sides of a legal case muster the most compelling precedents they can in support of their arguments about why the Court should rule in favor of their clients in written documents called: concurrences and dissents. claims. briefs. opinions.

briefs

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

cabinet.

A bill's supporters generally prefer that the Rules Committee decide to use a(n) ___________ rule. hold closed termination open

closed

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

constituency

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: politicos. trustees. delegates. agents.

delegates.

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

deregulation

State legislatures must redraw congressional districts to reflect population changes ______________ , after censuses. continuously every 6 years every 10 years every 20 years

every 10 years

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: fire-alarm oversight. routine oversight random oversight. police patrol oversight.

fire-alarm oversight.

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

fiscal

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

grant reprieves, pardons, and amnesties.

In Marbury v. Madison, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall ruled that he could not force Secretary of State James Madison to carry out a previous president's appointment to a lower judge. In so doing, he established the legal power of the Supreme Court's power of judicial review. This was the case because: he established the ability of the courts to create and shape common law, a body of rules and principles of interpretation not grounded in specific statutes. he declared an act of Congress unconstitutional; in this case, one that had given the court jurisdiction in the case. Marshall held that the court should have been able to review the appointment before it was made. the court was reviewing a decision of one of the other branches for the first time.

he declared an act of Congress unconstitutional; in this case, one that had given the court jurisdiction in the case.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Extension Services, with its local "extension agents" who consult with farmers to promote farm productivity, provides a familiar example of: how many of the personnel in clientele agencies' field offices or operations deal directly with clientele. the devolution of government service, from the national to the local level, in order to shrink government. how clientele agencies come to lobby for policy change at the local or grassroots level. the way that Congress provides jobs through "pork barrel" spending for particular district or state constituencies.

how many of the personnel in clientele agencies' field offices or operations deal directly with clientele.

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

implementation

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

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: oversight. interpretation. adjudication. regulation.

interpretation

Bureaucracy makes modern government possible because: modern government mainly requires the shuffling of millions of pieces of paper, which requires organizing and coordinating workers. it takes the power to implement policy from the hands of corrupt politicians and places it in the hands of skilled professionals. it removes politics from the policy-planning, rule-making, and implementation process. it allows a means of efficiently delivering or providing public goods and services, as well as a way for officials to make credible, long-term policy commitments.

it allows a means of efficiently delivering or providing public goods and services, as well as a way for officials to make credible, long-term policy commitments.

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

larger and more diverse.

When a congressional representative says to a legislative colleague, "I'll support your bill if you'll support mine," that statement is an example of: the distributive tendency. interest-group bargaining. logrolling. whipping.

logrolling

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

majority and minority whips

In a civil court case, the party that brings charges is called the ____________, whereas the party that defends itself against charges is called the ____________. litigant; defendant accused; plaintiff plaintiff; defendant party pressing charges; accused

plaintiff; defendant

The franking privilege, which allows members of Congress to send mailings free of charge, reinforces an incumbency advantage because: 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. it prevents candidates who are unable to raise large sums of money from running against them. members may more efficiently serve constituents and solve problems for them, given the importance of sending documents in such service. members can remind constituents of their activities and service through these mailings, and make themselves more visible.

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: 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. 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.

The provision by the House Rules Committee that permits floor debate and the addition of amendments to a bill is a(n): open rule. closed rule. modifying rule. developing rule.

open rule

In 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. domestic policy intelligence administrative oversight gatekeeping

oversight

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: oversight enforcement and policy-making authority. ad hoc authority. intrusion into executive branch affairs.

oversight

In the Senate, which is much smaller than the House, looser rules tend to discourage _____________ among members. policy specialization the need for logrolling formality and politeness intense partisanship

policy specialization

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: established that presidents could secretly record conversations in all executive offices, without the knowledge of others involved, including foreign dignitaries. 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. 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 as valid the idea that presidents could invoke "executive privilege" in refusing to turn over to Congress conversations with advisers.

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: House members would likely be more specialized, and gain expertise in budgeting the House would be more efficient, with centralized leadership and shorter debate times 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

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

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

sophomore surge

A permanent legislative committee that considers legislation within its designated subject area is known as a ____________. standing committee joint blue ribbon panel oversight committee conference committee

standing committee

With the Electoral College, the Constitution's framers wanted to create a presidency that would be more responsible to _____________________ than the people. national elites battleground states, or states where the presidential votes are likely to be close, political parties state and local legislators

state and local legislators

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

state legislatures

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: the Supreme Court recognized, in a case involving Nixon's Watergate tapes, the validity of executive privilege. presidents have noted that the State of the Union gives them the power to more properly address congressional concerns, at least once a year. the Supreme Court decided, during the Nixon era, that presidents had the absolute power to keep any other branches from demanding its communications records. 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.

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

they have the force of law.

The administration of fiscal policy is handled by: the Office of Management and Budget. the Federal Reserve System. the Internal Revenue Service. the Treasury Department.

the Treasury Department.

Under the Constitution, the president can appoint ambassadors, federal judges, and top executive officers, but only with _____________. quick action to overcome "holds" in Congress the advice and consent of House and Senate leaders the advice and consent of the Senate congressional confirmation

the advice and consent of the Senate

Although the veto is one of the president's most formidable powers, recent presidents have rarely used it. This is likely because: 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 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.

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

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

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

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: their ambition cannot be as easily checked. they may be keeping other constituencies in mind when voting on given issues. they rarely vote the way party leaders want. 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.

Like most members of Congress who hope to keep their seats, Senator Treumann wants to do what his best for his constituency. Sometimes, however, he thinks that what is best is not necessarily what surveys show that most voters in his state want. He sees his vote against allowing more spending on surveillance for antiterrorism efforts in this light, thinking it best for the country and his state, no matter how popular. In this case, he would be serving as the classic ___________ type of legislator. trustee rogue agent delegate trustee-delegate hybrid

trustee

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

unlimited debate.

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. unilaterally, with input and advice from judicial leaders and members of Congress. with the advice and consent of Congress. with a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress.

with the advice and consent of the Senate.