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Temple College
GOVT 2302
Fall 1998
Exam #2
MULTIPLE CHOICE. INSTRUCTIONS: Answer each of the following multiple
choice questions by marking the letter on your scantron form (answer sheet) that
corresponds to the BEST response. 75 questions/1.33 points each/100 points total.
1. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the two chambers of
Congress reflected the social class biases of the founding fathers. Which of the
following statements is TRUE?
a. The House was to be composed of the elite of society while the Senate was
meant to represent the lower classes of people.
b. The House was meant to represent the people while the Senate was to be
controlled by the Whigs, an elitist party that was a carry over from England.
c. The House was to meant to represent the people while the Senate was meant to
represent the states.
d. The House was to meant to represent the states while the Senate was meant to
represent religious and ethnic minority groups.
2. Which two basic functions or responsibilities given Congress by the Constitution
appear to be inherently at odds with one another?
a. oversight and law-making b. law-making and representation
c. representation and logrolling d. logrolling and redistricting
3. A fragmented Congress
a. is likely to have members with a constituency focus.
b. is relatively insulated from interest group pressures.
c. is tightly organized around strong political parties.
d. all of the above.
4. Which of the following BEST describes the "natural" state of Congress?
a. efficient b. integrated c. fragmented d. unprofessional
5. Which of the following would probably NOT be a policy consequence of
fragmentation in Congress?
a. relatively little concern with oversight
b. dramatic change in policy content
c. greater emphasis on resource allocation
d. all of the above ARE likely consequences of fragmentation in Congress
6. Which of the following would be a supporting condition of greater integration in
Congress?
1. strong presidential leadership 2. power-sharing with the bureaucracy
3. strong party caucuses 4. institutional pride and ambition
5. broad substantive policy commitments by individual members
a. 1 only b. 1 and 2 c. 1, 2, 4, and 5 d. 1, 3, 4, and 5
7. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, Congress has
reduced over time the role it might otherwise play in national and international affairs
by
a. continuing to delegate powers to the executive branch.
b. never being able to have one party in control of both chambers.
c. making major mistakes when it has held power.
d. failing to be aware of public opinion.
8. Subgovernment or policy triangle refers to the relationship among federal agencies
(bureaus), interest groups, and __________ in a given area of public policy.
a. the news media b. cabinet officers c. the White House staff
d. none of these
9. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, most bills that
Congress acts on
a. are vetoed by the president unless he has authorized the bill.
b. originate in the executive branch.
c. are introduced by private citizens or lobbyists.
d. both a and b.
10. The concept of LOGROLLING refers to
a. action taken by a senator that attempts to prevent a bill from passing in the
Senate.
b. a method that is used to keep one bill on the floor for an extended period of time,
thus blocking all legislation.
c. an arrangement by which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to
support each other’s bills.
d. a method that the president uses when he wants to prevent the passage of
legislation.
11. The "hurdles" which a bill has to clear in the legislative process are called
a. "stop-gaps." b. "delay points." c. "veto points." d. "counter-points."
12. A typical bill, complete with appropriations measures and riders (non-germane
amendments), would probably have to clear somewhere between _______________
of the "hurdles" alluded to in question #11.
a. 5 - 10 b. 20 - 30 c. 50 - 70 d. 10,000 - 20,000
13. A representative who always seeks the mandate of his constituents before voting
on legislation is playing the role of
a. instructed delegate. b. trustee. c. politico. d. novice.
14. A filibuster is
a. an attempt to prevent the passage of a bill by halting action through unlimited
debate.
b. an attempt to persuade others to vote for a particular bill in return for a favor at a
later date.
c. a device used to force a bill out of a standing committee.
d. a new 3/4 lb. beef sandwich at the Dairy Queen.
15. Which of the following is most likely to use a filibuster?
a. a House member who supports a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
b. a Senator who supports a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
c. a. a House member who opposes a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
d. a Senator who opposes a bill that is likely to be passed by the majority.
16. Most of the actual work of legislating is
a. performed by interest groups and then acted upon by Congress.
b. accomplished in state legislatures and then the more acceptable ideas are acted
upon by Congress.
c. performed by the president and his staff and then routinely accepted by Congress.
d. performed by the committees and subcommittees within Congress.
17. By far, the most important committees within Congress are the
a. joint resolution committees. b. special investigative committees.
c. standing committees. d. none of these.
18. A conference committee is
a. a special committee convened to resolve the differences between the Congress
and the president on legislative issues.
b. called into session when the president has vetoed an appropriations bill with a
pocket veto.
c. a special committee convened to reconcile differences between House and
Senate versions of a bill.
d. a special committee in the House that assists the Speaker in enacting his party’s
legislative agenda.
19. Oversight is the process by which Congress
a. investigates the implementation of laws by government agencies that Congress
has enacted.
b. reviews actions of subcommittees.
c. allows meaningful input from common citizens through public hearings.
d. supervises the activities of the federal courts.
20. Which of the following statements would BEST characterize Americans'
expectations regarding presidential leadership?
a. Americans are generally undemanding of presidential leadership.
b. Americans have unrealistically high expectations of their presidents.
c. Americans are so thoroughly disgusted with presidential lying and corruption that
they seem to have no expectations whatsoever of presidential leadership.
d. The expectations of Americans are generally consistent with the reality of
presidential power.
21. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the statutory powers
of the president are
a. grants of power provided through legislative enactments.
b. those powers that are listed in the Constitution.
c. powers that only used in a crisis situation.
d. powers that have been interpreted as part of the Constitution by the Supreme
Court.
22. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the express powers of
the president are
a. broad grants of power that all heads of government are assumed to have.
b. situations that require the president to take quick action.
c. powers that are expressly written into the Constitution.
d. powers stemming from Supreme Court decisions concerning the area of foreign
policy.
23. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the inherent powers
of the president are
a. rare situations when the vice-president must take control of the government due
to the death or resignation of the president.
b. powers that are transferred from one president to the next providing they are of
the same political party.
c. specific grants of power for the president within the Constitution.
d. powers derived from the loosely worded language in the Constitution which state
that the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
24. If you subscribed to the literalist theory of presidential power you would believe that
the president has
a. inherent powers. b. inherent and statutory powers. c. only express powers.
d. no powers.
25. The president's role as a leader in the legislative process
a. became almost non-existent with the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt.
b. was at its height at the end of the 19th century.
c. is largely a phenomenon that has occurred since the Great Depression.
d. is prescribed by the Constitution; therefore, his degree of influence never
changes.
26. Tom Wicker ("Whatever Became of Jimmy Carter?") suggests that Carter was a
statesman because
a. he was most interested in how his decisions would affect his political fortunes.
b. he most often made decisions based on what he believed was morally correct
without respect to the political consequences.
c. he was able to cultivate strong working relationships with all of his constituencies,
making it much easier for him to secure support for his legislative initiatives.
d. he had a talent for telling the American people exactly what they wanted to hear.
27. Which of the following powers are explicitly delegated to the president by the
Constitution?
1. to be commander-in-chief 2. to act as manager of the economy
3. to be domestic crisis manager 4. to be chief foreign policy maker
5. to appoint the Speaker of the House of Representatives
a. 1, 2, and 3 b. 1, 2, 3, and 4 c. all of these d. 1 only
28. The personal political skill of the president
a. has little bearing on public perceptions of his leadership ability.
b. is far less important than the constitutional powers of the president.
c. is a primary source of presidential power.
d. really does not vary much from one president to another.
29. A president who comes to Washington with a clear set of predetermined goals, who
pursues those goals unbendingly, and who refuses to engage in political
compromise with other leaders (e.g., those in Congress) will probably
a. be seen as a strong and successful president.
b. be unsuccessful at cultivating strong working relationships with important
constituencies such as Congress and the news media.
c. over-power all political resistance.
d. be impeached.
30. The BEST example of the type of president described in question #29 is
a. Ronald Reagan. b. Lyndon Johnson. c. Jimmy Carter. d. Franklin Roosevelt.
31. Which of the following accurately describe the reality of presidential power?
1. unlimited 2. personal 3. negative 4. episodic 5. mythical
a. 1 and 4 b. 1 and 5 c. 1, 2, and 3
d. 2, 3, and 4
32. Which term indicates that the president does NOT have the power to continuously
control or manage the legislative process?
a. limited b. episodic c. micromanage d. negative
33. In contrast to the powers given to the president by the Constitution, the powers
constitutionally granted to Congress are described in terms that are more
a. detailed. b. moral. c. discretionary. d. general.
34. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the group of political
appointees who are least helpful to the president is the
a. Cabinet. b. Executive Office of the President. c. White House Office.
d. Congress.
35. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the “fourth branch of
government” is a term often used to describe the
a. impact of congressional staff on public policy-making.
b. role of interest groups in the governmental system.
c. federal bureaucracy.
d. role of political parties.
36. Bureaucracy is the name given to
a. any large branch of government that has power to interpret laws.
b. any organization that has major problems when attempting to accomplish its
goals.
c. a group of people who work together to enforce policies in a way that prevents
quick results.
d. a large organization which is structured hierarchically and which is supposed to
carry out specific functions.
37. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, within a bureaucracy
the units of organization are divided according to the
a. corresponding committee jurisdiction within Congress.
b. legislative mandate authorized by Congress.
c. functional characteristics of the bureaucracy.
d. specialization and expertise of the employees.
38. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the federal
bureaucracy in the United States
a. enjoys a greater degree of autonomy compared to governmental bureaucracies in
other countries.
b. is more restricted than governmental bureaucracies in other countries.
c. is less efficient than governmental bureaucracies in other countries.
d. suffers from more frequent turnover of personnel than governmental
bureaucracies in other countries.
39. According to Max Weber, a bureaucracy should
a. set up regulations that prevent the average person from quickly understanding the
purpose of the rule.
b. prevent specialization for it only leads to delay in policy implementation.
c. only exist within a democratic form of government.
d. be an apolitical organization.
40. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Weberian Model
of bureaucracy advocates
a. a rational decision-making process.
b. a hierarchical organization.
c. expanded budgets and increased size of the bureaucracy.
d. both a and b.
41. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Acquisitive Model
of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. organization should be hierarchical.
c. bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and increased size.
d. both a and b.
42. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Monopolistic
Model of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. organization should be hierarchical.
c. bureaucracies are not competitive and are therefore inefficient.
d. both a and b.
43. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the Garbage Can
Model of bureaucracy states
a. decision-making should be a rational process.
b. bureaucracies are rudderless entities with little formal organization.
c. bureaucracies seek expanded budgets and increased size.
d. both a and b.
44. The number of [civilian] government employees in the federal bureaucracy has
a. increased significantly over the last three decades.
b. remained relatively stable over the last several decades.
c. decreased substantially over the last ten years.
d. increased dramatically during Democratic presidential administrations and
decreased dramatically during Republican presidential administrations since
1965.
45. Which federal bureaucracies have the broadest areas of program implementation
responsibility?
a. independent agencies and regulatory commissions. b. government corporations.
c. the cabinet departments. d. the Executive Office of the Presidency.
46. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the function of
independent regulatory agencies is to
a. provide a check on the power of the cabinet departments.
b. make and implement rules and regulations in a particular sector of the economy
to protect the public interest.
c. regulate the actions of congressional committees.
d. establish guidelines for the creation of government corporations.
47. __________ provide services that could theoretically be provided by the private
sector but, for some reason, Congress has determined that they should be linked to
government.
a. Government corporations b. Presidential agencies
c. Cabinet departments d. Independent regulatory commissions
48. An example of a government corporation is
a. Federal Express, a private mail service for packages and bulk mail.
b. the Department of Defense when it sells weapons systems to other countries.
c. the Tennessee Valley Authority, which supplies electricity to customers in certain
southern states.
d. the United States District Court in Washington, D.C.
49. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, one reason for the
creation of a government corporation is to
a. give the government a lucrative source of revenue.
b. provide competition for consumers.
c. eliminate the possibility of socialism entering into the capitalistic system.
d. provide an integrated, balanced network of affordable service to consumers.
50. Which of the following enterprises illustrates the principle indicated in the answer to
question #49?
1. the United States Postal Service 2. AMTRACK 3. municipal water supply
4. long distance telephone service 5. Social Security benefits
a. 1 and 2 b. 1, 2, and 3 c. 1, 2, 3, and 4 d. 1, 2, and 5
51. In recent years, the growth of EOP (the Executive Office of the President) has made
the Cabinet
a. less significant as an advisory body to the president.
b. rely on the advice of Congress when making decisions that are important to the
political fortunes of the president.
c. more important to the president as an advisory body than ever in U.S. history.
d. both b and c.
52. Which of the following is among the reasons discussed in class for the rapid growth
in bureaucracies during the late 1880s, the 1930s, and the 1960s?
1. advances in science and technology
2. the perceived need for regulation of business activities
3. increased government responsibilities in providing income security
4. the American cultural belief in progress (technology fix)
5. bureaucratic imperialism
a. all of these b. 1 and 3 c. 1, 2, and 4 d. 2, 3, and 5
53. Which of the following statements BEST explains the concept of "capture?"
a. Regulatory agencies often make decisions that benefit the regulated industry.
b. Regulatory agencies are general controlled by the president rather than
professional administrators.
c. Businesses must comply with the dictatorial whims of federal bureaucrats.
d. Regulatory agencies typically have little political influence and therefore must do
the bidding of Congress.
54. Presidential attempts to significantly affect the structure and operation of federal
bureaucracies have
a. been very successful.
b. been a result of hard work and are beginning to pay off.
c. been almost completely unsuccessful.
d. had significant when Congress has been controlled by Republicans.
55. One of the most important differences between private corporations and public
bureaucracies is that the latter are
a. much larger.
b. much more labor intensive.
c. not organized to make a profit.
d. subject to change much more frequently.
56. The merit system refers to
a. the selection, retention, and promotion of government employees on the basis of
competitive examinations.
b. a system of checks on Congress intended to prevent discrimination.
c. a process of selecting policies based on their objective value.
d. a system that was used for hiring bureaucrats under Andrew Jackson.
57. In principle, a civil servant is supposed to be
a. politically neutral.
b. a major part of policy development for the legislative branch.
c. a political position that aids the elected officials.
d. a registered member of the anti-bureaucratic league.
58. The “Government in the Sunshine Act “ required that
a. all multi-headed federal agencies conduct their business regularly in public
session.
b. all federal agencies will terminate after five years unless Congress grants the
agency an extension.
c. all federal agencies hold at least 50% of their public meetings outside of
Washington, D.C.
d. at least 40% of high level positions within an agency be filled by females or ethnic
minorities.
59. Sunset legislation requires
a. by the year 200 there must be at least 45% females holding cabinet level
positions.
b. each agency to submit a budget that is 5% lower than the previous years’ budget.
c. individuals who were hired to their positions in the federal bureaucracy after 1982
to work to the age of 68 before they can retire.
d. the termination of a program unless Congress has reauthorized the program.
60. Because laws are often drafted in such vague and general terms, agencies
a. are given the impossible task of determining the intent of Congress.
b. defer to interest groups for direction.
c. decide how best to carry out the wishes of Congress.
d. often refuse to carry out these vague policies.
61. A realistic view of the role of bureaucracy in policy making is where agencies and
departments of government
a. play a neutral role in policy making.
b. only provide relevant information to the policy makers.
c. administer the decisions of Congress without attempting to influence policies.
d. play an important role in policy making.
62. A major control that Congress has over the federal bureaucracy is
a. the authority to select high-level bureaucrats.
b. the authority to extend or limit appropriations.
c. the authority to fire bureaucrats for not executing policy passed by Congress.
d. both a and c.
63. Which of the following is (are) a reason(s) for the failure of “new-style” regulatory
agencies to achieve substantive goals?
1. size of the task 2. lack of funding
3. lack of political commitment by Congress 4. too many “veto points”
5. treaty provisions with other countries that conflict with the legislative mandates of
these agencies
a. 1 and 2 b. 1, 2, and 3 c. 1, 2, 3, and 4 d. all of these ARE reasons
64. The federal government’s involvement in regulation of business began
a. immediately following the Revolutionary War.
b. during the Civil War.
c. with the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887.
d. as a result of the New Deal in the 1930s.
65. One of the most important differences between private corporations and public
bureaucracies is that the latter are
a. much larger.
b. much more labor intensive.
c. not organized to make a profit.
d. subject to change much more frequently.
66. Social regulatory policies
a. impose costs on businesses to produce positive social outcomes.
b. usually affect only one or two businesses.
c. are designed to stabilize an industry.
d. often result in the formation of limited monopolies.
67. Generally, “old-style” regulatory commissions
a. dealt with a single industry.
b. were governed by a board of 7 to 15 commissioners.
c. often became “captured” by regulated industries.
d. all of these.
68. Regulatory standards that call for the attainment of particular goals even when the
technological means may not currently exist to allow those goals to be achieved are
termed
a. technology-bashing. b. technology-forcing. c. technology-ignoring.
d. technology-resistant.
69. According to McConnell and Brue [ECONOMICS, Chapter 32 (photocopied reading)],
“industrial concentration” refers to
a. firms that are absolutely large.
b. firms that are relatively large.
c. firms that are either absolutely or relatively large.
d. firms that are both absolutely and relatively large.
70. According to McConnell and Brue [ECONOMICS, Chapter 32], which of the following
laws stated that contracts and conspiracies in restraint of trade, monopolies,
attempts to monopolize, and conspiracies to monopolize are illegal?
a. Sherman Act
b. Clayton Act
c. Federal Trade Commission Act
d. Wheeler-Lea Act
71. According to McConnell and Brue, which of the following laws has given the Federal
Trade Commission the task of preventing false and misleading advertising and the
misrepresentation of products?
a. Sherman Act
b. Clayton Act
c. Federal Trade Commission Act
d. Wheeler-Lea Act
72. According to McConnell and Brue, the overall effect of deregulation of American
industry over the past couple of decades has been
a. higher prices, higher costs, and decreased output
b. higher prices and higher costs, but increased output
c. lower prices and lower costs, but decreased output
d. lower prices, lower costs, and increased output
73. According to McConnell and Brue, which of the following is a major criticism leveled
against social regulation by its opponents?
a. It is procompetitive.
b. It will decrease the rate of innovation in the economy.
c. It will increase the amount of price-fixing among businesses.
d. It will require too long a time lag for it to achieve its objectives.
74. According to McConnell and Brue, supporters of social regulation contend that
a. there is a pressing need to reduce the number of mergers in American business.
b. the presence of “natural monopoly” requires strong regulatory action by
government.
c. the social benefits of this type of regulation will exceed its social costs over time.
d. administrative and compliance costs are often exaggerated.
75. According to the authors of your AMERICAN GOVERNMENT text, the market for “smog
futures” refers to
a. the buying and selling of pollution allowances.
b. California air pollution standards.
c. The possibility of smog control in the near future.
d. Air pollution in its worst form.