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Chapter 7 Government

Terms in this set (60)

monetary policy
raising interest rates to fight inflation
regressive tax
Social Security Tax
discretionary spending
financing of a new dam
independent executive agency
Peace Corps
government corporation
Tennessee Valley Authority
quasi-judicial power
power to decide disputes over regulations
progressive tax
federal income tax
fiscal policy
raising taxes to fight inflation
quasi-legislative power
power to adopt regulations with the force of law
mandatory spending
financing of Social Security
bureaucracy
work organization featuring division of labor and formal rules and structure
independent agencies
government agencies that operate separately from executive departments
spoils system
practice of giving government jobs as rewards to political supporters
bipartisan
including members from both major political parties
federal debt
cumulative sum of money that the government has borrowed and not repaid
Federal Highway Administration
agency within the Department of Transportation
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
agency within the Department of Health and Human Services
civil service
people hired on the merit system to work for the federal government
Department of Defense
executive department with the largest budget
deficit
gap that occurs when annual expenses exceed annual revenue
A bureaucracy is any organization, either in government or the private sector, which has a clear, formal structure, a division of labor, and ?
operates under a set of rules and procedures
Which of the following is true of the federal bureaucracy?
top administrators are political appointees
What typically happens to the federal bureaucracy when a new president takes office?
top administrators are replaced but most employees keep their jobs
Which of the following best describes the way members of the civil service are chosen?
competitive selection emphasizing job skills
Under the spoils system, which of the following would be most likely to get a post office job?
a major contributor to the president's campaign
The spoils system led to which problem?
the federal bureaucracy remained inexperienced and inefficient
What caused the failure of the Civil Service Advisory Board, created in 1871?
inadequate funding
Which event spurred civil service reform efforts and led to the Pendleton Civil Service Act?
assassination of President James Garfield
Under the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, which of the following would deal with a civil service worker's complaint that she was being treated unfairly by her superiors?
Federal Labor Relations Authority
What proportion of federal jobs are currently protected by civil service regulations?
90%
Which of the following was among the first three executive departments to be created?
Department of State
Which of the following statements about the executive departments is true?
Executive departments often contain smaller agencies focused on specific tasks
Which of the following is a goal of the Department of Agriculture?
work to end hunger and improve health in the United States
Which of the following choices provides the best justification for using written examinations as part of the process for choosing federal employees?
help ensure that people meet job qualifications
The Food and Drug Administration is a division of which executive department?
Health and Human Services
Which of the following best describes the position of independent agencies?
under the executive brand but not part of an executive department
Which of the following is required for an independent regulatory commission?
the board must be bipartisan
The General Services Administration, or GSA, is an example of which of the following?
independent executive agency
Which of the following is a government corporation?
National Railroad Passenger Corportation
Which of the following is a key goal of government corporations?
perform a function that private enterprise is unlikely to provide
What is the job of independent regulatory commissions?
setting and enforcing rules to regulate some aspect of the economy
Which of the following is a purpose of the Freedom of Information Act of 1966?
restraining the powers of executive agencies
Regulatory agencies are exceptionally powerful because they ?
combine executive, legislative, and judicial functions
Predict what would most likely happen if the Federal Communications Commission lifted all restrictions on the use of obscenities over radio and television stations?
Congress would override the decision and reimpose restrictions on obscenity
The regulations set by an independent regulatory commission?
have the force of law
How is the leadership of an independent executive agency like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration chosen?
The president names an administrator with the consent go the Senate
Which is the best definition of a progressive tax?
tax that applies at a higher rate to people with higher incomes
The payroll tax for Social Security is a regressive tax because?
it is collected on income only up to a certain level
The gift tax is designed to prevent people from avoiding payment of what other tax?
estate tax
What happens when the government sells a bond?
it borrows money from the buyer of the bond
Which of the following situations is most likely to lead to a budget deficit?
the government pays for a war by issuing war bonds
Based on the graphs, in which period did the federal government have the most success in avoiding deficits?
1950s and 1960s
What is the reason for this anticipated growth in federal spending for retirement and health programs?
current economic downturn
Which of the following shows the correct dates for a federal fiscal year (FY) ?
FY 2010=October 1, 2009 to September 30,2010
What is the main role of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in budget making ?
drafting a complete budget for the president to submit to Congress
Unlike the Budget Committees, the Appropriations Committees?
draw up detailed laws for revenue and spending
Which of the following determines the fiscal policy of the federal government?
spending and taxing decisions of Congress and the president
Federal monetary policy is controlled by?
an independent regulatory commission
What would be the goal of a Federal Reserve decision to raise the reserve requirement for banks?
reducing the supply of money
Predict what would happen if the Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate it charges the nation's banks?
the monetary supply would increase, stimulating the economy
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