Executive Branch Vocab

Question 1

Federal Bureaucracy

Answer 1

The thousands of federal government agencies and institutions that implement and administer federal laws and programs

Question 2

Spoils System

Answer 2

The firing of public-office holders of defeated political party to replace them with loyalists of the newly elected party

Question 3

Patronage

Answer 3

Jobs, grants, or other special favors that are given as rewards to friends and political allies for their support

Question 4

Merit System

Answer 4

A system of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability, rather than party loyalty

Question 5

Pendleton Act

Answer 5

Reform measure that established the principle of federal employment on the basis of open, competitive exams and created the Civil Service Commission

Question 6

Civil Service System

Answer 6

The merit system by which many federal bureaucrats are selected

Question 7

Independent Regulatory Commission

Answer 7

An entity created by Congress outside a major executive department

Question 8

Departments

Answer 8

Major administrative nits with responsibility for a broad area of government operations. Departmental status usually indicates a permanent national interest in a particular government function.

Question 9

Independent Executive Agencies

Answer 9

Governmental units that closely resemble a Cabinet department but have narrower areas of responsibility, and perform services rather than regulatory functions

Question 10

Hatch Act

Answer 10

The 1939 act to prohibit civil servants from taking activist roles in partisan campaigns. It prohibits federal employees from making political contributions, working for a particular party, or campaigning for a particular candidate

Question 11

Federal Employee Political Activities Act 1993

Answer 11

The 1993 liberalization of the Hatch Act. Federal employees are now allowed to run for office in nonpartisan elections and to contributed money to campaigns in partisan elections

Question 12

Implementation

Answer 12

The process by which a law or policy is put into operation

Question 13

Iron Triangles

Answer 13

The relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees

Question 14

Issue Networks

Answer 14

The loose and informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas

Question 15

Inter-agency Councils

Answer 15

Working groups created to facilitate coordination of policy making and implementation across a host of governmental agencies

Question 16

Administrative Discretion

Answer 16

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions

Question 17

Rule Making

Answer 17

A quasi-legislative process that results in regulations that have characteristics of a legislative act

Question 18

Regulations

Answer 18

Rules that govern the operation of all government programs that have force of law

Question 19

Administrative Adjudication

Answer 19

A quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between two parties in a manner similar to the way courts resolve disputes

Question 20

Executive Order

Answer 20

Rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law, must be published in the federal register

Question 21

Government Corporations

Answer 21

A government agency that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program