1. The president's cabinet is a group of high-ranking officials who advise the President on various matters.
2. Cabinet leaders are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
3. To assure demographic diversity in their cabinet, a president can intentionally choose individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as different races, genders, and ethnicities.
4. The Senate holds confirmation hearings for the president's nominees for cabinet posts, but there are only a handful of these hearings.
5. The purpose of the cabinet is to provide advice and support to the President in making important decisions and running the government effectively.
6. FDR's "brain trust" referred to a group of advisors and intellectuals who provided him with ideas and guidance during his presidency.
7. The Executive Office of the President is an entity within the White House that supports the President in various administrative and policy-related functions.
8. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest agency within the Executive Office of the President.
9. The National Security Council (NSC) is responsible for advising the President on matters related to national security and foreign policy.
10. The nation's chief economic adviser is typically the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.
11. The White House Chief of Staff is a senior position responsible for managing the White House staff and overseeing the President's schedule and agenda.
12. A press secretary is the spokesperson for the President or a government agency, responsible for communicating information to the media and the public.
13. The 15 cabinet departments include State, Treasury, Defense, Justice, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security.
14. Three government corporations are the United States Postal Service (USPS), Amtrak, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
15. Regulatory commissions oversee and regulate specific industries to ensure they comply with laws and regulations.
16. Five listed regulatory commissions are the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Federal Reserve System.
17. The spoils system is a practice where government jobs and positions are awarded based on political loyalty rather than merit.
18. The civil service system is a merit-based system for hiring government employees based on qualifications and competitive exams.
19. Congress passed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883 to reform the civil service system and establish a merit-based hiring process.
20. Civil service jobs are attractive because they offer job security, competitive salaries, and opportunities for career advancement based on merit.
21. A whistleblower is an individual who exposes misconduct, illegal activities, or unethical behavior within an organization or government.
22. Being "neutral" means remaining impartial and not taking sides in a dispute or conflict.
23. "Recuse" refers to the act of disqualifying oneself from participating in a decision or action due to a conflict of interest or bias.
24. Public policy refers to the government's decisions and actions that address various issues and problems in society.
25. The U.S. President is in charge of the bureaucracy that enforces and implements laws.
26. Liaison officers facilitate communication and cooperation between different organizations or government agencies.
27. One critique of bureaucratic organizations is their potential for inefficiency and red tape, as humorously depicted in the cartoon.
28. Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in a particular organization, policy, or decision.
29. An injunction is a legal order that requires a person or entity to do or refrain from doing a specific action.
30. Republicans generally advocate for reducing the size of the U.S. government bureaucracy and limiting government intervention.
31. Five reasons for the increase in the size of the government's bureaucracy include the growth of government responsibilities, increased complexity of issues, expansion of social programs, the need for regulatory agencies, and technological advancements.
32. One way to reduce the size of the government is to decrease the number of government employees.
33. Client groups are organizations or individuals that benefit from the services and policies of a government agency.
34. Client groups often try to influence agency decisions through lobbying, advocacy, and legal action.
35. Deregulate means to reduce or eliminate government regulations in a particular industry or sector to promote more competition and reduce government intervention.