Final answer:
Independent regulatory commissions are called 'alphabet soup' due to the acronyms or abbreviations representing their names. These acronyms can be seen as a collection of random letters forming a 'soup' of agency names.
Step-by-step explanation:
Independent regulatory commissions are sometimes called 'alphabet soup' because their names are often represented by acronyms or abbreviations consisting of multiple letters. These acronyms can be seen as a collection of random letters that form a 'soup' of agency names, hence the nickname. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are all examples of independent regulatory commissions represented by acronyms.