Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

Examining the “Fourth Branch”

Chapter 15:THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

Bureaucracy• Bureaucracy literally means

“government of small desks”.• Large, complex organization of

appointed, not elected officials.

• Max Weber (20th century German economist) ~ bureaucracy is the rational way to run a government.

Who are bureaucrats?

1 out of 100 Americans work for the government bureaucracy

4 million employees; 2.8 million are civilians or “civil servants”

President only appoints 3% (patronage or political appointments)

15 cabinet level departments 97% are career government employees, 30%

work for the D.O.D. Most are white collar workers: secretaries,

clerks, lawyers, inspectors & engineers 200+ independent agencies with 2,000+

bureaus, divisions, branches, etc. Biggest - Dept. of Defense, U.S. Postal Service,

Veterans Administration

Characteristics of a Bureaucracy

• Hierarchical authority structure – chain of command

• Task specialization – individuals have unique jobs, division of labor

• Extensive rules – clear policies for the organization to follow

• Clear goals – clearly defined mission

Functions of the Federal Bureaucracy

• Implementation - carry out laws of Congress, executive orders of the President

• Administration - routine administrative work; provide services (ex: SSA sends social security checks to beneficiaries)

• Regulation - issue rules and regulations that impact the public (ex: EPA sets clean air standards)• Munn v. Illinois (1877) – SC upheld that government had

the right to regulate business rates and services

The Cabinet Departments• The 15 cabinet departments are headed by a

cabinet secretary appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.

• Each department is the “expert” in specific policy area.

• Each department has its own budget that is approved by Congress each year.

• The Department of Homeland Security (2002) is newest department.

Independent Executive Agencies

• Established by Congress with separate status outside the executive branch

• Given a specific mandate and generally perform a service function, not a regulatory one.

• Some examples include: Social Security Administration, CIA, NASA, EPA.

Independent Regulatory Commissions

• IRC’s exist to regulate a specific economic activity or interest such as the Federal Communications Commission or Federal Reserve Board.

• IRC’s operate independently from Congress and the President.

• Once appointed and seated, members cannot be removed without cause.

Government Corporations

• Government owned businesses created by Congress.

• May or may not be profitable, but serve a public need.

• Ex: U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

AccountabilityBureaucracy is constrained and controlled by

the US governmentCongress

Appropriates money, authorizes the spending of money, oversees agency activity, create/abolish agencies.

PresidentJob appointments, executive orders,

budget control, reorganize agencies.Supreme Court

Judicial review of bureaucracies actions, due process.

Controlling the Bureaucracy Patronage - Rewarding supporters

with jobs Pendleton Act (1883)

– Created in response to criticism of patronage, more jobs will be selected based on merit

Hatch Act (1939) • Agency employees can’t participate

in political activities (elections, campaigns, fund raisers, etc.)

• Softened in recent decades b/c of 1st Amendment issues.

Public Perceptions and Criticism

of Bureaucracies• “Red tape” – maze of government rules,

regulations, and paperwork that makes government overwhelming to citizens

• Conflict – agencies that often work toward opposite goals

• Duplication – agencies appear to do the same thing

• Unchecked growth – agencies expand unnecessarily at high costs

• Waste – spending more than necessary• Lack of accountability – difficult in firing an

incompetent bureaucrat

Iron Triangles

CONGRESS

A three-way alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests.

How does it work?

Everyone in the triangle has a similar interest.

• Legislators get funding from interest groups and make laws reality with the help of the bureaucracy

• Interest groups provide valued information to bureaucrats and money to legislators

• Bureau chiefs implement legislator policy and interest group goals.