DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 2012 TOPIC: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY AIM: WHY DOES THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY HAVE SO...

DATE: NOVEMBER 15, 2012

TOPIC: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

AIM: WHY DOES THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY HAVE SO MUCH POWER?

DO NOW: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS.

Administration of government through departments.

Consists of unelected often highly trained professionals.

Task specialization.

Hierarchical authority. 

• Government organizations usually staffed with officials based on experience and expertise that implement public policy.

• 15 Cabinet Departments and all government agencies.

• What happens to the laws after they are passed?

• Can anyone name a bureaucratic agency that was created following 9/11?

• Ex: Department of Homeland Security.

DEFINING A BUREAUCRACY

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).

• Presidential power over bureaucracy - regulated by Article II of the Constitution – sections 1 (Executive Power) and 3 (commission all the officers of the US).

• Every senior appointed official has at least two masters – one in the Executive branch and the other in the Legislative branch.

• Congress has given itself power over agencies.

• What does the Legislative Branch have many of?

• How does having a leader in the Legislative Branch and a leader in the Executive work in the favor of the bureaucrat?

THE AMERICAN BUREAUCRACY

1.) HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE - COMMITTEE

2.) US DEPARTMEMNT OF AGRICULTURE – GOVERNMENT AGENCY

3.) INTEREST GROUP

DISCRETIONARY POWERS GIVEN TO THE AGENCIES

• Discretionary authority – the extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies not spelled out in advance by laws.

• Administrative Agencies given power in three areas:

• A.) Paying subsidies to particular groups and organizations in society.

• B.) Transferring money from the federal government to state and local governments.

• C.) Devising and enforcing regulations for various sectors of society and the economy.

LISTING OF BUREAUCRATIC AGENCIES

• LOOK AT THIS!

PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES

• Presidential appointees

NOW LOOK NOW WATCH!

DATE: NOVEMBER 16, 2012

TOPIC: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

AIM: WHY DOES THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY HAVE SO MUCH POWER?

DO NOW: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS.

TITLE: THE DAMAGES OF THE

BUREAUCRACY

Artist: unknown, La Presna, Panama

Date: May, 2006

Source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com

TITLE: FEDERAL EMPLOYEES SELF ESTEEM CLASS

Artist: Chip Bok Date: unknownSource: http://www.reason.com/9602/bok.gif

TITLE: ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY

Artist: Bob Englehart, The Hartford CourantDate: February, 2006Source: : http://www.politicalcartoons.com

TITLE: FEMA’S FOLLIES

Artist: Mike Keefe, The Denver PostDate: April, 2006Source: http://www.cagle.com/news/FEMASFollies/main.asp

IRON TRIANGLE – A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN AGENCY, A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, AND AN INTEREST GROUP.

BUREAUCRATIC RELATIONS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. • Many agencies work with other organizations at other

levels of government.

• Ex: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives grants to cities for urban development.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CUT THROUGH THE RED TAPE?

WHAT IS THE RED TAPE?

BUREAUCRATIC AGENCIES ARE GIVEN

DISCRETIONARY POWERS TO CREATE POLICY.

CONGRESS MAY VAGUELY DESCRIBE WHAT IT WANTS THROUGH LEGISLATION HOWEVER GREAT LIBERTIES CAN BE GIVEN TO THE AGENCY TO CARRY OUT THE POLICY. WHY?

SPECIALISTS WITHIN A FIELD AND TIME.