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Examining the “Fourth Branch” Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

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Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY. Examining the “Fourth Branch”. Bureaucracy. Bureaucracy literally means “government of small desks”. Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected officials. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

Examining the “Fourth Branch”

Chapter 15:THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

Page 2: 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.

Page 3: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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

Page 4: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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

Page 5: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  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)• Munn v. Illinois (1877) – SC upheld that government had

the right to regulate business rates and services

Page 6: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.

Page 7: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.

Page 8: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.

Page 9: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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

Page 10: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.

Page 11: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.

Page 12: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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

Page 13: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

Iron Triangles

CONGRESS

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

Page 14: Chapter 15: THE FEDERAL  BUREAUCRACY

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.