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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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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)
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
• Examples: Social Security Administration, CIA, NASA
Independent Regulatory Commissions
• Exist to regulate a specific economic activity or interest
• Operate independently from Congress and the President
• Once appointed and seated, members cannot be removed without cause
• Examples: FCC, the Fed, FTC
Government Corporations
• Government owned businesses created by Congress
• May or may not be profitable, but serve a public need
• Ex: U.S. Postal Service, 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)
• 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.