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Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

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Page 1: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Institutions of American Government

Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy

Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Page 2: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Tools of Bureaucracy

Functional tools• Regulation• Administration• Adjudication

Procedural tools•Standard Operating Procedures•Scientific Public Policy Process

•Cost/benefit analysis•Risk assessment•Impact statements•Performance reviews

•Administrative discretion

Political tools•Agency Staff•Lobbyists•Administrative discretion

Structural tools•Enabling legislation•Chain of command•Departmental specialization•Budgets•Discretionary funds

Page 3: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

The Problem:• Congress establishes

administrative & regulatory agencies through enabling acts

• Enabling acts often vague in construction

• Bureaucracies enjoy a high degree of autonomy from both Congress and the Presidency due to enabling acts and the Civil Service system

• Congressmen face electoral pressure; bureaucrats don’t

• Congress is structurally representative; bureaucracies aren’t

Regulatory Board

Enforcement Division

Adjudication Division

Inspectors

Administrators

Ombudsman

Review Board

Page 4: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Possible Solution #1Legal action: Individuals may file civil lawsuits against some

agencies or individual agents

Pro:•Agency actions a matter of public record•Ensures Constitutional basis for redress of grievances•Independent Judiciary ensures a third party hears the grievance

Con:•Lawsuits may drag on for years without resolution•Lawsuits incur enormous legal expenses•Paper trail generally favors the agency•Agency resources generally outweigh plaintiff resources

Page 5: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Possible Solution #2Presidential oversight: Because the bureaucracy is technically part of the executive branch, some agencies are directly administered

by the President

Pro:•Ensures Constitutional basis for executive power•Agencies directly accountable to the President•Clear point of contact for citizen petition

Con:•Most bureaucracies administered independently from the President•Citizen access to presidential audience severely limited•Agencies have greater access to Presidential audience•Presidents generally favor agency action

Page 6: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

Possible Solution #3Congressional Oversight: Congress may prescribe specific actions which

agencies must follow; Congress may extend or limit appropriations for the agency

Pro:•Congress’ “power of the purse” directly affects agency interests•Congressional action may reform or eliminate bureaucracies entirely•Congress is the most accessible of the branches of government

Con:•Agencies maintain a staff of lobbyists to secure funding•Citizen complaints generally must reach a “critical mass” before action is taken•Congressional action requires both legislation and deliberation•Congressmen may use bureaus for electoral advantage

Page 7: Institutions of American Government Module 4.3: The Bureaucracy Section 5: Tools & Checks on Bureaucracy

The Iron Triangle• A three-way “alliance” among voters, elected officials,

and agencies to secure their respective interests

Voter

CongressAgency

elects

establishes

serv

ices

interrruption

inqu

ires

stonewalling

complains

staffassigns

inquirescomplains

pressures

Restores service

Re-electsLevel

1Level

2Level

3