The BureaucracyI. General Comments

A. Stories and examples1. Soup Nazi2. Criminal background check3. BMV4. Social Security Administration5. TSA

B. Not exciting, but . . .C. ImportantD. PowerE. While “the bureaucracy is often attacked,

individual bureaucrats are generally liked.”

The BureaucracyII. Myths

A. Americans dislike bureaucratsB. Bureaucracies grow bigger each year

1. State, not federal

The Bureaucracy

The BureaucracyII. Myths

A. Americans dislike bureaucratsB. Bureaucracies grow bigger each year

1. State, not federalC. Bureaucrats are in Washington, D.C.D. Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient

The BureaucracyIII. What is it?

A. 2.7 million people who work for the federal government

B. Scope: Secretary of State to the janitor at the Indianapolis FBI office

C. Biggest organization (personnel) = DoDD. Biggest organization (dollars spent) = Social

Security AdministrationE. Characteristics

1. Complex2. Hierarchal

The Bureaucracy

The BureaucracyIII. What is it?

A. 2.7 million people who work for the federal government

B. Scope: Secretary of State to the janitor at the Indianapolis FBI office

C. Biggest organization (personnel) = DoDD. Biggest organization (dollars spent) = Social

Security AdministrationE. Characteristics

1. Complex2. Hierarchal3. Governed by rules

The BureaucracyIV. Working in the Bureaucracy

A. Patronage systemB. Pendleton Civil Service Act

1. Created the Civil Service Systema. Non-partisanb. Insulate workers from political pressure

2. Merit principlea. Examsb. Promotion requirements

C. Hatch Act – separate politics and bureaucratic employment

D. Plum book appointments

The Bureaucracy

The BureaucracyV. Bureaucratic Organizations

A. Cabinet departments

The Bureaucracy

The BureaucracyV. Bureaucratic Organizations

A. Cabinet departmentsB. Regulatory agenciesC. Government corporationsD. Other independent agencies

The Bureaucracy

The BureaucracyVI. Implementation

A. Congress sets policy, then . . . B. . . . three elements of implementation

1. Assign to agency (new or existing)2. Translate goals into operational rules and

guidelines3. Coordinate resources

The BureaucracyVI. Implementation

C. Why implementation fails

The Bureaucracy

“High expectations followed by dashed hopes are the frequent fate of well-intended public polices.”

The BureaucracyVI. Implementation

C. Why implementation fails1. Faulty program design – unable to achieve

policy goals2. Lack of clarity

a. Title IXb. ADA

3. Lack of resources or authority4. Inadequate SOPs5. Administrative discretion6. Fragmentation

The Bureaucracy

“For years, one agency supported tobacco farmers while another discouraged smoking. One agency encouraged the redevelopment of inner cities while another helped build highways making it easier to live in the suburbs. One agency helped farmers grow crops more efficiently while another paid them to produce less.”

The BureaucracyVII. Controlling the bureaucracy

A. President1. Appointments2. Issue orders (executive orders)3. Budget4. Reorganization

B. Congress1. Influence appointments2. Hearings3. Budget4. Rewrite legislation

C. Iron triangles1. Issue networks

The Bureaucracy