The Federal Bureaucracy:

Administering the Government

Chapter 13

Federal Administration:

Form, Personnel, and Activities

Bureaucracy – a system of organization and control

that is based on three principles: hierarchical

authority, job specialization, and formalized rules

Structure of the Federal bureaucracy – more

immediate impact on American everyday life

Cabinet departments – 15 secretaries

Independent agencies – similar to cabinet but have a

narrower area of responsibility

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Regulatory agencies – created to oversee the

regulation of a particular economic activity

Commissions who go through the nomination process

but are not subject to removal

Independent of political pressure

Quasi legislative and judicial functions

Government corporations – similar to private

corporations except they receive federal funding

Presidential commissions – advise the president

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Federal Administration:

Form, Personnel, and Activities Federal employment

2,500,000 civilian employees

More than 90% hired by merit criteria

Lower pay but better benefits

Hatch Act of 1939

Office of Personnel Management and Merit Service Protection Board

The Federal bureaucracy’s policy responsibilities

Power comes from the three branches

Policy implementation

rulemaking

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Development of the Federal

Bureaucracy: Politics & Administration Small government and the patronage system

Only distinguished men

Andrew Jackson – spoils system

Growth in government and the merit system

Pendleton Act

Neutral competence

Big government and the executive leadership system

Office of Management and Budget

Executive Office of the President

Critics say that it limits the power of the Congress over the bureaucracy

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The Bureaucracy’s Power Imperative

The agency point of view

High loyalty to agency mission

Sources of bureaucratic power

Expertise – president and congress rely on the

bureaucracy for policy advice and guidance

Client groups – special interests that benefit

directly from an agency’s programs

Friends in high places – iron triangles

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Bureaucratic Accountability

Unfavorable ratings – wasteful and inefficient; known as big

government

Antithesis of democracy

Through the Presidency

Presidents can’t eliminate an agency or its funding of

programs

Reorganization – streamline the bureaucracy

Appointments – turnover is high

Little knowledge of the agency heads

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7

Executive budget – through the OMB

Budget doesn’t change much from year to year

Through the Congress

Congressional budget – authorize and fund

programs

Oversight function – monitors the bureaucracy in

its compliance with legislative intent

GAO and CBO

Sunset laws – sets specific dates when a law will expire

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Bureaucratic Accountability

Through the Courts – judges can order an

agency to change is application of the law

Reasonable interpretation of statutes

Within the bureaucracy itself

Whistle-blowing – report of mismanagement

Demographic representativeness – bureaucracy

will be more responsive to the public if its

employees are demographically representative of

the population

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