The InstitutionsThe Institutions

Unit IVCUnit IVC

The Federal BureaucracyThe Federal Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy A systematic and hierarchical organization in

government established to develop and implement policies and regulations in relation to enacted legislation

Principles Hierarchical Authority

Pyramid structure Job Specialization

Division of labor; specific duties and responsibilities for each individual position

Rules and Regulations Established regulations and procedures for facilitation Discretionary authority

Legislative – rule-making Executive – rule administration Judicial – rule adjudication

Development of the Federal Bureaucracy

Early Constitutional Period Small number of agencies and

positions Selection based on qualifications and

political affiliation Antebellum Period

Jackson and the spoils system Late 19th Century

Civil Service Reform Pendleton Act/Civil Service Act of

1883 Merit system, competitive exams;

limited partisan politics Established Civil Service Commission

to enforce Modern Bureaucracy

Agencies grew substantially due to New Deal programs, Great Society, Cold War, wars/conflicts

Hatch Act (1939) Limited political activities on duty,

use of position for campaigns Civil Service Reform Act of 1978

Established Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Established government employee classifications and salaries, training and recruitment programs

Protection of whistleblowers

Growth of Modern Bureaucracy Power and Justification

Regulation and de-regulation Agency capture Political appointments

Evolving Government for Evolving World Technological development

(communication, transportation) Globalization and world affairs

Difficulty of Termination Numerous steps to ultimately fire

a government employee Official record of chronic

behavior, substantial evidence, public hearings, viable witnesses, right of due process, appeals

Fewer than 1/10th of 1% of federal employees have been fired for incompetence

The Plum Book

Federal Bureaucracy Organization

Executive Departments Cabinet-level executive agencies established for specific

policy areas Agency heads work at the pleasure of the President

May be impeached/removed by Congress Independent Executive Agencies

Administration, policy analysis, intelligence Agency heads work at the pleasure of the President

May report to Congress and other agencies May be impeached/removed by Congress

Independent Regulatory Agencies Agencies that regulate and police; enforcers of

legislation Function outside influence of the President Agency heads serve fixed terms and only removed for

just cause Government Corporations

Business-like agencies usually providing goods and services

The Executive Departments State

Treasury United States Mint/Bureau of

Engraving and Printing Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Defense (“The Pentagon”) National Security Agency (NSA) Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)

Justice Federal Bureau of Investigations

(FBI) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and

Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Drug Enforcement Administration

(DEA) U.S. Marshals Service Office of the Solicitor General

Interior National Park Service Bureau of Indian Affairs

Agriculture (USDA) Commerce

Bureau of the Census National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA)

Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of the Surgeon General Medicare

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Transportation (DOT)

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Energy

National Nuclear Security Administration Education

Federal Student Aid Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Homeland Security

United States Coast Guard Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) U.S. Customs and Border Protection United States Secret Service Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA) Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Independent Executive Agencies

Small Business Administration (SBA) Promote small businesses and economic recovery

Social Security Administration (SSA) Social security checks and applications

National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA)

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Foreign policy information; espionage

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Selective Service System (SSS) National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities National Archives and Records Administration

(NARA) Peace Corps The Smithsonian Institution

Independent Regulatory Agencies

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Prevent monopolies; consumer protection

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Securities, stocks, bonds, commodity trading

Federal Reserve Monetary policy

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)

Government Corporations

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) National Railroad Passenger Corporation

(AMTRAK) United States Postal Service (USPS) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) National Public Radio (NPR)

Government Enterprises Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie

Mae) Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

(Freddie Mac)

Bureaucrats as Policymakers Iron Triangles

Bureaucratic AgencyBureaucratic Agency Receive increased power Receive increased power

and appropriationsand appropriations Congressional CommitteeCongressional Committee

Receive electoral support Receive electoral support and campaign contributionsand campaign contributions

Interest GroupsInterest Groups Interests satisfiedInterests satisfied

Designed for mutual benefitDesigned for mutual benefit Issue Networks

Congressional StaffCongressional Staff Experts/ProfessorsExperts/Professors Interest GroupsInterest Groups Mass MediaMass Media Designed for the benefit of

public interest

Controlling the Bureaucrats Congress

Authorization Permitting funds by related

committees Appropriations

Reallocation of federal funding Oversight

Supervision and investigations by committees

Subpoena agencies for public committee hearings and testify under oath

Legislative Authority Pass laws to limit or terminate an

agency Sunset laws

The President Appointments

Change department/agency heads for a supportive or efficient leader

Executive Orders President invokes preferences

through legal means Office of Management and Budget

Change agency budget; require increased supervision

Reorganization

Supreme Court Rule a policy/law/executive

action unconstitutional The Media

Watchdog Investigative journalism Freedom of Information

Act The People

Freedom of Information Act

Sunshine Laws Interest groups

Bureaucratic Issues/Problems Red Tape

Complex rules and procedures to accomplish tasks “Make sure the government is being equal and just.” ‘Too much paperwork. Slows down process. Frustrating for constituents.’

Conflict Rivalries between agencies on similar policies ‘Sometimes the goal/objective is overlooked by competition.’

Duplication Agencies performing same or similar tasks “Congress doesn’t know what it’s doing, but they made the laws so we

follow them.”

Imperialism Increase of agency’s power and influence no matter the cost “We interpreted the vague law as best we could and developed our

policies in accordance. Tell Congress to write clearer laws.”

Waste Inefficient use of funding and manpower; spending too much “Why lower costs? We’re the government. There’s plenty.” ‘Lining the pockets of bureaucrats and lobbyists.’