The Federal BureaucracyThe Federal Bureaucracy
Chapter 15
Figure 15.2
The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats What are some basic American beliefs about our
bureaucracy? The bureaucracy is the most demographically
representative part of government.– Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.
The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats
How did civil service reform change the bureaucracy?– Office of Personnel Management: The federal
office in charge of most of the government’s hiring.
What jobs aren’t filled through the Civil Service System?– “Plum jobs”
Theories of BureaucracyTheories of Bureaucracy
The Weberian Model – Hierarchical, specialized, meritocracy
The Acquisitive, Monopolistic Bureaucracy– Competing bureaucracies control govt, expand
and spend
“Garbage Can” Bureaucracies– Trial and error, not well organized or
supervised, ineffective
The Cabinet DepartmentsThe Cabinet Departments
15 Cabinet departments headed by a Secretary (except DOJ under the Attorney General)
Each has its own budget, staff and policy areas Expanded over time to deal with relevant issues
– What is the most recent addition?What is the difference between “Defense”
and “Homeland Security”?
Figure 15.4
Executive AgenciesExecutive Agencies
Regulatory Agencies– Independent: Responsible for some sector of
the economy, making rules and judging disputes to protect the public interest
– Headed by commissions– What is meant by “regulatory capture”?
Executive AgenciesExecutive Agencies
Government Corporations– Business-like: Provide a service like private
companies and typically charge for services
Independent Executive Agencies– Serve a specific purpose, created and serve with
support of the president
ImplementationImplementation
Translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program
Includes:– Creating / assigning an agency the policy– Turning policy into rules, regulations and forms.– Coordinating resources to achieve the goals.
Can fail due to program design, lack of clarity, lack of resources, or administrative routine
Implementation: A Case StudyImplementation: A Case Study
The Voting Rights Act of 1965– Generally considered a success.– Had a clear, concise goal.– The implementation was clear.– Those carrying out the law had obvious
authority and vigor to do so.
RegulationRegulation
Use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.
Command-and-Control Policy: Government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks the progress and punishes offenders.
Incentive System: Market-like strategies are used to manage public policy.
Some agencies are proactive, some are reactive.
DeregulationDeregulation
The lifting of restrictions on business, industry and professional activities.
Regulatory problems:– Raises prices– Hurts U.S.’s competitive position abroad– Does not always work well
But why were regulations created?
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
Bureaucracy and Democracy– Presidents try to control the bureaucracy
through appointments, executive orders, budget tinkering, reorganization
– Congress tries to control the bureaucracy by influencing appointments, changing budget, holding hearings, rewriting legislation
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
Bureaucracy and Democracy– Iron Triangles and Issue Networks
A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.
Some argue they are being replaced by wider issue networks that focus on more policies.
Figure 15.5
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
How does bureaucracy impact the size and scope of government?