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A Comparative View of the American Bureaucracy

A Comparative View of the American Bureaucracy. Public’s hostile feelings towards ‘big government’ & ‘bureaucracies’. Decentralized: more representational, but less accountable Relatively small compared to other countries (except our regulations; Justice).

Audrey
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A Comparative View of the American Bureaucracy

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  1. A Comparative View of the American Bureaucracy • Public’s hostile feelings towards ‘big government’ & ‘bureaucracies’. • Decentralized: more representational, but less accountable • Relatively small compared to other countries (except our regulations; Justice)

  2. Incoherent organization — the American bureaucracy has few clear lines of control, responsibility, and accountability • Divided control — bureaucratic agencies have two bosses, the President and Congress, who are constantly battling for control • Accessibility — individuals and groups can get a hearing and a response from bureaucrats without necessarily starting at the top (Street level)

  3. Transformation of the Bureaucracy • Administrative history: expansion in the size and responsibilities of the executive branch • The corporation and the progressives • The Great Depression • World War II and its aftermath • The regulatory state • Devolution and rollback • The war on terrorism

  4. What Do Bureaucrats Do? • Execute the law • Implementing legislative directives • Regulate (rule making) • Vague directives need filling in • Adjudicate • e.g. National Labor Relations Board

  5. What Influences Bureaucratic Behavior? • The Public • The President • Tools of the President (Chief budget officer; Appointments; media) • Congress • Legislating agency organization and mission • Confirming Presidential appointments • Controlling the agency budget • Holding oversight hearings (Fire-alarm/Police Patrol) • Interest groups

  6. POLICY IMPLICATION? 1. Division of Labor/Development of expertise: more efficient 2. Principle/Agent problems: preventing shirking 3. Rent Seeking: special interest influence 4. Delegation vs. Abdication:

  7. Why we give bureaucrats discretion? • Limiting agency discretion by specifying precise policy details in legislation is costly to legislators. • It takes time and skill to write careful legislation. • Lack of discretion may also mean less results – a slow and ineffective agency • Rational Legislators under uncertainty

  8. Controlling the Bureaucracy: Preventing Policy Shirking • Congressional oversight • Committees: Committees have created separate oversight or investigative subcommittees. Increased # of hearings. BUT – Much of the information that subcommittees get on bureaus comes from the agency themselves. • Monitoring : • Congressional Research Service • Congressional Budget Office • General Accounting Office • Carefully Written Laws • overlapping jurisdictions, etc.

  9. Reforming the Federal Bureaucracy • Scaling back the size of the bureaucracy • Privatizing • Cutting the Red Tape • “Reinventing government” • Introducing business principles • Protecting against bureaucratic abuses of power • Increasing Presidential control • Reform civil service – more appointees?

  10. Cutting the Red Tape • Where do we start? • NSF • FCC • Funding Student Loans • National Parks Service • National Weather Service • CDC • FDA • FEC

  11. Extra Credit: Forum Lecture - The Scientific Case for Global Warming: Problems and Prospects • Thursday, Oct. 14th, 7:30pm Barrick Museum Auditorium • Sign in with Graduate Assistant Jason Mitchell at the Event

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