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The Federal Bureaucracy

The Federal Bureaucracy. Executing the Laws. Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy. The Framers set up a system in which the legislative could not be part of the Federal Bureacracy. Left the President in charge of appointment and running the nation.

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The Federal Bureaucracy

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  1. The Federal Bureaucracy • Executing the Laws

  2. Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy • The Framers set up a system in which the legislative could not be part of the Federal Bureacracy. • Left the President in charge of appointment and running the nation. • However, Framers made Congress in charge of creating departments, agencies, and funding them.

  3. What is Bureaucracy? • Literally means “Rule by desk”

  4. Problems/Perceptions • Too big • Follow rigid, complex • guidelines • Stifle effectiveness/ • innovation • Red Tape

  5. What is the Federal Bureaucracy? • What does it consist of? • there are a total of 15 Departments, and also independent agencies, independents regulatory agencies,/commissions, and government corporations.

  6. Departments • The 15 large organizations. Highest in federal hierarchy. (Defense, Education, Justice etc.) • 14 have SECRETARIES as head of the department. ( i.e. Secretary of State). • The JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

  7. Bureaucratic Hierarchy

  8. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT • Attorney General: Eric H. Holder • Solicitor General: (Justice Department’s Lawyer):Donald B. Verilli

  9. Department of Homeland Security • Created in 2002 due to 9/11 • 22 separate agencies did not coordinate efforts • Merged

  10. Independent RegulatoryCommissions • Agency with regulatory power. Independent due to Congressional approval. Has power to do what’s important. • Headed by commissioners, appointed by President and approved by Senate.

  11. GEORGE CARLIN 7 WORDS YOU CAN’T SAY ON THE RADIO JANET JACKSON AND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE STUNT AT SUPERBOWL “THE FCC WON’T LET ME BE” Examples of RegulatoryCommissions/Agencies • Commissions/Agencies: FCC

  12. Federal Reserve Board • Ben Bernanke: Federal Reserve Chair • Help regulate the market and stop “panics.”

  13. FEC: Federal ElectionsCommission • Regulate elections (or not). 6 members, 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans.

  14. Independent Agencies • Independent REGULATORY agencies DO NOT report to the PRESIDENT. • Independent Agencies do. • Independent Agencies are headed by Administrators.

  15. Examples

  16. COLLAPSE Government Corporations • Government Sponsored Businesses

  17. Fannie Mae: Federal National Mortgage Association. (Started During Great Depression) • SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) Reported Fannie Mae knew and downplayed significance of subprime mortgage rates.

  18. Freddie Mac: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation • Secondary mortgages started in 1970’s. Also charged by SEC for same business practices.

  19. Housing and Urban Development Goals • Wants to help low and middle income people live the dream. Freddie and Fannie Try to help.

  20. JEFFERSON’S WANTED TO LIMIT THE ALREADY GROWING GOVERNMENT, MINUS THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. (EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT YET BIG) THE PURCHASE SET OFF WAVE OF CORRUPTION IN LAND OFFICE, RESERVING BEST PIECES OF LAND FOR THEMSELVES. TWO PARTY SYSTEM REINFORCED COMPETITION AND “SPOILS SYSTEM” EVENTUALLY, 1883 WOULD COME AROUND, AND GARFIELD WOULD BE ASSASSINATED DUE TO CORRUPTION IN LACK OF FAIRNESS IN JOB MARKET. Evolution of the federal bureaucracy • jefferson, jackson and garfield: Spoils to merit system

  21. ONLY 15% OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WORK IN WASHINGTON D.C. 25% ARE IN DEFENSE. ANOTHER 30% WORK FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE. WELFARE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, YET ONLY ABOUT 10% OF BUREAUCRATS WORK IN THESE FIELDS. FEDERAL CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE PROPORTIONAL MAKEUP TO “NORMAL” US. MOST CIVIL SERVICE JOBS ARE “WHITE COLLAR. Myth vs. reality: not as “corrupt” or lazy as perceived. • Most of the public see bureaucrats being lazy, merely wanting job security, paycheck or retirement. Actually not the case.

  22. Limitations on Employees • Hatch Act: 1939, barred federal employees from participating in certain kinds of politics and protected employees from being fired on partisan grounds. • Changed in 1993 under President Clinton.

  23. Hatch 2.0 • Bars officials rom running for office, but can participate in political processes. • Prohibits CIA, FBI etc. from nearly all partisan activities.

  24. Office of Personnel Management • Has the task of setting standards for how agencies hire individuals. • Still individual agencies’ job to hire individuals.

  25. Implementation and Administrative Discretion.admini • Congress and President have to trust bureaucratic agencies to execute broad laws, and do so in efficient and effective manners.

  26. Making Regulations • Regulations are the rules government makes to put into place to IMPLEMENT laws. • Rules are drafted in RULE MAKING PROCESS • (part of the flow chart). • Put into the federal registrar. • The federal registrar is published daily and shows proposed and enacted legislation for the executive department and its agencies.

  27. Spending • The federal government enacts legislation which takes spending. • Must be approved by Congress.

  28. Uncontrollable Spending • Spending that must happen, regardless of the situation. • Most of this happens through ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS.

  29. uncontrollable spending: most of budget • medicare, medicaid, social security, unemployment, loans.

  30. INDEXING • UNCONTROLLABLE SPENDING continues to go up due to rise in costs of living. • INFLATION

  31. WHO HAS CONTROL? • President has some due to appointments, budgets, reorganization. • However, the bureaucracy has to be responsive.

  32. So why no change? • Congress is all “talk.” Kickbacks are not worth changing the system. Congress can abolish any agency it wishes to.

  33. Oversight • Congress, the President, and the Attorney General (Holder) can watch over the bureaucracy with oversight. • However, the President usually uses the OMB to oversee bureaucratic functions. • CENTRAL CLEARANCE • INTEREST GROUPS ROLE USUALLY USED FOR EXECUTIVE CONGRESSIONAL BENEFITS ON ISSUES.

  34. GOVERNMENT’S ACHIEVEMENTS • PG. 359 • Poverty among older Americans has decreased • Air and water quality have improved • More women are graduating (college, graduate degrees, collegiate sports) • Food and drugs are safer. • More poor children are getting a head start in preschool • More pregnant women are receiving proper medial care

  35. CONTINUED..... • HOME OWNERSHIP RATES HAVE BEEN RISEN TO HIGHEST LEVELS EVER • AMERICAN ARE LIVING LONGER WITH GREATER FINANCIAL SECURITY AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS • POLIO AND TUBERCULOSIS HAVE BEEN ALMOST ELIMINATED • THE INTERNET HAS REVOLUTIONIZED COMMUNICATION (DEFENSE DEPARTMENT) • CRIME RATES ARE MUCH LOWER THAN TWO DECADES AGO • MORE AMERICANS ARE COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL AND ATTENDING COLLEGE

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