Pump Primer

1. 14 Pump Primer How do the elected branches of government—Congress and the presidency—exert control over the federal bureaucracy? How might they exert more control over the bureaucracy so that the system will be more democratic?

3. 14 The Federal Bureaucracy

4. Video: The Big Picture 14 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Edwards_Ch14_The_Federal_Bureaucracy_Seg1_v2.html

5. 14 Learning Objectives • Describe the federal bureaucrats and the ways in which they obtain their jobs 14.1 Differentiate the four types of agencies into which the federal bureaucracy is organized 14.2

6. 14 Learning Objectives • Identify the factors that influence the effectiveness of bureaucratic implementation of public policy 14.3 Describe how bureaucracies regulate, and assess deregulation and alternative approaches to regulation 14.4

7. 14 Learning Objectives • Identify the means of controlling the bureaucracy and assess the role of iron triangles 14.5 Assess the role of unelected bureaucrats in American democracy and the impact of the bureaucracy on the scope of government 14.6

8. 14 Biblical Integration Regulations are essential because man as a sinner cannot always be trusted to do right, his selfish nature causes him to cut corners. Bureaucratic edicts may be burden- some, insensitive, and dictatorial, but man continues to prove that when left to himself, he does what is “right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25

9. Video: The Basics 14 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg2_Bureaucracy_v2.html

10. 14.1 The Bureaucrats • Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities • Civil Servants • Political Appointees

11. Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities Americans dislike bureaucrats Americans dislike “faceless” bureaucracies Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year Fact: Federal bureaucracy has shrunk Federal Employment: 2.7 million; 2% of all civilian jobs State and local has grown larger Federal shifted more responsibilities to states State and local Employment: 20 million 14.1

12. Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient, mired in red tape Fact: General Motors and the Catholic church are just as much bureaucracies as the IRS Method of organization – no one has come up with a better alternative Bureaucrats work in D.C. Fact: Only 1 in 7 work in D.C. Many work in local offices (Post offices, Social Security offices, etc.) 14.1

13. Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities Bureaucrats work in D.C. Fact: Federal “civilian” bureaucrats DoD (largest) = 28% of *civilian* bureaucrats Postal Service (second) = 22% Department of Veterans Affairs (third) = 11%. 14.1

14. 14.1 TABLE 14.1: Federal civilian employment

15. 14.1 FIGURE 14.1: Departmental service of federal non postal civilian employees

16. Civil Servants Diversity in the civil service More representative than elected officials and appointees Development of civil service system Industrial revolution and urbanization increased demands Incompetent patronage employees were becoming a practical problem 14.1

17. Civil Servants Development of civil service system Pendleton Act (1883)+ Created the federal CivilService Hiring and promotion would be based on merit. Nonpartisan government service Hatch Act (1939) Prohibits civil servants from participation in partisan politics 14.1

18. Civil Servants Development of civil service system Patronage (spoils system) “To the victors belong the spoils” of war or, in this case, elections Candidate doling out jobs to friends and supporters after each election Merit (used today) Skills and competence for performing the work 14.1

19. 14.1 FIGURE 14.2: Characteristics of federal nonpostal civilian employees

20. Political Appointees Plum Book 500 top policymaking posts President must fill Nationwide search for talented and accomplished individuals to fill these posts 2,500 lesser posts Ambassadorships go to contributors Geographical and Demographic balance More important to modern presidents 14.1

21. Political Appointees Transient employees Last less than two years Dependent upon senior civil servants Less power than anticipated Take one for the team Sometimes asked to take the fall for the president in a scandal 14.1

22. 14.1 14.1 How many civilian employees does the federal bureaucracy employ today? 5,100,750 75,500 2,700,000 50,000

23. 14.1 14.1 How many civilian employees does the federal bureaucracy employ today? 5,100,750 75,500 2,700,000 50,000

24. How the Federal Bureaucracy is Organized 14.2 • Cabinet Departments • Independent Regulatory Commissions • Government Corporations • Independent Executive Agencies

25. Cabinet Departments Organization 15 cabinet departments Each headed by secretary Undersecretaries, deputy undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, etc. Own policy area, own budget, own staff Bureaus (agencies) within departments 14.2

26. 14.2 FIGURE 14.3: Organization of the Executive Branch

27. Independent Regulatory Commissions Make and enforce rules Judge disputes over rules Alphabet soup: FRB, NLRB, FCC, FTC, SEC, etc. ICC (Interstate Commission), FRB(Federal Reserve Board), NLRB (National Labor Relations Board), FCC (Federal Communications Commission), FTC (Federal Trade Commission), SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). 14.2

28. Independent Regulatory Commissions Governed by 5-10 commissioners with fixed terms Appointed bypresidentand confirmed by Senate Somewhat insulated from politics Controlled by the industry they regulate 14.2

29. Government Corporations Different from other government agencies Provide services that could be handled by private sector Charge consumers for these services, albeit at cheaper rates Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Established in 1933 (part of the New Deal) to provide electricity to rural regions U.S. Postal Service Amtrak 14.2

30. Independent Executive Agencies Everything else Currently 45-50 Headed by Administrators; appointed by president General Services Administration (GSA) National Science Foundation (NSF) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 14.2

31. 14.2 Fishermen on Lake Erie We depend on bureaucrats to measure and protect the cleanliness of the water so fishermen like these can safely fish in America’s waterways. What would happen if we left it up to the private sector to police its own pollution?

32. 14.2 14.2 Which of the following is an example of a government corporation? Federal Communications Commission NASA U.S. Postal Service General Services Administration

33. 14.2 14.2 Which of the following is an example of a government corporation? Federal Communications Commission NASA U.S. Postal Service General Services Administration

34. Bureaucracies as Implementors 14.3 • What Implementation Means • Why the Best-Laid Plans Sometimes Flunk the Implementation Test • A Case Study of Successful Implementation: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Privatization

35. What Implementation Means Policies are not self-executing Laws are usually vague Bureaucracies work out the details Implementation is critical Create new agency or assign new responsibility to existing agency Translate policy goals into rules and guidelines Coordinate resources 14.3

36. Why the Best-Laid Plans Sometimes Flunk the Implementation Test High expectations -> dashed hopes Easy to pass-> harder to implement Program design is the problem COBRA Prevent Americans from losing their health insurance when they change or lose their job. Insurance company must offer them coverage for 18 months Cost is so high, people can’t afford the coverage Could have been successful, if Congress passed a ceiling limit on what insurance companies could charge 14.3

37. Why the Best-Laid Plans Sometimes Flunk the Implementation Test Lack of clarity Lack of resources lack of funding (Head Start) lack of personnel 14.3

38. 14.3 Title IX Bureaucracies are often asked to implement vague laws. When Congress prohibited gender discrimination in college athletics, for example, it left it to bureaucrats to create specific guidelines. It took lawsuits filed by dissatisfied stakeholders to establish the law’s meaning.

39. Why the Best-Laid Plans Sometimes Flunk the Implementation Test Lack of authority to do their jobs Administrative routine or standard operating procedures (SOPs) Red tape Complex rules and procedures must be followed to get things done 14.3

40. Why the Best-Laid Plans Sometimes Flunk the Implementation Test Administrators’ dispositions depends on disposition (outlook) Street-level bureaucrats Police officers – give a ticket or a warning Fragmentation 10 agencies involved with Welfare 32 agencies involved with Homeland Security Lack of trust and cooperation 14.3

41. 14.3 Illegal aliens and border patrol So-called street-level bureaucrats such as law enforcement officers have considerable discretion in enforcing laws, such as whether or not to search someone who has been detained.

42. A Case Study of Successful Implementation: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Clear goals Register African American voters Adequate means to achieve them Federal registrars sent to counties Protected by U.S. marshals Federal penalties for obstruction 14.3

43. 14.3 Voter registration The implementation of the Voting Rights Act was successful because it had a clear goal and it deployed federal bureaucrats, protected by federal law enforcement officers, who had the authority to do their jobs

44. Privatization Reinventing government Decentralize authority Room for innovation Performance incentives Make govt. look more like private sector Contractors Private sector competition Theoretical cost savings Creates appearance of reducing size of govt. 14.3

45. Video: In Context 14.3 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_Bureaucracy_v2.html

46. 14.3 14.3 Why does policy implementation sometimes fail? Policy has contradictory goals Not enough personnel to execute policy Not enough funding to implement policy All of the above

47. 14.3 14.3 Why does policy implementation sometimes fail? Policy has contradictory goals Not enough personnel to execute policy Not enough funding to implement policy All of the above

48. Explore the Simulation: You Are Head of FEMA 14.0 http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_longman_media_1/2013_mpsl_sim/simulation.html?simulaURL=9

49. Bureaucracies as Regulators 14.4 • Regulation in the Economy and in Everyday Life • Deregulation • Regulation is probably the most controversial task of bureaucracies. Regulations are necessary, but they are rarely popular with the regulated industries or individuals. The number of federal regulations in existence today is truly staggering, and they pervade every aspect of our lives.

50. Regulation in the Economy and in Everyday Life Free enterprise is highly regulated Many agencies regulate each company History of regulation Virtually none State and local Federal after 1887 Interstate Commerce Commission Guidelines developed with industry Enforcement varies depending on agency and discretion 14.4