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The Bureaucracy. Readings from Woll. Background . 4 th branch of government Accountability Not responsible for democracy Not in constitutional framework Separation of powers Developed by custom Statutory law Pawns in the power struggle between Congress and President. Woll.
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The Bureaucracy Readings from Woll
Background • 4th branch of government • Accountability • Not responsible for democracy • Not in constitutional framework • Separation of powers • Developed by custom • Statutory law • Pawns in the power struggle between Congress and President
Woll • Agencies exercise powers of each branch • Ultimately power in government comes fro administrative branch • How can we control the activities of the administrative branch? • Constitutional limits • Democratic participation
Federalist 72 • Hamilton considered administration an assistant to the president • It ought to be subject to his superintendence • Evolution of authority • Presidential supremacy • Congress has authority over administrative process • Bureaucratic organizations function independent of presidency
Congress maintains control over agencies • Creation and destruction of agencies • Defining jurisdiction of agencies • Through appropriations • Congress sets up agencies outside purview of presidency • Congress refuses to give president reorganization authority
President appoints certain officials (with advice and consent of the Senate) • Predominance of president in foreign and military affairs • Only official nationally elected • Democratically accountable • Stand as people’s representative
Judicial review? • Tested procedures, impartiality • Limits executive and legislative control • Opposition of departments • Leads to arbitrary government • Combines various functions • Strict adherence to the Constitution • Battleground of power for the 3 branches in our fragmented system – success!
Wilson • Private-sector political demands have led to the American democracy • Not a conspiracy to increase power • Pluralism to divide power into clientele sectors • Founders argued over powers of Congress, Presidency, and the states • Little discussion of administration • President to have sole removal power
Original departments small and limited • WWI, Great Depression, WWII circumstance of growth • Example of numbers in the SSA • Example of the task of DOE • Growth not a problem due to ideological views differing
Ways bureaucratic power can be gathered • Too large • Too much authority • Not responsive to people • May be necessary for modernity • Must deliver to exist • Look at history…
Growth in services like USPS • Military industrial complex • Position in world • New technology weapons • Specialized purchases • Promotion of economic industry • New Deal • Subsidies • Regulations
Cooperative federalism • Chief clients are the states • Grants-in-aid • 1960s • National goals • Self-perpetuating agencies • Adopt broad coalitions • New Deal • Great Society
Political relationships • Hard to alter • For the common good • In the name of particular interests • American bureaucracy breaks down • Possible for factional interests to acquire supportive power without submitting to effective scrutiny or modification of other interests