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The Federal Bureaucracy. Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials
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The Federal Bureaucracy • Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials • “bureau” – French for small desks, referring to the king’s traveling business men who set up small desks in town squares • Bureaucracy = “government of small desks”
The Federal Bureaucracy • Max Weber • Famous early 20thcentury German economist • Bureaucracy – well organized, complex machine that is a rationalway for society to organize its business. • Hierarchical authority structure – chain of command • Task specialization – individuals have unique jobs, division of labor • Extensive rules – clear policies for the organization to follow • Clear goals – clearly defined mission • Merit principle – hiring and promotion based on qualities, no jobs for favors • Impersonality – performance judged on productivity
The Spoils System • Federal bureaucracy was originally drawn from an elite group of upper-class white males • Proclaiming “to the victor belongs the spoils,” Andrew Jackson awarded federal posts to party loyalists---patronage
The Civil Service • The Pendleton Act (1883) created the federal civil service • Civil Service system -- workers are selected according to merit, not party loyalty • The 0ffice of Personnel Management (OPM) • Administers civil service laws and regulations • Is in charge of hiring for most federal agencies • Effects of Civil Service Reform • Govt. employees are much more competent • Creating nonpartisan civil service means insulating workers from risk of being fired when new party comes into power; this means it’s pretty hard to fire anyone • Hatch Act (1939 and 1993): employees are prohibited from active participation in partisan politics
The Growth of The Federal Bureaucracy • Science and technology • (NASA) is an example • Business regulation • think -- The Jungle • Social welfare • Civil War (veteran pensions) • Great Depression • income security and social services to Americans in need • Ambitious administrators • top agency officials look for new ways to serve clients, which in turn leads to new programs, larger staffs, and larger budgets
Constraints • Typical govt. bureau can’t hire, fire, build, or sell w/o going through statutory procedures • Administrative Procedures Act (1946): agency must give notice, solicit feedback, hold hearing before adopting new rule/policy • Freedom of Information Act (1966): agency must allow all citizens to inspect their records • National Environmental Policy Act (1969): agencies must issue environ. impact statements • Privacy Act (1974): keeps citizens’ records confidential • Open Meeting Law (1976): all parts of all meetings must be open to public
The federal bureaucracy includes all of the agencies, people, and procedures through which the federal government operates • There are approximately 2.7 million civilian and 1.4 million military federal employees • Half of all the civilian federal employees work for the department of defense and an additional 28 percent work for the postal service
Cabinet Departments • There are 15 cabinet departments • Exception of Justice (headed by the Attorney General), each department is headed by a secretary • All 15 heads are chosen by the president and approved by the Senate • Treasury Department has authority over the printing of currency • Cabinet secretaries often develop a strong loyalty to their departments • Cabinet members are often not close presidential advisors
Independent Regulatory Agencies • Created to protect the public by regulating key sectors of the economy • Best known independent regulatory agencies • Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) • National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) • Federal Reserve Board (FRB) • Independent regulatory agencies are led by small commissions appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate • Note commissioners cannot be removed by the Senate during their terms of office
The Federal Reserve Board • Federal Reserve Board’s Primary responsibility is to set monetary policy • Monetary policy includes setting bank interest rates, controlling inflation, regulating the money supply, and adjusting bank reserve requirements • Federal Reserve Board has great independence • This freedom removes monetary policy from politics • As a result, the Federal Reserve Board is usually able to use its economic expertise to develop monetary policies without undue interference from political parties and interest groups
The Government Corporations • Government corporations provide a service that could be provided by the private sector • Best Known -- • Corporation for Public Broadcasting- created during the Johnson administration • Tennessee Valley Authority- FDR • Amtrak • U.S. Postal Service
Independent Executive Agencies • Independent Executive Agencies include most of the non-cabinet departments • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Implementation • Implementation is translation of policy goals into rules and standard operating procedures • Break down • conflicting goals • faulty program design • lack financial resources • fragmentation of responsibilities • 46 agencies for counterterrorism under the Office of Homeland Security (2001) • Congress provides federal agencies with general mandates • Discretion to set specific guidelines for a given problem or situation
Regulation • Regulation is the use of governmental authority to control or change practices in the private sector • Supreme Court first upheld the right of government to regulate businesses in Munn v. Illinois (1877) • Reagan / Bush federal government deregulated or lifted a number of restrictions on business • Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)
Regulation v. Deregulation • Conservatives say: regulation has become too burdensome, inhibits business, personal freedom • Regulation raises prices! • Regulation hurts our competitiveness overseas! • Regulation doesn’t always work; gov’t can be dumb! • Liberals say: regulation is vital to prevent abuse, corruption, public fraud • There is often environmental damage due to deregulation
Appointments • Presidents have power to appoint senior agency heads and subheads • Enables president to exercise influence over an agency • President’s power limited • Senate has power to approve president’s appointments • Agency heads often develop a strong loyalty to their departments / do not aggressively purse a president’s policy agenda
Executive Orders • Directive, order, or regulation issued by president • Economic Powers • President may use Office of Management and Budget to cut or add to an agency’s budget • Divided Authority • Divided supervision in which both president / Congress exercise authority over the federal bureaucracy
Oversight • Congress responsibility to exercise legislative oversight over the federal bureaucracy • Oversight methods: • Budgetary control • Holding hearings and conducting investigations • Reorganizing an agency • Setting new guidelines for an agency
Iron Triangles • Alliance among an administrative agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests • Each member provides key services, information, or policy for the others • Powerful enough to be called sub-governments
Issue Networks • Coalition of interest groups and people who join together to advocate for a specific problem and for changing a government policy that pertains to that problem • Alliances created through an issue network make it possible for people to join together on their issue to create change in government policies that pertain to that issue
Issue Networks • Members of issue networks usually are political executives, government officials, public servants, scholarly analysts, reporters, members of foundations and White House staff members • Need for different professions is essential for an issue network to function, because many types of expertise are needed to change existing policy