110 likes | 271 Views
Executive Branch. The Cabinet and Executive Agencies. Who gets the blame for problems in the country?. The President. Bureaucracy. A large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization Hierarchical authority Job specialization Formalized rules.
E N D
Executive Branch The Cabinet and Executive Agencies
Who gets the blame for problems in the country? The President
Bureaucracy • A large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization • Hierarchical authority • Job specialization • Formalized rules
Executive Departments • 15 departments • Carry out much of the Federal Government’s work • Each department is headed by a secretary • except for the attorney general over the Department of Justice • The departments are further divided into subunits called agencies, which are further divided into smaller units
The Cabinet • Informal advisors to the president and each is the head of an executive department • In 1789, Congress established • secretary of state • secretary of the treasury • secretary of war • attorney general • In 2012, traditionally includes Vice-President, the White House Chief of Staff, the heads of the 15 executive departments, and others
Choosing the Cabinet • President appoints heads of the 15 executive departments • Presidents rarely appoint those of opposing party • Individuals may have been involved in the presidential campaign • Other factors: professional qualifications, experience, and geography, gender, race, etc.
Executive Agencies • Government agencies outside the 15 executive departments • approximately 150 agencies • The work of these agencies are similar to those of the executive departments • Why are they not part of the 15 executive departments? • The agency does not fit well with any department • Protects the agency from the influence of partisan pressure • By accident • Sensitive nature of an agency’s function • The heads of these agencies do not have Cabinet status
Examples of Executive Agencies From the known . . . • NASA • Peace Corps • The Civil Rights Commission . . . to the unknown • American Battle Monuments Commission • Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee • Migratory Bird Conservation Commission