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The Bureaucracy Chapter 15

The Bureaucracy Chapter 15. What are examples of bureaucracy in your own life?. A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials. The Bureaucracy puts policy through Authority is divided among several managers

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The Bureaucracy Chapter 15

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  1. The BureaucracyChapter 15

  2. What are examples of bureaucracy in your own life?

  3. A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials. The Bureaucracy puts policy through Authority is divided among several managers ex. of private: McDonald’s, MTV, Mission Hills high School, Catholic Church Government agencies: The IRS, The DMV, The Post Office, San Marcos City Council What is a Bureaucracy?

  4. Three Features of a Bureaucracy • 1) Hierarchical Authority- Pyramid with a chain of command running from the top to the bottom, with the most power at the top • 2) Job Specialization- Each person, or bureaucrat, has certain defined duties and responsibilities • 3) Formalized Rules- Set of established regulations and procedures *Bureaucrats are unelected public policy makers

  5. The Bureaucracy’s Character • Political authority over the bureaucracy is not in one set of hands- shared among several institutions • Most bureaucratic agencies share their responsibilities with local/state gov’t • Dep’t of Education gives money to local schools • Dep’t of Housing and Urban Development gives money to community development/improvement

  6. The Growth of the Bureaucracy • Jefferson created state dept- • Dept heads/secretaries were to be approved by the senate • The dept head could then chose people to work for him that were not elected by the people or approved by the senate • In 1861-1901, new agencies were created to handle policy • Pension office • Independent regulatory commissions- created by Congress to regulate important aspects of the nation’s economy (SEC, The Fed, FTC) • Commissioners serve about 5-14 years – can be fired by President

  7. The Federal Bureaucracy Today • No president wants to admit that he has increased the size of the bureaucracy (will state what they cut, rarely what they created) • Approx 3 million persons in these positions- but 13 million who work indirectly for these positions • I.e., federal employment has remained the same, employment among state and federal contractors/consultants has mushroomed • Growth: population, technology (FCC, FAA), intern’l crisis (War on Terror), responsibility of welfare of nation, agencies fight to survive (constituents)

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  9. The Bureaucrats (what do you see? • Growth in Civilian Government Employees

  10. Civil Service Replaces Patronage • Patronage: Job given for political reasons • Civil Service: System of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship (1883- Pendleton Civil Service Act- assasination of President Garfield) • Merit Principle: Entrance exams and promotion ratings to find people with talent and skill • Office of Personnel Management (OPM): The federal office in charge of most of the government’s hiring (since 1979)

  11. What power does it have? • Discretionary authority: The ability to make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws • The power of interpretation • The power of the bureaucracy should be measured by its discretionary power, not its size • Ex: OHSA work regulations, drafting legislation, advice to White House, settling disputes among agencies

  12. The Bureaucrats • Who They Are and How They Got There • Most demographically representative part of government • Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector Figure 15.2

  13. Why is everyone so negative about it? • Slow, can be inefficient • Red tape • Lobbying • Revolving door- who do they really work for (future employers) • Iron triangle- the relationship between a committee, interest group, and agency. • Client groups- diary groups and Ag Dept) • Issue network- a network of people in DC that advocate policy • Think tanks • Interest groups • Universities • Mass media • Congressional staffs • Very difficult to fire a bureaucrat • Too centralized, excessive regulations

  14. Figure 15.5

  15. Good things about the Bureaucracy • Needed to enact policy • There are checks on the system • Congressional oversight, media (whistleblowers), courts, confirmations/nominations • Multiple minds = multiple ideas • Characteristic of life, not just government (more representative of American people) • Is controlled (Hatch Act (political activity), Freedom of Information Act (public scrutiny), hiring guidelines, size and appropriation available

  16. Some thoughts to ponder • Laws of Bureaucracy • “When in doubt, mumble, when in trouble delegate, when in charge, ponder” • “Never do anything for the first time” • “Expenditures rise to meet income” • “Never blame your policies, blame the person before you” • “Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible” • “If it jams, force it. If it breaks it needed replacement anyway.”

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  18. Wrapping it up • Review the following Pork per Capita sheet • What does the sheet say about federal spending? • Why is this important to the states? • How is this spending even allowed? • Explain in as much detail within your group about what you have just reviewed. • Website: www.cagw.com

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