The Federal Bureaucracy: The organization and tasks of the Executive Branch

1. The Federal Bureaucracy: The organization and tasks of the Executive Branch Chapter 15

2. The Constitution and the Bureaucracy ( Executive Branch Departments / Agencies) • The Executive branch is tasked with carrying out the laws created by Congress • to do so the executive branch has grown to include 15 cabinet departments, independent agencies, and the Office of the President • They are organized in a bureaucratic fashion( hence the name) • No employees are elected, some are appointed, most are hired • 2,000 appointments / 2.7 million employees

3. The Bureaucracy Constitution Where does the Bureaucracy come from? Congress creates departments / agencies The President nominates heads and other high officials The Senate confirms these officials • “The President has the power to appoint, with the advise and consent of the Senate ambassadors, judges, and all other officers…which shall be provided by the law”

4. What is a bureaucracy? • a way of organizing a large group of people to make sure that goals are met efficiently and effectively • NHV school district Each person has a specific job with specific duties There is a chain of command that is followed • Board & Superintendent • Principals • Vice Principals • Department Supervisors • Teachers

5. Federal Bureaucracy What they do: • the various agencies/ departments of the federal government that do the day-to-day work of carrying out the laws created by Congress • we have organized them in a bureaucratic manner (that is why we call them the bureaucracy) • The FDA inspector that ensures the safety and cleanliness of a meat-packing plant • The IRS agent that audits someone suspected of tax evasion • The CIA agent analyzing intelligence on a suspected terrorist plot against a US embassy

6. Federal bureaucracy • How the bureaucracy is arranged • Various units in each agency / department are arranged in a hierarchy (clear lines of authority) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/99494.htm • employees are recruited and promoted based on relevant expertise in field • Only a handful of those who work in the executive branch are appointed, most are hired as career bureaucrats • Job specialization • Operations are guided by rules and procedures that are clearly defined • The goal of each agency/ department is to achieve goals efficiently and effectively

7. History of the Bureaucracy • 1789-1816: handful of federal employees • 1816-1861: grows 8 fold, 86% of the growth was due to growth of demand for postal service • 1861-1901: grow substantially: labor , agriculture, commerce • Mostly service • Research, pass out benefits, dispense federal lands… • 1887: ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission) created, regulation of the economy begins!!!!

8. History of the Bureaucracy • 1901-1933: Progressive Era and WWI cause growth in executive branch • PE: new agencies created to enforce laws • FDA, NLRB, IRS , Federal Reserve • WWI: wars always create growth • 1933-today: New Deal and WWII • Two most impactful events in growth of exec branch • People now expect the gov to take an active role in economic and social problems • About 2 million work in the executive branch!

9. History of the Bureaucracy • 1933-today: Congress has conceded discretionary authority (power to choose how policies are carried out) to executive branch agencies/ departments • FDA: decide what drugs can come to the market • FCC: decide who can own TV stations • FBI: what dissident groups should be investigated • EPA: what fumes can be emitted by a factory smokestack

10. History of the Bureaucracy…who works in the Executive Branch • 1789 to 1883: Presidents were able to replace nearly all executive branch officials with new appointees • Cleveland replaced 40,000 Republican postal employees with Democrats • “to the victor belong the spoils,” Andrew Jackson- awarded federal posts to party loyalists • Upper-class, white males

11. The Civil Service • The Pendleton Act (1883) created the fed civil service system, workers are selected according to merit, not party loyalty • The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) • Administers civil service laws and regulations • Is in charge of hiring for most fed agencies • Basically the human resources office for the gov

12. Organization of the Bureaucracy

13. White House Office • Made up mainly of advisors to the President and support staff • 454 staffers http://www.whitehouse.gov/21stcenturygov/tools/salaries • http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop • Close proximity to the President = power • White House Chief of Staff (Denis McDonough) oversees all of the White House Staff and the Executive Office of the President • Many go on to other important political positions • Jack Lew: Chief of Staff / Sec of Treasury • Rahm Emmanuelle / Mayor of Chicago

14. Key members of White House Staff • Chief of Staff – gatekeeper who controls access to the President, manage the entire White House and determines what information flows to the President • Deputy Chief (s) of Staff, Senior Advisors, speechwriters • Press Secretary – presidential daily briefing, public relations, manage image of the president • First Lady • National Security Advisor (key member of the National Security Council)

15. Executive Office of the president • http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop The following entities exist within the Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Executive Residence National Security Council Office of Administration Office of Management and Budget Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of Science and Technology Policy Office of the United States Trade Representative Office of the Vice President White House Office

16. Executive Office of the President • Executive Office of the President • Report directly to the president • Not located in the White House • Appointments must be confirmed by the SENATE • Overseen by the Chief of Staff (White House Office) • 1,500-2,000 staffers work for the EOP • Only a handful appointed Important agencies include…. • The Office of Management and Budget • Examine the operations of the Executive Branch to evaluate efficiency and suggest plans for improvement • Review spending proposals from each cabinet department • Prepare the federal budget • The National Security Council • Advise the President on national security/ foreign policy matter • **Coordinate policies among various security-related government agencies • Members include secretary of state, national security advisor, secretary of defense, vice president, director of national intelligence, and others • Council of Economic Advisors • 3 prominent economists who advise the President on economic policy • Office of the Vice President

17. Cabinet Departments

18. Cabinet Departments

19. Cabinet Departments • Cabinet Departments • Appointments must be approved by the SENATE • Very visible / political job • Short tem job (1 or 2 terms) • Divided loyalties? Some suggest that cabinet secretaries are more concerned with expanding their budgets and promoting the departmental goals rather than an undying loyalty to the President and his objectives • Broad mission: i.e. homeland security • Original intentions – key close advisors to the President • Washington administration – rather than work together as intimate advisors – Jefferson and Hamilton feuded • 15 departments exist today – generally don’t act as close advisors, that role is taken by the EOP • More concerned with overseeing their massive departments

20. Cabinet departments: Homeland Security: Organization

21. Independent Agencies • Examples: NASA, CIA, EPA, Federal Reserve (more on this later) • Smaller / more focused mission than cabinet departments • Leadership is appointed by Pre / approved by Senate • Can’t be removed by President, can be impeached • Intentionally removed from cabinet as to avoid political entanglements • Heads tend to keep position much longer than cabinet heads

22. Regulatory commissions • Examples: • FCC (Federal Communications Commission) http://www.fcc.gov/what-we-do • FERC (Federal Energy regulation commission) https://www.ferc.gov/about/ferc-does.asp • Specific function (usually economic) with some judicial responsibilities (power to punish) • Leadership not political in nature • Generally serve long terms • President can’t remove them from office, can be impeached

23. Government Corporations • government agency that is established by Congress to provide a market-oriented public service and to produce revenues that meet or approximate its expenditures • Examples: USPS, TVA, FDIC • Leadership not political in nature • Generally serve long terms • Can’t be removed by the President, can be impeached

24. Problems with bureaucracy • Red tape • Duplication • Waste • Too much power?!?

25. The federal reserve: too much power? Fiscal policy Monetary policy Employed by the Federal Reserve (our central bank) Sets rules and regulations for banks to follow Manages all electronic transfers of money Controls the amount of $ in circulation Interest rates Reserve requirements Sale of bonds • Employed by Congress and the President • Taxing and spending plans designed to influence the economy • Tax breaks for home-owners • Stimulus packages

26. Federal Reserve • Should an independent agency have that much control over the economy? • Pros / Cons

27. Who has the power in our gov’t? Iron triangles • According to the theory: agencies and departments usually keep close contacts with interest group lobbyists who want to influence their actions. • Interest groups may provide valuable statistics to government agencies, and they are motivated to have their point of view heard. • Both lobbyists and bureaucrats value contact with congressional subcommittees that shape the laws that govern their interests. • Working together, these three groups set most government policies. Example: AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) the House subcommittee on aging, and the Social Security administration all working together to create legislation that would increase the rate of inflation on SS benefits Sometimes called “sub-governments”

28. Issue Networks • On the rise over the past 20 years… • Less about parties than iron triangles • alliance of various interest groups and individuals who unite to promote a single issue in gov’t policy. • push for a change in policy within the government bureaucracy • Example: network of environmental groups and individuals who push for more environmental regulation in government policy.

29. Differences between iron triangles and issue networks • Iron Triangle relationships seek only to benefit those involved at the expense of the constituencies that Congress and the Federal bureaucracy are supposed to represent, the general public

30. Where does the power of the bureaucracy come from? • They are essential: the laws of Congress need to be carried out • Need air traffic controllers… • Expertise: employees in agencies have technical knowledge and skills • Congress relies on this to carry out their laws • Discretion: because of the expertise of agency employees, they are given broad leeway in deciding how to carry out legislation • Why? • Too time consuming for Congress to create legislation and decide all of the specifics related to carrying it out • Congress can’t be blamed if the policy doesn’t work out • Easier for an agency to come to an agreement than for congress to do so • Clientele groups: the people who benefit from an agency can help provide influence from that agency • If the people who benefit from an agency are politically powerful their budget is less likely to be cut

31. How does Congress check the power of the bureaucracy? • Congress-members often become familiar with problems in the bureaucracy through their casework • Constituents contacting members for help with an issue • Power of the purse / budgetary limits can be placed on agencies • “sunset laws” • Create an end date for specific types of regulation • Congress can dissolve an agency or create new agencies that take power away from existing agencies • Congress has the power of oversight • Hearings / investigation

32. The cost of the Bureaucracy • http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/01/news/economy/gao_report_government_duplication/index.htm • http://s3.amazonaws.com/atrfiles/files/files/092512pr-costhiringfedworker3.pdf