The Federal Bureaucracy “Rule by People at Desks”

1. The Federal Bureaucracy“Rule by People at Desks” Chapter 13

2. The Daily / Undefined Branch • Interaction with all of us daily • FDA, EPA, DOE and many more • Love hate relationship between citizens and bureaucracy • Less most of the time, more in emergencies

3. Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy • Cannot serve in Congress and hold executive branch position. Article I, Section 6 of U.S. Constitution • Issue with Hillary Clinton recently • Done to prevent corruption

4. Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy • Congress has power too create departments, the Senate approves nominees, but the President is the administrator in chief

5. Bureaucracy Today • 2.7 Americans employed • 15 Cabinet-level departments • U.S. Postal Service • 50 independent agencies • 1.4 million in armed forces • Congress can create or abolish with a law, or by withholding funds

6. Bureaucracy Today • Difficult to manage because of size, interest group connections, and political history. • Confusion over who is responsible and overlap of duties. • Mad cow disease • Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection • DOA & HHS • SLOW

7. How the Federal Government is Organized • Department is the highest ranking in federal hierarchy and usually largest. • Example: Department of Defense • Departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force • Each has separate duties • Army has its own air force, navy has its own army (marines) OVERLAP

8. How the Federal Government is Organized • 15 Cabinet Departments are most visible • Employ 70% of all federal civil servants and spend 93% of all federal dollars • 14 headed by secretaries, Justice department by the Attorney General

9. Umbrella Department Combining a number of related programs Homeland Security Health and Human Services Commerce Defense Single Purpose Department Survival strength due to a constituency group (Interest Group) Veterans Affairs 1989 American Legion Education Agriculture Commerce Labor Two Approaches to Creation of Departments

10. Independent Regulatory Commissions • Part of bureaucracy but are partially independent from Congress and President • Run by a small number of commissioners appointed by president, approved by senate • Federal Reserve – Ben Bernanke • SEC • FCC

11. Independent Agencies • These agencies still report to the President • Usually start smaller, and work up to becoming a department • Veterans Administration in 1930, Department 1989 • Currently 50 • CIA, NASA, EPA, and DEA

12. Leading the Federal Bureaucracy • ~3,000 presidential appointees head federal departments and agencies • 600 subject to Senate confirmation • 2,400 serve entirely “at the pleasure of the president”

13. Becoming a Presidential Appointee • Selection by White House Presidential Personnel Office • White House clearance • Submission of name to Senate • Senate review

14. The Senior Executive Service • ~7,000 members • ~6,400 career executives • ~600 political executives • Along with the president’s political appointees, help run federal departments and agencies

15. The Civil Service • Federal employees who work for the government through a competitive, not political selection process. • Originally abused by the “spoils system” • 90% of government jobs are now on merit

16. Civil Service Realities • Only 15% of career civilian employees work in Washington, D.C. • 25% work for armed forces, 30% for post office • Majority of bureaucrats are white-collar employees (lawyers, managers, engineers, etc…)

17. Regulating the Civil Service • 1939 Hatch Act • Allowed civil service members to vote, but not be active in partisan politics • Also could not be dismissed for political reasons • Overhauled in 1993 by Clinton administration • Idea is it could increase political participation