What is a Bureaucracy?

1. What is a Bureaucracy? • A method for organizing large groups

2. Loyola’s Bureaucracy

3. Characteristics of a Bureaucracy • Internal Division of Labor specialized by function. • Employees are recruited and promoted based on expertise (usually). • Hierarchy • Standard Operating Procedures. • Effective, Efficient execution of tasks to reach goals.

4. Structure…The Cabinet 15 departments Each established by Congress for a specific task Headed by a Secretary Appointed by the President Approved by the Senate Each Dept is sub-divided Functions are greatly impacted by the President

5. CABINET DEPARTMENTS • Secretary of State • Secretary of the Treasury • Secretary of Defense • Attorney General • Secretary of the Interior • Secretary of Agriculture • Secretary of Commerce • Secretary of Labor • Secretary of Health and Human Services • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development • Secretary of Transportation • Secretary of Energy • Secretary of Education • Secretary of Veterans Affairs • Secretary of Homeland Security • Created by: • Congress • Secretaries Approved by: • Senate

6. What the Bureaucracy Does • Congress and Pres. • Pass a Law • Bureaucracy • Implement/Enforce law

7. Department of the Interior SUBUNITS • Bureau of Indian Affairs • National Parks Service • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement

8. INDEPENDENT AGENCIES, REGULATORY AGENCIES & GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS • Report Directly to the President • Narrower area of Responsibility than Cabinet Departments. • What is the difference between these three?

9. REGULATORY AGENCIES • Created by Congress for a particular area of focus. • Regulate particular activity or interest • Free of political pressure • Securities and Exchange Commission • Federal Elections Commission

10. INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES • Like a cabinet dept. but have a more specific focus • Practical and symbolic reasons • Less indebted to President • NASA • CIA • EPA

11. GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS • Charge for services. • Also receive govt. funds. • Post Office • Amtrak • Why do these exist?

12. EPA VIDEO • 9:15 minute mark • http://www.learner.org/courses/democracyinamerica/dia_8/dia_8_video.html • Why was the EPA created? • What role does leadership play in creating an effective bureaucracy? • Can any bureaucracy operate effectively without clear political guidance as to what goals it should pursue? 

13. Growth of the Bureaucracy • 1st Congress: 1789 • Created State, War, Treasury, Justice Departments. • 1861-1900: • Civil War • Industrial Revolution • Department of Agriculture • Dept. of Labor • Dept. of Commerce • Depression and WWII • Change in public attitude (role of Govt) • Social Programs • WWII Use of Federal Taxes: Expand Govt. • Amendment 16: Income Tax (1913) • Military Preparedness (Continues in Cold War) • 1960s • Civil Rights Movement • LBJ: Great Society (“War on Poverty”)

14. Is the Bureaucracy too big? • Department of Agriculture: NBC Learn Video

15. Who Are Bureaucrats?Total Federal Employment (2.7 million)

16. U. S. Military • 543,000 Army • 335,000 Navy • 158,000 Marines • 330,000 Air Force • 810,000 Reserves

17. Who are Bureaucrats?Hiring • 1800s • Spoils System (Patronage) • 1883: Pendleton Act • Introduce merit based system • Today: • 90% are hired by the civil service system • Many “indirectly employed” through sub-contracting. • i.e., military contractors

18. What the Bureaucracy Does • Congress and Pres. • Pass a Law • Bureaucracy • Implement/Enforce law

19. Congress Delegates Authority/ Bureaucratic Autonomy • Administrative discretion: • in creating policies, regulations, & disbursing grants. • Administrative adjudication: • Settle disputes between two parties.

20. “The Bank Regulators’ Book Club” • What was the law passed by Congress? • Which agency was responsible for implementing? • Provide MULTIPLE SPECIFIC examples of how the bureaucrats exercise ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION. • http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/02/04/133476579/the-bank-regulators-book-club

21. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation • Formed in 1933 • Why? • Independent Agency • Regulates Banks and Deposits • Insure up to $250,000 • “Full Faith and Credit”

22. Career Bureaucrats v. Political Appointments • Agency Point of View • Career with one Agency • Continuity • Long term stability • Status Quo • “Protect Turf” • President’s Agenda • Temporary political agenda • Short term goals • “pet” issues/projects • Attempt to enact change

23. Iron Triangle

24. Halliburton and the Iron Triangle • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deGPK54tBW4

25. Accountability: Checks on the Bureaucracy • Congressional Control • Appropriate money • Shape laws; create regulations • Create Departments/Agencies • Investigate agencies (hearings) • Approve of secretaries

26. Accountability: Checks on the Bureaucracy • Presidential Control • Appointments • Reorganize (with Congress) • Budget Cuts (with Congress) • Executive Orders • Tells them how to implement • Judicial Control • Injunctions • (prevent an agency from acting until court officially rules on a case). • Threat of Litigation • Declare actions unconstitutional

27. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE • Federal Bureau of Investigation • Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms • Drug Enforcement Administration • Federal Bureau of Prisons

28. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) • Transportation Security Administration (TSA) • U.S. Coast Guard • U.S. Secret Service • Customs and Border Protection

29. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY • Bureau of Engraving and Printing • Internal Revenue Service • U.S. Mint