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CHAPTER 7: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

CHAPTER 7: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. Text: Cubbage et al., 1992. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. Chief executives have many constitutional powers Bureaucracy - part of executive branch different gov’t agencies assisting pres in implementing policies. THE PRESIDENCY:. Who constitutes the Presidency?

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CHAPTER 7: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

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  1. CHAPTER 7: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH Text: Cubbage et al., 1992

  2. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH • Chief executives have many constitutional powers • Bureaucracy - part of executive branch • different gov’t agencies assisting pres in implementing policies

  3. THE PRESIDENCY: • Who constitutes the Presidency? • President, advisors, gov’t agencies implementing laws • Powers • Appointments (~7000 fed jobs) • Supervision –controls bureaucracy • Promote legislation – State of Union/special messages to Congress • Budget – develops, submits annual budget • Foreign policy

  4. President’s Pursuit & Use of Power • Affected by: • pres. policy preferences & interpretation • Personality & political skills • Economic & social conditions • Power distribution in Congress • Electoral mandate from people • Use of media (Reagan as “Great Communicator”; TR-Pichot’s use of media)

  5. THE PRESIDENCY: Power limitations • Pres. leads nation, but Congress enacts legislation • Congress may “bury” presidential projects in committees • Congress may hold oversight hearings • Courts may declare unconstitutional some of laws enacted at president’s request • Bureaucracy may not actively support admin policies, e.g., “drag their feet” in implementation

  6. Illustration: Forest Conservation Movement Under Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) • Most contributions to forest conservation through presidential powers • Pinchot (Bureau of Forestry chief, now USFS) as ally • Expanded forest reserves, transferred administration from USDI to USDA (Transfer Act of 1905) • 1907: name “Forest Reserves” to “National Forests”

  7. TR’s legacy: • Expansion of forest reserves • 1901 40 million acres • 1909  added 100 million ac more • Wildlife refuge, protection, National Parks: • established first wildlife refuge in US. • 5 more Nat. Parks, 4 big game refuges, 51 bird reserv. • enactment of wildlife protection laws (AK, DC, and on National Bird Reserves) • Public agenda shift: disposal  public ownership • 3 enduring values of resource management

  8. TR’s legacy: • 3 enduring values of resource management • belief that public’s natural resources should be managed to provide multiple benefits • opposition to special interests • role of science: expert mgmt of natural resources by public agencies would rectify errors from past abuse

  9. Office of the President • OMB – Office of Mgmt & Budget • examines agency budgets • intermediary between Congress & agencies • provides info for State of Union & budget report to Congress • CEA – Council of Econ. Advisors • Pres “tutors” in econ; interprets econ events & forecasts; sets target rates for unemployment, productivity • CEQ – Council on Environ. Quality (NEPA of 1970) • environ policy recommendations

  10. The Bureaucracy • Bureaucracy – myriad of gov’t agencies assisting the pres in implementing policies/laws • Large size: red tape, paperwork • Agency’s role in policy formulation: • Drafts rules & regs to implement law • Prepare prelim regs for public comments (Fed. Register)  to become final regs

  11. Iron Triangles • Relationship: • agencies (exec.) • interest groups (constituents) • individual committees/subcom (Congress) • Promoted by norms of reciprocity & specialization • Congress comm.- authorize/appropriate $ • Bureaucracy administers (also has supporting SIGs sometimes) • SIGs promote policy goals, benefits from them

  12. Agency (Executive) Iowa Example: Invasive Species Issue (Emerald Ash B.) Special Interest Group (constituents) Committee (Congress) Agency: Committees: Nat. Res., Environ. Protection SIGs:

  13. Iron Triangles • Advantages of close/good relationships (esp. when implementing controversial policies)  promotes trust in the agency  possible increased appropriations as result votes for policymaker  benefits to SIGs

  14. 5 Program types relevant in natural resource management • Research – many agencies do this • Mgmt of public lands & projects • Fed govt owns 1/3 of land • Regulation of land & resource use (FS, EPA, COE, NRCS) • Assistance - provision of education, subsidies • Forestry/Ag Extension Service • Programs regulating business & labor (OSHA, Labor Dept)

  15. Clarke & McCool (1985): Analysis of agency clout

  16. Factors that make agencies strong • professionalism • constituency support • flexible but not contradictory mission • commodity-oriented programs

  17. Bureaucratic Problems 1. Ossification • rigidity over time  inability to adapt/perform well 2. Entropy – tendency toward inefficiency • red tape and paperwork 3. “Capture” by its clientele (image) • associated with iron triangle relationship

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