Bureaucracy

Line at the DMV

Bureaucratic “Red Tape” Red tape: comes from the ribbon used by civil servants in Britain to tie up legal document. Red Tape is often used to describe the amount of hassle citizens encounter when dealing with government.

Bureaucracy Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials. “bureau” – French for small desks, referring to the king’s traveling business men who set up small desks in town squares Bureaucracy = “government of small desks”

The Bureaucrats Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities –Americans dislike bureaucrats. –Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year. –Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C. Only about percent do –Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient and always mired in red tape.

Max Weber Classic conception of bureaucracy –Hierarchical authority structure –Uses task specialization –Operate on the merit principle –Behave with impersonality –A well-organized machine with lots of working parts.

Modern Bureaucracy – New Deal, WWII, increase in programs and gov’t work 1950’s – 1970’s – 90% of all federal employees were chosen on merit Salaries also chosen on merit

Who are bureaucrats? 1 out of 100 Americans work for government bureaucracy Examples –US Postal Service –Amtrak –Corporation for Public Broadcasting (PBS) –Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) –Federal Trade Commission (FTC) –Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) –National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Most demographically representative part of government.

What does the Bureaucracy do? Functions of the bureaucracy: Implementation(execution) of policy Executive Departments, State Department, Energy Department, Justice Department, FEMA— agency in the Department of Homeland Security. CIA, Administration of services, collecting fees, issuing permits, conducting research, etc. Social Security Administration, Office of Personnel Management (hires civil service), General Services Administration (govt. properties and records), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Regulation to independently serve the public good to ensure industry is inline with policy. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), FCC, FEC, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Munn v. Illinois (1877)- SC upheld that government had the right to regulate business rates and services Hybrids: Food and Drug Administration (FDA, hybrid b/c it is not independent but rather in the Department of Health and Human Services, same as FAA in the Department of Transportation ) Elements within the Bureaucracy can also serve as Government Corporations –FDIC, Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation), U.S. Postal Service, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Center for Public Broadcasting (PBS, NPR) quasi-public Corporations: Federal Reserve Board—central banking system

Accountability Bureaucracy is constrained and controlled by the US government Congress –appropriates money, authorizes the spending of money, oversees agency activity President –Job appointments, executive orders, budget control, reorganize agencies

Failures Gulf Oil Spill

Iron Triangles CONGRESS BUREAUCRACY INTEREST GROUPS Iron Triangle - three-way alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests

Iron Triangles

Iron Triangle Examples Social Security Administration, AARP, House Subcommittee on Social Security Department of Veterans Affairs, the House and Senate committees on veterans’ affairs, and veterans’ organizations, such as the American Legion Senators and Representatives, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the food industry Senate and House committees on Armed Services, The US Department of Defense, and Defense Contractors Lobbyists for oil industries working with the EPA and the Congress

How it works? Everyone in the triangle has a similar interest Legislators get funding from interest groups and make laws reality with the help of the bureaucracy Interest groups provide valued information to bureaucrats and money to legislators Bureau chiefs implement legislator policy and interest group goals.

Why are they “iron”? Strong – bond can’t be broken by President or Congress Referred to as “sub governments,” all the real decisions are made among these 3 groups Might maintain interests that might not be publicly popular… like what?

Example – Why is tobacco not illegal? Tobacco farmer interest groups (tobacco lobby) Department of Agriculture House and Senate agricultural subcommittees House and Senate representatives, sympathetic to tobacco, receive campaign funds and support from tobacco by interest groups, and the representatives make sure that tobacco farmers are defended through legislation. DOA agency executes the legislation while relying on the Congressional budget. The interest groups provide the DOA with valuable information to effectively execute laws. -COMMON INTEREST – Keep tobacco alive = keep their jobs alive

Other Iron Triangle Example

Issue Network More complicated connection exists Iron triangle too simple – there are IGs from opposite sides of an issue who compete Issue Network – complex group (includes media) that debates an issue and slows policy-making Policy-making is not as smooth with competing demands from IGs President can appoint an agency head who steers policy, but can never smoothly control policy

Controlling the Bureaucracy Patronage - Rewarding supporters with jobs “Spoils system” – created by Andrew Jackson, each President turned over the bureaucracy Pendleton Act (1883) - Created in response to criticism of patronage, more jobs will be selected based on merit Hatch Act (1939) – agency employees can’t participate in political activities (elections, campaigns, fund raisers, etc.) –Softened in recent decades, 1 st Amendment issues

Criticism of Bureaucracy “Red tape” – maze of gov rules, regulations, and paperwork that makes gov overwhelming to citizens Conflict – agencies that often work toward opposite goals Duplication – agencies appear to do the same thing Unchecked growth – agencies expand unnecessarily at high costs Waste – spending more than necessary Lack of accountability – difficult in firing an incompetent bureaucrat Regulatory capture is a form of political corruption that occurs when a regulatory agency, created to act in the public interest, instead advances the commercial or special concerns of interest groups that dominate the industry or sector it is charged with regulating

Deregulation Toward Deregulation –Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, industry, and professional activities. –Regulatory problems: Raises prices Hurts U.S.’s competitive position abroad Does not always work well –But some argue regulation is needed.

Understanding Bureaucracies Bureaucracy and the Scope of Government –Many state that this is an example of a government out of control. –But, the size of the bureaucracy has shrunk. –Some agencies don’t have enough resources to do what they are expected to do. –Only carry out the policies, Congress and the president decide what needs to be done.

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The U.S. Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion: Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy- making discretion in executing federal laws. Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-making authority AND give one specific example of how it exercises that discretion. –Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) –Federal Communications Commission (FCC) –Federal Reserve Board (Fed) Describe two ways in which Congress ensures federal agencies follow legislative intent.

Both party leadership and committees in Congress play key roles in the legislative process. A. Define three of the following elements of the congressional committee system and explain how each influences the legislative process; Specialization Reciprocity/logrolling Party representation on committees B. Identify two ways party leadership in Congress can influence the legislative process, and explain how each way influences the process.

The Constitution of the United States creates a government of separate institutions that share power rather than a government that delegates power exclusively to a single branch. Frequently, this means that presidents and Congress struggle with each other. For each of the presidential powers below, explain one way that congressional decision making is affected by that power. –Veto power –Power to issue executive orders –Power as commander in chief For each of the congressional powers below, explain one way that presidential decision making is affected by that power. –Legislative oversight power –Senate advice and consent power –Budgetary power

Pirates Private Property