9 The Executive Branch and the Federal Bureaucracy President Obama and his national security team watch live coverage of the capture of Osama bin Laden.

Spoils v. Merit System - President Jackson’s era: Spoils system- practice where a political party, after wining an election, gives government job to party supporters/ voters. The system was based on patronage (jobs, grants, or any other special favor as reward to a friend or political allies for support) President Hayes’ proposal: Merit System- a system of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability rather than party loyalty (not politics).

Pendleton Act- proposed after the Spoil System; established the principle of federal employment based on open, competitive exams and created the Civil Service Commission. Civil Service Commission- the merit system by which many federal bureaucrats are selected (90 %)

What’s a bureaucracy? Bureaucracy: Governmental organizations that implements the laws and carry out presidential decisions. They are appointed, not elected officials “4th branch of government.” Created and funded by Congress and they reports to Congress and President

Who are bureaucrats? Federal bureaucrats are career government employees who work in the Cabinet-level departments and independent agencies. their salaries is based on “General Schedule” (they advance 15 grades moving into higher levels and salaries) “Bureaucrat” = the employees in public bureaucracies who are selected based on merit through the civil service system.

Bureaucracy consists of the following: Cabinet departments- 15 agencies Government corporations- business established by Congress to perform functions that could be provided by private businesses. (Ex. Amtrak, FDIC) Independent Executive Agencies-governmental units that closely resemble a Cabinet department but have narrow areas of responsibility, and perform services rather than regulatory functions. (NASA) Independent regulatory Commissions- agencies created by Congress to exist outside the major departments to regulate a specific economic activity or interest. (FCC- securities and Exchange Commission) Responsible for regulating some sector of the economy-- making and enforcing rules “watchdog” Makes rules for large businesses and industries that affect the interests of the public Controlled by a small commission of 5-10 people, appointed/ confirmed Quasi independent - Not directly controlled by the President and cannot be fired by President Include the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Elections Commission, Federal Reserve Board (controls banks, regulates the supply of $), Federal Trade Commission (regulates monopolies), National Labor Relations

8.2 What do government corporations do? Amtrak, like the U.S. Postal Service, is a government corporation. Congress created Amtrak when passenger rail service in the United States was not profitable enough to keep the trains running. This photo shows Vice President Joe Biden commuting between his home and Washington, D.C., on Amtrak.

What are the Cabinet Departments? Cabinet departments reflect the government’s permanent interest in a particular issue area. The modern Cabinet includes fifteen agencies focusing on issues ranging from commerce and foreign affairs to education and health.

8.2 FIGURE 8.2: What are the federal agency regions, and where are their headquarters located? To bring the federal bureaucracy closer to citizens and increase the efficiency of providing government services, the federal agencies maintain regional offices in eleven locations across the country.

Who Controls the Bureaucracy Who Controls the Bureaucracy? Government Workers and Political Involvement A Government bureau cannot hire, fire, build, or sell without going through procedures set by Congress Congress Budget Authorization – Money must be allotted (selected) from Congress (Committee states the maximum amount an agency may spend) Appropriation - $ set aside for specific use (usually less than authorized amount) Oversight Hearings may be held to publicly question agency abuses Appointments (approval) Rewriting legislation to be sure it is specific and detailed to restrict the power of an agency Duplication Gives the same job to several agencies (drug trafficking – CIA, FBI, DEA); leads to contradictions and conflict, but keeps any agency from becoming too powerful

Government Workers and Political Involvement Hatch Act- The 1939 act prohibited civil servants (employees) from taking activist roles on partisan campaigns. Prohibited federal employees from making political contribution, working for a particular party, or campaigning for a particular candidate. Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993- Federal employees are now allowed to run for office in non-partisan elections and to contribute money to campaigns in partisan elections.

Who Controls the Bureaucracy? President Budget (Office of Management and Budget) – may cut or add to an agency’s budget (Congress has final say) Appointments (with Senate) Executive Orders that must be obeyed by agencies Reorganization – Pres. May reorganize or combine agencies to reward or punish them Courts Administrative law courts Pressure from interest groups, private sector, political parties

What does the Hatch Act stipulate? Table 8.1 shows the limits placed on federal employees’ political involvement by the Hatch Act.

Bureaucracy, Interest Groups and Lobbyist Interest groups have strong informal ties and influence over implementation of policy Pressure bureaucrats to interpret a policy favorable to that specific interest group Iron Triangles Alliance between interest groups, congressional committee members, bureaucrats to push for the same policy and favorable implementation. Cooperative relationships between a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and supportive interest groups

What constitutes an iron triangle? Iron triangles are relatively stable relationships formed between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Criticisms and Reforms Too much “red tape”- complicated maze of government rules and paperwork that makes government seem overwhelming and confusing Criticism Duplication and waste– several agencies wasting time and $ working on the same thing Lack of accountability -difficult to fire incompetent employees. Only a small % of bureaucrats directly appointed by Prescient, so agencies can be politically unresponsive. Reform Proposals: Limiting appointments to 6-12 years Making it easier to fire a bureaucrat Increasing employee initiatives and decreasing rules Emphasizing customer satisfaction

8.3 FIGURE 8.5 How is a regulation made? This figure spells out the process, as directed by the Administrative Procedures Act, for rule making. A proposed rule has many opportunities to fail to be implemented. Affected citizens also have a number of opportunities to offer their opinions on a proposed rule.

8.4 Table 8.3: How are agencies made accountable? This table provides an overview of how authority and control are divided among the three branches.