Executive Branch and Bureaucracy By DK

Learning Objectives Define the Bureaucracy and its major functions Explain how Congress and the Executive oversee the Bureaucracy

Crash Course Crash Course Bureaucracy

Outline the basic history of the development of bureaucracy in the United States. Give emphasis to the turning points in this process. (331-334)

1883 Pendleton Civil Service Act – merit system became basis for government positions (not spoils system) 1890-1920 – increase in governmental regulatory power through laws and executive action 1930s – New Deal programs in response to Great Depression expanded government influence 1960s – Great Society more government regulations – particularly voting rights and minority rights

1) What does the FHFA illustrate about the ”conflict and compromise” within the federal government? What is the argument put forth by The Rise of the Fourth Branch of Government?

Bureaucracy What is the Bureaucracy? What does it do? (questions 2-4 on Pt. 1)

Bureaucracy Bureaucracy: the system of civil servants and political appointees who implement congressional and presidential decisions

What does the Bureaucracy do Creates Regulations Notice and comment procedure: a step in the rule-making process in which proposed rules are published in the Federal Register and made available for debate by the general public Procurement (Government purchases) The General Services Administration manages 8000 buildings and 208,000 buildings Deliver Services Research and Development Manage contractors

Why are regulations controversial?

They involve trade-offs! Incompatible goals Decisions made under uncertain circumstances Example…

Bureaucratic Expertise Clearly explain the issues of (Figure 11.1) Red Tape SOP the Problem of Control Principle- Agent problem

Bureaucratic control What is Bureaucratic drift? Why are Bureaucratic hard to control? How are agencies organized to prevent bureaucratic drift? (343-344) What is the difference between police patrol oversight and fire alarm oversight (pg. 347)?

Is Political Control of the Bureaucracy Beneficial? You decide Pg. 345

What is the difference between independent agencies and the organizations that fall with executive departments? 336- 337 See Figure 11.2 pg. 335 See Fig 11.3 Pg. 336 See Figure 11.1 pg. 338

What are some of the issues of the size of the federal government? Why had the government grown so much over time?

What does the Civil Service System do?   What are some of the problems with this system? (340-341) What is the difference between appointees and members of the Senior Executive Service? (341) What restrictions are placed on federal employees in terms of political activity? How does this become difficult for political appointees? (342)

Summarize the section “The Consequences of Control”. (348- 349)