Chapter 12 The Bureaucracy

WHO GOVERNS? TO WHAT ENDS? What happened to make the bureaucracy a “fourth branch” of American national government? What are the actual size and scope of the federal bureaucracy? TO WHAT ENDS? What should be done to improve bureaucratic performance? Is “red tape” all bad? Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Distinctiveness of the American Bureaucracy I:A-D Political authority is shared among several institutions. Federal government agencies share functions with state and local governments. “Adversary culture” leads to close public scrutiny. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Bureaucracy (VIDEO 1) 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”

Max Weber Famous early 20th century economist, German Bureaucracy – well organized, complex machine that is a “rational” way for society to organize its business

Weber Characteristics Hierarchical authority structure – chain of command Task specialization – individuals have unique jobs, division of labor Extensive rules – clear policies for the organization to follow Clear goals – clearly defined mission

Weber Merit principle – hiring and promotion based on qualities, no jobs for favors Impersonality – performance judged on productivity Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Proxy Government I:E Social Security Medicare Environmental protection Income tax collection Many military duties Ric Feld/AP Photo When the floodwaters of Hurricane Rita hit Lake Charles, LA, they created a crisis for the federal and state bureaucracies. p. 403 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

The Growth of the Bureaucracy II:A-D The Appointment of Officials A Service Role A Change in Role Great Depression World War II Bettmann/Corbis In the 19th century, railroads were so important to the nation that the Interstate Commerce Commission was created to regulate their rates. p. 404 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

The Federal Bureaucracy Today III:A-B Direct and indirect Growth Growth in discretionary authority Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Who are bureaucrats? 1 out of 100 Americans work for government bureaucracy Examples US Postal Service Amtrak Corporation for Public Broadcasting Interstate Commerce Commission Federal Trade Commisson Securities and Exchange Commission National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Sources: Federal Bureau of Prisons Weekly Population Report and Quick Facts (available at http://www.bop.gov/locations/weekly_report.jsp; and http://www.bop.gov/news/quick.jsp#5). Copyright © 2011 Cengage

The Federal Bureaucracy Today III:C-D Factors Explaining the behavior of officials Recruitment and Retention Competitive service Excepted service Buddy system Firing a bureaucrat Agency’s point of view. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Copyright © 2011 Cengage

The Federal Bureaucracy Today III:D-I Personal Attributes Do Bureaucrats Sabotage their Political Bosses? Culture and Careers Constraints – Why so many? Agency Allies - Iron Triangles Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Figure 15.1 Characteristics of Federal Civilian Employees, 1960 and 2005 Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1961, 392–394; Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2009, table 482. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

What do bureaucrats do? Discretionary action – have the power to execute laws and policies passed down by the president or congress. Implementation – develop procedures and rules for reaching the goal of a new policy Regulation – check private business activity Munn v. Illinois (1877) – SC upheld that government had the right to regulate business rates and services

Federal employees aren’t just paper shufflers; many, such as this biologist, perform skilled professional tasks. p. 409 Pedro Ramirez Jr./NCTC Image Library/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Copyright © 2011 Cengage

The Federal Bureaucracy Today Tribune Media Services, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed by permission. One barrier to improving presidential control of the federal bureaucracy is that even the White House has become a large bureaucracy. p. 411 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Iron Triangles III:C:7 CONGRESS INTEREST GROUPS BUREAUCRACY Iron Triangle - three-way alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests

Iron Triangles

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? House and Senate agricultural subcommittees Tobacco farmer interest groups (tobacco lobby) Department of Agriculture 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 (Video 2) 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

Modern Bureaucracy 1932-1945 – 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

Congressional Oversight IV:A-D Authorization legislation Appropriation The Appropriations Committee and Legislative Committees (Video 3) Trust funds Committee Clearance The Legislative Veto Congressional Investigations Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Bureaucratic Pathologies V:A-D Red Tape Conflict Duplication Imperialism Waste (VIDEO 4,5) David McNew/Getty Images At the world’s busiest border crossing, cars line up to enter the United States in Tijuana, Mexico. p. 420 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Replace with jpeg, p. 422 Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Reforming the Bureaucracy VI:A-B The Brownlow Commission The First Hoover Commission The Ash Council National Performance Review Government Performance and Results Act Performance Assessment Rating Tool Copyright © 2011 Cengage

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

Pop Quiz 2 1. During the nineteenth century the largest executive department was: a) Treasury. b) War. c) Post Office. d) Human Resources. 2. Which of the following statements is incorrect? a) Conservatives have always feared government bureaucracy. b) Many socialists have suspected a public bureaucracy may be as immune to democratic control as a private one. c) Liberals have always unequivocally supported government bureaucracies. d) Max Weber warned that bureaucracy was likely to acquire an overpowering. power position in both capitalist and socialist societies. 3. An examination of American bureaucracy makes it clear that many administrative departments and agencies are: a) client-oriented. b) controlled by special interests. c) closely allied with Congress. d) all of the above

Rise of the Bureaucratic State What is the “Bureaucracy Problem”? Red tape Delays Inefficiency Administrative despotism Conservatives have always feared bureaucracy except for? The police Liberals stance? Equivocated (been evasive) on stating if there is a problem. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Rise of the Bureaucratic State What are ways in which political power “may be gathered undesirably into bureaucracy hands”? By the growth of an administrative apparatus so large it is immune from popular control By placing power over a governmental bureaucracy of any size in private rather than public hands By vesting discretionary authority in the hands of a public agency so that the exercise of that power is not responsive to the public good. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Rise of the Bureaucratic State One of the most frequently mentioned attributes of bureaucracy is size. A large and unwieldy administrative branch makes problems of democratic responsiveness and efficient government operation difficult to solve. Is a large bureaucracy, per se, a threat to the constitutional foundations of our government? Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Rise of the Bureaucratic State Is a large bureaucracy, per se, a threat to the constitutional foundations of our government? Author says no Post office grew by more than 50% after Civil War. Author says yes “Bureaucracies serve special interests and is subject to no central direction, this is due to our legislature often servicing special interests and is also subject to no central leadership. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

Pop Quiz 2 1. During the nineteenth century the largest executive department was: a) Treasury. b) War. c) Post Office. d) Human Resources. 2. Which of the following statements is incorrect? a) Conservatives have always feared government bureaucracy. b) Many socialists have suspected a public bureaucracy may be as immune to democratic control as a private one. c) Liberals have always unequivocally supported government bureaucracies. d) Max Weber warned that bureaucracy was likely to acquire an overpowering. power position in both capitalist and socialist societies. 3. An examination of American bureaucracy makes it clear that many administrative departments and agencies are: a) client-oriented. b) controlled by special interests. c) closely allied with Congress. d) all of the above

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? MEMORANDUM To: Dr. Robert Smith, president of Cybersystems Engineering From: James Logan, secretary of defense Subject: Becoming an assistant secretary of defense As both secretary and a dear old college buddy of yours, I write again to express my hope that you will accept the president’s call to service. We all desperately want you aboard. Yes, conflict-of-interest laws will require you to sell your stock in your present company and drop out of its generous pension plan. No, the government won’t even pay moving costs. And once you leave office, you will be barred for life from lobbying the executive branch on matters in which you were directly involved while in office, and you will be barred for two years from lobbying on matters that were under your general official authority. Your other concerns have teeth, too, but let me help you weigh your options. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments for: 1. I hate to preach, but it is one’s duty to serve one’s country when called. Your sacrifice would honor your family and benefit your fellow Americans for years to come. 2. As an accomplished professional and the head of a company that has done business with the government, you could help the president succeed in reforming the department so that it works better and costs less. 3. Despite the restrictions, you could resume your career once your public service was complete. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Arguments against: 1. Since you will have to be confirmed by the Senate, your life will be put under a microscope, and everything (even some of our old college mischief together) will be fair game for congressional staffers and reporters. 2. You will face hundreds of rules telling you what you can’t do and scores of congressmen telling you what you should do. Old friends will get mad at you for not doing them favors. The president will demand loyalty. The press will pounce on your every mistake, real or imagined. 3. Given the federal limits on whom in the government you can deal with after you leave office, your job at Cybersystems may well suffer. Copyright © 2011 Cengage

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Your decision: Accept position? Reject position? Copyright © 2011 Cengage