The Executive Branch: The Bureaucracy Unit 6: The Executive Branch and Bureaucracy

Definition of Bureaucracy An administrative system, especially in a government, that divides work into specific categories carried out by special departments of nonelected officials. The literal translation of Bureaucracy is “rule by desks.”

Characteristics of a Bureaucracy Consists of unelected often highly trained professionals Task specialization (defined duties/division of laber) Hierarchical authority (pyramid) Formal Rules (established regulations that must be followed

Mythbusters about the Bureaucracy Americans dislike Bureaucrats Americans have a favorable impression of their most recent interactions with a bureaucrat.

Mythbusters about the Bureaucracy Americans believe that bureaucracies are “usually inefficient and wasteful” A Pew Research Study said that 2/3 of all Americans feel that way

Mythbusters about the Bureaucracy Most federal Bureaucrats work in Washington D.C. Only 12% of Federal Bureaucrats work in Washington D.C.

Mythbusters about the Bureaucracy It isn’t the nature of the institution that dictates that. It’s the size of the institution and the skills of the individuals Government Bureaucracy is more wasteful and inefficient than private industry

How do they function? Administration Routine administrative work; provide services (ex: SSA sends social security checks to beneficiaries) Implementation Carry out laws of Congress, executive orders of the President (example: FBI breaks up criminal operation) Regulation (Rule Making) Issue rules and regulations that impact the public (ex: EPA sets clean air standards)

Bureaucracy as Implementers It sees the balloon (goal) The Bureaucracy is the cat…..

Bureaucracy as Implementers How it should work…. Implementation means translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an OPERATING and ONGOING program. (Example: Affordable Care Act’s goals are to provide more people with insurance at less cost) The process includes Creating and assigning an agency to oversee the policy Translate policy into rules, regulations and forms Coordinating available resources to achieve the goals This is the unseen step between creation of policy (in Congress) to results of policy (media)

So why don’t all programs work? Faulty Program Design Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense

So why don’t all programs work? Lack of Clarity Huck and Jim rafted down ____________ river. Congressional laws can be ambiguous and imprecise Laws may also conflict with other laws a

So why don’t all programs work? Lack of Resources Agencies might be big but still might not have enough staff, or enough diversely trained staff, or the authority to achieve the policy goal

So why don’t all programs work? It isn’t Standard Operating Procedure (S.O.P.) Needed to bring some sense of conformity to large organizations. But difficult to break out of routine.

So why don’t all programs work? Disposition of Administrators Administrators in some cases have discretion (choice) over the responses of the agency. Places where the S.O.P. doesn’t apply.

So why don’t all programs work? Fragmentation Policies spread over many agencies

Bureaucracy as Regulators Regulation Use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector Federal agencies check, verify, and inspect many of the products and services we take for granted. Federal and state agencies provide many services. All regulation contains these elements…. A grant of power and set of directions from Congress A set of rules and guidelines by the regulatory agency itself Some means of enforcing compliance with congressional goals and agency regulations

History of the Bureaucracy Beginnings: Standards for office included qualifications (sometimes) and political acceptability (always) Spoils System: Practice of giving offices and government favors (contracts/tax breaks) to political supporters and friends Pendleton Act-Civil Service Act of 1883: Garfield assassinated by somebody who wanted a political office but didn’t get one. Replaced Spoils System with merit system for hiring and promotion (exam and job performances) Hatch Act of 1939: Prohibits Government Employees from engaging in political activities while on duty, running for office while on duty, or if in a sensitive position, may not be involved in politics at all Civil Service Reform Act of 1978: Creates the Office of Personal Management to recruit, train, and establish classifications and salaries for federal employees

Influencing the Bureaucracy (Executive) The President Can….. Appoint the right people Issue executive orders Carry force of law and are used to implement policies Alter an agency’s budget request Reorganize an agency Creation of Department of Homeland Security

Influencing the Bureaucracy (Legislature) Congress Can….. Create or abolish agencies and departments Cut or reduce funding (power of the purse) Investigate agency activities Hold committee hearings Pass legislation that alters agency functions Influence or fail to confirm Presidential appointments

Influencing the Bureaucracy (Iron Triangles) A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees Because of common goals these alliances may work to help each other to achieve goals Congress and the President often differ to their influence

Influencing the Bureaucracy (Issue Networks) Some argue Iron Triangles are less evident now (although the AP test continues to ask about them every year). Replaced by individuals in Washington- located within Interest Groups, Congressional Staff, Ideological Think Tanks, Universities, and the media- who regularly discuss and advocate public policies Unlike Iron Triangles they are not permanent fixtures and form and disband according to policy issues

3 Points Bureaucracy is an inevitable consequence of complexity and scale. Modern government could not function without a large bureaucracy. Through authority, specialization, and rules, bureaucracy provides a means of managing thousands of tasks and employees. Bureaucrats naturally take an “agency point of view,” seeking to promote their agency’s programs and power. They do this through their expert knowledge, support from clientele groups, and backing by Congress or the president. Although agencies are subject to oversight by the president, Congress, and the judiciary, bureaucrats exercise considerable power in their own right. Often they use bureaucratic discretion to determine best way to implement laws