The 4th Branch APGOPO ChAPTER 15

When have you had interactions with the government When have you had interactions with the government? What was your experience like? How often is your life affected directly or indirectly by government services?

BUREAUCRACY The U.S. government provides a wide range of services that we take for granted The bureaucracy involves thousands of government agencies and institutions that implement and administer laws and programs established by Congress and the executive branch

Definition of Bureaucracy (youthleadership.net) A professional corps of unelected officials organized in a pyramid hierarchy, functioning under impersonal uniform rules and procedures

Sociologist Max Weber: Bureaucracy is rational for organizing the business of a large society Hierarchical authority structure Task specialization Extensive rules Merit principle Impersonality

Functions of the Federal Bureaucracy Implementation – carry out laws of Congress; executive orders of POTUS Administration – routine; provide services Regulation – issues rules and regulations that impact the public

The Bureaucrats Americans dislike bureaucracy, but like individual bureaucrats Federal employment – about 4 million State and local employment – many more Most bureaucrats do not work in D.C. Bureaucracies can be ineffective and dehumanizing Federal government employment lowest since 1966

Conservative viewpoint unnecessary meddling in our lives too much power too large too unaccountable

Liberal viewpoint too slow too unimaginative to solve America’s problems too zealous a guardian of the status quo

Ron Swanson v. Leslie Knope

Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy9FRli7ODg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jujSHy9M5NM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUilUzH5kx8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k9ZDh6zMdU

Influences on the Bureaucracy How can the President influence the bureaucracy? How can Congress influence the bureaucracy?

Patronage v. Civil service Patronage: hiring for political reasons; favors Civil Service: system of hiring and promoting based on the merit principle Based on exams, talent, skill, promotion ratings Desire to create nonpartisan government service

What did the Pendleton Civil Service Act & the Hatch Act accomplish?

Pendleton Civil Service Act 1883 Created civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit How did this come about?

Hatch Act Federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics [while on duty] What else are they prohibited from? Running for elective office Soliciting contributions from the public

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) What is their major function? What is a GS rating? Senior executive service? Plum book?

Regulation Use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector Regulations pervade the daily lives of people and institutions What are some consequences of regulation?

Deregulation The lifting of restrictions on business, industry, and professional activities for which government rules had been established and that bureaucracies had been created to administer

Red Tape Complex rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done “Red tape” results from a need to satisfy legal/political requirements and to ensure that rules are obeyed and proper forms are filled out Citizens find this frustrating!

Waste Spending more than is necessary to buy some product or service Huge criticism people have of bureaucracy Businesses must eliminate waste to maximize profits In government agencies, only weak incentives for keeping costs down No reward for saving the agency money

Iron triangles or issue networks? Who are the three key decision makers in an iron triangle? Interest group Bureaucratic agency Congressional committee or subcommittee Issue network: not as strong or as permanent as a subgovernment and not as concerned about material interests

Who should control the bureaucracy? Should the bureaucracy be free from political pressures or should partisan politics influence the bureaucracy? Should they respond to the wishes of our elected officials? Are the bureaucracies politically neutral?

Four General Types of Agencies Cabinet Departments Independent Regulatory Agencies Independent Executive Agencies Government Corporations

Cabinet Departments 15 departments headed by secretaries (except DOJ is headed by the Attorney General) Major administrative units that have responsibility for conducting a broad area of government operations Cabinet departments account for about 60% of the federal workforce

Independent regulatory agencies Agencies created by Congress to exist outside of the major departments to regulate a specific economic activity or interest All are headed by boards with 5 to 7 members Boards are appointed by the president with Senate approval Terms are staggered for bipartisan panels They cannot be easily removed by the president Supreme Court has affirmed their independent status Federal Reserve Board – regulates supply of money and interest rates Federal Communications Commission – licenses radio and tv stations, cable and the internet

Independent executive agency Government not accounted for by the cabinet departments Perform a service or administrative function (as opposed to a regulatory function) Tied to the President – serve as do the cabinet secretaries Examples: NASA National Science Foundation

Government Corporations Corporations are formed when the government chooses to engage in activities that are primarily commercial in nature produce revenue require greater flexibility Examples: U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation They charge for their services