US Government AP Chapter 15 The Bureaucracy US Government AP Chapter 15

What is it? All of the offices in the branches working together Works in DC, Columbus, Lake County, Madison Many governments use them

The US Federal Bureaucracy 3 distinct parts Responsibility is shared by the 3 branches Responsibility is shared by federalism w/states Individuals play a role as well

1790-2008 A steady increase in growth of offices and responsibilities 1820-1860 partisanship 1860-1900 IR-new agencies 1930-1945 Depression, New Deal 1945-2008 WWII Cold War Terrorism

Recently 5 million employees (17) Increase in discretionary authority Ability to make policy to run agency/office Quasi-legislative, Quasi-judicial

Leadership Power Today’s leaders have acquired more authority: How they get jobs/pay Personal traits (non-civil service) Nature of the job today Outside forces give them power

2 Characteristics of the Modern US Bureaucracy Power comes from 2 areas How they get/keep their jobs Their attitudes about government are different than the average American

Getting/Keeping a job Passing the test (Competitive service) Finding a qualified person/ recruiting (Excepted service) 3. Name -request Most are still non-partisan

Getting a job The President can pick some (political appointments) High posts—Cabinet, S. Court Top Secret (Schedule “C”) Non-career executive assignments (NEA’s)

Patronage vs. Merit Jacksonian’s (again!) Pendleton Act 1883-merit Today-1800-2000 appointees by the President—loyalists, policy people

You’re fired… Takes a lot to get fired Usually reassigned to Alaska or denied a promotion Because it is so hard to be fired, most employees are loyal to the Agency-Agency point of view

The Agency Worker Is loyal to the Agency Is/Thinks different than average American Create the “agency culture”

Limits on an Agency Laws by Congress Multiple Agencies with the same general job (overlap) Red tape Act/React slower than private business Can have inconsistencies People will not make decisions

Help for Agencies Iron Triangles Agencies Issue Networks IG’s Congress

Commissions Police areas of the country/economy for the government Have quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powers Examples: SEC FCC FTC

Independent Agencies Independent from partisan politics Usually experts in their fields-- name request or excepted service Examples– NASA, CIA

Cabinet/ Executive Agencies 15 Cabinet departments Headed by a Secretary Tradition started by Washington Usually partisan Examples-- EPA, Department of Education

Show me the Money… Congress funds the Agencies/ Departments Can only exist with Congressional approval Congress can investigate an agency-department

5 Problems Red tape Conflict Duplication Imperialism Waste

Reforms National Performance Review Board -decentralize the departments NPR saved some $$, duplication and streamlined the hiring process a bit Still a slow process (many bosses that make many decisions)