Chapter 8 The Executive Branch and the Federal Bureaucracy  To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato  Pearson Education, 2009

The Roots of Bureaucracy Foreign Affairs, War, Treasury first departments. Growth in early 1800s with Post Office. Patronage and the spoils system become common. Civil War spawns another expansion. Pendleton Act is beginning of civil service system. Also known as merit system. Creation of independent regulatory commissions.

AV- Growth of Government  Back

Twentieth-Century Bureaucracy Growing number of cabinet departments. Need for a larger government to support wars. New Deal and Great Society.

Figure 9.1- Civilian Employment  Back

Modern Bureaucracy More than 2.7 million employees. Most are selected based on merit. Also have high-level appointees. Wide variety of skills represented. Less diverse than America. Scattered throughout D.C. and regional offices. Growth of outside contractors.

Figure 9.2- Employee Characteristics  Back

Figure 9.3- Agency Regions  Back

Formal Organization Cabinet departments handle broad, lasting issues. Headed by secretaries. Government corporations act like businesses. Independent executive agencies handle services. Narrower than Cabinet department, independent. Independent regulatory commissions watch industry. Designed to be free from partisan pressure.

Figure 9.4- The Executive Branch  Back

Government Workers and Politics Hatch Act sets first boundaries. Federal Employees Political Act is current standard.

Table 9.1- FEPA  Back

Characteristics of Bureaucracy Chain of command from top to bottom. Division of labor. Clear lines of authority. Goal orientation. Merit system. Productivity.

How the Bureaucracy Works Congress creates agencies. Main job is implementation of laws. Policy made in iron triangles or issue networks. Increasing use of interagency councils.

Figure 9.5- An Iron Triangle  Back

Making Policy Administrative discretion allows a lot of latitude. Rule-making is a quasi-legislative process. Formal procedure for making regulations. Administrative adjudication is quasi-judicial process. Used to settle disputes between two parties.

Figure 9.6- Rulemaking  Back

Agency Accountability Unclear who agencies should be accountable to. Presidents try to make the right appointments. Can also shape policy through executive orders. Congress can use oversight powers and funding. Police patrol v. fire alarm oversight. Judiciary can review regulations.

Table 9.2- Agency Accountability  Back