The Federal Bureaucracy An easy target….and a necessary evil

An Overview Any Major Organization is a Bureaucracy Any Major Organization is a Bureaucracy One of two unelected policy making bodies One of two unelected policy making bodies Bureaucracy is a neutral word Bureaucracy is a neutral word Easy to bash…Conservatives say it too large, liberal, and unaccountable Easy to bash…Conservatives say it too large, liberal, and unaccountable Liberals say it too slow, too status quo, doesn’t protect us enough (epa) Liberals say it too slow, too status quo, doesn’t protect us enough (epa)

Myths and Realities #1 Americans do not like bureaucrats (myth) #1 Americans do not like bureaucrats (myth) #2 Bureaucracies are too intrusive and getting bigger. #2 Bureaucracies are too intrusive and getting bigger. Periods of growth Periods of growth –Post civil War –Great Depression –Great Society/Cold War

More Myths and Realities #3 Most bureaucrats live in D.C. (myth) #3 Most bureaucrats live in D.C. (myth) #4 Bureaucrats are ineffective, inefficient and stuck in red tape #4 Bureaucrats are ineffective, inefficient and stuck in red tape –True, but they protect and help citizens –Red tape can benefit consumers

Bureaucratic Theories Weber model-necessary but inevitable/draw power from expertise Weber model-necessary but inevitable/draw power from expertise Rational Model-necessary due to complex policy-making Rational Model-necessary due to complex policy-making –Heirarchical power structure –Task specialization –Merit principle

More theories... Monopolistic Monopolistic –Work expands to fill time –Acquisitive…act like corporations to expand budgets –Monopolistic…there is no alternative  Fire  Police  Schools

One more theory…The Garbage Can Will grow as they try out ideas Will grow as they try out ideas Many ideas are trial and error Many ideas are trial and error Will latch onto any idea, pull it out of the garbage can and see if it works Will latch onto any idea, pull it out of the garbage can and see if it works

How Do You Become a Bureaucrat? Can you get fired? Patronage Patronage Reform Reform Appointment Powers Appointment Powers Firing a Bureaucrat Firing a Bureaucrat –Only 200 out of 3 million workers fired for incompetence –Chart explaining how to fire a worker is 12 feet wide

Bureaucratic Organizations Cabinet-15 Departments Cabinet-15 Departments Independent Regulatory Agencies Independent Regulatory Agencies –FDA, FCC, FEC, SEC Independent Executive Agencies Independent Executive Agencies –CIA, NASA, EPA, Government Corporations Government Corporations –TVA, FDIC, AMTRAK, Postal Service

Diagram of US Government

Diagram of Slater’s Living Room

Diagram of a Sentence

Diagram of QM2

Source: Paul C. Light, The True Size of Government (Washington, D.C.: Brooking Institution, 1999). Data for 1996.

Controlling the Bureaucracy The President The President Congress Congress –Authorization of Funds –Appropriating Funds –Investigations and hearings  Oversight  Budget investigations

The Iron Triangle Cool Band Name or Obscure AP Concept? 3-way alliance among legislators in Congress, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups 3-way alliance among legislators in Congress, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups Issue Networks-slowly replacing iron triangles as policymaking becomes more complex Issue Networks-slowly replacing iron triangles as policymaking becomes more complex –Often temporary and include outside forces like think tanks, the media, congressmen, and interest groups