Bureaucracy Line at the DMV

Bureaucracy Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials with authority divided among several managers. “bureau” – French for small desks, referring to the king’s traveling business men who set up small desks in town squares Bureaucracy = “government of small desks”

American Bureaucracy In the U.S., three aspects of our government and traditions give the bureaucracy a distinctive character –Political authority over the bureaucracy is not in one set of hands –Most agencies share their functions with related agencies in state and local gov. –Adversary culture of America

American Bureaucracy Merit principle – hiring and promotion based on qualities, no jobs for favors Impersonality – performance judged on productivity Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Growth of the Bureaucracy 1 st Congress  Madison introduced a bill to create a Dept. of State People to this office will be nominated by the Prez and approved by Senate, but can only be fired by the Prez alone Why?

Growth of the Bureaucracy Between 1818 and 1861 the # of Fed. Employees increased 8 fold because of the growth of the post office

Service to Regulation Why did the bureaucratic agencies at first only perform service roles? What two events cause the bureaucracy to play a more active role in dealing with social and economic problems?

Recruitment and Retention Competitive Service –These individuals are appointed only after they pass and exam administered by the Office of Personal Management –This system has become decentralized over the past few years. Why? Excepted Service –These are individuals appointed by agencies on the basis of qualifications approved by the OPM –Ex. FBI, CIA, Postal Worker

Pendleton Act transferred basis of government jobs from patronage to merit What is the Buddy System?

Firing a Bureaucrat An executive must go through elaborate steps to fire a bureaucrat 1/10 of 1% of bureaucrats are fired What are some strategies for bypassing this?

Whistler Blower Protection Act This created the Office of Special Council to investigate complaints from bureaucrats that were punished for reporting waste, fraud, or abuse in their agencies Purpose is to protect bureaucrats who tell on their bosses

Who are bureaucrats? 1 out of 100 Americans work for government bureaucracy The federal civil service looks much like a cross-section of American society with minorities underrepresented at the executive level Examples –US Postal Service –Corporation for Public Broadcasting –Interstate Commerce Commission –Federal Trade Commission

What do bureaucrats do? Discretionary action – have the power to execute laws and policies passed down by the president or congress. Implementation – develop procedures and rules for reaching the goal of a new policy Regulation – check private business activity –Munn v. Illinois (1877) – SC upheld that government had the right to regulate business rates and services

Accountability Bureaucracy is constrained and controlled by the US government Congress –appropriates money, authorizes the spending of money, oversees agency activity –The real power over an agencies budget lies with the Appropriations Committee President –Job appointments, executive orders, budget control, reorganize agencies

Constraints The biggest constraint on bureaucratic action is that Congress rarely gives any job to a single agency Freedom of Information Act and Administrative Procedure Act –Examples of gov.-wide constraints on the bureaucracy Constraints = blocking action is easier than taking action

Iron Triangles CONGRESS BUREAUCRACY INTEREST GROUPS Iron Triangle - three-way alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests

Iron Triangles

How it works? Everyone in the triangle has a similar interest Legislators get funding from interest groups and make laws reality with the help of the bureaucracy Interest groups provide valued information to bureaucrats and money to legislators Bureau chiefs implement legislator policy and interest group goals.

Why are they “iron”? Strong – bond can’t be broken by President or Congress Referred to as “sub governments,” all the real decisions are made among these 3 groups Might maintain interests that might not be publicly popular… like what?

Example – Why is tobacco not illegal? Tobacco farmer interest groups (tobacco lobby) Department of Agriculture House and Senate agricultural subcommittees House and Senate representatives, sympathetic to tobacco, receive campaign funds and support from tobacco by interest groups, and the representatives make sure that tobacco farmers are defended through legislation. DOA agency executes the legislation while relying on the Congressional budget. The interest groups provide the DOA with valuable information to effectively execute laws.

Issue Network More complicated connection exists Iron triangle too simple – there are IGs from opposite sides of an issue who compete Issue Network – complex group (includes media) that debates an issue and slows policy-making Policy-making is not as smooth with competing demands from IGs President can appoint an agency head who steers policy, but can never smoothly control policy

Criticism of Bureaucracy “Red tape” – maze of gov rules, regulations, and paperwork that makes gov overwhelming to citizens Conflict – agencies that often work toward opposite goals Duplication – agencies appear to do the same thing Imperialism– agencies expand unnecessarily at high costs Waste – spending more than necessary Lack of accountability – difficult in firing an incompetent bureaucrat