Chapter 13: The Bureaucracy
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning BUREAUCRATS GOVERNMENT WORKERS
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 3 Bureaucracies Bureaucracies are often handy political targets to blame for society’s ills. Yet, the same bureaucrats blamed for red tape have also accomplished some remarkable tasks: NASA TVA National highway system 3
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 4 Bureaucracies (cont) Americans tend to be against “Big Government” in the abstract, but they also demand all kinds of government services: Postal services Social Security Environmental protection Airline regulation Food safety 4
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning BEST of the Bureaucracy FBI Click image for homepage
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning BEST of the BUREAUCRACY STATE DEPARTMENT Travel Warnings Click image for homepage
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning Goals and Standards Bureaucratic Goals Promote public interest Provide services Accomplish given tasks Bureaucratic Standards Efficient Cost-effective Not wasteful or corrupt Openness Sunshine Act Federal Register Act Freedom of Information Act Administrative Procedure Act 7
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 8 Federal Bureaucracies Collection of executive branch departments, agencies, boards and commissions that carry out responsibilities of federal government Nearly five million federal employees Must be transparent and equally fair to all Orderly and predictable Responsibilities established by law (Congress) Implementation carried out by bureaucrats
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 9 The Executive Branch Constitution gives president power to appoint Article II, Section 2 President oversees executive departments Focus on implementation
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 10 Cabinet Structure 15 major departments headed by cabinet secretaries Secretaries appointed by president Law and policy implementation Provide advice to president Determine department budgets Congress may create new cabinet departments– Newest --Homeland Security
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 11 © 2003 AP/Wide World Photos 2002 AP/ Wide World Photos Newest Cabinet Department
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 12 What Defines a Bureaucracy? 1.Mission Role and responsibilities 2.Hierarchical decision-making process Ascending levels of authority 3.Expertise Experts in issue area 4.Bureaucratic culture Self-perpetuation
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 13 Role of Bureaucracy Define the problem Identify possible solutions Implement preferred course Assist in evaluating the policies
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 14 The Census and Government Services This news story is about the U.S. Census process and how it affects government services provided to citizens. Air Date: Click the icon to open the movie Video Supplied by Motion Gallery
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 15 Video Questions 1.How important is the Census for allocating government funds to states and programs? 2.Does the U.S. government need to gather racial information? Why or why not? 3.Other than demographic data, what other criteria do bureaucracies use when administering programs? 15
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 16 Bureaucracy and the Policy Process Client Groups Congress Iron Triangles and Issue Networks : long-term working relationships between interest groups, bureaucrats and Congress (or other decision-makers) 16
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 17 The Veterans Affairs “Triangle” 17
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 18 The Politics of Bureaucracy Bureaucracy and Public Opinion Bureaucracy and the President Bureaucracy and Policymaking 18
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 19 Models of Bureaucracy Weberian model: neutral hierarchical system with formal procedures Acquisitive model: bureaucracies will always try to expand Monopolistic model: lack of competition leads to ineffeciencies U.S. bureaucracies more autonomous than those in other countries 19
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 20 Growth of the Bureaucracy Post Office established 1775 Congress established Departments of State, War, Treasury (1789) Department of Interior (1849) Department of Defense (post WWII) Housing & Urban Development (1965) Department of Energy (1970s) Department of Homeland Security (2003) About 2.7 million civilian employees UPI Photo/Bill Greenblatt/Landov
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 21 A Profile of Bureaucracy: Government Employment—Federal, State, and Local 21
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning Bureaucracy in Action 22 © Bob Daemmrich /Stock, Boston /PictureQuest
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 23 Federal Agencies and Their Employees 23
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 24 Government Employment at the Federal, State, and Local Levels
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 25
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 26 The Organization of the Federal Bureaucracy 1) Cabinet Departments 2) Independent Executive Agencies 3) Independent Regulatory Agencies Regulates a specific area of business or economy Directed by presidential appointees Independent (removed from political influence) Based on expertise 4) Government Corporations Businesses run by the government Postal Service, Amtrak, FDIC 26
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 27 Major Regulatory Agencies The Federal Trade Commission (1914) FTC The Federal Communications Commission (1934) FCC The Securities and Exchange Commission (1934) SEC The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (1978) 27
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 28 Deregulation The government regulation of industry, which increased during the New Deal administration of FDR, had by the 1970s become a target of criticism. In the 1970s, President Carter called for deregulation of airlines, banking, trucking, railroads, and telecommunications. 28
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 29 The Growth of Social Regulation Although considerable deregulation of transportation, communications, and financial industries took place, social regulation increased during the 1970s and 1980s. 1)Americans with Disabilities Act 2) Civil Rights Act of
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 30 Staffing the Bureaucracy Political Appointees The aristocracy of the federal government Difficult to fire civil servants 30
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 31 Modern Attempts at Bureaucratic Reform Sunshine Laws The 1966 Freedom of Information Act Changes after 9/11 Sunset Laws require congressional review of existing programs to determine their effectiveness. If Congress does not explicitly reauthorize a program, it expires. 31
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 32 The Civil Service Patronage appointments (spoils system) Jackson presidency Incompetence and corruption The Road to Reform 1850s Pendleton Act (1863) Establishes Civil Service Commission Merit system appointments Neutral competence 32
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 33 The Carter Reforms The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 Modernizes personnel system Whistleblowers Protection Agency Senior Executive Service (to fill top management positions) 33
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 34 “I’m sorry, dear, but you knew I was a bureaucrat when you married me.” The New Yorker Collection Robert Weber from cartoonbank.com. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 35 Modern Attempts at Bureaucratic Reform (cont) Privatization Incentives for Efficiency and Productivity The Government Performance and Results Act (1997) Saving Costs through E-Government Whistleblowers Daniel Ellsberg (Pentagon Papers); Bunny Greenhouse (Halliburton); Coleen Rowley (FBI) Many lose jobs or are demoted 35
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 36 Billion Dollar Fraud Fraud and mismanagement are rampant in the Medicare program in Houston and across the nation. Air Date: 2/08/ Click the icon to open the movie Video Supplied by Motion Gallery
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 37 Video Questions 1.When fraudulent practices associated with a bureaucracy (in this case, Medicare) come to light, who is usually blamed? 2.Should hospitals that overbilled Medicare be penalized? How? 3.Is it ethical for whistleblowers to receive a financial reward? 37
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 38 Bureaucrats as Politicians and Policymakers The Rulemaking Environment Waiting periods and court challenges Negotiated Rulemaking 38
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 39 Congressional Control of the Bureaucracy Ultimate control is in the hands of Congress because Congress controls the purse strings. Congressional bureaucratic control includes: establishment of agencies and departments the budget process oversight conducted through investigations, hearings, and review 39
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning Questions for Critical Thinking 1.What could be done to eliminate iron triangles? 2.In modern times, we tend to equate the term “bureaucracy” with “red tape” or inefficiency. How does the goal of neutrality and the need for specialization help reinforce those images? 3.Is privatization a good idea? What services or agencies should be exempt from private contracts? 4.How did lapses in regulatory agencies contribute to the recent mortgage lending crisis? 40
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 41 Web Links U.S. Office of Personnel Management The Project on Government Oversight USA Jobs 41
Copyright © 2011 Cengage Learning 42 Web Links GAO—U.S. Government Accountability OfficeGAO—U.S. Government Accountability Office FAS—Federation of American ScientistsFAS—Federation of American Scientists OMB Watch Openthegovernment.org 42