The Federal Bureaucracy The 4 million people who run the Government

Discuss the similarities and differences between the Cabinet, EOP, Independent Agencies, Government Corporations

Similarities Each Part was created by Congress Congress Controls the Purse Strings All workers hired through OPM Career Bureaucrats Political Appointments Serves the publics by providing valuable services (Social Security) Regulations (EPA) Divided Loyalties between President, Congress, Special Interest Groups

Cabinet Headed by Secretaries (except Justice) Appointed by Pres 2/3 Senate Serve Length of President’s term Fired by President Tend to be loyal to their own agency

Executive Office of the President Chosen by the President Serve the White House Only Leaders are loyal to the President

Independent Regulatory Agencies Designed to be Independent of the President –Why? –Leaders Serve fixed terms –Write Rules in the Federal Register –FCC –EPA –FDA

Government Corporations Part Government/ Part Corporation Can control their own funding Government subsidizes losses Provide Public Services Postal Service Amtrack NPR/PBS

Identify and Define REGO Clinton/Gore plan to scale back the size of the Bureaucracy Gore headed the NPR National Performance Review Most Successful Attempt to limit the size of Government The Plan Make Government Run more like a business Cut outdated/unnecessary programs

Major Changes Privatization (Devolution) Customer Service Social Security worked longer hours Tax forms online Update Telephone service Rewritten Regulations in Register to Laymen’s Terms Got rid of obsolete rules Rewards for Efficiency ($400 hammer)

Success! The most successful reform Only President to act on Campaign promise of limited government Couldn’t have been done with GOP Congress Smoke and mirrors? Government not really cut/services devoluted to private companies

Spoils System vs. Merit System Spoils System –President Rewards supporters with jobs –Job not based on merit but Service –Bad for employees –Presidents couldn’t meet all demands (Assassination of President Garfield) Merit System –Created by the Pendleton Act –Eliminated spoils system –OPM –Civil Service Exam –Whistleblower Act Tattletale on boss with legal support

Hatch Act Keeps Federal Employees from participating in politics –Could not run for federal office –Cannot campaign on the “Clock” –Less restrictive under Clinton

Hatch Act Rules Bureaucrats CAN”T –Run for Public office –Fund raise during work –Discourage subordinates from Political Activity Bureaucrats Can –Vote and assist with Registration –Contribute to campaigns –Campaign off duty –Hold office in their political party

Criticisms of the Bureaucracy Red Tape –Too many rigid procedures- ie – all hiring through the OPM –Too many policies –Too many forms to fill out, Lines to wait

Problems Inefficiency –No profit motive –Duplication of Services Perfomance of similar services Federalism/ programs at all 3 levels

Problems Bureacracy is a lawmaker –Regulations with weight of law –Too big/ privatization –Corruption Iron Triangles

Iron Triangle Relationship between Exec/Legislative/ and Special Interest Groups Contributes to positives and negatives Exchange of Knowledge High Prices/Government spending Examples Agriculture/ Defense (Military industrial complex)

Transparency in Government Freedom of Information Act –Makes most public records accessible to citizens –Very expensive Whistleblower Act –Report wrong doing by bosses –Created the Office of Special Counsel –FBI Crime lab/sloppy chemical testing –IRS promotion of creating leins