The Federal Bureaucracy Chapter 13: Wilson AP Government and Politics Why is the Bureaucracy sometimes considered the “fourth branch” of government? Homework: Assignment 11

What is a “bureaucracy”? We know the second half of the word, “cracy” means “to rule”. And “bureau” is a French word for “desk”… So together, the word bureau-cracy literally means “to rule from a desk”. The idea is that government workers, who often work at desks, are essentially “ruling us”… Why might this be controversial?

What is a “bureaucracy”? A large, complex group organized according to a certain structure

The Federal “B’ucy” Divided into 3 basic parts Executive (Cabinet) departments Independent Executive Agencies The Executive Office of the President

How is the US federal bureaucracy different than other nations? Separation of powers – 2 masters… System of Federalism – work with state/local gov, don’t just tell them what to do “Adversary” culture – citizens can sue and have input regarding regulations and actions taken by the bucy Scope and size – larger than in most nations; but regulatory and not ownership in nature Which of these do you think is most important characteristic to….? The President and other political executives? The public at large?

Growth and Size of the Bureaucracy Consider: Is a “lifetime” bureaucrat a good thing? Growth and Size of the Bureaucracy Chapter 13: Wilson AP Government and Politics Assignment 12 for Thursday

Quotes on Bureaucracy There’s a new game that's sweeping the country. It's called "Bureaucracy" Everybody stands in a circle. The first person to do anything loses. “The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.” “In any bureaucracy, paper work increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing” “Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible”

The “Rules” of Bureaucracy Preserve thyself. It is easier to fix the blame than to fix the problem. A penny saved is an oversight. Information deteriorates upward. The first 90% of the task takes 90% of the time; the last 10% takes the other 90%. Experience is what you get just after you need it. For any given large, complex, hard-to-understand, expensive problem, there exists at least one short, simple, easy, cheap wrong answer. Anything that can be changed will be, until time runs out. To err is human; to shrug is civil service. There’s never enough time to do it right, but there’s always enough time to do it over. Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. O’Toole’s Corollary – Murphy was an optimist.

The Bureaucrats Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities Americans dislike bureaucrats. Americans are generally satisfied with bureaucrats. Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year. Not the federal bureaucracy. Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C. Only about 12 percent do. Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient, and always mired in red tape. No more so than private businesses.

Bureaucratic Growth The Founding to Civil War Not created by the Constitution Begins small, only to perform the basic functions of government, and the post office As nation grows, Bucy grows with it. Patronage Remains focused on service, as opposed to regulatory function Era of Reform – Civil War to 1930s Civil War demonstrates need for better or more organized bucy; industrialization also increases need Over 200,000 employees added between 1861-1901. New departments created Progressive Movement advocates for an end to patronage Pendleton Act creates merit-based system for hiring belief that ultimate power still rests with Congress to write rules Modern Era – Post WWII to present Growth until about 1960, then fed remains at about 3-4 million direct employees Focused on regulating areas of the economy and society Congress has delegated tremendous authority to these agencies

Bureaucratic Growth

Working for “the Man”… Who are the “’crats”? Types of jobs: Directly (bucy; about 4 million) and indirectly (private companies and contractors; as many as 8-10 million more) employed or funded by the federal government Types of jobs: Competitive (general exam by OPM) vs. excepted (hired by agencies for specific jobs) service Name – request – specific person hired for specific job The buddy system…good or bad?

The Postal Service: A Model of Inefficiency?