AP US Government The Fourth Branch of Government: The Bureaucracy (Chapter 15)

Presentation Outline 1) Relationships 2) Growth & Development 3) Limits & Oversight 4) Public & Private Sectors

1) Relationships: Iron Triangles Formerly tight alliance of small # of key policy stakeholders –Agencies want funds & authority –Congress wants votes & campaign $; restraint on agencies –Interests want policy implementation Less common; now issue networks Interest Group Congressional Committee Department and/or Agency Policy Issue

Issue Networks Issue networks evolved out of iron triangles due to: –Overlapping agencies & congressional committees –Competing interests & # of interests –Includes think tanks, media, scholars, business, public (debate issues) Education: Funding Department of Education House Committee on Education & Workforce Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions National Education Association National School Board Association Rethinking Schools State Departments of Education Educational Testing Service Education Commission of the States Many more

2) Growth & Development Little mention of bureaucracy in Constitution –“Appoint officials”, “seek opinion of departments” –“Executive departments” Congress & president initially battled for power Civil War & industrialization led to growth –Primarily service oriented (laissez-faire) –Not regulatory (constitutional?) Railways transformed economy – caused creation of Department of Commerce & Interstate Commerce Commission

Patronage & Political Parties Growth of bureaucracy & party power led to the spoils or patronage system –Cleveland replacement of 40,000 postal workers (1880s) Pendleton Act (1883) began movement to merit system (civil service) –Part of breakdown of party machines/power

Modern Day Bureaucracy New Deal & WWII broadened powers –More regulation (industry) –Wider program scope (economic & social problems) Currently, discretionary authority granted by Congress –Devise & enforce regulations “independently” –Run grant-in-aid programs –Pay subsidies From regulating the airwaves to approving prescription drugs, today’s bureaucracy wields power (ask Howard Stern)

3) Limits and Oversight Powerful but Limited Vast power & area of concerns, but restrained by Congress & public –Hearings, inspect records, confidential personal files, open agency meetings, etc. Causes slow, cumbersome system (red tape) Citizens desire slow system? –Serve multiple interests, open, fair, safe, etc. FOI - Acts to limit power of bureaucracy & serves to protect representative democracy at all levels

Congressional Oversight Existence & purpose established by Congress Funding authorized by congressional committees (authorization legislation) Spending must be formally appropriated by Congress Conduct investigations, reviews, hearings, etc. Confirm leaders (or hold up their appointment) Power struggles often exist between departments, agencies, & Congress – Bush cabinet members in hearings.

4) Public-Private Sector Mobility “The Revolving Door” Can a bureaucratic official ethically move into private business linked to interests of former agency or from private business to related government bureaucratic position? Find out what the firm Blank Rome does in Washington & determine if Tom Ridge’s relationship with the firm was acceptable practice. (emblem linked to site, photo linked to background article)