1. The Bureaucracy Bureaucracy:
a body of administrative offices working to implement policy

2. Bureaucracy Line at the DMV https://www.fema.gov/
Gettin’ things done, yeah!

3. Bureaucracy
Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials.
“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”

4. Major Elements of the Federal Bureaucracy
The federal bureaucracy is all of the agencies, people, and procedures through which the Federal Government operates.
The President is the chief administrator of the Federal Government.
In order to enact and enforce policy, Congress and the President have created an administration—the government’s many administrators and agencies.
The chief organizational feature of the federal bureaucracy is its division into areas of specialization. 2 3 4 5
Chapter 15, Section 1

5. What Is a Bureaucracy? Three features distinguish bureaucracies:
Hierarchical authority. Bureaucracies are based on a pyramid structure with a chain of command running from top to bottom.
Job specialization. Each bureaucrat, or person who works for the organization, has certain defined duties and responsibilities.
Formalized rules. The bureaucracy does its work according to a set of established regulations and procedures. 2 3 4 5
Chapter 15, Section 1

6. The Federal Bureaucracy: The Cabinet

8. The Cabinet
The Cabinet is an informal advisory body brought together by the President to serve his needs.
By tradition, the heads of the executive departments form the Cabinet.
The President appoints the head of each of the executive departments, which are then subject to Senate approval.
Cabinet members serve as both head of their respective departments and as advisors to the President.
Chapter 15, Section 3

9. The Name Game
The name department is reserved for agencies of the Cabinet rank.
Outside of department, there is little standardization of names throughout the agencies.
Common titles include agency, administration, commission, corporation, and authority. 2 3 4 5
Chapter 15, Section 1

10. Staff and Line Agencies
Staff Agencies
Staff agencies serve in a support capacity.
They aid the chief executive and other administrators by offering advice and other assistance in the management of the organization.
Line Agencies
Line agencies perform tasks for which the organization exists.
Congress and the President give the line agencies goals to accomplish, and staff agencies help the line agencies accomplish them.

11. Executive Departments
The executive departments, often called the Cabinet departments, are the traditional units of federal administration.
Each department is headed by a secretary, except for the Department of Justice, whose work is directed by the attorney general.
Each department is made up of a number of subunits, both staff and line.
Today, the executive departments vary a great deal in terms of visibility, size, and importance.
Chapter 15, Section 3

12. Loretta Lynch Confirmation

13. Comparing and Contrasting the Cabinet & White House Staff
White House Staff Cabinet
* Chosen by
the president. No
confirmation needed
*Work closely with the
President on a day to day basis.
*advisors to the President
On broad policy issues
*Are directly responsible for representing the
views of the President.
*Policy formation
* Nominated by the Pres.
but must be confirmed by
the Senate.
*Advisors on narrow policy issues.
*Typically not involved in
day-to-day communication
with the President.
*Are the Administrative
heads of their own dept.
which might affect their
priorities.
*Policy Implementation
* selection
by the president.
* work on policy
*Serve as advisors

15. Independent Agency: Separate from Cabinet 100+
Heads appointed by President

16. Why Independent Agencies?
The independent agencies are created by Congress and located outside the executive departments.
Independent agencies have been formed for numerous reasons, including:
* being assigned a task or function that does not fit well within the existing departmental structure;
* protecting the agency’s purposes from the influence of both partisan and pressure politics; 1 2 3 5
Chapter 15, Section 4

17. Independent Agencies Serve:
The Executive Branch
The public interest
Congressional Interest

18. Regulatory Commissions:
Independent of all 3 branches
Appointed by President, BUT…answer to congress
Make rules for large industries and businesses…in line with agency guidelines

19. Independent Regulatory Commissions
The independent regulatory commissions stand out among the independent agencies because they are largely beyond the reach of presidential direction and control.
Term length of members and staggering number of member appointments keep these commissions from falling under control of one party.
The regulatory commissions are quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial, meaning that Congress has given them certain legislative-like and judicial-like powers. 1 2 3 5
Chapter 15, Section 4

20. The Government Corporations
Government corporations are also within the executive branch and subject to the President’s direction and control.
Government corporations were established by Congress to carry out certain business-like activities.
There are now over 50 government corporations, including the U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. 1 2 3 5
Chapter 15, Section 4

21. The Civil Service How did the civil service develop?
What are the characteristics of the current civil service?
What restrictions are placed on the political activity of members of the civil service? 1 2 3 4
Chapter 15, Section 1

22. Development of the Civil Service
The civil service is that group of public employees who perform the administrative work of government, excluding the armed forces. 1 2 3 4
Chapter 15, Section 5

23. “Controlling” the Bureaucracy
Patronage - Rewarding supporters with jobs
“Spoils system” – created by Andrew Jackson, each President turned over the bureaucracy
Pendleton Act (1883) - Created in response to criticism of patronage
more jobs will be selected based on merit
Hatch Act (1939) – agency employees can’t participate in political activities (elections, campaigns, fund raisers, etc.)
Softened in recent decades, 1st Amendment issues

24. The Civil Service Today
The Office of Personnel Management is the central clearinghouse in the federal recruiting, examining, and hiring process.
The Merit Systems Protection Board enforces the merit principle in the federal bureaucracy.
Congress sets the pay and other job conditions for everyone who works for the Federal Government, except for postal employees. 1 2 3 4
Chapter 15, Section 5

25. Political Activities
Several laws and a number of OPM regulations place restrictions on the political activities of federal civil servants:
The Hatch Act of 1939 allows federal workers to vote in elections, but forbids them from taking part in partisan political activities.
The Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993 relaxes many of the restrictions of the Hatch Act. It still forbids federal workers from:
(1) running in partisan elections;
(2) engaging in party work on government property or while on the job;
(3) collecting political contributions from subordinates or the general public; or
(4) using a government position to influence an election. 1 2 3 4
Chapter 15, Section 5

26. Max Weber The Theory of Social & Economic Organization 1947
Famous early 20th century economist, German
Bureaucracy – well organized, complex machine that is a “rational” way for society to organize its business

27. Weber Characteristics
Hierarchical authority structure – chain of command
Task specialization – individuals have unique jobs, division of labor
Extensive rules – clear policies for the organization to follow
Clear goals – clearly defined mission

28. Weber
Merit principle – hiring and promotion based on qualities, no jobs for favors
Replaced the “Spoils System”
Impersonality – performance judged on productivity
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

29. Modern Bureaucracy
– New Deal, WWII, increase in programs and gov’t work
1950’s – 1970’s – 90% of all federal employees were chosen on merit
Salaries also chosen on merit

30. Who are bureaucrats?
1 out of 100 Americans work for government bureaucracy
Examples
US Postal Service
Amtrak
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Interstate Commerce Commission
Federal Trade Commisson
Securities and Exchange Commission
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

31. Bureaucrat:
a civil servant vs

32. 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

33. Accountability
Bureaucracy is constrained and controlled by the US government
Congress
appropriates money, authorizes the spending of money, oversees agency activity
President
Job appointments, executive orders, budget control, reorganize agencies

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

35. How it works? Everyone in the triangle has a similar interest
Legislators get funding from interest groups and make laws 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.

36. Iron Triangles

37. 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… Think IRS…

38. Issue Networks Of course more complicated connections exists
Iron triangle too simple – there are always IGs from opposite sides of an issue who compete for influence over policy. Industry vs. Environmentalists
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.

39. Common Criticisms 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
Waste – spending more than necessary
Lack of accountability – difficulty in firing an incompetent bureaucrat
Critical Thinking
How is the bureaucracy a check on Presidential power?
FEMA and Katrina
FEMA and Sandy