Chapter 15:THE FEDERAL BUREACRACY

Examining the “Fourth Branch”

Bureaucracy• Bureau is French for “small

desk”. • Bureaucracy literally means

“government of small desks”.• Large, complex organization of

appointed, not elected officials.

• Max Weber (20th century German economist) ~ bureaucracy is the rational way to run a government.

Who are bureaucrats? 1 out of 100 Americans work for the government

bureaucracy 4 million employees; 2.8 million are civilians or “civil

servants” President only appoints 3% (patronage or political

appointments) 15 cabinet level departments 97% are career government employees, 30% work for the

D.O.D. Most are white collar workers: secretaries, clerks, lawyers,

inspectors & engineers 200+ independent agencies with 2,000+ bureaus, divisions,

branches, etc. Biggest - Dept. of Defense, U.S. Postal Service, Veterans

Administration Examples

Amtrak Interstate Commerce Commission Federal Trade Commission Securities and Exchange Commission National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Characteristics of a Bureaucracy

• 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

Functions of the Federal Bureaucracy1. Implementation - carry out laws of Congress,

executive orders of the President2. Administration - routine administrative work;

provide services (ex: SSA sends social security checks to beneficiaries)

3. Regulation - issue rules and regulations that impact the public (ex: EPA sets clean air standards)Munn v. Illinois (1877) – SC upheld that government had the right to regulate business rates and services

The Cabinet Departments• The 15 cabinet departments are headed by a

cabinet secretary appointed by the president and approved by the Senate.

• Each department is the “expert” in specific policy area.

• Each department has its own budget that is approved by Congress each year.

• The Department of Homeland Security (2002) is newest department.

Secretary----------------------------------

Deputy Secretary

Under SecretaryScience and Technology

Under Secretary Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection

Under SecretaryBorder &

Transportation Security

Under Secretary Emergency

Preparedness and Response

Under SecretaryManagement

Inspector General

Director of theSecret Service (1)

Commandant ofCoast Guard (1)

Director, Bureau of Citizenship & Immigration Services (1)

General Counsel

State and Local Coordination

Special Assistant to the Secretary(private sector)

National Capital Region Coordination

Shared Services

Citizenship & Immigration Service

Ombudsman (1)

Legislative Affairs

Public Affairs

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Department of Homeland Security

Chief of StaffPrivacy Officer

Executive Secretary

International Affairs

Counter Narcotics

Small & Disadvantaged Business

Independent Executive Agencies

• Established by Congress with separate status outside the executive branch

• Given a specific mandate and generally perform a service function, not a regulatory one.

• Some examples include: Social Security Administration, CIA, NASA, EPA.

Independent Regulatory Commissions

• IRC’s exist to regulate a specific economic activity or interest such as the Federal Communications Commission or Federal Reserve Board.

• IRC’s operate independently from Congress and the President.

• Once appointed and seated, members cannot be removed without cause.

Government Corporations

• Government owned businesses created by Congress.

• May or may not be profitable, but serve a public need.

• Ex: U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

Accountability• Bureaucracy is constrained and controlled

by the US government• Congress

– Appropriates money, authorizes the spending of money, oversees agency activity, create/abolish agencies.

• President– Job appointments, executive orders,

budget control, reorganize agencies.• Supreme Court

– Judicial review of bureaucracies actions, due process.

Controlling the Bureaucracy Patronage - Rewarding supporters with

jobs 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 b/c of 1st Amendment issues.

Whistleblower Protection Act

Public Perceptions and Criticism of Bureaucracies

• “Red tape” – maze of government rules, regulations, and paperwork that makes government overwhelming to citizens

• Conflict – agencies that often work toward opposite goals

• Duplication – agencies appear to do the same thing• Unchecked growth – agencies expand unnecessarily

at high costs• Waste – spending more than necessary• Lack of accountability – difficult in firing an

incompetent bureaucrat

Max Weber on Bureaucracy

1. Specification of jobs with detailed rights, obligations, responsibilities, scope of authority

2. System of supervision and subordination

3. Unity of command 4. Extensive use of written documents 5. Training in job requirements and skills 6. Application of consistent and

complete rules (company manual) 7. Assign work and hire personnel based

on competence and experience

Iron Triangles

CONGRESS

A three-way alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests.

How does it work?

Everyone in the triangle has a similar interest.

• Legislators get funding from interest groups and make laws reality 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.