The Federal BureaucracyChapter 15
The Federal BureaucracyChapter 15
BureaucracyBureaucracy The agencies,
departments, commissions, etc. within the executive branch
Already covered the Executive Office of the President and Cabinet
The agencies, departments, commissions, etc. within the executive branch
Already covered the Executive Office of the President and Cabinet
The BureaucratsThe BureaucratsMyths:
Americans dislike bureaucrats.
Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year.
Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C.
Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient and always mired in red tape.
Reality: Most tasks performed by bureaucrats are not controversial.
Myths:Americans dislike
bureaucrats.Bureaucracies are growing
bigger each year.Most federal bureaucrats
work in Washington, D.C.Bureaucracies are ineffective,
inefficient and always mired in red tape.
Reality: Most tasks performed by bureaucrats are not controversial.
The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats
A bureaucrat is someone who works for the government, carrying out policy.
Most demographically representative part of government. Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.
A bureaucrat is someone who works for the government, carrying out policy.
Most demographically representative part of government. Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.
The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats Patronage: Job given for
political reasons. Pendleton Civil Service Act in
1883 began the creation of a merit-based civil service.
Civil Service: System of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship.
Merit Principle: Entrance exams and promotion ratings to find people with talent and skill.
Hatch Act: Civil Servants can’t be political activists while at work
Office of Personnel Management: The federal office in charge of most of the government’s hiring.
Patronage: Job given for political reasons.
Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 began the creation of a merit-based civil service.
Civil Service: System of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship.
Merit Principle: Entrance exams and promotion ratings to find people with talent and skill.
Hatch Act: Civil Servants can’t be political activists while at work
Office of Personnel Management: The federal office in charge of most of the government’s hiring.
The BureaucratsThe BureaucratsThe Plum BookPublished by Congress.Lists the very top jobs available for Presidential appointment.Presidents work to find capable people to fill the positions.Some plum jobs (ambassadorships) are patronage.
The Plum BookPublished by Congress.Lists the very top jobs available for Presidential appointment.Presidents work to find capable people to fill the positions.Some plum jobs (ambassadorships) are patronage.
The Weberian ModelThe Weberian Model Bureaucracy must
be/have: Hierarchical authority
structure Uses task
specialization Operate on the merit
principle Behave with
impersonality A well-organized
machine with lots of working parts.
Bureaucracy must be/have: Hierarchical authority
structure Uses task
specialization Operate on the merit
principle Behave with
impersonality A well-organized
machine with lots of working parts.
The Acquisitive ModelThe Acquisitive Model
Bureaucracies seek to maximize their budgetsWork to expand their powers and programs, even joining with Congress to expand their functionsOften operate under monopolistic conditionsPrivatization could cut back on the monopolistic attitudes of the bureaucracies
Bureaucracies seek to maximize their budgetsWork to expand their powers and programs, even joining with Congress to expand their functionsOften operate under monopolistic conditionsPrivatization could cut back on the monopolistic attitudes of the bureaucracies
Four Categories of Bureaucracy
Four Categories of Bureaucracy
The Cabinet Departments 15 Cabinet departments 14 headed by a secretary Department of Justice
headed by Attorney General
Each has its own budget, staff and policy areas
Republicans have been trying to eliminate several departments
The Cabinet Departments 15 Cabinet departments 14 headed by a secretary Department of Justice
headed by Attorney General
Each has its own budget, staff and policy areas
Republicans have been trying to eliminate several departments
Organization of the Executive Branch
Organization of the Executive Branch
Department of the InteriorDepartment of the Interior
Rick Perry struggles with the bureaucracy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzcZcdL2eQY&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=activehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzcZcdL2eQY&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Rick Perry struggles with the bureaucracy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzcZcdL2eQY&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=activehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzcZcdL2eQY&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
Four Categories of Bureaucracies
Four Categories of Bureaucracies
Regulatory Agencies Independent: Responsible
for some sector of the economy making rules and judging disputes to protect the public interest.
Headed by a commission of 5-10 people.
Rule making is an important function watched by interest groups and citizens alike.
EPA, SEC
Regulatory Agencies Independent: Responsible
for some sector of the economy making rules and judging disputes to protect the public interest.
Headed by a commission of 5-10 people.
Rule making is an important function watched by interest groups and citizens alike.
EPA, SEC
Four Categories of BureaucraciesFour Categories of Bureaucracies
Government Corporations Business like- provide a
service like private companies and typically charges for its services
Postal Service, Amtrak are examples
Independent Executive Agencies The agencies that don’t
fit anywhere else NASA is an example
Government Corporations Business like- provide a
service like private companies and typically charges for its services
Postal Service, Amtrak are examples
Independent Executive Agencies The agencies that don’t
fit anywhere else NASA is an example
ImplementationImplementationTranslating the goals and
objectives of a law passed by Congress into an operating, ongoing program. It includes:
Creating / assigning an agency the policy
Turning policy into regulations.
Coordinating resources to achieve the goals.
Getting feedback and revising regulations.
Translating the goals and objectives of a law passed by Congress into an operating, ongoing program. It includes:
Creating / assigning an agency the policy
Turning policy into regulations.
Coordinating resources to achieve the goals.
Getting feedback and revising regulations.
Why Some Policies FailWhy Some Policies Fail Poor program design Lack of Clarity.
Congressional laws are ambiguous and imprecise.
Sometimes the laws conflict with each other.
Title IX Lack of Resources
Budget cuts may make it difficult for agencies to fulfill their goals.
May lack authority to do their jobs
Poor program design Lack of Clarity.
Congressional laws are ambiguous and imprecise.
Sometimes the laws conflict with each other.
Title IX Lack of Resources
Budget cuts may make it difficult for agencies to fulfill their goals.
May lack authority to do their jobs
Why Policies FailWhy Policies Fail Administrative Routines
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) designed to save time and bring uniformity
Also lead to charges of too much “red tape”
Administrative Discretion Ability to ignore or subvert
portions a policy Street-level bureaucrats have
the most discretion. Fragmentation.
Some policies are spread among several agencies.
Administrative Routines Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) designed to save time and bring uniformity
Also lead to charges of too much “red tape”
Administrative Discretion Ability to ignore or subvert
portions a policy Street-level bureaucrats have
the most discretion. Fragmentation.
Some policies are spread among several agencies.
Why Policies SucceedWhy Policies Succeed A Case Study: The Voting
Rights Act of 1965 Had a clear, concise goal
(increase registration and turnout rates among Afircan Americans).
The implementation was clear (send Federal Marshals to the South).
Those carrying out the law had obvious authority and vigor to do so.
A Case Study: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Had a clear, concise goal
(increase registration and turnout rates among Afircan Americans).
The implementation was clear (send Federal Marshals to the South).
Those carrying out the law had obvious authority and vigor to do so.
RegulationRegulation Regulation: Use of governmental authority to control or
change some practice in the private sector. A Full Day of Regulation.
Federal agencies check, verify and inspect many of the products and services we take for granted.
Regulation: Use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.
A Full Day of Regulation. Federal agencies check, verify and inspect many of the
products and services we take for granted.
RegulationRegulation Command-and-Control
Policy: Government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks the progress and punishes offenders.
Incentive System: Positive behavior is rewarded with tax credits or other benefits.
Command-and-Control Policy: Government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks the progress and punishes offenders.
Incentive System: Positive behavior is rewarded with tax credits or other benefits.
DeregulationDeregulation Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, industry
and professional activities. Problems with Strict Regulations
Raises prices Hurts U.S.’s competitive position abroad Are not always effective
Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, industry and professional activities.
Problems with Strict Regulations Raises prices Hurts U.S.’s competitive position abroad Are not always effective
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
President tries to control: Appoint capable
people to head agencies
Executive orders Change agency’s
budget Reorganize agency
President tries to control: Appoint capable
people to head agencies
Executive orders Change agency’s
budget Reorganize agency
Congress tries to control: Influence appointment
of agency heads Change agency’s
budget Hold hearings
(oversight) Rewrite laws or add
details
Congress tries to control: Influence appointment
of agency heads Change agency’s
budget Hold hearings
(oversight) Rewrite laws or add
details
Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies
Bureaucracy and Democracy Iron Triangles and Issue
Networks A mutually dependent
relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.
Exist independently of each other.
They are tough, but not impossible, to eliminate
Some argue they are being replaced by wider issue networks that focus on more policies.
Bureaucracy and Democracy Iron Triangles and Issue
Networks A mutually dependent
relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.
Exist independently of each other.
They are tough, but not impossible, to eliminate
Some argue they are being replaced by wider issue networks that focus on more policies.
Iron TriangleIron Triangle