AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Review Topics/Vocab THE BUREAUCRACY

  • Sometimes called the “Fourth Branch” of gov’t but is really part of the executive branch
  • Responsible for executing laws, providing for defense, administering social programs
  • Established by custom, tradition, precedent
  • NO PARTISAN POLITICS – bureaucrats are to be neutral/impartial in administering policy
  • No elected positions
  • 15 cabinet secretaries (all but Dept. of Justice = Attorney General) & heads of independent agencies appointed by P, confirmed by Senate
  • 4 million in federal bureaucracy – BUT most not in D.C. & federal bureaucracy is getting smaller while state & local bureaucracies are growing larger; local is now largest
  • Largest federal bureaucracy is Dept. Of Defensesince it includes all the military
  • Sec. of Defense has to be a civilian & he reports directly to P
  • Joint Chiefs of Staff – heads of the 5 military services
  • Benefits of a bureaucracy include:
  • More effective manner for large groups of people to work together
  • Authority already determined; specific guidelines set for promotion
  • Job specialization promotes efficiency
  • Established rulesand procedures in place
  • Getting a bureaucratic job:
  • Historically – through patronage, a/k/a spoils system (JACKSON!)
  • Changed with CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ACT/ PENDLETON ACT, 1883
  • Merit system established /exams required for these civil service jobs
  • Plum Book is list of top level fed. Gov’t jobs open for P appointment
  • Hatch Act passed in 1939 to put limitations on FEDERAL civil service employees and better guarantee bureaucratic neutrality
  • CAN’T run for office, campaign or collect $ for a candidate
  • CAN vote, express opinions, wear buttons, join a party
  • Elements of the federal bureaucracy:
  • Cabinet / Executive Depts.
  • Independent Regulatory Agencies
  • Independent Executive Agencies
  • Government Corporations
  • 1- Executive Depts. - 15
  • Dept. of State the oldest; Dept. of Defense the largest; Homeland Security newest
  • Secretaries of each dept. serve as advisors to P on the P’s Cabinet
  • Ps giving Cabinet a large role: Eisenhower, Clinton, George W. Bush
  • Ps giving Cabinet a small role: Jackson, JFK
  • 2-Independent Regulatory Agencies:
  • Large degree of independence to act as watchdogs over fed. gov’t – they regulate & enforce!
  • EXPERTS in their areas – such as environment, economy, industry…
  • Assist Congress with their expertise in 2 ways:
  • Quasi-legislative – fill in the technical/expert details for legislation
  • Quasi-judicial – responsible for rule enforcement/punishment of violators
  • Examples: FTC, FCC, FDA, SEC, OSHA, EPA
  • 3-Independent Executive Agencies
  • Independent of executive branch but report directly to P
  • Not part of Cabinet, don’t regulate anything, don’t charge for their services
  • CIA, NASA, Smithsonian
  • 4-Government Corporations:
  • Cross between private business corporation & a government agency – involved in commercial activities – they DO charge for their services
  • Supposed to produce enough revenue to support themselves….but don’t
  • Examples: Amtrak – but it has never made a profit / Post Office
  • Ways the PRESIDENT exerts control over the bureaucracy:
  • Appointments to jobs
  • Issuing Executive Orders that agencies must comply with
  • Recommending increases/decreases in budgets (through OMB)
  • Can ask to reorganize, create or abolish federal depts. (Congress has to approve)
  • Ways CONGRESS exerts control over the bureaucracy:
  • Senate approves appointments to jobs
  • OVERSIGHT!!
  • Can investigate executive agencies for compliance
  • Can abolish agencies
  • Approve/disapprove budgets – power of the purse!
  • Exercises MORE control than the P over bureaucracies
  • Regulatory agencies carry out their responsibilities by setting rules & regulations which has led to the creation of iron triangles or sub-governments
  • These are informal alliances between 3 groups:
  • Interest Group - An industry and its lobbyists
  • Bureaucracy - An agency in the Executive branch
  • Legislature - Congressional committee dealing with that agency
  • Work together to formulate and implement policy in their area of interest.
  • Example of an iron triangle:
  • Cigarette manufacturers; tobacco lobbyists
  • Dept. of Agriculture
  • House & Senate agricultural committees
  • Issue Networks:
  • an alliance of various interest groups and individualswho unite in order to promote a single issue in government policy
  • Examples: environmental groups and individuals who push for more environmental regulation in government policy; also on other controversial issues like abortion, gun ownership, etc.
  • Differ from Iron triangles in that they include political executives, career bureaucrats, management and policy consultants, academic researchers, journalists, White House aides, etc.
  • Reasons for breakdown in the bureaucracy in implementing policy:
  • Faulty program design
  • Lack of clarity in stating policy (by Congress)
  • Lack of resources –staff, training, funding
  • “Standard operating procedures” – necessary routines that become frustrating “red tape” --- too many rules and not enough discretion
  • Administrative discretion - street-level bureaucrats – police, social workers… have too much discretion and don’t treat all fairly
  • Fragmentation – diffusion of responsibility to several different agencies (e.g., control over illicit drugs)