The Executive Branch # 5The Bureaucracy

Review Time! Don’t Copy!1. An agreement between the US and another

country that does not go through the Senate is known as

a. Treatyb. Executive Orderc. Executive Agreement

2. The most influential person in the President’s staff is generally

a. The Vice Presidentb. Secretary of Statec. Chief of Staff

1. All of the following are informal powers of the president EXCEPT

a. Executive Orderb. Commander in Chiefc. Access to the media

2. When the president negotiates an agreement between nations, he is acting as

a. Commander in Chiefb. Chief Diplomatc. Chief Legislator

The Bureaucracy: is everywhere! The FDA inspects our food

• It implements (executes) all the laws • How should it do that?

–Should the bureaucracy operate under fairness or responsiveness?• TSA: should they let a person on a

plane w/liquid?

• Should the bureaucracy be efficient or effective?–EPA: Should they

check every factory for pollution? OR make every factory file reports & decide from there?

Structure for any bureaucracy1. Hierarchical – pyramidal w/ a clear chain

of command 2. Job specialization – the bureaucrats

become experts in their area 3. Formalized rules – should be standard for

everyone Rules & regulations can lead to red tape & inefficiencies

The Bureaucracy

• Congress writes relatively vague laws• The buroc decides how to implement them –

how do the laws really work while still following legislative intent – *this is a lot of power!

Why does the buroc have this power?

• Has time since it a huge number of people

• Experts in the area• Day to day experience in the field

• How can it be kept accountable? –Congressional Oversight–Funding / Sunset laws – Investigations–Not confirming secretary

positions –President can issue

executive orders

Whistle blowing

• Employees can report mismanagement w/in their own agency & be protected by law –Hurt career?

The Executive Branch

Regulatory Agencies• Affiliated with a Cabinet Department

–FDA– IRS **Pages 426-427**

• NO S Confirmation for these positions• Accountability: Congressional Budget &

Oversight

Independent Executive Agencies

• Executive level agencies without Cabinet level affiliation–NASA–CIA

• Accountability: –Congressional Budget & Oversight

Independent REGULATORYREGULATORY Agencies

• Most independent of the President & Congress

• They regulate a specific industry:–FCC–SEC –Federal Reserve Board (The Fed)

Indie Reg. Agencies

• Board of Directors: members are confirmed by Senate, serve for a specific number of years

• Quasi- legislative power• Quasi-judicial power

Government Corporations

• Government run businesses:–Post Office–Amtrak

• Board of Directors – serve terms• Approved by S• Budget approved by Congress

Pres #6: How to get a job!

• Civil Service: gov employees

In the olden days…

• Patronage or “Spoils” System:–Pres would hand out jobs as favors to

those who got him elected –1 replaced all post office workers

Pendleton Act / Civil Service Act 1883

• ENDS spoils system replaces w/MERIT system – Exam – Qualification – Office of Personnel Mgmt – supervises hiring &

firing of civil service

• Is the exam system the most fair way of hiring employees?

1. A political device of drawing irregular district lines in order to favor one political power over another is called:A. gerrymandering.B. filibustering.C. federalizing.D. rezoning.

2. Congress can override a Presidential veto of a congressional bill by:A. not signing the bill.B. passing the bill again by a two-thirds majority in both houses.C. filibustering.D. voting to place the bill in the congressional record.

3. The primary medium for the diffusion of American popular culture throughout the world following World War I was:A. motion pictures.B. newspapers.C. radio.D. books.

4. The architect Maya Lin is known for designing the:A. Paris Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas.B. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington,DC.C. Sears Tower, Chicago.D. Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Dept of State Exam Questions

Restrictions on Gov Employees

• Hatch Act (1939):– Can’t be active in party:

• Can’t register voters, hold fundraisers, use insider information to help a candidate, etc.

– Can vote

Taft-Hartley Act (1947)• Can’t strike• 80s – air traffic

controllers went on strike, Reagan fired them all!