THE FEDERAL BUREAUOCRACYCHAPTER 15

DEFINITIONS• BUREAUCRACY:

ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM STAFFED BY NON-ELECTED OFFICIALS

• ORGANIZED IN AGENCIES

• EACH HAS A SPECIFIC TASK

• ADMINISTRATE LAWS PASSED BY CONGRESS

BUREAUCRAT

• A PERSON WORKING IN A BURAEUCRACY

• THERE IS A HUGE VARIETY OF TASKS AND SKILLS

AUTHORITY OF BUREAUCRACY• POWER IS DELEGATED

BY LEGISLATURE• POWER IS DELEGATED

BY THE PRESIDENT

PUBLIC SERVANTS• THEY ARE THE PUBLIC

FACE OF THE GOVERNMENT

• THEIR JOB IS TO ADMINISTER THE LAW

• SOLVE PROBLEMS OF THE PUBLIC

FEATURES OF BUREAUCRACYHIERARCHIAL SPECIALIZATION

FEATURES OF BUREAUCRACYS O P (NO FAVORITISM

ALLOWED)

BENEFITS OF A BUREAUCRACY• LARGE, COMPLEX TASKS

ARE BROKEN DOWN TO BE SOLVED EFFICIENTLY

NO CONFUSION OVER AUTHORITY

EXPERT WORKERS• “EX”—A HAS-BEEN• “SPURT”— A DRIP

UNDER PRESSURE

• SERIOUSLY—WE WANT PEOPLE WHO CAN GUIDE US THROUGH THE COMPLEXITIES OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

STANDARDS ARE CONSISTANT

• REASONABLE (HOPEFULLY), NOT CHANGING PROCEEDURES

• THOUGH A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY IS OFTEN APPRECIATED

HISTORY AND GROWTH• TOOK CARE• CHOSE QUALIFIED

PEOPLE• COULD FIRE PEOPLE• (THERE WERE FEW

PEOPLE)

THE SPOILS SYSTEM• POLITICAL

CONSIDERATIONS WERE PRIMARY

• THOUGHT THE JOBS WERE SIMPLE

• WANTED LOYALTY• CONSIDERED

REPLACEMENT OF BUREAUCRATS TO BE A GOOD THING

CIVIL WAR• VAST INCREASE IN

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

• HUGE AMOUNT OF CORRUPTION, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE WAR

• INCOMPETENCE WAS VERY EVIDENT—TOO MANY APPOINTEES TO DO A GOOD JOB OF CHECKING QUALIFICATIONS

PENDLETON ACT• CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM

ESTABLISHED• “MERIT” SYSTEM• PRESIDENT NO LONGER

APPOINTED MOST EMPLOYEES

• CAREER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT BEGAN

WORLD WARS & NEW DEAL• MANY MORE

REGULATIONS & AGENCIES FORMED

• EVEN AFTER THE CRISIS, THE NUMBER OF BUREAUCRATS REMAINED VERY HIGH

• SOCIALIST FOUNDATIONS

• AMERICANS BECAME ADDICTED TO GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

PAY & BENEFITS FOR BUREAUCRATS

• PAY IS SET BY CONGRESS• PAY IS BETTER THAN THE

PRIVATE SECTOR• BENEFITS TEND TO BE BETTER

(INSURANCE, HOLIDAYS, RETIREMENT)

• THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF REFORM, CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE

BUREAUCRATIC POLITICAL ACTION• THEY MAY VOTE• HATCH ACT (1939) SAID

THEY COULD NOT CAMPAIGN FOR OTHERS

• THIS CHANGED (1993), SO NOW THAY MY NOT CAMPAIGN WHILE ON THE JOB OR ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. NEITHER CAN THEY INFLUENCE OTHERS ON THE STRENGTH OF THEIR GOVERNMENT JOBS

BUREAUCRACY TODAY•GET JOB ON MERIT SYSTEM•LIFE-LONG TENURE•PAY & PROMOTIONS BY WRITTEN

EVALUATIONS•PRESIDENT APPOINT TOP 1,000 PEOPLE•CAREER BUREAUCRATS ARE HARD TO

CHANGE (PERSONNEL, PHILOSOPHY, PROCEEDURES)

•NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SHRINK BUREAUCRACY

BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURE

•IT IS HUGE!•SEE PAGE 338 IN YOUR TEXT

EXECUTIVE OFFICE of the PRESIDENT

EXECUTIVE OFFICE of the PRESIDENT• CLOSEST TO THE

PRESIDENT• MANAGES THE OTHER

ASPECTS OF THE PRESIDENTS OFFICE

WHITE HOUSE OFFICE• PRESIDENT’S CLOSEST

ADVISORS• CHIEF OF STAFF• PRESS OFFICE• WHITE HOUSE STAFF• WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL

• P. 339-340—know details of 3

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

• PRESIDENT’S BUDGET• COORDINATES CABINET

AGENCIES FINANCES• HELPS PRESIDENT SET

PRIORITIES

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL• POLICY OVER SECURITY

AND INTELLIGENCE• DAILY SECURITY

BRIEFINGS• HAS BEEN USED TO

MANAGE WAR

OTHER AGENCIES• P. 341• KNOW TWO (list &

explain)

PRESIDENT’S CABINET• NOT MENTIONED IN

THE CONSTITUTION• CONGRESS DID NOT

FORM IT• FORMED BY THE

PRESIDENT—AND IT IS RESPONSIBLE TO HIM

• ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE OF THE PRESIDENT IS DEMONSTRATED

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

DEPARTMENTOF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

PRESIDENT NIXON ON BUREAUCRATIC TENURE•“ WE NEVER FIRED ANYBODY. WE

NEVER REPRIMANDED ANYBODY. WE NEVER DEMOTED ANYBODY. WE ALWAYS PROMOTED THE __________ THAT KICKED US IN THE ___________.”

•RICHARD NIXON, 1970

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES• CATEGORY FOR FUNCTIONS THAT DO NOT FIT

OTHER CATEGORIES• AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO KEEP THESE NON-

PARTISAN• THEY ARE OFTEN CALLED “INDEPENDENT”

OUT OF SENSITIVITY TO THEIR TASKS

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES

GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS• ESTABLISHED BY

CONGRESS• OPERATE LIKE

BUSINESSES (SORT OF)

• TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY (electricity, flood control, recreation, etc.)

• U.S. POSTAL SYSTEM

REGULATORY COMMISSIONS• OVERSEEN BY THE

PRESIDENT• NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO

THE PRESIDENT• (does that make sense?)• REGULATIONS ARE

NECESSARY, OFTEN FRUSTRATION

• SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

• ETC.

OPERATION OF BUREAUCRACY• STATUTORY LAW

• MADE BY CONGRESS• BUREAUS MUST

ENFORCE IT

• REGULATORY LAW

• MADE BY BUREAUS• LITTLE OR NO CONTROL

BY CONGRESS OR PRESIDENT

• S O P MEANT TO PROTECT “CLIENTS”

• SEE P. 348

BUREAUCRATIC REALITIES• “4TH BRANCH OF THE

GOVERNMENT”

SEPARATION OF POWERS• AGENCIES CAN USE ITS

POSITION TO SEPARATE FROM CONGRESS OR PRESICENCY—OR AT LEAST ACT LIKE IT IS.

SIZE OF BUREAUOCRACY•LARGEST SEGMENT OF GOVERNMENT