The Federal Bureaucracy

Transcription

1 The Federal Bureaucracy Bureaucratic Development Overview Bureaucracy refers to an administrative system in which agencies staffed largely by nonelected officials perform specific tasks in accordance with standard procedures. Most of the federal bureaucracy is within the executive branch and much of their job involves the implementation and administration of laws or programs. Since the president and his advisors have such a tremendous responsibility, they can delegate some of that responsibility onto the bureaucrats. Bureaucracy Features Hierarchical authority: a pyramid with the chain of command going from top to bottom. Job specialization: a specific division of labor in which each worker has specified responsibilities. Formalized rules: enable the bureaucracy to work according to an established set of regulations and procedures.

2 Bureaucracy Benefits Hierarchical authority is more efficient and limits conflicts over who has authority to make decisions. Job specialization promotes efficiency and productivity because workers can focus on a specific task using specialized skills and knowledge. Formalized rules are set standards that are in place and remain the same so that work can continue in spite of workers leaving and new workers replacing them. History and Growth The First Congress Department of State and all other created cabinet departments were administered by people whom the president could remove. Congress still maintained the right to appropriate money, investigate the administration, and shape the laws carried out by the administration. Civil Service Civilian employees who carry out the administrative tasks of government. Spoils System Government posts given as a reward for campaign support. This was so that the party placed in power would control government offices from the top to the bottom. This was seen by many as a method of building and holding on to power.

3 Civil War Effects the war was a turning point in bureaucratic development that led to the hiring of many new officials. Post Civil War Political motivation behind job assignments often put unqualified people into office causing inefficiency and corruption. Pendleton Act This act brought a new standard for hiring and promotion of civil employees by the quality of their work. Wars and the New Deal The implementation of the New Deal plus WWII produced our present-day bureaucracy. The New Deal established government agencies to help Americans who had lost homes, jobs, and savings during the Great Depression. Pay and Benefits Congress sets the pay and other job conditions for federal workers. Civil service employees have better benefits in the areas of retirement and health insurance than the private sector. Political Activities - Federal employees were initially limited in their political activities by the Hatch Act of 1939 which prevented them from participating in partisan political activities, but allowed them to vote. The Federal Employees Political Activities Act was passed in 1993 allowing them to vote, help register new voters, contribute money, participate in campaigns, and hold office in a political party.

4 Bureaucratic Structure Executive Office of the President this is the first level of bureaucracy beneath the president. This powerful segment is mainly a policy-making and managing level with the greatest access to the president and most responsive to his ideas. The White House Office The president s front-line staff communicate his policies to the appropriate agencies and the public. This staff includes the chief of staff, staff secretary, Office of Management and Administration, presidential personnel director, counsel to the president, Press Office, and Office of Communications. The Office of Management and Budget This office has great influence for an administration. They prepare the president s annual budget for Congress, serve as a clearing-house by coordinating programs among various agencies and by evaluating budgetary requests from executive departments. They also exercise important control over the president s legislative program. The national Security Council This is the president s policymaking group over security and intelligence matters. They advise the president on military policy and covert operations and crisis-management.

5 Cabinet this is the next level of the bureaucracy and is an informal advisory body brought together by the president to serve his needs. History and Purpose the cabinet is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution or established by Congress, but has become a custom and a habit. Today, cabinet members advise the president and serve as administrative heads of the executive departments. Department of State is responsible for issuing U.S. citizens passports, visas, and travel warnings. They also give information when emergencies occur outside of the U.S. The head of this department, the Secretary of State, advises the president of foreign policy and represents the U.S. in foreign policy negotiations. Department of the Treasury is responsible for collecting taxes, borrowing money for the government, minting coins, printing bills, and enforcing alcohol, tobacco, and firearms laws. Department of Defense is primarily for national security. Department of Justice enforces federal law, gives legal advice to the president, represents the U.S. court system, and runs federal prisons. Department of the Interior manages public lands, national parks, wildlife refuges, hydroelectric power plants, Native American affairs, mining, and the nation s water, energy, and mineral resources.

6 Department of Agriculture is the U.S. largest conservation agency. They inspect food, manage school lunch and food stamp programs, help farmers and ranchers, manage national forests, and help promote U.S. agricultural products overseas. Department of Commerce handles international trade, economic growth, the census, protection of ocean and coastal resources, and patents, and trademarks. Department of Labor enforces work laws such as the minimum wage and safe working conditions, promotes job training programs, and addresses childcare issues. Department of Health and Human Services manage health care programs, prevention and control of diseases, administration of Medicare and Medicaid, and enforcement of food and drug laws. Department of Housing and Urban Development provide low-income families with safe, sanitary shelter and economic opportunity. Department of Transportation oversees highways, mass transit, air railroads, pipelines, and maritime laws. travel, Department of Energy oversees energy technology, nuclear weapons research, and hydroelectric power and operates facilities in 35 states. They ensure our energy security, maintain the safety and reliability of our nuclear stockpiles, and clean up the environment from the Cold War era.

7 Department of Education gives federal aid to public schools and educational research. oversees Department of Veterans Affairs oversees benefits, pensions, and medical programs for veterans and maintains military cemeteries. Department of Homeland Security work to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from and speed the recovery following attacks that do occur. Independent Agencies these agencies are independent because they are not located within the 15 cabinet departments. They are divided into 3 groups: Independent Executive Agencies These are organized like cabinet departments, but do not have cabinet status. NASA and The American Battle Monuments Commission are examples of these agencies. Government Corporation carry out certain business-like activities. Examples of these corporations are the USPS and the TN Valley Authority. Regulatory Commissions the president has appointive power over the commissioners and directors, but they are not accountable to him for how they run their agencies. Examples of these agencies are the Federal Communications Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

8 Operation this bureaucracy has an imposing role in the connection between government and the people. This serves as a legislative role by recommending bills to Congress and to the president, by way of the Office of Management and Budget. Bureaucratic Realities The Fourth Branch the federal bureaucracy is sometimes referred to as the fourth branch of government. The reasons for this are their separation of powers, size, skills, and desire for security. Separation of Powers the bureaucracy often increases its independence by taking advantage of the separation of powers of the 3 major branches of government. Size The growth in the number and size of federal agencies has made the bureaucracy the largest segment of the national government, with millions of civilian employees in the executive branch alone. Skills the skills that many agency officials provide also strengthen the independence of the bureaucracy. Desire for Security The independence of the federal bureaucracy is further illustrated by the intense struggle for security that agencies exercise over their internal affairs.

9 Oversight and Restriction Problems Oversight Bureaucrats cannot operate without congressional oversight, the process of examining a department s compliance with the law and scrutinizing its budget requests. Restrictions The Congress, the president, and the public restrict bureaucratic power through various means. Red Tape Bureaucratic paperwork (red tape) can be one of the more frustrating problems that individuals and businesses alike confront when dealing with government agencies. Conflict Some agencies misunderstand each other s purposes and end up working against each other, resulting in conflict. Duplication is two government agencies doing the same thing resulting in inefficiency. Vague Goals When Congress has not set clear goals for an agency, the agency will sometimes take the greatest view of its power or interest groups and judges will rush in to take advantage of the vague goals. Waste is the mismanagement of money, time, and personnel. Bureaucratic Language is the use of vague, sprawling language to describe something simple.

10 Change The federal bureaucracy is big, powerful, and expensive. They resist change and other agencies. They often engage in power struggles with other agencies over bigger budgets, larger staffs, and greater jurisdiction. Distinctiveness and Achievements Distinctiveness Four aspects of the U.S. constitutional system and political traditions that give its bureaucracy a distinctive character. The president and Congress share political authority over the bureaucracy. Most federal agencies share their functions with related agencies in state and local governments. Americans are interested in preserving and even demanding their rights. Differing range and style Achievements Development of the atomic bomb Landing Americans on the moon Interstate highway system Retirement benefits Consumer protection National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (saving lives on highways)