Bureaucracy literally
means “rule by desks or
offices”

The Federal
Bureaucracy is part of
the executive branch,
which means it is
headed by the
president; however, the
bureaucracy is too large
to manage that the
Executive Office of the
President was created
to help oversee all of
the departments.
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Before being granted tenure, a federal bureaucrat
normally will serve a one year trial period
Once tenured, a bureaucrat is hard to fire
Average termination timeline being two years
 Because of this difficult process, almost no one is fired
and the top dogs have strategies for handling
incompetent employees

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The bureaucrats at the middle and upper levels of
our government tend to be highly educated,
middle aged white males.

Surveys have found that the higher up bureaucrats are
slightly more liberal than the average voter
Congress
President
• Has power to create,
organize, and disband
federal agencies
• Most under his
control
Cabinet
Departments
• 15 Departments
with specific areas
of policies
Government
Corporations
Independent
Agencies
Regulatory
Commissions
• Stand on own
• Ex. USPS and
Amtrak
• Resemble
cabinet
departments,
but smaller and
less complex
•“watchdogs”
•Regulate parts of
economy by
creating rules for
large industries and
businesses that
affect the public

“Quasi legislative” function


The bureaucracy exercises powers that are “quasi
legislative” when administrative agencies exercise
their rule-making
“Quasi judicial” function

Limited to issues that concern only a particular
agency

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Most agencies can only exist
wit congress’s approval
Money can only be spent
with Congress’s
authorization
Funds can only be spent
when they are appropriated

Congress has lessened
appropriations committees’
power three ways
1)
2)
3)


Created trust funds
Changed authorization from
permanent or multiyear to
annual
Cuts
Make use of legislative veto
Investigations
Criticisms
• Appropriation is often
less than authorized
amount
• Congress may be in
conflict
• Cuts can be made
without regard to merit
• Needs law that clearly
states what agency can
and cannot do

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The greatest increase of bureaucracy in
America was seen from 1933-1945
This was a result of WWII and the New Deal


Under the New Deal programs, the government got
bigger, because it needed people to run the new
agencies
Ex. in response to 9/11 the Department of
Homeland Security was created

Cabinet
 Power is delegated to the cabinet
officials, who then oversee
departments and agencies
 These people oversee bureaucratic
operations and advise the
president

Staff

Made up of the heads of the 15 cabinet departments
and all of the people employed by the cabinet

Independent Agencies


Resemble Cabinet departments, but smaller and less
complex
Free only in sense that they are not a part of a
department
 Ex. NASA

Government Corporations

Stand on their own
 Ex. USPS and Amtrak

Businesses created by Congress that charge fees for
their services
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National Institutes of Health
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Armed forces
Coast Guard
Central Intelligence
Federal Reserve Bank
Export-Import Bank
Securities and Exchange Commission
FDA
Department of Justice
And HUNDREDS more

Pendleton Act

Response to abuse of spoils system
 Assassination of Garfield highlighted it


Led to merit system
Merit system


Hire based on skill, not party politics
Try to limit hiring of people by political favoritism
Iron Triangle aka sub government
aka power elite
 Made up of interest groups,
agency bureaucrats, and
members of congressional
subcommittees
 Unites a particular government
bureau, its relevant interest
group, and congressional
supporters
 Ultimate goal is to have power
in own sphere
 Ex. AARP, the House
Subcommittee on Aging, and the
Social Security Administration
working to set government
policy on Social Security
Benefits
•Can get important
and relevant laws
introduced
•All parties benefit
from arrangement
Consequences
•Can become corrupt
•Can monopolize the
policy-making
process of the
government
•Focuses only on
group interests, not
larger population of
the country

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Passed 1939
Federal employees cannot be involved in party
activities once hired

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Hatch Act Reform Amendments of 1993


Ex. Cannot run, raise funds for party/candidate, or
become officers in political organizations or a delegate to
a party convention
Still cannot run in partisan elections, but can work off
duty on campaigns of candidate of choice
Definition: severely limited political activities of
federal bureaucrats. Revised in 1993 to allow them
to do most political activities.

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Spoils system- system of public employment
based on rewarding party supporters and
friends
Merit system- system of public employment
based where selection and promotion depend
on performance rather than political support
Privatization- transferring ownership of a
business from public sector (government) to
private sector
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http://moodle.cesa10.k12.wi.us/mod/resource/vi
ew.php?id=5358
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/moresubjects/american-government/thebureaucracy/the-functions-of-the-federalbureaucracy
https://www.boundless.com/politicalscience/textbooks/boundless-political-sciencetextbook/bureaucracy-13/the-organization-ofbureaucracy-87/the-executive-departments-477491/
http://www.shmoop.com/federalbureaucracy/faq.html