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How the National Government Works to Enforce the Laws
A bureaucracy is an organization of
government departments, agencies,
and offices.
Collectively the people who help the
President to manage the federal
bureaucracy are called “the
Administration.”
 The White House staff are the
President’s top advisors, who
provide advice and information
about national security, the
economy, and other subjects.
Members of the White House staff
include key advisors, press
secretaries, legal experts,
speechwriters, office workers, and
researchers.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney answers
question from the media about the government and it’s
plans several times a week.
The Vice President’s only official
responsibility is to supervise the
Senate and cast deciding votes in the
extremely rare event that a tiebreaker
is needed.
 If the President resigns, dies, or is
unable to perform the tasks of the
office, the Vice President becomes
President.
 Ben Franklin suggested that the office
might be addressed as “your
superfluous excellency” – since it
did so very little.
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John Tyler: Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too!
Gerald Ford: Who was never elected!
The Office of Management and
Budget offers realistic costs of what
a President’s policy suggestions
might cost.
The National Security Council
provides the President with the best
possible advice concerning foreign
affairs and the national defense.
 This office was created immediately after the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001.
 The department coordinates all anti-terrorist efforts from federal agencies
including the Coast Guard, the Department of Immigration and
Naturalization, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
 In recent years, concerns over the threats of terrorism have been linked to
immigration concerns.
 Virtually all of the terrorist suspects in the September 11 attacks and the two
suspects in the recent Boston Marathon bombing were in the United States
legally.
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA)
The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
The Federal Communications Commission
(FCC)
The Consumer Products Safety
Commission (CPSC)
 After President James A. Garfield was assassinated by an angry
office seeker who was turned down for work, the Congress passed a
law called the Pendleton Act. It created the Civil Service System.
 Now, government jobs hire candidates on the basis of merit. When
applicants apply for work, they are often required to take a test,
and only those applicants with the highest scores are employed.
 In this manner, a competent and efficient group of people are
selected for government work.