Maxwell & Crain
Chapter Nine
Elizabeth
Sylvia
Brittany
Bureaucracy
develops wherever human beings organize
themselves to systematically accomplish goals
and in the process they lose some of their
flexibility and efficiency.
Four characteristics of Bureaucracy
Size
Size…
bureaucracy has grown as the number of people
employed by public administrations has
grown. More employees means larger
bureaucracies.
Many politicians have tried streamlining
national and state governments with both
positive and negative results.
States with more centralized governments tend
to have higher rates of state employees
Size…
Each state has it’s own organizational system
with great variations
A reduction in bureaucracy means a reduction in
government, services, and programs
Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy
Neutrality
Neutrality…
The administration of the laws aim to be neutral. To
separate politics from administration regardless of
age, gender, race, or wealth.
One way of creating non prejudice employment, was
the national government established a civil service
or merit system with competitive examinations or
objective measures of qualification for hiring or
promoting employees. Texas never implemented
this system statewide, but some of Texas level
governments use a merit system.
Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy
Hierarchy
Hierarchy…
Bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchy. There
are multiple levels of authority with more
power at the top to less power at the bottom.
This hierarchy has a framework or rigid rules.
Texas does not follow a strict form of hierarchy
although most bureaucracies are structured in
a hierarchy.
Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy
Expertise
Expertise…
In order for bureaucracies to run smoothly each
authority is given a very defined set of powers
and responsibilities. Each member is trained
and educated specifically for their job’s
purpose.
Iron Triangle
The iron triangle is used to provide a conceptual
understanding of the coalition and mutual
support that exists between legislative
committees, administrative agencies, and
economic special-interest groups.
The iron triangle shows the relationship of the
federal government more than it does Texas
government.
The Iron Triangle
Interest Groups
Legislative Committees
Administrative Agencies
The Iron Texas Star
Texas has weak legislative committees.
The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the
Texas house of representatives select most of
the members and all of the chairs of the
standing committees, conference committees,
and legislative boards and commissions.
Texas is virtually absent of a civil service for
Texas government employees
The Iron Texas Star
The Iron Texas Star is all about mutual support
groups that can all benefit from each other.
The Five points of the Iron Texas Star:
1.Special Interests Groups
2.Lieutenant Governor, Legislative Institutions,
Senate Standing Committees,
3.Governor
4.Speaker of the House, Legislative Institutions,
House Standing Committees
5.Boards, Commissions, Administations
The Iron Texas Star
Special-Interest Groups
Lieutenant Governor,
Legislative Institution,
Senate Standing
Committees
Speaker of the House,
Legislative
Institutions, House
Standing Committees
Governor
Boards,
Commissions,
Administrations
Bureaucracies and Policy Making?
Texas administration is accountable to interest
groups.
Policies are usually made to accommodate allies
and resolve conflict between opponents.
Attorney General of Texas
Four year term, with no limit
One of the four most powerful offices in Texas
government.
Lawyer for all officials, boards, and agencies in state
government.
Functions: child support, Medicaid fraud, crime
victim compensation, civil actions concerning
insurance, banking, and securities. State
business: oil and gas, highways, transportation,
and charitable trusts.
Attorney General of Texas
Attorney General Opinion: Attorney General gives
legal opinion to his or her client, although these
opinions aren’t legally binding they hold great
weight in Texas and if advice is not followed the
Attorney General will not defend the action in
court.
Represent the State and It’s Government: The
Attorney General is responsible for representing
the state and it’s government in both civil and
criminal litigation.
Comptroller of Public Accounts
Four year term, no limit
Controls almost all financial activity of state
government.
Comptroller is to certify the state’s approximate
biennial revenue and the financial condition of
the state at the close of the year.
Who is Responsible for the Actions of
the Texas Bureaucracy?...
Interest
Groups