CID
Bureaucracy Today Essay
Rippe
Choose an agency of the federal bureaucracy (here’s a good place to look:
www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html). You will write a short paper (five paragraph
minimum) describing the function and activities of this agency. Your paper should
answer the following questions:
1. What are the major functions of the agency?
2. What is a current issue/activity this agency is involved in?
3. What relationship does this agency and/or issue have with Congress, the
presidency, or the federal courts?
4. What linkage does the agency/issue have with public opinion? Interest
groups? Political parties? The media? State/local government?
5. Does it share some of the typical characteristics of a bureaucracy? (red tape,
complexity, Peter principle, etc.)
Your paper should include a bibliography. Please submit your paper to me online (email
or drop box) by Friday, March 31.