THE FEDERAL BUREAUOCRACY
CHAPTER 15
DEFINITIONS
• BUREAUCRACY:
ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM
STAFFED BY NON-ELECTED
OFFICIALS
• ORGANIZED IN AGENCIES
• EACH HAS A SPECIFIC TASK
• ADMINISTRATE LAWS
PASSED BY CONGRESS
BUREAUCRAT
• A PERSON WORKING IN A
BURAEUCRACY
• THERE IS A HUGE VARIETY
OF TASKS AND SKILLS
AUTHORITY OF BUREAUCRACY
• POWER IS DELEGATED BY
LEGISLATURE
• POWER IS DELEGATED BY
THE PRESIDENT
PUBLIC SERVANTS
• THEY ARE THE PUBLIC
FACE OF THE
GOVERNMENT
• THEIR JOB IS TO
ADMINISTER THE LAW
• SOLVE PROBLEMS OF THE
PUBLIC
FEATURES OF BUREAUCRACY
HIERARCHIAL
SPECIALIZATION
FEATURES OF BUREAUCRACY
SOP
(NO FAVORITISM ALLOWED)
BENEFITS OF A BUREAUCRACY
• LARGE, COMPLEX TASKS
ARE BROKEN DOWN TO BE
SOLVED EFFICIENTLY
NO CONFUSION OVER AUTHORITY
EXPERT WORKERS
• “EX”—A HAS-BEEN
• “SPURT”— A DRIP UNDER
PRESSURE
• SERIOUSLY—WE WANT
PEOPLE WHO CAN GUIDE
US THROUGH THE
COMPLEXITIES OF
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
STANDARDS ARE CONSISTANT
• REASONABLE
(HOPEFULLY), NOT
CHANGING PROCEEDURES
• THOUGH A LITTLE
FLEXIBILITY IS OFTEN
APPRECIATED
HISTORY AND GROWTH
•
•
•
•
TOOK CARE
CHOSE QUALIFIED PEOPLE
COULD FIRE PEOPLE
(THERE WERE FEW
PEOPLE)
THE SPOILS SYSTEM
• POLITICAL
CONSIDERATIONS WERE
PRIMARY
• THOUGHT THE JOBS WERE
SIMPLE
• WANTED LOYALTY
• CONSIDERED
REPLACEMENT OF
BUREAUCRATS TO BE A
GOOD THING
CIVIL WAR
• VAST INCREASE IN
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
• HUGE AMOUNT OF
CORRUPTION, ESPECIALLY
AFTER THE WAR
• INCOMPETENCE WAS VERY
EVIDENT—TOO MANY
APPOINTEES TO DO A
GOOD JOB OF CHECKING
QUALIFICATIONS
PENDLETON ACT
• CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM
ESTABLISHED
• “MERIT” SYSTEM
• PRESIDENT NO LONGER
APPOINTED MOST
EMPLOYEES
• CAREER GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYMENT BEGAN
WORLD WARS & NEW DEAL
• MANY MORE
REGULATIONS & AGENCIES
FORMED
• EVEN AFTER THE CRISIS,
THE NUMBER OF
BUREAUCRATS REMAINED
VERY HIGH
• SOCIALIST FOUNDATIONS
• AMERICANS BECAME
ADDICTED TO
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
PAY & BENEFITS FOR BUREAUCRATS
• PAY IS SET BY CONGRESS
• PAY IS BETTER THAN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR
• BENEFITS TEND TO BE BETTER
(INSURANCE, HOLIDAYS,
RETIREMENT)
• THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF REFORM,
CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE
BUREAUCRATIC POLITICAL ACTION
• THEY MAY VOTE
• HATCH ACT (1939) SAID
THEY COULD NOT
CAMPAIGN FOR OTHERS
• THIS CHANGED (1993), SO
NOW THAY MY NOT
CAMPAIGN WHILE ON THE
JOB OR ON GOVERNMENT
PROPERTY. NEITHER CAN
THEY INFLUENCE OTHERS
ON THE STRENGTH OF
THEIR GOVERNMENT JOBS
BUREAUCRACY TODAY
• GET JOB ON MERIT SYSTEM
• LIFE-LONG TENURE
• PAY & PROMOTIONS BY WRITTEN
EVALUATIONS
• PRESIDENT APPOINT TOP 1,000 PEOPLE
• CAREER BUREAUCRATS ARE HARD TO
CHANGE (PERSONNEL, PHILOSOPHY,
PROCEEDURES)
• NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SHRINK
BUREAUCRACY
BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURE
•IT IS HUGE!
• SEE PAGE 338 IN YOUR TEXT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE of the PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE of the PRESIDENT
• CLOSEST TO THE
PRESIDENT
• MANAGES THE OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE
PRESIDENTS OFFICE
WHITE HOUSE OFFICE
• PRESIDENT’S CLOSEST
ADVISORS
• CHIEF OF STAFF
• PRESS OFFICE
• WHITE HOUSE STAFF
• WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL
• P. 339-340—know details of 3
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
• PRESIDENT’S BUDGET
• COORDINATES CABINET
AGENCIES FINANCES
• HELPS PRESIDENT SET
PRIORITIES
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
• POLICY OVER SECURITY
AND INTELLIGENCE
• DAILY SECURITY
BRIEFINGS
• HAS BEEN USED TO
MANAGE WAR
OTHER AGENCIES
• P. 341
• KNOW TWO (list & explain)
PRESIDENT’S CABINET
• NOT MENTIONED IN THE
CONSTITUTION
• CONGRESS DID NOT FORM
IT
• FORMED BY THE
PRESIDENT—AND IT IS
RESPONSIBLE TO HIM
• ADMINISTRATIVE STYLE OF
THE PRESIDENT IS
DEMONSTRATED
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
DEPARTMENTOF HEALTH & HUMAN
SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN
DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
PRESIDENT NIXON ON BUREAUCRATIC
TENURE
• “ WE NEVER FIRED ANYBODY. WE NEVER
REPRIMANDED ANYBODY. WE NEVER
DEMOTED ANYBODY. WE ALWAYS
PROMOTED THE __________ THAT
KICKED US IN THE ___________.”
• RICHARD NIXON, 1970
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
• CATEGORY FOR FUNCTIONS THAT DO NOT FIT
OTHER CATEGORIES
• AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO KEEP THESE NONPARTISAN
• THEY ARE OFTEN CALLED “INDEPENDENT” OUT OF
SENSITIVITY TO THEIR TASKS
INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS
• ESTABLISHED BY
CONGRESS
• OPERATE LIKE BUSINESSES
(SORT OF)
• TENNESSEE VALLEY
AUTHORITY (electricity, flood
control, recreation, etc.)
• U.S. POSTAL SYSTEM
REGULATORY COMMISSIONS
• OVERSEEN BY THE
PRESIDENT
• NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO
THE PRESIDENT
• (does that make sense?)
• REGULATIONS ARE
NECESSARY, OFTEN
FRUSTRATION
• SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
• FEDERAL
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
• ETC.
OPERATION OF BUREAUCRACY
• STATUTORY LAW
• REGULATORY LAW
• MADE BY CONGRESS
• BUREAUS MUST ENFORCE
IT
• MADE BY BUREAUS
• LITTLE OR NO CONTROL BY
CONGRESS OR PRESIDENT
• S O P MEANT TO PROTECT
“CLIENTS”
• SEE P. 348
BUREAUCRATIC REALITIES
• “4TH BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT”
SEPARATION OF POWERS
• AGENCIES CAN USE ITS
POSITION TO SEPARATE
FROM CONGRESS OR
PRESICENCY—OR AT LEAST
ACT LIKE IT IS.
SIZE OF BUREAUOCRACY
•LARGEST
SEGMENT OF
GOVERNMENT