Chapter 15 – The Bureaucracy

“Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work.” – Albert Einstein

“I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughnut... I don't need a receipt for the doughnut. I give you money and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don't need to bring ink and paper into this. I can't imagine a scenario that I would have to prove that I bought a doughnut. To some skeptical friend, 'Don't even act like I didn't get that

doughnut, I've got the documentation right here... It's in my file at home. ...Under "D".‘ – Mitch Hedberg

“Jerry, all these big corporations do is write things off.”“You don’t even know what a write off is, do you?”

“No, but they do, and they’re the ones writing it off.” – Seinfeld, Season 8

AP US Government and Politics

Boucher

What is Bureaucracy?• Max Weber definition:

– Has a chain of command– Division of labor– Clear line of authority– Goal-oriented– Impersonality– Productivity established by

rules• How is American bureaucracy

different?– Political authority shared by

Congress and president– Federal agencies share

functions with state and local govt

– Little public ownership of industry in the U.S.; regulation of private industries

• Why do people HATE bureaucracy?

Major Complaints About Bureaucracy

• Similar to Congress, we often hate “bureaucracy” as a whole, but have positive experiences with individual bureaucrats.

• Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year – Half true, half false– Growth comes from local and state

bureaucracies

• Bureaucracy is disconnected from most Americans– False, only 12% of bureaucrats work in

D.C.

• Bureaucracies are inefficient, ineffective, and mired in “red tape” – Only when they don’t work well!

The Game Show That is Sweeping the Nation….Federal Agency or No Federal

Agency???

• Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Interagency Coordinating Committee

• Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration

• Bureau of Engraving and Printing• Counterfeit Native American Art

Regulatory Commission• Millennium Challenge Corporation

Growth of the Bureaucracy• Hey, Constitution, little help?• Spoils System to Merit System

– Jackson and the use of patronage– Death of Pres. Garfield– Reform efforts

• Pendleton Act and Civil Service Commission

• Creation of the civil service system

• Emphasis on merit• Growth of:

– Only 3 departments at beginning of US

– Large rise during wartimes• Becomes permanent during FDR

– Growth accepted as necessary• Public demand for protection of

markets– Oversee integrity of markets

• New problems arise (9/11)

Sounds Fun…How Do I Become a Bureaucrat?

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal govt.– Each job is assigned a GS (General

Schedule) rating from 1 to 18– Senior Executive Service (SES) – GS

16-18 jobs – “Cream of the crop”

• The Plum Book– Congress publication that lists top

federal jobs available via POTUS appointment

• Buddy System – Filled by a person whom an agency has already identified (what is this called?)– Is this fair or unfair?

Structure of the Bureaucracy

Cabinet Agencies Broad mission, political focus, leadership appointed by the POTUS; extremely visible/political job

State Department

Independent Agencies Smaller or more focused mission, leadership appointed by the POTUS; long tenure in office

NASA

Regulatory Commissions Specific function with some judicial responsibility; non-political leadership

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Powers of the Bureaucracy• Implementation

• Rule-Making– Creation of regulations and rules to govern

established programs– Quasi-legislative process

• Administrative Discretion– Decide best means to implement legislation– Allows for flexibility in day-to-day activities

• Administrative Adjucation– Quasi-judicial means of forcing compliance

Who Are Bureaucrats?• Three types of

Bureaucrats:– Careerist

• Spend a long period of time working for a single agency. Personal success = success of agency

– Politician• Work in agency for short

period of time, then move onto something “bigger and better.” Personal success = self interest

– Professional• Get rewards and standards

from professional groups outside of agency (attorneys, academics, doctors, etc.)

• What are the pros and cons of each?

Bureaucracies as Regulators• Regulation – The use of governmental

authority to control or change some practice in the private sector

• Examples of regulation– The Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC) regulates buying and selling stock in an auto company

– The EPA, Dept. of Transportation, and Natl. Highway Traffic Safety Administration require that cars include pollution-control, energy-saving, and safety devices

• Deregulation – Lifting of govt. restrictions (How can this be argued as a good thing?)

Iron Triangles / Issue Networks

Do They Sabotage Their Political Bosses?

• What happens if I’m a bureaucrat, and I disagree with a policy?

• Whistleblower Protection Act (1989) – allows workers to be protected for turning in superior’s actions

• Culture varies from agency to agency

Can We Reform the Bureaucracy?• Checks on

Bureaucracy– POTUS checks on bureaucracy?– Congress checks on

bureaucracy?

• Privatization– Outsourcing and

competition– Examples: Diplomat

security, prisons, nonprofit community health centers

• Government Performance and Results Act (2000)– Congressional mandate for

agencies to create a performance plan and goals to achieving such

Bureaucratic Pathologies

• Red Tape

• Waste

• Conflict Between Agencies

• Duplication

• Unnecessary Complexity and Growth (Imperialism)