DATE: NOVEMBER 3, 2011

TOPIC: BUREAUCRATIC INFLUENCE

AIM: HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DOES THE BUREAUCRACY HAVE?

DO NOW: YOU NEED TO TAKE 5 MINUTES TO FINISH THE HANDOUT FROM YESTERDAY.

PIZZA PART FEDERAL AGENCY AND/OR DEPARTMENT; RATIONAL

Cardboard Box

 

Tomato Sauce

 

Crust

 

Cheese

 

Mushrooms

 

Anchovies

 

Pepperoni

 

Onions

 

Delivery Car

 

Diet Soda

 

PIZZA PART FEDERAL AGENCY AND/OR DEPARTMENT; RATIONAL

Cardboard Box The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the manufacture of pulp and paper and pollutants produced from it.

Tomato Sauce The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that tomato sauce manufacturers add bottled lemon juice to their product to ensure a safe acidity level.

Crust The FDA regulates how a food must be labeled if it contains a major food allergen, like wheat.

Cheese The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the moisture content, fat content, and type of milk used in cheeses.

Mushrooms The FDA requires that any mushrooms picked from the wild must be individually examined by a mushroom identification expert to ensure they are safe to eat.

Anchovies The USDA recommends that anchovies not be shipped in glass containers, as they can break easily.

Pepperoni The USDA tightly controls the importation of processed beef—used in the production of pepperoni—from countries with known incidences of mad cow disease.

Onions The USDA regulates the size and maturity of onions imported into the United States

Delivery Car The EPA regulates and sets pollution emission and fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks.

Diet Soda The FDA regulates the ingredients in carbonated beverages. Aspartame used in many diet colas was approved by the FDA in 1983.

WHAT GENERALITIES CAN WE MAKE ABOUT THE BUREAUCRACY FROM THESE CARTOONS?

1999 FRQ #3 – NOTE DIFFERENT FORMAT BACK IN 1999.

Is Congress effective in exercising effective legislative oversight of the federal bureaucracy? Select your answer by doing one of the following.

Explain two specific methods Congress uses to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.

OR Give TWO specific explanations for the failure of

Congress to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.

BUREAUCRATIC AGENCIES - FEDERAL LAW AND POLICY MAKING DISCRETION.

Why does Congress give federal agencies discretionary powers?

Congress lacks expertise. Congress may not want to be blamed

for bad policy. Time consuming. More efficient.

EXAMPLES OF AGENCIES AND POLICY AREAS Environmental Protection Agency (

EPA) – clean water and air.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – TV, radio, telephone, etc.

Federal Reserve Board – monetary policy.

How does Congress make sure that agencies are following legislative intent?

YOU KNOW THIS!