The Federal BureaucracyThe Federal BureaucracyChapter 15Chapter 15

The BureaucratsThe BureaucratsMyths:

Americans dislike bureaucrats.

Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year.

Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C.

Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient and always mired in red tape.

Reality: Most tasks performed by bureaucrats are not controversial.

Myths:Americans dislike

bureaucrats.Bureaucracies are growing

bigger each year.Most federal bureaucrats

work in Washington, D.C.Bureaucracies are ineffective,

inefficient and always mired in red tape.

Reality: Most tasks performed by bureaucrats are not controversial.

The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats A bureaucrat is someone who works for the government,

carrying out policy. Most demographically representative part of government. Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.

A bureaucrat is someone who works for the government, carrying out policy.

Most demographically representative part of government. Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.

The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats Patronage: Job given for

political reasons. Pendleton Civil Service

Act in 1883 began the creation of a merit-based civil service.

Civil Service: System of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship.

Merit Principle: Entrance exams and promotion ratings to find people with talent and skill.

Office of Personnel Management: The federal office in charge of most of the government’s hiring.

Patronage: Job given for political reasons.

Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 began the creation of a merit-based civil service.

Civil Service: System of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship.

Merit Principle: Entrance exams and promotion ratings to find people with talent and skill.

Office of Personnel Management: The federal office in charge of most of the government’s hiring.

The BureaucratsThe Bureaucrats

The Plum BookPublished by Congress.Lists the very top jobs available for Presidential appointment.Presidents work to find capable people to fill the positions.Some plum jobs (ambassadorships) are patronage.

The Plum BookPublished by Congress.Lists the very top jobs available for Presidential appointment.Presidents work to find capable people to fill the positions.Some plum jobs (ambassadorships) are patronage.

The Weberian ModelThe Weberian Model

Hierarchical authority structure

Uses task specialization

Operate on the merit principle

Behave with impersonality

A well-organized machine with lots of working parts.

Hierarchical authority structure

Uses task specialization

Operate on the merit principle

Behave with impersonality

A well-organized machine with lots of working parts.

The Acquisitive ModelThe Acquisitive Model

Bureaucracies seek to maximize their budgetsWork to expand their powers and programs, even joining with Congress to expand their functionsOften operate under monopolistic conditionsPrivatization could cut back on the monopolistic attitudes of the bureaucracies

Bureaucracies seek to maximize their budgetsWork to expand their powers and programs, even joining with Congress to expand their functionsOften operate under monopolistic conditionsPrivatization could cut back on the monopolistic attitudes of the bureaucracies

Four Categories of Bureaucracy

Four Categories of Bureaucracy

The Cabinet Departments 15 Cabinet departments 14 headed by a secretary Department of Justice

headed by Attorney General

Each has its own budget, staff and policy areas

Republicans have been trying to eliminate several departments

The Cabinet Departments 15 Cabinet departments 14 headed by a secretary Department of Justice

headed by Attorney General

Each has its own budget, staff and policy areas

Republicans have been trying to eliminate several departments

Four Categories of Bureaucracies

Four Categories of Bureaucracies

Regulatory Agencies Independent: Responsible

for some sector of the economy making rules and judging disputes to protect the public interest.

Headed by a commission of 5-10 people.

Rule making is an important function watched by interest groups and citizens alike.

EPA, SEC

Regulatory Agencies Independent: Responsible

for some sector of the economy making rules and judging disputes to protect the public interest.

Headed by a commission of 5-10 people.

Rule making is an important function watched by interest groups and citizens alike.

EPA, SEC

Four Categories of Bureaucracies

Four Categories of Bureaucracies

Government Corporations Business like- provide a

service like private companies and typically charges for its services

Postal Service, Amtrak are examples

Independent Executive Agencies The agencies that don’t

fit anywhere else NASA is an example

Government Corporations Business like- provide a

service like private companies and typically charges for its services

Postal Service, Amtrak are examples

Independent Executive Agencies The agencies that don’t

fit anywhere else NASA is an example

ImplementationImplementationTranslating the goals and

objectives of a law passed by Congress into an operating, ongoing program. It includes:

Creating / assigning an agency the policy

Turning policy into regulations.

Coordinating resources to achieve the goals.

Getting feedback and revising regulations.

Translating the goals and objectives of a law passed by Congress into an operating, ongoing program. It includes:

Creating / assigning an agency the policy

Turning policy into regulations.

Coordinating resources to achieve the goals.

Getting feedback and revising regulations.

Why Some Policies FailWhy Some Policies Fail

Poor program design Lack of Clarity.

Congressional laws are ambiguous and imprecise.Sometimes the laws conflict with each other.Title IX

Lack of ResourcesBudget cuts may make it difficult for agencies to

fulfill their goals.

Poor program design Lack of Clarity.

Congressional laws are ambiguous and imprecise.Sometimes the laws conflict with each other.Title IX

Lack of ResourcesBudget cuts may make it difficult for agencies to

fulfill their goals.

Why Policies FailWhy Policies Fail Administrative

Discretion Ability to ignore or

subvert portions a policy

Street-level bureaucrats have the most discretion.

Fragmentation. Some policies are

spread among several agencies.

Administrative Discretion Ability to ignore or

subvert portions a policy

Street-level bureaucrats have the most discretion.

Fragmentation. Some policies are

spread among several agencies.

Why Policies SucceedWhy Policies Succeed

A Case Study: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Had a clear, concise goal

(increase registration and turnout rates among Afircan Americans).

The implementation was clear (send Federal Marshals to the South).

Those carrying out the law had obvious authority and vigor to do so.

A Case Study: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Had a clear, concise goal

(increase registration and turnout rates among Afircan Americans).

The implementation was clear (send Federal Marshals to the South).

Those carrying out the law had obvious authority and vigor to do so.

RegulationRegulation Regulation: Use of governmental

authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.

A Full Day of Regulation. Federal agencies check, verify

and inspect many of the products and services we take for granted.

Regulation: Use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.

A Full Day of Regulation. Federal agencies check, verify

and inspect many of the products and services we take for granted.

RegulationRegulation

Command-and-Control Policy: Government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks the progress and punishes offenders.

Incentive System: Positive behavior is rewarded with tax credits or other benefits.

Command-and-Control Policy: Government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks the progress and punishes offenders.

Incentive System: Positive behavior is rewarded with tax credits or other benefits.

DeregulationDeregulation

Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, industry and professional activities.

Problems with Strict Regulations Raises prices Hurts U.S.’s competitive

position abroad Are not always effective

Deregulation: The lifting of restrictions on business, industry and professional activities.

Problems with Strict Regulations Raises prices Hurts U.S.’s competitive

position abroad Are not always effective

Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies

Bureaucracy and Democracy Iron Triangles and Issue

Networks A mutually dependent

relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.

Exist independently of each other.

They are tough, but not impossible, to eliminate

Some argue they are being replaced by wider issue networks that focus on more policies.

Bureaucracy and Democracy Iron Triangles and Issue

Networks A mutually dependent

relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.

Exist independently of each other.

They are tough, but not impossible, to eliminate

Some argue they are being replaced by wider issue networks that focus on more policies.

Iron TriangleIron Triangle

Understanding BureaucraciesUnderstanding Bureaucracies