the simpsons movie. overview democracy executive power governance –what is the role of government?...
TRANSCRIPT
The Simpsons Movie
Overview
• Democracy
• Executive Power
• Governance– What is the role of government?– Is government necessary?– Is government competent?
Democracy
• Democracy = demos + kratia = rule by people
Executive Power
• The President is Chief Executive, a role which nominally places him in charge of the federal bureaucracy
Cabinet Departments
• Cabinet Departments– 15 Cabinet Departments
Agriculture Commerce Defense
Education Energy HHS
Homeland Sec HUD Interior
Justice Labor State
Transportation Treasury VA
Independent Executive Agencies
• IEAs are agencies who report directly to the president but stand independent of the federal bureaucracye.g., – CIA– EPA– NASA
EPA Director Lisa Jackson
Independent Regulatory Agency
• Agency substantially independent of both the rest of the executive branch and Congress
• Usually dedicated to regulating a narrow area of public policy– e.g., Fed FCC FTC NLRB, EEOC
Government Corporations
• Government owned business designed as a for-profit enterprise
• e.g., FDIC, TVA, USPS, AmTrak, PBS
Staffing
• Spoils System– Job appointments
given over to executive branch
– Jobs awarded on the basis of political ties and fealty
Staffing
• Merit System– 1883 Pendleton Act
(Civil Service Reform Act)
• Jobs awarded on basis of merit/qualifications
• Created Civil Service Commission to administer personnel decisions (hire/pay)
Staffing
Office of Personnel Mangement
Merit Systems Protection Board
–Civil Service Reform Act (1978)
Functions
• Bureaucracies are in some ways a “mini” government unto unthemselves– administrative
• implementation of legislative and executive policies
– quasi legislative• proposed rules
– quasi judicial• enforcement of rules
Functions
• Bureaucrats can have important role in shaping public policy– they can support the
president with information
– they can shape presidential options with information provided
– they can undermine the president with information and actions
Governance
• Is Government necessary? Or a necessary evil?
• Is government able to live up to its responsiblities?– Environmental Protection– National Security