Bureaucracy: Government Agencies

President & the Bureaucracy

•executive branch composed of 15 cabinet departments, 140 separate agencies, and over 2 million civilian employees

–administers some 1400 federal programs

–because many of the laws implementing these programs are not very specific, the bureaucracy can often exercise considerable discretion

•while the executive branch bureaucracy main job is to implement policy it also proposes new laws

–indeed most of the president’s proposals for new legislation are planned and drafted by the various departments and agencies

Bureaucracy

•Any organization that is hierarchically structured

•Max Weber - most commonly used definition or description

–Model bureaucracy feature four (4) characteristics:

•hierarchy

•specialization

•explicit rules

•merit

•The ideal bureaucracy will achieve neutral competence

–absence of favoritism, bias, politics, prejudice

–completely neutral-- even, impersonal

–because this is the most fair

Spoils System

•Before 1880s in U.S.A.

•All (non-electoral) government jobs were political patronage positions

–some patronage jobs still exist, but only 3400 or so out of some 1.5 million civilian employees

•Political Patronage

•The problem with patronage is that it leads to corruption, favoritism, nepotism, and ineptness

•Changes in 1883 with the Pendleton Act which created a civil service system where jobs are assigned by merit

Civil Service System

•This system set up 2 primary requirements for hiring people in the fed. govt.

•1. job must be open to any citizen regardless of political preference. No longer only hire people from winning political party.

•2. Civil servants must be chosen on the basis of some objective measure of their abilities, based on merit, usually means an exam, civil service exam

Functions of the Fed. Bureaucracy

•While authority for the bureaucracy derives itself from the 3 branches it does not simply follow orders from them

•A. Primary function of administrative agencies (civil service) is Policy Implementation.

•To carry out the authoritative decisions of Congress, the Pres. and Courts.

•Many of the ideas for legislative programs/public policy are thought of by bureaucrats.

•Since administrators are often first to see a potential problem they can bring it to the attention of Pres. or congress.

•Remember also that Congress tends to make vague laws and statutes leaving it up to each agency to work out the details.

•So the bureaucracy usually develop specific programs to go with Congress' legislative goals.

•Agencies are also charged with delivery of services, such as delivering the mail, processing welfare applications etc.

•They each make up the rules about how these things work and how gets done, Postal service decides how to deliver the mail not Congress.

•Bureaucracy also plays a role in regulation.

–(Rule-making & adjudication)

–Congress doesn't have the time or the expertise to deal with noncompliance of its laws.

–Instead delegates that role to each agency.

•Example: EPA regulatory role is to fine and prosecute those companies not complying with the anti-pollution standard and laws passed by Congress.

Bureaucracy

• May be defined as a system of organization and control that is based on 3 principles:

–a. Hierarchical authority: means of having a chain-of command, officials at the top have authority over those in middle who have authority over those at the bottom.

–b. System of job specialization: means that the responsibilities of each job position are explicitly defined (formal job description)and a precise division of labor. Everyone knows what they should be doing.

–c. Formalized rules: standardized procedures and established regulation by which a bureaucracy conduct operation.

•ex.: formal grievance process or standard operating procedures. SOP

Bureaucracy

•Bureaucracy has these 3 aspects for several reasons:

–1. Hierarchy is efficient because it reduces conflict over power to make decisions: higher up more power.

–2. Specialization: is also suppose to yield greater efficiency because each individual can concentrate on a particular job. Employees gain special skills and knowledge in a certain area.

–3. Formalized rules: enable workers to act quickly and precisely since decisions are made already, standardized rules are already set up for quick & unbiased decision-making (eliminates favoritism and discrimination).

Bureaucracy

•Bureaucracy Problems?

–1. Hierarchy: lower-level officials most citizens meet are not empowered to make decisions.

–2. Specialization:

•A. Cannot easily find the correct specialist

•B. Arrogance of expertise

–Experts expect customers (citizens) to know the rules and act arrogantly if you do not or fill out a form incorrectly

–3. Formalized rules, regulations, or SOP: not designed to handle new or unanticipated situations.

Bureaucracy

•Bureaucracy Problems?

–Iron Triangle - bureaucracy takes “care” of client

–Capture – interest group dominates state agency

–Revolving Door – switching jobs from government to private

Departments

•Currently 15 Departments

•These are the very large permanent bureaucracies that carry out the bulk of the work of government

Independent Agencies

•Created by Congress

•Areas of jurisdiction are more narrow

•Intention is also that these operate more-or-less independent of the President

–Heads of most while appointed by President, cannot be fired by president

–And chance to appoint is limited

•Examples:

•CIA, NASA, OPM,

Independent Regulatory Commissions and Boards

•Created by Congress to make and enforce mostly economic regulations to protect the public

•Typically have very broad powers to make and enforce these regulations

•And their regulations have the force of law

•Typically regulatory agencies are headed by commission of several people appointed by the Pres. but serve a fixed term.

•Means they can't be fired by Pres. like other appointees.

•This helps to give them freedom from political persuasion, can't threaten to fire them etc.

•Examples:

•Federal Communications Commission

•FCC

•Federal Trade Commission

•FTC

•Food and Drug Administration

•FDA

•National Labor Relations Board

•NLRB

•Securities and Exchange Commission

•SEC

Government Corporations

•very similar to private corps because they charge their clients for services.

•These are also similar because they are governed by a board of directors.

•These corps receive federal funding and the directors are appointed by Pres. with Senate approval.

•Largest example is US Postal service also Amtrak.

Presidential Commissions

•Can be permanent or temporary depending on the issue area.

•Usually are created to deal with some type of problem etc. (ex. Commission on Civil Rights, 9/11 Commission, Fine Arts Commission).

•Headed by Commissioners appointed by President

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