AP Gov Unit 2 test 12/8

bureaucrats

the appointed officials who operate government agencies from day to day

Bureucracy

system of managing government through departments run by appointed officals

appropriation law

a law that gives bureaucracies and other government entities the legal authority to spend money

administration

the officials in the executive branch of a government and their policies and principles

discretionary authority

The ability of a bureaucracy to choose courses of action and make policies not spelled out in advance by laws.

"Iron Triangles"

A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees. They dominate some areas of domestic policymaking.

Issue networks

alliance of various interest groups who unite to promote common cause or agenda in a way that influences government policy.

Spoils system

the system of employing and promoting civil servants who are friends and supporters of the group in power

Political machine

a party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives

Civil service system

the practice of hiring government workers on the basis of open, competitive examinations and merit

Merit system

a system of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability, rather than party loyalty

Patronage system

An approach to managing the bureaucracy whereby people are appointed to important government positions as a reward for political services they have rendered and because of their partisan loyalty. AKA Spoils System

civil servants

employees of bureaucratic agencies within the government

sunshine laws

laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public

conflict of interest

A situation in which a person in a position of responsibility or trust has competing professional or personal interests that make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially.

whistleblower

an employee who exposes unethical or illegal conduct within the federal government or one of its contractors

Bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

Government corporations

A government agency that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons

Hatch Act (1939)

a congressional law that forbade government officials from participating in partisan politics and protected government employees from being fired on partisan grounds; it was revised in 1993 to be less restrictive

Office of Personnel

The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.

Management (OPM)

the alignment of all business units within an organization to ensure that they are working together to achieve core business goals.