Understanding U.S. Government Structure and Functions

Civil Servant

Regular citizens who work for government, they implement the decision making.

Bureaucracy

It lives in the executive branch, they help to enforce the laws to keep us safe. 3 main functions, implementation, regulation and administration.

Cabinet Level

Upper level, 15 departments. Congress confirms them, headed by secretary, serve at leisure to pres. The President can pick anyone/fire them anytime.

Independent Regulatory Commission

Small group 12-15 who make rules insulated from pres- can't fire for any reason. They have the role of the 3 branches, making rules. If congress doesn't like a rule, congress makes law.

Independent Executive Agency

Exactly the same as cabinet but doesn't fit in the cabinet spot.

Government Corporation

Act more like businesses than like traditional government departments and agencies, designed to make money through the sale of services (rail tickets, stamps) they are given more freedom from general rules. They are not very good at it.

Spoils System

The president awards its loyal supporters positions in the government. Because of Garfield's assassination, The Pendleton Act was introduced, mandating positions based on merit(qualifications)(take a test) instead of patronage.

Merit System

Federal employees were to be selected and retained according to their merit/qualifications.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

The Office of Personnel Management enforces the Pendleton Act with promotions, the test.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Help the president with overseeing the federal budget for each year.

Hatch Act

Federal employers cannot take part in partition, politics, or campaigns. Causes: people were pressuring their coworkers to vote for them, between those in charge and subordinates. Effects: you must resign your jobs if you want to take part in partition, politics, or campaigns. Rules: you cannot run for partisan office in political clubs or parties, you can attend them, as long as you're not on stage. You can be a candidate for a public office in a nonpartisan election. May not use their official titles or positions while engaged in political activity. CAN'T PARTISAN. Vote and donate, you can do that. Can't use the company car to attend the rally.

Implementation

People go and visit to make sure rules are being followed. Expected/unexpected.

Administrative Discretion

They have authority to punish those places, fine or be shut down.

Rule

Making the regulation act as a law.

Regulation

Formal instructions for running agency or controlling the behavior of citizens and organizations.

Federal Register

The official daily publication for rules and notices of federal agencies and regulations. Also executive orders.

Discretionary Spending

money formally approved by Congress and the President during the appropriations process each year (NOT the mandatory spending)

Mandatory Spending

Mandated by laws. Entitlement. Ex. Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), Veteran benefits, interest on national debt. Cannot be changed.

Entitlement Programs

programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens. They accounted for $800 billion in 1999-2000, over half of the federal government's $1.8 trillion budget.

Oversight

the process of monitoring day-to-day activities that sometimes encourages agencies to perform better or at least deter worse performance.

Central Clearance System

OMB forwards communications to Congress in 3 categories: 1. "In accordance"- with the president's program, reserved for the president's top priorities. 2. "Consistent With"- the president's program, indicating the president's second-tier priorities. 3. "No Objection"- no objection from the president, nor support.

Red Tape

excessive and/or unnecessary government regulations and bureaucracy that generate financial or time compliance costs.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

set up a limited MERIT SYSTEM- based on a testing program for evaluating candidates. Federal employees were to be selected and retained according to their "merit" and their party connections or loyalty.

Client Politics

exchange of goods and services for political support.

Privatization

transfer of government services or assets to the private sector.

Deregulation

the elimination or removal of government controls over a particular industry or sector.

Devolution

transference (as of rights, powers, property, or responsibility) to another.

Whistleblower Protection

Snitches don't get stitches. Somebody who is a tattletale. A person cannot retaliate against a tattletale to tattling.

Freedom of Information Act

Act = Law - Allows any person to request federal records except for certain records that are being kept classified. (classified things are redacted/removed (blacked out)) For transparency in the government.

Iron Triangle

A policy-making instrument composed of a tightly related alliance of a congressional committee, interest groups, and a federal department or agency.

Issue Network

A policy-making instrument composed of loosely related interest groups, congressional committees, presidential aides and others. They cooperate for a specific cause and then disband.

Continuity of Service

Bureaucrats usually have continuity of service in the executive branch that the president lacks.

Lobbyist

one who conducts activities aimed at influencing or swaying public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation.

What is Police Patrol

Type of oversight in which the two branches watch the bureaucracy through a routine pattern.

What is Fire Alarm

type of oversight in which the two branches wait for citizens, interest groups, or the press to find a major problem and pull the alarm.