Unit 3 - The Presidency and Federal Bureaucracy

Interactions Among Branches of Government

Advantages that Bureaucrats have over presidents.

• There b4 and after the president — Long-term job (30 years)

• Have a steady job — don’t lose it once hired

• Anyone can apply for it

• Not based on elections

Describe the budget process — specifically the relationship between the president’s proposal and Congress’ role once they receive the proposal.

1. The president proposes the budget

2. Congress receives the budget and changes it up

3. Both houses create two versions of the budget

4. It becomes edited to have a middle ground

5. Congress has to pass the budget

6. The president signs it

How does a president use the “bully pulpit“ to push policy or an agenda?

• They get public support

• Appeal directly to the people

• Persuade congress

What are examples of the president using the “bully pulpit“?

The bully pulpit is a soft power/informal

• State of the Union address

• Social media

• Public speeches

• Public appearances

• Rallies

• Campaigns

What is the bureaucratic discretion and how does it empower the agencies?

Bureaucratic discretion is the ability to make rules.

It empowers agencies by allowing them to…

• make their own decisions, rules, and laws

• get to all the specific details and guidelines

• have a lot of control over what they can and cannot do

• hold importance in implementing policies and agendas

What is bureaucratic rule making?

Rule-making is the action of making rules

• Putting in specific guidelines (for ex: clean air, healthier lunches – those are all rule-making)

• If you take a policy and have the agency come up with the specific guidelines or rules (ex: setting speed limits)

How do cabinet departments differ from independent agencies?

• The cabinet is appointed by the president

• The cabinet officers can be fired by the president

• Heads of agencies probably have more specific areas of expertise than cabinet secretary

• Agencies have a more narrow focus than the cabinet department

• Most of the time, heads of agencies can’t be fired by the president

Give an example of some Independent Agencies.

• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

• FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

• FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

• FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

• NIH (National Institutes of Health)

• SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)

• SSA (Social Security Administration)

• TSA (Transportation Security Administration)

Describe the relationship between the president and the cabinet secretaries.

The president…

• Appoints the cabinet secretaries

• Converses/has meeting with them

• Assigns stuff to them

The cabinet is more loyal to their own departments than to the president.

Describe the War Powers Resolution and how it limits the president.

• Passed in 1973

• If armed forces are used, the President must inform Congress within 48 hrs

• President must withdraw forces in 60-90 days unless Congress declares war

How does Congress exercise oversight over the bureaucracy?

• Power of the Purse
  (This refers to Congress's power over the national budget and appropriations, deciding how federal funds are spent.)

• Budget (Funding/Money Appropriations)
  (Congress controls the allocation of money, setting priorities for government spending.)

• Hold Hearings
  (Congress holds hearings to investigate and review issues, policies, and the actions of the executive branch or other government entities.)

• Confirm/Approval of Certain Positions
  (The Senate confirms presidential appointments to key positions such as cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors.)

How does Congress’ power over the budget impact the bureaucracy?

Power of the purse – how much money they can use for their yearly budget, some agencies get less money

How does executive order/executive agreements get around congressional checks and balances?

If the president issues an executive order, he doesn't need the Congress approval or the House

What is the main idea of Federalist 70?

• One energetic executive leader gives the executive branch more energy which is necessary for a strong executive branch

• A unified executive is essential for the government

What does it mean if the president “impounds funds“?

• Delaying the funds or ceasing to spend money

• The president may choose not to spend the funds even if Congress has apportioned them for a particular purpose

• Reassertion of Congress’s power of the purse
  (In the 1970s, President Nixon attempted to impound funds, but Congress reasserted its control over the budget and spending by passing the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, limiting the president’s ability to withhold funds.)

• Even if funds are impounded, they remain in the budget, but the president does not spend them

What is agenda setting and where does it fit into the policy making process?

• The agenda determines the areas to focus on

• One of the first few steps of policy-making

  • Mid-January of every year the president gives the State of the Union address where they lay out the agenda

  • what they wanna accomplish, what they wanna see the country be

• The president sets the agenda

• Hopefully has talked to a lot of people about it

Formal v.s. Informal Powers

• Formal

  • hard

  • written in the constitution

  • ex: Veto

• Informal

  • soft

  • not in the constitution

  • ex: Executive Order