Unit 8 Gov

Federal bureaucracy

The thousands of federal government agencies and institutions that implement and administer federal laws and programs.

Max Weber

German sociologist active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who articulated the hierarchical structure and near-mechanical functioning of bureaucracies in complex societies

Spoils system

The firing of public-office holders of a defeated political party to replace them with loyalists of the newly elected party.

Patronage

Jobs, grants, or other special favors that are given as rewards to friends and political allies for their support

Merit system

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

Pendleton Act

Reform measure that established the principle of federal employment on the basis of open, competitive exams and created the Civil Service Commission.

Civil service system

The merit system by which many federal bureaucrats are selected

Sixteenth Amendment

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that authorized Congress to enact a national income tax.

World War I

 A global military conflict that took place from 1914–1918 across Europe and its overseas territories. The United States militarily intervened from 1917–1918.

Great Depression

A severe global economic downturn marked by mass unemployment and poverty that began in the United States in 1929 and persisted to some degree until the end of the 1930s

World War II

A global military conflict that took place from 1939–1945 in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region. The United States was formally involved in the war from 1941-1945.

G.I. (Government Issue) Bill

Federal legislation enacted in 1944 that provided college loans for returning veterans and reduced mortgage rates to enable them to buy homes.

Great Society

Reform program begun in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson that was a broad attempt to combat poverty and discrimination through urban renewal, education reform, and unemployment relief.

Department of Homeland Security

Cabinet department created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to coordinate domestic security efforts.

Cabinet departments

Major administrative units with responsibility for a broad area of government operations. Departmental status usually indicates a permanent national interest in a particular governmental function, such as defense, commerce, or agriculture.

Independent executive agencies

Governmental units that closely resemble a Cabinet department but have narrower areas of responsibility and perform services rather than regulatory functions

Independent regulatory commission

An entity created by Congress outside a major executive department that regulates a specified interest or economic activity.

Government corporations

Businesses established by Congress to perform functions that private businesses could provide, such as the U.S. Postal Service and Amtrak. Often established when the financial incentives for private industry to provide services are minimal.

Hatch Act

The 1939 act to prohibit civil servants from taking activist roles in partisan campaigns. This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions, working for a particular party, or campaigning for a particular candidate.

implementation

The process by which a law or policy is put into operation

Iron triangles

The relatively ironclad relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among agencies, interest groups and congressional committees or subcommunities

Issue networks

the loose and informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas

interagency councils

Working groups created to facilitate coordination of policy making and implementation across a host of governmental agencies

PCCs (Policy Coordinating Committees)

Committees created at the sub-Cabinet level to facilitate interactions between agencies and departments to handle complex policy problems

administrative discretion

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions

 rule making

A quasi-legislative process resulting in regulations that have the characteristics of legislative act.

Federal register

The official journal of the U.S government, including all federal rules and public notices so that citizens and organizations can follow proposed changes and comply with rule changes.

administrative adjudication

A quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between two parties similar to the way courts resolve disputes.

Department of State, Department of the Treasury, Department of War, and the Office of the Attorney General

Name the 4 original departments