Political Final: The bureaucracy

How has the federal bureaucracy evolved over American history?

has grown from a small group to a large network

Where has the growth in the bureaucracy been seen over the last 60 years?

health care, environmental regulation and civil rights

How many Executive Departments are there?

15

What do you call the heads of each of these departments? How are they chosen? What is their connection to the President’s Cabinet?

state, defense and treasury all headed by the a member of the presidents cabinet

Where are federal “bureaus” usually located in the bureaucracy?

within executive departments

What are “independent agencies?” How do they compare to Executive Departments and their hundreds of subunits?

federal organizations focused on tasks while executive departments are broader

What are “independent regulatory commissions?”

federal agencies created by congress to regulate specific areas of the economy

Independent regulatory commissions: Who leads them? How are board members appointed?

board commissioner’s, appointed by president

Independent regulatory commissions: How do they compare to Executive Departments and their hundreds of subunits?

more focused on regulated certain ares of public policy

Independent regulatory commissions: How do they compare to independent agencies?

IRC focus on specfic industries while IA handle broader tasks

What is presidential and congressional control like?

over independent agencies and regulatory commission is limited

What are “government corporations?” Who leads them? How are board members appointed?

provide services similar to private businesses, like a united states postal worker, lead by a board of directors appointed by the president

How do Gov corporations compare to independent agencies?

gov cooperations provide services or products while independents focus on regulating policies

What do people mean when they refer to the federal bureaucracy as a “fourth” branch of government?

it implements and enforces laws, regulating industries and shaping public policy