PUP3002 module E

bureaucracy

an organizational system implemented to manage a government agency or institution

bureaucratic culture

a sense of what an agency is supposed to do and how it’s supposed to do it

rotation in office

process in which a bureaucrat would serve in a position for a short, fixed period, then move on to something else

spoils system

the practice of the winning party’s dispensing of government jobs

red tape

official routine or procedure marked by excessive complexity which results in delay or inaction

legal standing

gives private citizens the ability to bring suit in federal court to challenge the adequacy of impact statements and, indirectly, the proposals they were intended to justify

federal register

publishes all new administrative rules that have the force of law

mandatory reports

congress required executive agencies, even the president, to report on programs he

hearings and investigation

bureaucrats are called before subcommittees to explain and defend their decisions, and outsiders are sometimes invited to criticize them.

legislative vetoes

allow one or both houses of congress to veto by majority vote an agency’s proposals

committee and conference reports

instruct agencies how congress expects them to use their discretion

limitation riders 

attached to appropriations bills, which forbid an agency to spend any of the money appropriated on activities specified by congress in the riders. 

inspectors general

independent offices in virtually every agency who audit agency books and investigate activities on congress’ behalf

government accountability office

audits programs and agencies’ reports to congress on their performance

police patrols

congress directly monitors whether agencies are implementing laws faithfully and efficiently

fire alarms 

congress designs procedures that allow subgovernments (agencies, congress, interest groups) controlling policy and their domains, out of sight or oversight of the full congress, the president, and the public at large 

issue networks

amorphous, ever-changing sets of politicians, lobbyists academic think-tank experts, and public interest entrepreneurs (rather than iron triangles)

iron triangles

narrowly focused allied subgovernments (agencies, congress, interest groups) controlling policy and their domains, out of sight or oversight of the full congress, the president, and the public at large.