AP Gov- Interactions among branches of government

bureaucrat

Official employed within a government bureaucracy

Political patronage

filling administrative positions as a reward for support, rather than merit

Pendleton act of 1883

Created the first US civil service commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within the civil service. AKA Civil service reform act of 1883, created cuz growing demands on the federal government and increasing concerns about the corruption that came with the spoils system

federal civil service

merit-based bureaucracy, excluding the armed forces and political appointments, under the rules of the Pendleton act of 1883

Merit system

system of hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications rather than politics and personal connections

How has the bureaucracy changed in size from the start of the US

grown a lot

Civil service workers in political campaigns were also….

restricted, they can not be forced/coerced by superiors into donating/participating in a political campaign

main job of president

Head of executive branch, ensure that the bureaucracy faithfully executes the laws of the nation. responsible for appointing people to the top levels of bureaucracy and directs/advises the departments, buraus, and agencies

Main administrative units in the federal bureaucracy

the 15 cabinet departments

Congress’s authority in the bureaucracy

establish and fund the departments that are each responsible for a major area of public policy

cabinet departments are headed by who

cabinet secretaries (or attorney general in the justice department)

cabinet secretaries are nominated by who

president, but rely on congress for appropriation of funds and legislations

Who do cabinet secretaries have to help them

deputy secretaries, undersecretaries, and administrative staff

Newest cabinet department of 2010s

department of homeland security cuz 911

what affects how well a bureaucracy functions

organization and the tasks the agencies take

Pyramid of authority in the bureaucracy

1) executive political appointees (cabinet secretaries and deputy secretaries)

2) Senior executive service (SES)

3) Career civil servants (job ranks defined by General service)

highest ranks have highest job security, but civil servants still enjoy lotsa benefits and security. Also most work in the bottom level

entrance and advancement within the federal civil service is governed by..

merit system

Iron triangle

coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, congress and interest groups trying to achieve shared policy goals together

Issue networks

webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates

Under the constitution, the president basically has no authority to….

pass laws

A president’s policy agenda

Set of issues, problems, or subjects that are prioritized for discussion and action.

How does a president get their policy agendas passed into law?

through formal and informal powers

Formal powers

Powers explicitly given to the executive in article II of the constitution

• The Veto

• pocket veto’s

• President is the commander in chief of the US armed forces (they can declare war)

The veto

President has 10 days to sign a bill once it arrives on desk, they can kill a bill if it doesn’t align with their policy agenda. (unless congress overrides it with 2/3s of votes from each house)

Pocket veto

a presidential power in the U.S. where the President kills a bill by taking no action on it when Congress adjourns within the 10-day review period, preventing its return with objections and making it impossible for Congress to override the veto, unlike a regular veto.

informal powers

• bargaining and persuasion (President can put pressure on representatives to implement agenda)

• Presidential approval rating (get people to like them, easier to get laws passed)

• executive orders

• Signing statements

• executive agreement

executive orders

• directive form the president that has the force of a federal law, but not actually a law

• a way for the president to direct the bureaucracy or move money around to pursue their policy agenda

Signing statements

additional statement the president can offer when signing a bill into a law that informs the nation how they interpret the law, and how they intend to execute it

executive agreement

• agreement between president and another head of state

• not a formal treaty, but a an agreement that the president makes on their own authority

• only exists as long as that president exists

• more politically binding than legally binding

President mainly has beef with ….

the senate

Why does the president usually have beef with the senate

• Senate has “advice and consent”

advice and consent

many presidential appointments have to first be approved by the senate

can presidents appoint ambassadors

yes

can presidents appoint white house staff

yes

can presidents appoint members for cabinet

yes

What happens when the senate ties on a vote?

VP breaks it

can presidents appoint federal judges

yes

power of president has … over time

grown

executive power can be expanded based on the president’s ….. of their role

interpretation

After FDR, the government got…

big

advantage the president has that no other politician has

the attention of the nation

Bully pulpit

the bully pulpit is the President's prominent platform to command media attention and speak directly to the public, using this visibility to promote their policy agenda, influence public opinion, and pressure other branches of government to act, as coined by Theodore Roosevelt, who saw the office as a "bully" (great) way to lead.

state of union address

an annual speech delivered by the President of the United States to a joint session of Congress, outlining the administration's goals, legislative agenda, and national priorities. This address serves as a significant platform for presidential communication, allowing the president to directly engage with lawmakers and the public while reinforcing the president's role in shaping policy and expanding their influence over the legislative process.

The bully pulpit has changed overtime due to…..

changes in communication technology

The bureaucracy

• millions of people who are employed to carry out the responsibilities of the federal government

• falls under the authority of the executive branch

What people makes up the president’s cabinet

the heads of cabinet departments

Departments are divided into…

agencies

Independent regulatory commissions

created for the specific purpose of some aspect of society (ex. FCC)

government corporation

hybrid between a government agency and a private business. Services the government wants to offer to the public but the free-market is the best method (ex. US postal service)

What do bureaucratic organizations do

• write and enforce regulations

• fines for non-compliance

• interacting with congress
  
  they make finer concrete rules/regulations to enforce the law

bureaucratic entities

• cabinet departments

• agencies

• independent regulatory commissions

• government corporations

compliance monitoring

the crucial process where government agencies (the bureaucracy) check if individuals, businesses, states, or other entities are following federal laws and regulations through inspections, data collection, audits, and reporting, ensuring policies are actually implemented and enforcing standards

How do laws get executed

the bureaucracy

delegated discretionary authority

the power Congress gives to federal agencies (the bureaucracy) to interpret broad laws and create specific rules (rulemaking) for their implementation, allowing agencies to exercise judgment and adapt to complex situations

bureaucracy has authority on what?

making rules

department of homeland security

protects Americans from terrorism and maintains and controls borders

department of transportation

manages of all kinds of transportation

department of veteran affairs

manages the general welfare of nation’s veterans

department of education

manages states and their implementation of federal educational standards

EPA

protects environment and human health through environmental regulations

federal elections commission

administers and enforces campaign finance laws

securities and exchange commission

regulates stock market and prevents fraud

congress is ….. that the bureaucratic agencies actually…..the laws as congress intended

concerned, implement

oversight

Congress's power to review, monitor, and supervise the executive branch and bureaucracy to ensure laws are implemented correctly, policies work efficiently, and agencies are accountable

ways for congress to check the bureaucracy

• committee hearings

• power of the purse

committee hearings

formal meetings where congressional committees gather expert testimony, public input, and data to examine proposed legislation, oversee government agencies, or investigate issues, serving as a crucial step for informing, amending (markup), and potentially killing bills before they reach the full House or Senate floor

power of the purse

congress funds bureaucratic entities

budget and impoundment control act

gave congress a lot more power over the budget

bureaucracy falls into the authority of the….

president

How does the judicial branch check the bureaucracy

• judicial review

how does the president check the bureaucracy

• appointments

• executive orders

• oversight

Article II

lays out the functions and processes of the executive branch of government, most of constitutional basis for bureaucracy

Senior executive service

under political appointees in the bureaucrat pyramid, people that are taken from the lower rans of the federal bureaucracy but above the majority of employees (bottom)

General service

lowest in the bureaucrat pyramid, career civil servants

Executive political appointees

individuals chosen by the President (with Senate confirmation for many) to lead federal agencies, departments, and key staff, shaping policy and implementing the administration's agenda,

Policy making process

defining problem → policy agenda → forming policy → budgeting → implementation → evaluation → terminate or restart cycle

Implementation

main function of federal bureaucracy, puts the laws congress passed into action

Bureaucratic discretion

bureaucrats have the power to decide how a law is implemented and get to decide what congress meant when a law is passed by them

regulation

the process where the federal bureaucracy fills in critical details of a law (rules) to carry out the laws passed by congress

bureaucratic adjudication

the process by which government agencies act like courts to settle disputes and make decisions about whether people or organizations have followed agency rules. When an agency judges cases involving its own regulations.

Hatch act

a federal law that restricts the partisan political activities of federal employees, as well as state and local employees working on federally funded projects. It ensures that the civil service remains nonpartisan, protects employees from political coercion, and prevents the use of federal authority for campaign purposes. 

Executive orders

official directives issued by the President of the United States to manage the operations of the federal government. These orders allow the President to implement policies without needing Congressional approval, making them a powerful tool in shaping domestic and foreign policy.

congressional oversight

the power of Congress to monitor, review, and supervise federal agencies, programs, and policies to ensure they are implemented effectively and in accordance with the law. This function is crucial for maintaining accountability within the executive branch, particularly over the bureaucracy and its rule-making authority, while also serving as a check on presidential power.

investigative committees

specialized groups within the U.S. Congress that handle specific tasks, such as reviewing proposed legislation, conducting investigations, and overseeing the executive branch. These committees are essential for organizing work in Congress, enabling members to focus on particular issues and effectively manage the legislative process. They’re how Congress checks the executive branch by digging into issues and holding hearings.

judicial decisions

rulings made by courts that interpret laws, assess their constitutionality, and resolve disputes. These decisions are vital in shaping legal precedent, influencing future cases, and protecting rights outlined in the Constitution. They also serve as a check on legislative and executive powers, thereby playing a crucial role in maintaining the balance of power within the government.

private responses

hired private companies/people that are separate from the government to help government implement their actions

Fed 70

Hamilton argues that an energetic single executive will protect against foreign attacks, provide for the administration of laws, and protect liberty & property. One president is better than a council because they can be held accountable, create motivation, and are more efficient

Formal/enumerated powers

powers the president can do that is explicitly in the constitution

treaties

an agreement with a foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring 2/3 vote in the senate to ratify

veto

formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress

informal powers

powers not written on the constitution that the president can use to execute necessary actions

pocket veto

informal veto when president chooses not to sign a bill within 10 days, during a time when congress has adjourned at the end of a session

commander in chief

the role of the President of the United States as the highest-ranking military officer in the country, responsible for overseeing and directing military operations. This position grants the President significant authority in matters of national defense, including the deployment of troops, strategic military decisions, and ensuring the security of the nation. The role is outlined in the Constitution, emphasizing the President's dual responsibilities as both a civilian leader and a military authority.

presidential pardon

power granted from constitution, president can release individuals convicted of a crime from legal consequences and set aside punishment for a crime

executive privilege

a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations/records/transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, esp from congress

executive agreements

agreement between POTUS and another nation that does not have the same durability in the american system as a treaty, does not require senate ratification

signing statements

written comments issued by POTUS while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements or reasons for signing the bill but may also include a president’s interpretation of the law itself

federal budget

detailed financial plan that outlines the government's expected revenue and proposed expenditures for a specific fiscal year. It reflects the priorities and policies of the government, guiding spending on various programs and services, while also influencing economic conditions and fiscal policy.

impeachment

a constitutional process that allows Congress to remove federal officials, including the President, for serious misconduct. The House of Representatives brings the charges, and the Senate conducts the trial to decide removal, serving as

confirmations

the Senate’s constitutional role in reviewing and approving presidential judicial nominees, including Supreme Court justices, ensuring they are qualified through hearings and a final vote.