AP-Gov Ch.14 Study Guide "The Federal Bureaucracy"

List the five elements of the Weber model of bureaucracy:

1. Hierarchical authority structure

2. Task specialization

3. Extensive rules

4. Merit principle

5. Impersonal

Describe the four prevalent myths about bureaucracy:

1. Americans dislike bureaucracy

2. Bureaucracies become larger year after year

3. Most federal bureaucrats work in washington D.C

4. Bureaucracies are ineffective

What is the difference between patronage and the merit principle?

Patronage: jobs and promotions awarded for political reasons instead of merit

Merit Principle: the idea of hiring based on entrance exams and ratings

What is the purpose of the Hatch Act?

To prohibit government employees from participating in partisan politics

What are some common characteristics of plum book appointees?

Political skills, men and women, white and non-white, from private sectors

List the four basic types of agencies in the federal executive branch, and name at least one example of each.

1. Cabinet departments

2. Regulatory agencies

3. Gov't corporations

4. Independent agencies

Explain the relationship between interest groups and independent regulatory agencies.

They both have the interests of the public in mind, they work for the citizens

. In what two ways are government corporations similar to private corporations and

different from other parts of the government?

1. They provide services that can be handled by the private sector

2. They charge for their services at cheaper rates

List the three biggest independent executive agencies (write out the name, do not use initials only!) and explain what each does.

1. General service administration

2. National science foundation

3. National aeronautics and space administration

What are the three minimum elements of implementation?

1. Creating a new agency

2. Translation of policy goals

3. Coordination of resources

Describe six reasons why policy implementation might fail?

1. Bad design

2. Lack of clarity

3. Lack or resources

4. Lack of organization

5. Lack of operating procedures

6. Fragmentation

What are three advantages of using standard operating procedures?

1. Saving time

2. Create uniformity for organizations

3. Improves fairness

What is meant by administrative discretion? Include an example.

The authority of administration actors to select one of multiple responses to a problem

1. What was the significance of the Munn v. Illinois case in 1877?

It opened the door for states to regulate business with their borders

Describe three elements common to all regulation:

1. A grant of power and set or directions from congress

2. Set of rules by the regulatory agency

3. Some means of enforcing compliance with these regulations

What is the difference between the following regulatory practices?

Command-and-Control policy:

The gov't tells a business how to reach certain goals, and checks that these commands are followed and punishes offenses.

Incentive system:

Market-like strategies used to manage public policy

Describe three criticisms of regulation:

1. Raises Prices

2. Hurts americas competitive position abroad

3. Does not always work

Describe four methods in which the president can control bureaucracy:

1. Appoint the right people

2. Issue order

3. Alter an agents budget

4. reorganize the agency

Describe four methods in which Congress can control the bureaucracy:

1. Influence the appointment of agency leaders

2. Alter the budget

3. Hold hearings

4. Rewrite the legislation

Explain the difference between an iron triangle and an issue network.

Iron triangle: Relationship between employer and employee in gov't agencies, interest groups, etc. all of these people share an interest in certain issues and works.

Issue network: interest groups and other experts who communicate about debates, issues of interest, and use this to influence public policy.

What effect does bureaucracy have on the scope of government?

Bureaucracy has shrunk in the past 40-ish years, its role has expanded, and it cannot prevent the President and Congress from deregulating areas of the economy or adjusting taxes. Some of their role expansion means they can provide services to farmers, businesses, and the workers themselves.

Bureaucracy

hierarchical structure that uses task specialization and operates on merit.

Patronage

a system in which jobs and promotions are awarded for political reasons.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

passed in 1883, act created a federal civil service and hiring is based on it.

Civil service

system of hiring based on the merit principle, w/ a desire to be a nonpartisan gov't.

Merit system

idea that hiring is based on entrance exams and ratings.

Hatch Act

federal law prohibiting gov't employees from active participation in partisan politics.

Office of Personnel Management

office in charge of hiring for most gov't agencies.

GS (General Schedule) rating

schedule for federal employees, by which salaries can be connected to ratings and experience.

Senior Executive Service

an elite group of about 9000 federal employees at the top of the civil service system.

Independent regulatory commission

Gov't agency with responsibility for making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest.

Government corporation

gov't organization that provides service, and charges for this service. Ex) The US Postal Service

Independent executive agency

Gov't agencies not accounted for by cabinet departments, typically appointed by the President.

Policy implementation

State of policymaking between the establishment of the policy and the consequences of it.

Standard operating procedures

SOPs, procedures used by bureaucrats to bring uniformity to organizations.

Administrative discretion

The authority of administrative actors to choose one of various solutions to solve a given issue.

Street

level bureaucrats - Refers to the bureaucrats in constant contact with the public

Regulation

the use of gov't authority to change some practice

Command and-control policy

business how to reach certain goals, and checks that these commands are followed and punishes offenses.

Incentive system

Market-like strategies used to manage public policy

Deregulation

the removal of regulations or restrictions in a specific industry

Executive orders

a rule issued by the president to a branch of government

Iron triangles

dependant relationship between interest groups, agencies, etc.