Chapter 15: The Bureaucracy

Bureaucrats

________ pay others to do the work, instead of being elected.

Bureaucracy

Large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

Government by proxy

Washington pays state and local governments and private groups to staff federal programs

Laissez-faire

Theory that government shouldn’t regulate or interfere with commerce

Discretionary authority

Extent to which bureaucrats can choose courses of action not spelled out in laws

Discretionary Authority

________: extent to which bureaucrats can choose courses of action not spelled out in laws.

Appropriation

________: Legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency.

Authorization legislation

________: Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency.

Imperialism

________: tendency for agencies to grow with regard to the costs that entails.

Independent agencies

________ are also free from executive control, meaning they are not under the direct control of the President or other executive branch officials.

Bush admin

The ________ abolished NPR and had PART, which tried to link management reform to the budget process.

Laissez faire

________: theory that government shouldnt regulate or interfere with commerce.

Iron Triangle

________: close relationship with an agency, congressional committee, and an interest group.

Constitution

________ gives both Congress and president authority over the bureaucracy.

Waste

________: spending more than necessary for a product or service.

Congress

________ can pay subsidies to particular groups, transfer money from the federal government to state and local governments, and encourage regulations for various sectors.

Competitive Service

________: government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit.

Washington

Government by proxy: ________ pays state and local governments and private groups to staff federal programs.

+ duplication

And conflict ________ take place because Congress, which is very large and varied, has different intentions.

Duplication

________: two government agencies are doing the same thing.

Federal civil service system

________ was designed to recruit people based on merit.

Conflict

________: Agencies working at cross purposes with other agencies.

Committee clearance

________: ability of a congressional committee to review a certain agency decisions.

Bureaucracy

________: large, complex organization composed of appointed officials.

Political authority

________ is shared among several institutions.

Name request job

________: job filled by someone whom an agency already identified.

There are also five factors which explain how an official may act

the manner in which they are recruited and rewarded, personal attributes (socioeconomic background and political attitude), nature of their jobs, and constraints that outside forces impose on the agencies

Today there are five main issues with the bureaucracy

red tape (complex rules that must be followed), conflict (when agencies work at cross purposes), duplication (when agencies are doing the same thing), imperialism (the tendency for agencies to grow without regards to the cost), and waste (spending more money than necessary)

Bureaucracy

large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

Government by proxy

Washington pays state and local governments and private groups to staff federal programs

Laissez-faire

theory that government shouldnt regulate or interfere with commerce

Discretionary Authority

extent to which bureaucrats can choose courses of action not spelled out in laws

Competitive Service

government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit

Name-request job

job filled by someone whom an agency already identified

Iron Triangle

close relationship with an agency, congressional committee, and an interest group

Issue network

Network of people in DC interest groups , congressional staff, and in the mass media who advocate public policy

Appropriation

Legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency

Authorization legislation

Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency

Trust funds

Funds for government programs collected outside the budget

Committee clearance

ability of a congressional committee to review a certain agency decisions

Legislative veto

Authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it happened

Red Tape

Complex bureaucratic rules that must be followed

These agencies had one thing in common

roles was to serve, not regulate

Red tape

complex rules they must follow

Conflict

Agencies working at cross purposes with other agencies

Duplication

two government agencies are doing the same thing

Imperialism

tendency for agencies to grow with regard to the costs that entails

Waste

spending more than necessary for a product or service

Competitive Service

Government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit

Name request job

Job filled by someone whom an agency already identified

Iron triangle

Close relationship with an agency, congressional committee, and an interest group

Issue network

Network of people in DC interest groups , congressional staff, and in the mass media who advocate public policy

Appropriation

Legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency

Authorization legislation

Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency

Trust funds

Funds for government programs collected outside the budget

Committee clearance

Ability of a congressional committee to review a certain agency decisions

Legislative veto

Authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it happened. SC said Congress can’t do this

Red tape

Complex bureaucratic rules that must be followed

Conflict

Agencies working at cross purposes with other agencies

Duplication

Two government agencies are doing the same thing

Imperialism

Tendency for agencies to grow with regard to the costs that entails

Waste

Spending more than necessary for a product or service