The Federal Bureaucracy

What makes a bureaucracy?

  • natural in a human society, just naturally happens

  1. Hierarchical chain of command

  2. Division of labor and specialization

  3. Clear lines of authority

    • where most bureaucracies go wrong

  4. Impersonal rules and merit based decision making

Bureaucratic Responsibilities

Departments, agencies, commission, and Government Corporations are responsible for;

  • Writing and enforcing regulations

  • Issuing fines

  • Testifying before Congress

  • Providing Services to constituencies

3 Types of Bureaucratic Organizations

Cabinet Departments

The 15 Departments of government that answer directly to the president.

Ex. Treasury Department, Defense Department, etc.

Independent Executive and Regulatory Agencies

Answer directly to the president but are more focused on a single task, regulatory agencies enforce federal rules on production of goods.

Executive Ex. FBI, CIA, NASA

Regulatory Ex. EPA, FDA, SEC

Government Corporations

A quasi-business established by the government to provide a needed service. Subject to market forces and usually self-funding.

Ex. Postal Service, Amtrak, etc.

Congress and Bureaucratic Authority

1. Authorization Legislation

The Law will establish the purpose and guidelines for the policy to be implemented and funded.

2. Delegated Authority

Congress will specify which departments and agencies will implement the law.

3. Discretion and Rule Making

Agencies will be empowered through law to implement rules and policy not spelled out in the law.

4. Oversight

Congressional Committees will oversee the behavior of bureaucratic authority. Using hearings and funding to control agency behavior.

The President and Bureaucratic Authority

President

Nominates people who are loyal and will help the president accomplish their policy goals using the administration. Holding them accountable for success and failure.

Secretaries and Directors

They owe their position to the president and serve at his pleasure to implement his agenda through compliance monitoring. Walks the fine line between pleasing and being loyal to the president, but also pleasing Congress since Congress gives funding to their needs.

Career Managers

Civil Servants that work to accomplish the goals of the department or agency. Serve under multiple political administrations. Agency loyalty and career preservation are key motives.

Career Bureaucrats

Employees of the department/agency. Career minded and promotion motivated. Serve under multiple political administrations.

  • try to keep head down, just do their job

Iron Triangles and Policy Making

Interest Groups, Agencies, and Congress create networks for Policy Making

Congressional Committee

Congressional Committees review legislation and oversee specific policy areas.

Interest Groups

Interest Groups can apply public pressure and policy advice to the agency and committee most closely linked to their interest.

Bureaucratic Agency

Agencies have rule making authority and control how laws are implemented. They are acted upon by both the demands of interest groups and Congressional oversight and pressure.

Professional Bureaucracy

The Spoils System dominated hiring practices from the 1820s to 1880s. Positions were used to pay off political machines and wealthy supporters.

The Assassination of James Garfield shocked Congress into reforming the bureaucracy with the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883.

  • Created a Merit System for hiring and promotion within the bureaucracy.

  • Does not cover positions directly appointed by the president and approved by Congress.

Regulatory Capture

Economic Theory that regulatory agencies come to represent the interests of their industries rather than the public good.

Case Study: The IRS and Tax Preparation

The IRS has the ability to prepare your taxes for you and have you confirm the amounts and receive your refund. Tax preparation services such as Turbotax and HR Block have successfully lobbies to prevent this from being done to ensure a demand for their services.