Bureaucracy (American Government)

What is Bureaucracy? It is under the authority of the executive branch and characterized by hierarchical structure, worker specialization, explicit rules, and advancement by merit.

Bureaucracy consists of people who carry out responsibilities of the federal government.

• Write and Enforce regulations.

  • (i.e., (In the 90s) FCC enforced subtitles for those with disabilities)

• Compliance Monitoring

  • takes us lots of time from policy implementation and execution

    • Issue fines for non-compliance

      • (i.e., IRS’ Final day to file taxes April 15th)

• Interactions with Congress

  • Department Heads’ Testify on behalf of the dealings of their agencies.

  • Iron-Triangle when bureaucratic agencies work with congressional committees and interest groups.

    • Rely on each other to make policy.

    • Bureaucratic agencies offer information to congressional committees, while congress approve funding for their departments. Committees Interest groups provide funding for congressional races and information on implications of policies. Interest groups helping the congress people get elected who then provide funding for bureaucratic agency that will address interest of interest group.

    • Iron Triangles are rare today because there are too many interest groups and issue networks.

      • Issue Networks work to weaken Iron Triangle

        • A group of people who don’t like something and seek to execute change.

Structure

• Cabinet Departments

  • The members of the President’s cabinets are the heads of the 15 departments (i.e. Department of Education).

• Departments are divided into Agencies.

  • Operate apart from president’s authority but are still associated to executive branch.

  • (The Treasury has the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) responsibly for collecting taxes)

• Independent Regulatory Commissions (Agencies)

  • Operate apart from president’s authority but are still associated to executive branch.

  • (i.e. Federal Communications Commission’s responsible for regulating media)

• Government Corporations

  • Hybrid between government agency and a private business

    • Provision of a government service through the free market

    • (i.e., US Postal Service)

What is the difference between independent agencies and regulatory commissions?

Independent executive agencies help the president carry out the duties of office, while independent regulatory agencies have been assigned rulemaking responsibilities or authorities by Congress.

Bureaucracy Over Time

• When did The Spoil System develop? Andrew Jackson hired people based on the Spoils System.

  • Whoever supported his candidacy received a job (Patronage)

    • Sparked Civil Service Reform: Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

      • Merit-based system for applicants of the bureaucracy

      • Increase effectiveness of bureaucracy.

Delegated Discretionary Authority

• The authority of the bureaucracy is delegated to them, and it is their discretion to decide how and when to implement the law.

  • specifics of a law implementation and execution

Congressional, Executive, and Judicial Oversight

• How does Congress use oversight in their relationship with the executive branch?

Congress ensures the law is implemented hod congress intended.

• Committee Hearings: Calling directors of agencies and department heads to testify and reports in progress with carrying out the law.

• Power of the Purse: Congress provides authorizations for spending to the bureaucracy.

• How does the president ensure the executive branch agencies and departments carry out responsibilities and goals of their administration?

Bureaucracy is under the authority of the president, and ensures it is abiding by policy agenda.

• Appointment: appointing new heads of agencies that support policy agenda

  • President can’t hire/fire regulatory commission heads without reason but can hire/fire other bureaucratic positions.

  • (i.e., ((in 2017) Trump fired James Comey, the director of FBI, because he believed Comey didn’t handle the investigation in Russians interference with the 2016 in a manner that didn’t align with Trump’s agenda).

• Executive Order: To enforce president’s policy agenda

How does the judicial Branch check the rules of the bureaucracy?

• Judicial Review: Citizens can appeal to the courts when a rule or regulation from the Bureaucracy is unconstitutional and is negatively impacting an American life.