Bureaucracy

• Key term: Administrative group of non-elected officials charged with carrying out state functions as part of a particular cluster or policies and programs

• Patronage: Bureaucratic positions are distributed to reward individuals for their political support

• Merit: Selection, retention, and promotion based on open competitive examinations

Models of Bureaucracy:

• Weberian: Apolitical, hierarchical, highly procedural, minimal discretion

• Acquisitive: Zero-sum competition for resources among bureaucrats

Bureaucratic Organizations:

1. Cabinet Departments

2. Independent Executive & Regulatory Agencies

3. Government Corporations

Rulemaking:

• Notice-and-Comment Rulemaking → Negotiated Rulemaking

Oversight

1. Congressional Reporting & Oversight

2. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

3. Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

4. Freedom of Information Act of 1966 (FOIA)

5. Merit Systems