Topic 2.12 The Bureaucracy Wednesday, November 1

Topic 2.12 The Bureaucracy

Wednesday, November 1

1981 - The U.S. Postal Service raised the first-class letter rate to 20 cents.

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 Enduring Understanding PMI-2

The federal bureaucracy implements federal policies.

​Learning Objective PMI-2.A

Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government.

​Essential Knowledge

• PMI-2.A.1  Tasks performed by departments, agencies, commissions, and government corporations are represented by:

  • Writing and enforcing regulations

  • Issuing fines

  • Testifying before Congress

  • Issue networks and “iron triangles”​

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• PMI-2.A.2  Political patronage, civil service, and merit system reforms all impact the effectiveness of the bureaucracy by promoting professionalism, specialization, and neutrality.

​Bureaucracy

​A bureaucracy is an administrative group of nonelected officials charged with carrying out functions connected to a series of policies and programs.

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The bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government to regulate and enforce individual and commercial activities. Except for top-level political appointees, employees of the bureaucracy are specialists in their fields, who are hired and promoted based on merit rather than on their connections to politicians.

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The transition from a patronage-based bureaucracy to a merit-based system has increased the bureaucracy's professionalism and expertise. The bureaucracy is nonpartisan and career civil servants tend to span many presidential administrations, allowing for continuity in the public sector.

Match

Match the following

• An administrative group of nonelected officials charged with implementing policies created by the other branches of government.

• A longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship between an interest group, congressional committee, and bureaucratic agency devoted to similar issues.

• A group of individuals, public officials, and interest groups that form around a particular issue, usually a proposed public policy that they wish to support or defeat.

• In the federal bureaucracy, the practice of hiring and promoting individuals based on their qualifications and job performance.

• In the federal bureaucracy, the practice of hiring and promoting individuals based on their political support for a party or candidate rather than on their merit. Also called the spoils system.

Bureaucracy

Iron triangle

Issue network

Merit system

Patronage

• Bureaucracy

• Iron triangle

• Issue network

• Merit system

• Patronage

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best example of an issue network?

• Government and private groups opposed to a proposal to run a pipeline through Native American land

• A Congressional subcommittee on issues facing senior citizens

• An independent executive agency regulating telecommunications

• A national organization committed to influencing legislation to promote small businesses

Multiple Choice

Based on the data shown in the table, which of the following statements is true?

• Private sector employees are more likely to have master’s degrees than bachelor’s degrees

• Federal employees are more likely than private sector employees to have master’s degrees

• It is necessary to have a bachelor’s degree to become a federal employee

• More federal employees have master’s degrees than bachelor’s degrees

Multiple Choice

What is an executive agency?

• a business that the government operates by hiring civil servants

• a group of bureaucratic leaders who are appointed by the president

• an independent group that deals with specific government programs

• an independent organization that makes rules that businesses must follow

Multiple Choice

President Dwight Schrute has several positions to fill within

the federal bureaucracy.

Which of the following is an example of filling a position based on merit?

• asking a high-level campaign fund-raiser to serve as ambassador to Germany

• nominating a member of his political party as the secretary of energy after she supported him during the campaign

• choosing a member of the National Security Council that would appease members from the opposition party

• promoting the Deputy Attorney General to Attorney General after four years of strong service

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of iron triangles and issue networks?

• Comparison A

• Comparison B

• Comparison C

• Comparison D

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a consequence of the merit system in the bureaucracy?

• Greater inefficiency in the bureaucracy

• Greater professionalism in the bureaucracy

• Greater fragmentation in the bureaucracy

• Greater loyalty to the president’s party in the bureaucracy

Multiple Choice

The House Committee on Veterans Affairs, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) work together to achieve policies that benefit veterans.

This is an example of which of the following?

• Iron triangles

• Political action committees

• Issue networks

• Corporate lobbies

Multiple Choice

What is one power that belongs to the bureaucracy?

• vetoing legislation

• imposing taxes

• amending laws

• collecting fines and fees

Multiple Choice

One part of an iron triangle gives the government information about a certain issue. It also encourages lawmakers to draft legislation to help its cause, sometimes through making campaign donations to congress members.

Which part of the iron triangle is this?

• cabinet leaders

• congressional subcommittees

• interest groups

• government agencies

​Cabinet Departments

​The cabinet departments, the largest administrative units in the federal bureaucracy, have responsibility for broad areas of government operations such as foreign policy (Department of State) and law enforcement (Department of Justice). The departments are organized hierarchically and include bureaus, divisions, offices, and agencies. The FBI, for example, is a bureau of the Justice Department and has 58 field offices throughout the country. https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet/

Independent Agencies

​Independent agencies are created by Congress and do not operate within the cabinet structure. The most important agencies include the CIA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Independent agencies are often created by presidential direction; President John F. Kennedy's Peace Corps is an example. 

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Regulatory Commissions

​​Regulatory commissions are also independent of cabinet departments. Many are run by boards whose members are appointed by the president for limited terms and confirmed by the Senate. They deal with a broad range of issues ranging from product safety to the licensing of nuclear power plants, and include such agencies as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Federal Reserve Board, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Government Corporations

​While often run like private businesses, government corporations may receive all or part of their operating capital from appropriations and are run by boards appointed by the president. The TVA, for example, provides electricity, operates recreational facilities, and manages flood control projects in large parts of the southeastern United States. Much of its income comes from the sale of electricity. On the other hand, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) relies heavily on congressional funding to supplement the contributions collected by affiliate radio and television stations during their fund drives. The U.S. Postal Service with almost 800,000 employees is the largest government corporation. Others include the FDIC, the Export-Import Bank, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (better known as Amtrak).

Two attempts available