Federal Bureaucracy – Flashcards
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What is the paradox of the federal bureaucracy?
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The same organization that accomplishes so many big tasks also does things that are inefficient, wasteful, and dumb
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Political Appointees
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Any employee of the government who is selected to serve by an elected official
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Civil Servants
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Hired on basis of qualification
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Civil servants are employees of the federal government who
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work for the government in permanent positions
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Bureaucracy
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system of civil servants and political appointees who implement congressional or presidential decisions; also known as the administrative state
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Regulations
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Government rules that influence the behaviors of individuals and groups
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Before any federal regulations can take place, they must first
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be published in the federal register, official, daily publication that includes rules, and other types of government documents to inform the general public. Notice and comment procedure.
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Red Tape
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Unnecessarily complex set of procedures in the bureaucracy
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Regulatory Capture involves situations in which
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A situation in which bureaucrats favor the interests of the groups or corporations they are supposed to regulate at the expense of the general public.
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Elected officials are faced with controlling the bureaucracy because:
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Unpleasant tradeoffs, allows bureaucrats to make policy and frees them from scrutiny
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When was the spoils system first used?
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Under Jackson, new deal, came from the first generation
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Why did members of congress support reform of the spoils system despite being members of political parties that benefited from it.
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It strengthened policial parties
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What was the biggest shortcoming of the spoils system
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appointees lack experience, strengthen political partiers, increased government in every day life would hurt segregation
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Spoils System
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The practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. Jackson made this practice famous for the way he did it on a wide scale.
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What was the principal beuarcratic change that occurred during the new deal
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Franklin Roosevelts response to great depression and local government and private charities to respond to crisis. SSA, expansion of gov to help financially, range of policy, much broader, benefits directly to individuals
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What new policy area was expanded during great society?
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Expansion of size and capacity and activities of bureaucracy. -- Lyndon Johnson, funded bilingual education, loans, transit, cities programs, ended separate but equal. Elimate poverty and civil rights
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The Reagan Revolutions impact on the fed bureaucracy was characterized by:
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Growth of the government didn't slow, they wanted to slow it down. Lots of republican gains, more opportunities for conservatives to roll back size of gov
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The OMB is responsible for
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Exec branch office of press for creating presidents annual budget proposal to congress, reviewing proposed rules, and other budget related talks. Write first draft of budget
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Characteristics of an independent agency and why do they exist?
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Government offices or organizations that provide government services and are not part of the executive department below executive department, not subordinate, no reports to them
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Why does the president have limited control over the federal reserve?
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Members of the federal reserve are appointed for 14 years. Before and after he comes.
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Largest gov agency?
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Defense departmnet
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Budget maximizer
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Beuracrats who seek to increasing funding for their agency whether or not that additional spending is worth while
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Hatch Act
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exempts political ammoniteses from restrictions on political activities. Able to campaign for president and appropriate as long as you don't use resources from your own department
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Turkey Farm
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Agencies where campaign workers and donors are often appointed to reward them for their service because it is unlikely that their lack of qualifications will lead to bad policy. Agency is being managed by political appointees who is inexperienced.
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Most political appointees in the bureaucracy are there for what purpose?
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Help as hands eyes, ears of president, help in executive branch Hold positions of power within gov agencies, serving as agency heads, finding our what people want from their agency
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buteaucratic drift
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bureaucrats tendency to implement policies in a way that favors their own political objectives rather than following the original intentions of legislation
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what is the potential problem with legislation that does not give bureaucrats a sufficient amount of discretion in implementing policy?
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if the legislation is too restrictive, the agency cant respond then it would require expanding and narrowing, not good
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congressional oversight
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efforts to make sure that laws are implemented correctly by the bureaucracy after they have been passed. overseeing executive branch. checks and balances.
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tactics that legislators can use to correct bureaucratic drift
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changing ways agencies are organized and staffed power of purse remove task and program replace appointee ask for reorganization
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what is the key limitation on such corrections?
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aim to set up agency to use their expertise, making sure actions are consistent with elected officials views, control problems
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what tactics can an agency use to avoid political control
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look to president, look for congress, look t
