bureaucracy test Flashcards
bureaucracy
an organization that is highly organized (hierarchy based on expertise)
specialization of jobs
critics of bureaucracy
red tape
question accountability
too large
red tape
unnecessary rules and regulations that make it more difficult/expensive to get things done
question accountability
often difficult to fire bad workers, federal employees aren’t directly accountable to voters/taxpayers
public sector
works for government (state, federal, local)
private sector
works for a private company (not government)
how to become a bureaucrat
civil service exam
civil service
system of hiring and promotion based on merit and nonpartisanship
Pendleton civil service act 1883
patronage or spoils system
jackson
job given for political reasons like campaign contribution
the merit system
Pendleton act of 1883
established the civil service commission to fill designated positions within the bureaucracy with people who had proved (entrance exam) their competence
civil service reform
hatch act of 1939
no role in political management of campaigns
cannot engage in political activities
how did the hatch act of 1939 change in 1993
changed the law to allow most federal employees to hold office within a political party, to participate in campaigns, and raise funds when they’re NOT on duty
order of acts
spoils system 1828
civil service act 1882
hatch act 1939
civil service reform act 1978
what gives bureaucrats the power
executive, legislative (budget), quasi executive, quasi legislative, quasi judicial
4 things given to bureaucrats
essential (need to run the country)
expertise (specialized in their field)
discretion (decide how policy is carried out)
clientele (serve important groups)
what do bureaucrats do
implement the law passed by congress
administer the law
policy making
regulation
data collection and analysis
implementation
Congress delegates policy implementation to bureaucratic agencies
discretionary authority
Congress sets broad policy guidelines and bureaucratic agencies are given adminstrative discretion
administrative discretion
ability to bureaucrats to decide how to implement policies
rule making authority
bureaucratic agencies are able to make administrative laws/regulations
administrative law
regulations made by agencies that have the power of law
administrative adjudication
bureaucracies have the power to enforce administrative law and punish violators by issuing fines
act like a court
why do bureaucrats have policy making discretion
execute federal law (experts)
efficient at enforcing law
willing to come to agreements than Congress (save time)
if fails, bureaucrats get blamed not congress
regulation
produce rules, standards, and guidelines
IEA
established by Congress with separate status outside the executive branch
perform a service function, not regulatory
ex) CIA, NASA, EPA
IRC/IRA
to regulate a specific economic activity or interest
operate independently from congress and president
ex) FCC, FEC, federal reserve
government corporations
government owned businesses created by congress
may or may not be profitable, serve a public need
ex) postal service, AMTRAK, TVA, FDIC
tasks of all the groups
write and enforce regulations
issuing fines
testifying before congress
issue networks and iron triangles
implementation includes
creating/assigning an agency the policy
interpreting the law
translating policy into rules,regulations, and forms
coordinating resources to achieve the goal
why implementation cannot work
program design
lack of clarity (vague, ambiguous)
lack of resources
administrative routine (SOP)
adminstrator’s disposition
fragmentation of responsibility
fragmentation of responsibility
some policies are spread among several agencies
some agencies have different rules for the same policy
privatization of bureaucracy
reinventing government
contractors
reinventing government
decentralize authority
room for innovation
performance incentives
make government look more like private sector
contractors
non government employees who do government work
private sector competition
cost savings
create appearance of reducing size of government when it actually increased
discretionary authority
legislation lacks details, the bureaucracy can fill in the gaps
delegate authority
Congress and president cannot handle everything
regulations definition
use of government authority to control or change some practice in the private sector
federal agencies check, verify, and inspect products and services
regulation elements
a grant of power and set of directions from congress
a set of rules and guidelines by the regulatory agency itself
one means of enforcing compliance with congressional goals and agency regulations
deregulation
definition: the lifting of restrictions on business, industry, and professional activities
companies complained rules are expensive, burdensome, and complicated
regulatory problems
raises prices
hurts US competitive position
don’t always work
oversight of the federal bureaucracy:
executive
appoint and remove agency heads
reorganize the bureaucracy
issue executive orders
reduce an agency’s budget
oversight of the federal bureaucracy:
legislative
POWER OF OVERSIGHT
create or abolish agencies
cut or reduce funding
investigate agency activites
hold committee hearings
pass legislation that alters an agency’s function
influence or even fail to confirm presidential appointment
impeach executive officials
oversight of the federal bureaucracy:
federal court
judicial review
due process for individuals affect by a bureaucratic action
iron triangles:
bureaucratic agencies with interest groups
interest groups give information and support agency budget request
agencies administer law and place regulation on issue
iron triangles:
bureaucratic agencies with committees
agencies give information to committee and help constitutents complaints
committees approval of higher budget requests
iron triangles:
committees with interest groups
interest groups campagin contribution and give information
committee make legislation created that affect the issue
