U4 Bureaucracy Flashcards
What is the Bureaucracy?
The Employees of the Executive Branch (Hired by President and Senate)
What does the Bureaucracy do?
Carry out Presidents agenda, congressional laws, and judicial laws. They are experts with specialized roles and non-political (ideally).
Why did the Bureaucracy spoil?
Presidents decided to reward political party leaders with federal jobs because of nepotism. Trump also did this with members of his family.
What put an end to the Nepotism in the Bureaucracy?
Reform movements and an assassination finally brought about different system.
What was the Pendelton Civil Service Act?
Prevented rewarding loyal party members via nepotismin the Bureaucracy. Created a merit system. Hiring and Promotion -> Experience, knowledge, testing, education, etc. (Also neutrality, professionalism, and specialization)
How does the Bureaucracy write and enforce regulations?
Take laws from Congress and figure out how to implament them in real life. Wide latitiude for how to administer laws.
How does the Bureaucracy issue fines?
Impose fines and other punishments for violating laws. Targets industries/companies, not individuals via compliance monitioring.
Why does the Bureaucracy testify before Congress?
Either because they are experts in their fields and needed for counciling, or because they are being called into question to be fired.
What is the Iron Triangle?
Mutually beneficial long last, stable relationship between Bureaucracy, Congress, and Interest Groups. The goal is to influence how policies are made and implemented. Each groups recieve and gives something.
What are Issue Networks in the Bureaucracy?
Informal groups that influence interest groups and Congress through activism and scrutiny. More groups involved and temporary. Comittee staffers, academics, thinktanks, members of media, etc.
What is Rule Making Authority?
An agency’s ability to make regulations with the power of law. They are often criticized for lack of direct responsibility to people.
What is Discretionary Authority?
When Bureaucratic agencies are given administrative discretion to implement laws. Bureaucrats decide HOW to implement policies because Congress will lack the expertise and it’s too time-consuming.
What are the President’s Checks on the Bureaucracy?
-Nominate/remove agency/departments heads
-Executive Orders
-Propose Policy changes to alter bureaucracy’s activitiy based on ideology
-Make changes in angency’s annual budget proposals
-Reorganize Bureaucracy (Temporary power, given by Congress)
What are Judiciary Checks on Bureaucracy?
Judical Review - Constitutionality of rules and regulations
What are Congress Checks on Bureaucracy?
-Review, monitor, Supervise
-Approve, abolish, bureaucratic agencies
-Confirm bureaucratic nominations (Senate)
-Power of the Purse
-Committe Hearings (Trial if Not Doing Jobs)
-Pass legislation with detailed info on how Bureaucracy should carry it out.
