DOC PREVIEW
UB PSC 101 - Bureaucracy

This preview shows page 1-2-20-21 out of 21 pages.

Save
View full document
View full document
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 21 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience
View full document
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 21 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience
View full document
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 21 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience
View full document
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 21 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience
Premium Document
Do you want full access? Go Premium and unlock all 21 pages.
Access to all documents
Download any document
Ad free experience

Unformatted text preview:

Slide 1TriviaSlide 3AnswerWhat is the Bureaucracy?Basic DivisionsSlide 7What Do Bureaucrats Do?ProcurementWhat Else?Bureaucrats as Policy MakersBureaucrats as ExpertsThe Problem of ControlHistorical Development of the American BureaucracyBuilding a New American StateMore Recent Periods of Expansion (and Contraction)Modern Federal BureaucracyThe Politicization of the BureaucracyProblems of BureaucracyOther Worries: Iron TrianglesCongressional Oversight of the BureaucracyThe BureaucracyOctober 8, 2014TriviaOften encountered on hot dogs, hamburgers (or veggie burgers), and other cook-out favorites, this condiment is a peculiarly American inventionAnswerTomato Ketchup“Ketchup” has long been used to describe different kinds of sauces, but the tomato variety is an American originalWhat does this have to do with political science? Plenty. And it isn’t just that I love ketchupWhat is the Bureaucracy?Located within the executive branchMade up of:Civil servantsPolitical appointees (lots of them)Basic DivisionsDepartments, independent agencies, and government corporationsAutonomy increases across the three typesPresidents promoting new initiatives that create quick action often push for the creation of independent agenciesWhat Do Bureaucrats Do?Impose regulations—rules that affect the choices that individuals or corporations makeDeveloped in a process known as the notice and comment procedureProposed rules are published in the Federal RegisterAllows for input from interested parties (e.g., those whose behavior would be regulated)Lots of agencies issue regulations. Most, however, come from the FTC, FCC, and FDAProcurementProcurement—running a government requires buying stuffGovernment Services Administration Must first devise criteria for determining what to buyCan be complicated (e.g., procuring a new fighter jet)Also, subject to executive and legislative mandatesWhat Else?Provide servicesResearch and developmentManaging and directing (oversee, for instance, government contractors)Implement lawsSettle disputes—administrative adjudicationBureaucrats as Policy Makers When bureaucrats “fill in the gaps” for lawmakers, they are, in essence, making lawBureaucratic decisions have the force of lawChevron deference: courts defer to bureaucrats on matters of administrative lawBureaucrats as ExpertsKey part of state capacity—provide knowledge, personnel, and institutions necessary to implement policiesNevertheless, can be cumbersomeRed tape or SOPsStands for Standard Operating ProceduresIf the bureaucracy is there to “fill in the blanks” when Congress passes laws that are nonspecific or delegate authority to the bureaucracy, why is there a need for such (often complex) rules?The Problem of ControlBureaucracy is open to obvious principal-agent problemsAlso, regulatory capture—bureaucrats are beholden to corporations or other interests and not to the general welfareBureaucratic drift—tendency for bureaucrats to implement policies that favor their own objectives and not those of the legislatureThe ideal: neutral competenceBureaucrats provide expertise and avoid taking sides in policy debates, being swayed by elected officials, those outside of government, or by their own goalsHistorical Development of the American Bureaucracy Not a linear processThree relatively short periods of time saw a great deal of growth in the size and scope of the bureaucracy: 1890s, 1930s, and 1960sWhy these three? What was going on?Building a New American StateThe Progressive EraSaw numerous pushes to reform governmentSherman Anti-Trust ActPure Food and Drug ActMeat Inspection ActCivil service reform (Pendleton Act) was geared toward breaking the grip of the party machinesMore Recent Periods of Expansion (and Contraction)The New DealThe Great SocietyThe Reagan Revolution rolled back the size of the federal governmentDidn’t last, as even under Republican executives the federal government has been increasing in sizeModern Federal BureaucracyExecutive Office of the President (EOP) is part of the bureaucracyIncludes the OMBExecutive departments are under the EOP as well Independent agencies that are not subordinate to executive departmentsWhy is the Federal Reserve an independent agency rather than part of the Department of the Treasury?The Politicization of the BureaucracyIn theory, “above politics”In practice, often hired based on ideology or group tiesBureaucrats are limited in terms of how involved they can be in politicsUnder the Hatch Act, couldn’t do anything more than vote or contribute to a candidateAdmit of a wider range of activities nowPresident appoints more than 7,000 people to positions in the executive branch“Turkey farms” are agencies where political appointees can be placed without much riskProblems of BureaucracyOrganizational culture can be difficult to changeNo guidance from the ConstitutionEasy to hide behind SOPsFundamentally a political realmA system at odds with itself: rules but also opportunities for access Slave to many masters—elected officials, professional associations and the media all have a sayPoorly defined sense of missionWhen they do have a mission, can be too focusedOther Worries: Iron TrianglesSpecial relationships often develop between elements in Congress, interest groups, and bureaucratic agencies or departmentsOften charges of a “revolving door” in WashingtonFear that the ties might be too closeCongressional Oversight of the BureaucracyFire alarms vs police patrolsFrequent criticism is that Congress often abdicates its responsibility to exercise oversight of the bureaucracyDon’t so much abdicate, as prefer a different type of


View Full Document

UB PSC 101 - Bureaucracy

Documents in this Course
Load more
Download Bureaucracy
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Bureaucracy and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Bureaucracy 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?