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Chapter 1Bureaucracy • Bureaucracy is officially responsible to the president under his constitutional charge to take care that the laws of the nation are faithfully executed.• Bureaucracy almost makes ups a fourth branch – due to autonomy and resources • Both president and congress, partly due to growth in bureaucratic growth in power, have developed bureaucratic organizations of their own. • Positive government has added functions to the nation-state totally foreign to the 19th and early 20th century governments• Each new government function has spawned a corresponding bureau• The bureau grows because the public demands it• The bureau is a policy making ‘branch’• Only under President Clinton did the size of government decline• Bureaucracy affects every aspect of our livesBureaucracy: A Favorite Target• Growth of bureaucracy beast view as a threat • favorite target of both politicians and citizens • constant criticism of bureaucracy by politicians was both recognized and accepted by genral public • Grace Commission designed to achieve greater efficiency in government that would save billions of dollars • arguments claim bureaucracy hinders the effective operation of themarket economy that efficiently allocates resources; there will always be harmful Efficiency: An Untested Hypothesis • Claiming that government bureaucracy is inefficient is untestable because due to the definition of efficiency we can only compare efficiency between bureaus that produce the same product. This doesn’t happen in government bureaus• In some cases, small portions of a bureaus activities can be measured for efficiency• Argument for inefficiency based more on assumption over fact • Based on “ if there is no competition to force efficiency then organization must be inefficient”Administrative Power As Political Power • Administrative power is the ability of a bureau to allocate scarce societal resources; political power exercised by a gov bureau when it determines; who gets what, where, and how• Administrative power requires resources and autonomy • These requisites determine how powerful a bureau is• Influence bureaucracy has on our life is authoritative • Autonomy: the discretion to make decisions concerning agency activitiesLOOK at cases 1-4 for detailed examples in different policy areas Chapter 2• first level of organization below prez. is the 15 executive departments each headed by a cabinet secretary – secretary headed (prez picked) •• individual departments were established by congress over 200 yr period – the us gov is an organic body, grows and shrinks, departments reflect that because created at different time reflects understanding at time of their creationDepartments• Departments performing essential government functions Departments of war/treasury/and state created in 1798 – three essential functions of govt.- War and state tied to presidential power – diplomacy and national defense, president is designated as chief diplomat and commander in chief of armed force – reorganization 1947 the Dept. of defense = ( Dept. of War + Dept. of navy)- Treasury - congressional power – related it to congress power to tax – treasury dept. through its bureaus collects the nations taxs, print, money, finance national debt, gives grant money to other nations- State department today conducts the nations diplomacy and coordinates a variety of US programs that affect other nationsDepartments reflecting needs of growing nation• Created 2 departments - Department of Interior 1849- Department of justice 1870Department of justice- composed of several legal units that represent the US in court on legal matters concerning antitrust, criminal law, civil law, civil right, tax law, and law, and land and natural resources law.- Also contains federal law enforcement ( FBI ), immigration service, and the federal prisons Department of InteriorHesitated because of states rights (British Home Department ) – but needed oversight in the new lands being won – department was established strong ties to groups interested in public lands, recreation, and reclamation - was able to set a precedent by making string ties with clientele groups – ppl interested in public lands Indian affairs wildlife - jurisdiction over parks, recreation and some natural resources programs to cater the clientele group – clientele departments –are the departments of agricultural, commence, and labor – created to satisfy the demand of interests group rather than govern them – but the ppl involved lobbied heavy until passed - US Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1862 – developing and improving farming- change happened in 1930 great depression, department was transformed into a subsidies and regulation department designed to limit farm production and raise farm income- paying ppl not to grow stuff – moved from research body, to responsible of farmer subsides , and now marketing and food distribution (food stamps, lunch schools)Commerce department- 1903 business was behind setting it up – 20’s major force in setting up domestic policies in economic growth, not so much today – lost power because department of labor- today programs including business promotion, the Census Bureau, the Patent office, and the national Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration Department of Labor 1913Originally part of department of Commerce - monitors worker health and safety, unemployment standards and compensation and create jobs several decades no new departments created - Departments reflecting national priorities – response to governmental needs and problems Department of health and human services – created out of Federal Security Administration to give health priority – today programs distribute funds for health research, health care (Medicaid, Medicare) welfare, and social security 1965 department of housing and urban development – in response to war on poverty - Linden Johnson - mortgage guarantee programs, public housing programs, and programs addressing urban problems - best known for corruption scandal, involving favoritism1967 Department of transportation – dealing with railroads, airlines, and highways – established for needed comprehensive approaches to transportation problems1977 Department of Energy – response to concern of nations energy shortage- research and development and regulatory - most funds go to nuclear energydepartment of homeland


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FSU PAD 4391 - Chapter 1

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