The Federal Bureaucracy “Rule by People at Desks” Chapter 13

The Daily / Undefined Branch Interaction with all of us daily –FDA, EPA, DOE and many more Love hate relationship between citizens and bureaucracy –Less most of the time, more in emergencies

Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy Cannot serve in Congress and hold executive branch position. Article I, Section 6 of U.S. Constitution –Issue with Hillary Clinton recently –Done to prevent corruption

Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy Congress has power too create departments, the Senate approves nominees, but the President is the administrator in chief

Bureaucracy Today 2.7 Americans employed –15 Cabinet-level departments –U.S. Postal Service –50 independent agencies –1.4 million in armed forces Congress can create or abolish with a law, or by withholding funds

Bureaucracy Today Difficult to manage because of size, interest group connections, and political history. Confusion over who is responsible and overlap of duties. –Mad cow disease Food and Drug Administration, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection –DOA & HHS SLOW

How the Federal Government is Organized Department is the highest ranking in federal hierarchy and usually largest. Example: Department of Defense –Departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force Each has separate duties Army has its own air force, navy has its own army (marines) OVERLAP

How the Federal Government is Organized 15 Cabinet Departments are most visible Employ 70% of all federal civil servants and spend 93% of all federal dollars –14 headed by secretaries, Justice department by the Attorney General

Two Approaches to Creation of Departments Umbrella Department –Combining a number of related programs Homeland Security Health and Human Services Commerce Defense Single Purpose Department –Survival strength due to a constituency group (Interest Group) Veterans Affairs –1989 American Legion Education Agriculture Commerce Labor

Independent Regulatory Commissions Part of bureaucracy but are partially independent from Congress and President Run by a small number of commissioners appointed by president, approved by senate Federal Reserve – Ben Bernanke SEC FCC

Independent Agencies These agencies still report to the President Usually start smaller, and work up to becoming a department –Veterans Administration in 1930, Department 1989 Currently 50 –CIA, NASA, EPA, and DEA

Leading the Federal Bureaucracy ~3,000 presidential appointees head federal departments and agencies –600 subject to Senate confirmation –2,400 serve entirely “at the pleasure of the president”

Becoming a Presidential Appointee Selection by White House Presidential Personnel Office White House clearance Submission of name to Senate Senate review

The Senior Executive Service ~7,000 members –~6,400 career executives –~600 political executives Along with the president’s political appointees, help run federal departments and agencies

The Civil Service Federal employees who work for the government through a competitive, not political selection process. –Originally abused by the “spoils system” –90% of government jobs are now on merit

Civil Service Realities Only 15% of career civilian employees work in Washington, D.C. 25% work for armed forces, 30% for post office Majority of bureaucrats are white-collar employees (lawyers, managers, engineers, etc…)

Regulating the Civil Service 1939 Hatch Act –Allowed civil service members to vote, but not be active in partisan politics –Also could not be dismissed for political reasons –Overhauled in 1993 by Clinton administration Idea is it could increase political participation