1. Executive Branch Chapter 15 The Bureaucracy – Government at Work
Ms. Shay – Political Science

2. What is a Bureaucracy? It isn’t just red tape waste, and delay as
An efficient and effective way to organize people to do work
It isn’t just red tape
waste, and delay as
many people think.

3. Features and Benefits of a Bureaucracy
Hierarchical Authority
Speeds action/no conflict over who makes decisions
Job Specialization
Promotes efficiency
Formalized Rules
Decisions are based on known standards
4. Bureaucrats – appointed not elected!

4. Federal Bureaucracy
All of the agencies people and procedures through which the Federal Government operates
Located in the executive branch
Constitution is silent on who will help the President “execute” the laws except for suggesting a State & Defense Department
Policies need to be administered by people other than the President

5. Three Agencies of The Executive Branch
Executive Office of the President
Executive Departments (15) (Cabinet)
Independent Agencies
See page 417 in your textbook.

6. 1.Executive Office of the President “EOP”
Right Arm of the President
Consists of closest advisors and assistants
FDR established it in 1939 and is constantly reorganized by each Pres.

7. A. White House Office Most important part of EOP
Includes: chief of staff, legal advisor, press secretary, physician, and many assistants
400 total members today

8. B. National Security Council “NSC”
Advises on all domestic, foreign, and military matters related to national security.
Includes:
President
Vice President
Secretary of State, Treasury, and Defense
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
They work under the National Security Advisor.

9. C. Office of Management and Budget “OMB”
2nd most influential unit
Prepares the federal budget
A detailed estimate of income and expenditures for the fiscal year.
Fiscal year runs from Oct 1 – Sept 30.
Expression of public policy in $
Monitors spending of funds

10. Other EOP Agencies
Office of National Drug Control Policy – headed by the nation’s “drug czar” who prepares strategy (1989)
Council of Economic Advisors – 3 leading economists chosen by Pres.
(Warren Buffet will be one for Obama)

11. Other EOP Agencies The Office of Policy Development
The Council of Environmental Quality
The Office of VP
The Office of US Trade Representative
The Office of Science and Technology Policy
The Office of Administration
The Office of Faith Based Community Initiatives
The Office of Homeland Security

12. 2. Executive Department “Cabinet”
Original Departments were:
State
Treasury
War (now called Defense)
Now there are 15.
Homeland Security is the most recently created one in 2002
Departments are headed by a Secretary
Department of Justice headed by Attorney General

13. Other Cabinet Departments
5. Interior
6.Agriculture
7. Commerce
8. Labor
9. Health & Human Services
10. Housing & Urban Development
11. Transportation
12. Energy
13. Education
14. Veterans Affairs

14. How the Pres Chooses Cabinet
Party affiliation
Personal qualifications and practical experience
Geographical balance
Various interest groups influence decision
Gender and race

15. William Howard Taft
“The Constitution contains no suggestion of a meeting of all the department heads, in consultation over general governmental matters. The Cabinet is a mere creation of the President’s will…It exists only by custom. If the President desired to dispense with it, he could do so.”

16. 3. Independent Agencies Three Types
The independent executive agencies – do important work but don’t have Cabinet status. Ex: NASA, EPA
The independent regulatory commissions – 10 agencies with no presidential direction, created to regulate or police important aspects of economy
The government corporations – FDIC, AMTRAK, TVA,

17. Independent agencies
Additional agencies of the Executive Branch found outside the Cabinet Departments
Why Independent Agencies?
Some do not fit well within any Cabinet Department.
Some need protection from the influence of partisan and pressure politics.
Some were born as independent by accident.

18. Tidbits of Information
2.7 million employees of executive administration
1.4 million people in the military
Most employees are career people not politicians
Only the bosses change when a new president is elected
Appointments must be approved by Senate
90% of employees work outside of D.C.