1. The Bureaucracy

2.  A large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization.

3.  15 Departments under control of the President that advises him, creates policy and enforces laws  Examples: Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and Department of State.  14 of the 15 are headed by a Secretary – which is a presidential appointment (ie. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton)  The Justice Department is headed by the Attorney General (Eric Holder)

6.  State Department – Handles all Foreign Policy  Agencies: Consulates, Ambassadors, and your passport  Justice Department – Handles the enforcement of laws  Agencies: FBI, DEA, ATF, and US Marshalls  Defense Department – Handles all issues involving our military  Agencies: Army, Navy, and Air Force (of the 4+million that work for the Exe Dept and their agencies – 3 million are in the Dept of Defense alone)

7.  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – Dept of Labor – responsible for overseeing regulations and policies for the safety of workers  Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Dept of Health and Human Services – responsible for overseeing regulations and policies for the safety of our food and drugs

8.  The President’s Cabinet consists of the 14 Secretaries, the Attorney General and the Vice President  They advise the President on matters relating to their department  Cabinet level appointments require Senate confirmation  FYI - George Washington’s cabinet had 4 members

11.  Are part of the Executive Branch but outside of direct control of the President.  Directors are not considered to be Cabinet level  Important examples: US Post Office, CIA, and FEMA

12.  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – responsible for space exploration and research  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – responsible for creating and enforcing regulating policies that protect us and our environment

13.  Independent of the three branches of government  President chooses and Senate approves the members to the board that governs. Members serve for a specified timeframe  Make regulations/policies for large businesses that affect the general public  Have the power to investigate if those regulations/polices have been violated and to punish those that do

14.  Federal Communications Commission (FEC) – regulates interstate and foreign communications by radio, tv, wire, satellite, and cable.  Federal Reserve System Board (the Fed) – Supervises banking system, practices; regulates money supply, use of credit in economy