Maxwell & Crain

Chapter Nine

Elizabeth Sylvia

Brittany

Bureaucracy

develops wherever human beings organize themselves to systematically accomplish goals and in the process they lose some of their flexibility and efficiency.

Four characteristics of Bureaucracy

Size

Size…

bureaucracy has grown as the number of people employed by public administrations has grown. More employees means larger bureaucracies.

Many politicians have tried streamlining national and state governments with both positive and negative results.

States with more centralized governments tend to have higher rates of state employees

Size…

Each state has it’s own organizational system with great variations

A reduction in bureaucracy means a reduction in government, services, and programs

Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy

Neutrality

Neutrality…

The administration of the laws aim to be neutral. To separate politics from administration regardless of age, gender, race, or wealth.

One way of creating non prejudice employment, was the national government established a civil service or merit system with competitive examinations or objective measures of qualification for hiring or promoting employees. Texas never implemented this system statewide, but some of Texas level governments use a merit system.

Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy

Hierarchy

Hierarchy…

Bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchy. There are multiple levels of authority with more power at the top to less power at the bottom.

This hierarchy has a framework or rigid rules.Texas does not follow a strict form of hierarchy

although most bureaucracies are structured in a hierarchy.

Four Characteristics of Bureaucracy

Expertise

Expertise…

In order for bureaucracies to run smoothly each authority is given a very defined set of powers and responsibilities. Each member is trained and educated specifically for their job’s purpose.

Iron Triangle

The iron triangle is used to provide a conceptual understanding of the coalition and mutual support that exists between legislative committees, administrative agencies, and economic special-interest groups.

The iron triangle shows the relationship of the federal government more than it does Texas government.

The Iron Triangle

Legislative Committees Administrative Agencies

Interest Groups

The Iron Texas Star

Texas has weak legislative committees.The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the

Texas house of representatives select most of the members and all of the chairs of the standing committees, conference committees, and legislative boards and commissions.

Texas is virtually absent of a civil service for Texas government employees

The Iron Texas Star

The Iron Texas Star is all about mutual support groups that can all benefit from each other.

The Five points of the Iron Texas Star:1.Special Interests Groups2.Lieutenant Governor, Legislative Institutions, Senate

Standing Committees,3.Governor4.Speaker of the House, Legislative Institutions, House

Standing Committees5.Boards, Commissions, Administations

The Iron Texas Star

Special-Interest Groups

Lieutenant Governor, Legislative Institution,

Senate Standing Committees

Governor

Speaker of the House, Legislative

Institutions, House Standing Committees

Boards, Commissions,

Administrations

Bureaucracies and Policy Making?

Texas administration is accountable to interest groups.

Policies are usually made to accommodate allies and resolve conflict between opponents.

Attorney General of Texas

Four year term, with no limitOne of the four most powerful offices in Texas

government.Lawyer for all officials, boards, and agencies in state

government.Functions: child support, Medicaid fraud, crime victim

compensation, civil actions concerning insurance, banking, and securities. State business: oil and gas, highways, transportation, and charitable trusts.

Attorney General of Texas

Attorney General Opinion: Attorney General gives legal opinion to his or her client, although these opinions aren’t legally binding they hold great weight in Texas and if advice is not followed the Attorney General will not defend the action in court.

Represent the State and It’s Government: The Attorney General is responsible for representing the state and it’s government in both civil and criminal litigation.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Four year term, no limitControls almost all financial activity of state

government.Comptroller is to certify the state’s approximate

biennial revenue and the financial condition of the state at the close of the year.

Who is Responsible for the Actions of the Texas Bureaucracy?...

Interest Groups