united states bureaucracy how it gets done…or not…
TRANSCRIPT
UNITED STATES BUREAUCRACY
How it gets done…or not…
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT?
Forms, forms, forms
Rules & Regulations
Long lines
Rudeness
Inefficiency
BUREAUCRACY DEFINED
A hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality.
Bureaucracies govern modern states.
DEFINITION/PURPOSE
Characteristics: chain of command (hierarchical), specialized (division of labor), rules, merit
and equal treatment of clients
Aim: interpret/enforce laws, an orderly system of providing services to the public.
Governmental response to social concerns.
TERMS TO UNDERSTAND
Spoils system: rewarding party loyalists & friends (Jackson)
Patronage: successful candidates rewarding supporters with jobs & favors
Civil Service: hiring & promotion based on competency (merit)
1883 Pendleton Act
POWERS
Legislative: interpretation & enforcement with minimal oversight or review.
Judicial: settling rule violations (rule adjudication)
OVERSIGHT
Theoretically
In practice
Iron Triangles and
Issue Networks
IRON TRIANGLES
Legislative committees and sub-committees specializing in specific policy areas
Bureaucratic agencies: Federal bodies responsible for interpretation and enforcement of legislation/executive orders
Clientele groups: special interest groups, lobbyists and Political Action Committees (PACs, political arms of clientele groups)
IRON TRIANGLES
Objective: develop policies that are mutually beneficial to the participating parties
Actors
Interest Group Legislative Committee or Subcommittee Bureaucratic Agency
Attributes Autonomous Operate by consensus Limited Membership
THE MIGHTY TRIANGLE
ISSUE NETWORKS
Purpose:
influence
congressional legislation and agency interpretation and enforcement
Come together, act and disband
Similar to “iron triangles” but may include broader, looser, temporary membership (i.e.: media, lawyers, academics, policy experts, members of congress, bureaucrats). It is less structured and fluid or temporary.
THE PROCESS(budget year: Oct. 1-Sept. 30)
Feb-Dec: Agency requests reviewed by Office of Management and Budget and sent to the President for consideration
Dec: Budget finalized Feb: Budget sent to Congress Mar-Sept: Congress reviews and marks up while passing
spending/revenue bills* Sept: President acts on budget proposal Oct: New fiscal year begins Oct-Sept: Bureaucracy executes budget Oct-Nov: Budget expenditures finalized
FOLLOWING THE MONEY...
Pork BustersCitizens Against Government WasteHeritage FoundationThe ExaminerThe Sunlight FoundationAmericans for ProsperityThe Club for Growth
SURPLUS
DEFICIT
$1,000,000,000,000
PROTECTIONS AND INFORMATION
1939 Hatch Act: limits political activity of civil servants on the job (campaigning, soliciting etc.)
1946 Administrative Procedures Act: open hearings on and access to regulations
1966 Freedom of Information Act: access to copies of public records
1974 Privacy Act: access to personal files 1976 Open Meeting Law (Brown Act in CA) Public bodies must meet openly (“Sunshine laws”) Federal Register
REFORM APPROACHES
Reorganization including deregulation
Responsibility transfer from Federal to State county, city (devolution)
Privatization of governmental programs and services
Combo plate
WHAT DO WE KNOW?
THE BUREAUCRACY
Definition Purpose Characteristics In action Budget development