Federal bureaucracy (10 questions)

Question 1

Principles of bureaucracy

Answer 1

• Hierarchical authority
• SOP-Standard operating procedures = formalized rules *Set of rules for how to carry out a procedure
• Job specialization: division of labor

Question 2

Merit system vs. spoils system

Answer 2

• Andrew Jackson started the Spoils/Patronage system where who you like get the job
• Merit system is now more often used

Question 3

Cabinet (executive department)

Answer 3

President appoints, Senate Approves, President can fire w/o Senate approval (15 cabinets)

Question 4

Government corporation

Answer 4

-Board of Directors
-Charge ppl for products
-owned by govt to help offset costs \
EX) Tennessee Valley Authority, U.S. Postal Service, and Amtrak

Question 5

Federal Reserve Board

Answer 5

12 Federal Reserve Banks are headed by Federal Reserve Board which facilitates exchanges of cash, checks, and credit; regulates member banks; and uses monetary policies to fight inflation and deflation.

Question 6

Power of the bureaucrats

Answer 6

• Expertise gives them power
• They are there as long as possible because of merit (don’t always listen to President; Postponement occurs)
• Fight hard to protect agency

Question 7

Limitations on bureaucracy

Answer 7

• Budget cuts
• Oversight from Congress
• Courts can invalidate what the Bureaucrats do
• President influences them by firing leaders/appointing leaders and creating new bureaucracy/eliminate depts/reorganize depts.
• Congress can create specific laws (no room for bureaucracy to work)
• Congress can create a sunset law/provision in which law provision expires after a certain period of time
• public can limit a bureaucracy through website (Freedom of Info. Act)
• Whistleblowers can report on them

Question 8

Department of Justice

Answer 8

the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870

Question 9

Department of Health and Human Services

Answer 9

the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979

Question 10

Ambassadors

Answer 10

• Head of cabinet and ambassador for president is based on patronage
  
  • normally only stick around when President is in office.
  • Patronage doesn’t typically last long