The Bureaucracy

Question 1

What are the negatives of the bureaucracy?

Answer 1

• unnecessary paperwork and regulations
• wasteful, inefficient

Question 2

What does the bureaucracy do?

Answer 2

• the main job is to implement or carry out laws & policies
• part of the executive branch
• non-elected
• agencies, administrations, etc.

Question 3

It’s organized into? + examples

Answer 3

• departments
• agencies
• commissions
  ex. department of education, centers for disease control and prevention, FDA

Question 4

Descibe cabinet departments.

Answer 4

• 15 executive departments
• headed by “secretary” cabinet members
• advise and operate specific policy area

Question 5

agencies

Answer 5

• subunits in each department
• agency: IRS, department: Treasury

Question 6

Commissions

Answer 6

• an independent body of 5-7 members (a “Board”)
• serve terms
• a president cannot replace them
• Ex. Federal Reserve Board

Question 7

Roles of the bureaucracy

Answer 7

• writing and enforcing regulations
• enforcement and fines
• testifying before congress
• iron triangles & issue networks

Question 8

pendleton civil service act (1883)

Answer 8

an attempt to make federal appointments merit-based, not patronage-based

Question 9

civil service commission

Answer 9

a bi-partisan group who ensure a candidate qualifys for a job and aren’t requires to make campaign contributions

Question 10

civil service reform act

Answer 10

created fair standards for dismissal,m merit, diversity, and presidential control

Question 11

office of personnel management

Answer 11

replaced the civil service commission
- stronger merit based requirements

Question 12

national performance review

Answer 12

1993 overhaul under Clinton to make the bureaucracy more functional

Question 13

delegated discretionary authority

Answer 13

the power to interpret legislation and create rules

Question 14

administrative procedures act (APA)

Answer 14

guidelines for agencies to make rules/procedures that are transparent and fair

Question 15

congressional regulation

Answer 15

• members of congress are elected
• they must oversee the authority of agencies (non-elected) to prevent abuse

Question 16

implementing the law

Answer 16

Discretional Authority allows agency experts to determine laws and best actions

Question 17

code of federal regulations

Answer 17

all laws and regulations made by agencies are recorded in the Federal Register

Question 18

Independent Regulatory Agencies

Answer 18

regulatory agencies have board members that keep a term despite a change in the presidency

Question 19

congressional oversight

Answer 19

• congressional committees “check & balance” the authority of agencies
• ex. the senate committee on agriculture, nutrition, and forestry oversees the national parks service

Question 20

power of the purse

Answer 20

appropriations committees authorize how much money goes to each agency every year

Question 21

office of information and regulatory affairs

Answer 21

the president can review bureaucratic regulations to see if they comply with the president’s agenda

Question 22

policy challenges

Answer 22

acting on the president’s interests, agencies enforce compliance monitoring

Question 23

compliance monitoring

Answer 23

ensuring that industries within their realm are complying with regulations

Question 24

committee clearance

Answer 24

congress reserves the authority to review and approve agency actions

Question 25

legislative veto

Answer 25

-congressional attempt to control agencies
- in the 1980s it was declared unlawful as it violated checks and balances

Question 26

competition in the executive branch

Answer 26

• agencies act in competition with one another
• creates a lack of cooperation

Question 27

whistleblower protection act

Answer 27

prohibits a federal agency from retaliating against a “whistleblower”

Question 28

judicial review

Answer 28

• allows the courts to have a check on agency unlawfulness
• the us circuit court of appeals takes most civil cases dealing with agencies
• interpretation is difficult because of agencies discretionary authority bestowed by congress