1. Federal
Bureaucracy
Executive
Office of the
President
Executive
Departments
Independent
Agencies
The Civil
Service
GOVERNMENT AT WORK:
THE BUREAUCRACY

2. OPPOSING VIEWS

8.  Large, complex administrative structure that handles the
everyday business of an organization
Organizations with a bureaucracy
 Federal Government
 US Army
 McDonald’s
 Catholic Church
 Bishop Walsh
WHAT IS A BUREAUCRACY?

9. Hierarchical Structure
 Chain of command; pyramid structure
 Pro:
 Con:
Job Specialization
 Each member has certain defined duties & responsibilities
 Pro:
 Con:
Formalized Rules
 Established set of regulations
 Pro:
 Con:
FEATURES OF A BUREAUCRACY

10.  Agencies, people & procedures that help the government carry
out its policies
 Almost all in the Executive Branch
 Constitution gives the President broad powers to establish an
administration to carry out his or her policies
Executive Office of the President
Cabinet Departments
Independent Agencies
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

11. Department -- Cabinet-level
Agencies & Administrations
 Usually single-administrators; near Cabinet-level
 EPA; NASA
Commissions
 Regulate business
 FCC; SEC
Corporations or Authorities
 Business-like activities
 FDIC; TVA
WHAT’S IN A NAME?

13.  Until 1857, presidents paid support staff out of pocket
EOP
 Established 1939
 Reorganized in every administration
White House Office
National Security Council
OMB
Council of Economic Advisers
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

14. WHITE HOUSE OFFICE

15.  Rule of propinquity: closer your office to the Oval, the more
influence you have.
 West Wing > East Wing > Old Executive Office Building
WHITE HOUSE OFFICE

18. Chief of Staff
 Top Aide
 Directs White House
operations
Press Secretary
 Gives daily press briefings;
voice of administration
White House Counsel (legal
adviser)
Communications Director
Deputy COS
Office of Legislative Affairs
WHO’S IN THE WEST WING?

19.  Meets at the Presidents call to assist in most foreign matters
 Members: VP, Sec of State & Defense, CIA Director, chairman
of Join Chiefs of Staff
 National Security Adviser heads the staff of policy experts
 Advisory body
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

20.  Large & influential
 Prepares the federal budget submitted by the President
 Budget: detailed list of receipts (money in) and expenditures
(money out) during a fiscal year (Oct 1 – Sept 30)
 Federal agencies submit budget proposals to the OMB
 OMB revises & fits the requests into the President’s plan
 Oversees the funds appropriated by Congress
 Helps president prepare executive orders & veto messages
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET

21.  Three members; confirmed by Senate
 Chief economic advisers to the President
 Helps prepare Annual Economic Report to Congress
COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS

23.  15
 Cabinet Departments
 Not mentioned in Constitution
 1789: State, Treasury & War
 Each department has its own policy area
 Each headed by a secretary (except DOJ)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxSvi6JCCfk
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

25.  At one time, the main advisors to the president
 Today, most time spent administering respective department
Two Goals
 Serve the President
 Promote & protect his or her department
 Subject to Senate confirmation
 Oldest:
 Biggest:
 Largest Budget:
 Newest:
WHAT DOES THE CABINET DO?

27.  “Cabinet” = head of 15 departments + other officers at
president’s discretion
 OMB Director
 VP
 Chief of Staff
 US Trade Rep
 EPA
 US Ambassador to the UN
CABINET-LEVEL OFFICERS

29.  Party of the President
 Played a role in the campaign
 Regional Balance – Where should the Sec. of Interior come
from?
 First Woman:
 First African-American:
 First Hispanic:
 First Female Sec. of State:
 First Female Attorney General:
WHO GETS APPOINTED?

30.  Bill Clinton: Cabinet played a key role
 JFK: Cabinet meetings a “waste of time”
 Lincoln: “Seven nays, one aye: the ayes have it.”
 Taft: “The Cabinet is a mere creation of the President’s will…It
exists only by custom.”
 Jackson: Kitchen Cabinet
 FDR: Brain Trust
 Truman: Cronies
 Most presidents hold regular cabinet meetings
 Often media events
PRESIDENTS ON THE CABINET

31.  None until 1880s
 Today, nearly 150
 Exist outside the Cabinet departments
 NOT independent of the president
Independent Executive Agencies
Independent Regulatory commissions
The Government Corporations
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

32.  Organized like Cabinet
departments
 GSA, NASA, EPA
 Civil Rights Commission,
Peace Corps, FCC
 American Battle Monuments
Commission
 Citizen's Stamp Advisory
Committee
INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE AGENCIES

33.  Largely outside of president’s
control
 10
 Rules & regulations have the
force and effect of law
 Can mediate disputes in their
fields
 Does work Congress does not
have time for.
 Federal Reserve
 FTC; SEC; FCC; NLRB
INDEPENDENT REGULATORY
COMMISSIONS

34.  Carry out business activities
 First: Bank of the United States (1791)
 Export-Import Bank
 US Postal Service
 Amtrak
 Though function like businesses, all employees are public
GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS

35.  Most federal employees are not
presidential appointees
 Civil Service created as a way to staff
these administrative jobs
 Jackson’s Spoils System
 Pendleton Act
CIVIL SERVICE