chapter 15 the bureaucracy. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.what happened to...

Chapter 15Chapter 15The The

BureaucracyBureaucracy

Copyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. What happened to make the What happened to make the

bureaucracy a bureaucracy a ““fourth branchfourth branch”” of of American national government?American national government?

2.2. What are the actual size and scope of What are the actual size and scope of the federal bureaucracy?the federal bureaucracy?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. What should be done to improve What should be done to improve

bureaucratic performance?bureaucratic performance?

2.2. Is Is ““red tapered tape”” all bad? all bad?

Distinctiveness of the American Distinctiveness of the American BureaucracyBureaucracy

Political authority is shared among Political authority is shared among several institutions.several institutions.

Federal government agencies share Federal government agencies share functions with state and local functions with state and local governments.governments.

““Adversary cultureAdversary culture”” leads to close leads to close public scrutiny.public scrutiny.


Proxy GovernmentProxy Government

Social SecuritySocial Security MedicareMedicare Environmental Environmental

protectionprotection Income tax Income tax

collectioncollection Many military Many military

dutiesdutiesCopyright © 2013 CengageCopyright © 2013 Cengage

People taken by boat away from their New Orleans homes that were struck by Hurricane Katrina in 2008.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Growth of the BureaucracyThe Growth of the Bureaucracy The BeginningThe Beginning The Appointment The Appointment

of Officialsof Officials A Service RoleA Service Role A Change in RoleA Change in Role

• Great DepressionGreat Depression• World War II World War II • Effects of 9/11Effects of 9/11


The Federal Bureaucracy TodayThe Federal Bureaucracy Today

Has the size of the Federal bureaucracy Has the size of the Federal bureaucracy increased since 1960?increased since 1960?

• The number of Federal employees (excluding The number of Federal employees (excluding the Post Office) is roughly the same.the Post Office) is roughly the same.

• However, an estimated 13 million people now However, an estimated 13 million people now work work indirectlyindirectly for the Federal government as for the Federal government as employees of private firms and state/local employees of private firms and state/local agencies largely supported by federal funds.agencies largely supported by federal funds.



Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, Table 481. Federal Bureau of Prisons Weekly Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, Table 481. Federal Bureau of Prisons Weekly Population Report and Quick Facts (available at http://www.bop.gov/locations/weekly_report.jsp; and Population Report and Quick Facts (available at http://www.bop.gov/locations/weekly_report.jsp; and http://www.bop.gov/news/quick.jsp#5).http://www.bop.gov/news/quick.jsp#5).


Source: Outlays: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2004-2005, Table 461, and Historical Statistics of the United States, Series F-32 and Y-340, Civilian employment and pages in the Federal Register: Harold W. Stanley and Richard G. Niemi, Vital Statistics on American Politics (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Press, 2010), 255.


Recruitment and RetentionRecruitment and Retention

• Federal Civil Service SystemFederal Civil Service System

Office of Personnel ManagementOffice of Personnel Management The competitive service The competitive service The excepted serviceThe excepted service

• Not hired by the OPMNot hired by the OPM• Some are nonpartisan in natureSome are nonpartisan in nature• Some are patronage jobs available to the PresidentSome are patronage jobs available to the President



Recruitment and RetentionRecruitment and Retention

• The Buddy SystemThe Buddy System

• Firing a BureaucratFiring a Bureaucrat

• The AgenciesThe Agencies’’ Point of View Point of View


Fire erupting from the offshore oil rig operated by BP in the Gulf of Mexico near American land.

HO/AFP/Getty Images/Newscom


Personal AttributesPersonal Attributes

• Social ClassSocial Class• EducationEducation• Personal BeliefsPersonal Beliefs• Comparing political appointees and Comparing political appointees and

career bureaucrats to the average career bureaucrats to the average American citizenAmerican citizen


Figure 15.2 Characteristics of Federal Civilian Figure 15.2 Characteristics of Federal Civilian Employees, 1960 and 2005Employees, 1960 and 2005


Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1961, 392–394; Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2009, Table 482.

*Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Islanders


Do Bureaucrats Sabotage Their Do Bureaucrats Sabotage Their Political Bosses?Political Bosses?

• To block or to carry out?To block or to carry out?• Whistle Blower Protection Act-1989Whistle Blower Protection Act-1989• How common is bureaucratic sabotage?How common is bureaucratic sabotage?



An Amtrak train speeding along its tracks. Amtrak service costs the federal government much morethan the train earns in fares.

A letter carrier picks up mail; his employer, the U.S. Postal Service, is running a huge deficit.

Peter Steiner/Alamy AP Images


Culture and CareersCulture and Careers

• The informal understanding among fellow The informal understanding among fellow employees as to employees as to ““howhow”” they are supposed they are supposed to act.to act.

• Agency Agency ““career-enhancingcareer-enhancing”” jobs jobs



Constraints – Why so many?Constraints – Why so many?

• Those imposed by legislationThose imposed by legislation

• Split responsibilities with other agenciesSplit responsibilities with other agencies

• The overall effects of the Constitution on The overall effects of the Constitution on agency behavioragency behavior


The Federal Bureaucracy TodayThe Federal Bureaucracy Today Agency Allies Agency Allies

• Iron TrianglesIron Triangles Government AgencyGovernment Agency Committee in CongressCommittee in Congress Interest GroupInterest Group

• Issue NetworksIssue Networks Interest GroupsInterest Groups Congressional StaffsCongressional Staffs Universities and Think TanksUniversities and Think Tanks Mass MediaMass Media



The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter made by Lockheed Martin for the American military and some of its allies.

AP Images

Congressional OversightCongressional Oversight

Congressional Oversight of Executive Congressional Oversight of Executive Branch AgenciesBranch Agencies

The Appropriations Committee and The Appropriations Committee and Legislative CommitteesLegislative Committees

The Legislative VetoThe Legislative Veto

Congressional InvestigationsCongressional Investigations


Bureaucratic PathologiesBureaucratic Pathologies

Red TapeRed Tape ConflictConflict DuplicationDuplication ImperialismImperialism WasteWaste


At the world’s busiest border crossing, cars line up to enter the United States in Tijuana, Mexico, p. 428.

David McNew/Getty Images


*Other response categories were “never heard of” and “can’t rate,” and only the newest agency, the Transportation Safety Administration,drew significant numbers in each category (9 percent for each).

Source: Adapted from results of a nationally representative Associated Press/IPSOS Public Agenda poll conducted December 17–19, 2007.

Reforming the BureaucracyReforming the Bureaucracy

The Brownlow CommissionThe Brownlow Commission The First Hoover CommissionThe First Hoover Commission The Ash CouncilThe Ash Council National Performance Review National Performance Review Government Performance and Government Performance and

Results ActResults Act Performance Assessment Rating ToolPerformance Assessment Rating Tool



Mayor Villaraigosa goes through a full-body scanner at Los Angeles International Airport.

An airline passenger is questioned by TransportationSecurity Administration inspector at Newark airport.

David McNew/Getty Images REUTERS/Mike Segar

New Administration Struggling to Fill Top Posts—New Administration Struggling to Fill Top Posts—Cabinet Secretaries Say Cabinet Secretaries Say ““The President Needs The President Needs

Help!Help!”” Four months into the new administration, hundreds of Four months into the new administration, hundreds of

assistant secretary and deputy assistant secretary positions assistant secretary and deputy assistant secretary positions remain unfilled. In 1960 the total number of presidential remain unfilled. In 1960 the total number of presidential political appointees was just 450. Today the total is over political appointees was just 450. Today the total is over 2,400, but sheer growth is not the whole story. Rather, say 2,400, but sheer growth is not the whole story. Rather, say experts on federal bureaucracy, plum public service posts experts on federal bureaucracy, plum public service posts go unfilled because the jobs have become so unrewarding, go unfilled because the jobs have become so unrewarding, even punishing.even punishing.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

MEMORANDUMMEMORANDUM

To: To: Dr. Robert Smith, president of Cybersystems EngineeringDr. Robert Smith, president of Cybersystems Engineering

From: From: James Logan, Secretary of DefenseJames Logan, Secretary of Defense

Subject: Subject: Becoming an assistant secretary of defenseBecoming an assistant secretary of defense

As both secretary and a dear old college buddy of yours, I write again As both secretary and a dear old college buddy of yours, I write again to express my hope that you will accept the presidentto express my hope that you will accept the president’’s call to s call to service. We all desperately want you aboard. Yes, conflict-of-service. We all desperately want you aboard. Yes, conflict-of-interest laws will require you to sell your stock in your present interest laws will require you to sell your stock in your present company and drop out of its generous pension plan. No, the company and drop out of its generous pension plan. No, the government wongovernment won’’t even pay moving costs. And once you leave t even pay moving costs. And once you leave office, you will be barred for life from lobbying the executive office, you will be barred for life from lobbying the executive branch on matters in which you were directly involved while in branch on matters in which you were directly involved while in office, and you will be barred for two years from lobbying on office, and you will be barred for two years from lobbying on matters that were under your general official authority. Your other matters that were under your general official authority. Your other concerns have teeth, too, but let me help you weigh your options.concerns have teeth, too, but let me help you weigh your options.



Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. I hate to preach, but it is one1. I hate to preach, but it is one’’s duty to serve ones duty to serve one’’s country s country when called. Your sacrifice would honor your family and when called. Your sacrifice would honor your family and benefit your fellow Americans for years to come.benefit your fellow Americans for years to come.

2. As an accomplished professional and the head of a 2. As an accomplished professional and the head of a company that has done business with the government, you company that has done business with the government, you could help the president succeed in reforming the could help the president succeed in reforming the department so that it works better and costs less.department so that it works better and costs less.

3. Despite the restrictions, you could resume your career once 3. Despite the restrictions, you could resume your career once your public service was complete.your public service was complete.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. Since you will have to be confirmed by the Senate, your life 1. Since you will have to be confirmed by the Senate, your life will be put under a microscope, and everything (even some will be put under a microscope, and everything (even some of our old college mischief together) will be fair game for of our old college mischief together) will be fair game for congressional staffers and reporters.congressional staffers and reporters.

2. You will face hundreds of rules telling you what you can2. You will face hundreds of rules telling you what you can’’t do t do and scores of congressmen telling you what you should do. and scores of congressmen telling you what you should do. Old friends will get mad at you for not doing them favors. Old friends will get mad at you for not doing them favors. The president will demand loyalty. The press will pounce on The president will demand loyalty. The press will pounce on your every mistake, real or imagined.your every mistake, real or imagined.

3. Given the federal limits on whom in the government you 3. Given the federal limits on whom in the government you can deal with after you leave office, your job at can deal with after you leave office, your job at Cybersystems may well suffer.Cybersystems may well suffer.



Your decision:Your decision:

Accept position?Accept position?

Reject position?Reject position?



chapter 15 the bureaucracy. copyright © 2013 cengage who governs? who governs? 1.what happened to...

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