AP Gov

Policy implementation is sometimes a matter of trial and error and may fail for any of the following reasons EXCEPT:

. agencies avoid establishing standard operating procedures.

Characteristize the average bureaucrat:

: 97% are NOT appointed. They reflect society (diverse backgrounds and ethnicity). Most live outside of DC (all over the country)

Prevents government bureaucracy from being efficient

A typical government bureau cannot hire, fire, build, or sell without going through procedures set down in laws. Congress rarely gives any job to a single agency and procedures are spelled out by Congress

Main role is to manage presidential mobility (trips).

Advance Office

In general, what is the opinion of the American public regarding the bureaucracy? (similar to Congress)

Americans who deal with bureaucrats one-to-one have mostly positive experiences, but the general perception of bureaucracy is VERY negative.

How can a president try to control a bureaucratic agency?

Appointments, budget process, and executive orders

Our 'foot soldier' spies that monitor enemies and friends throughout the world.

CIA

What is the main function of the federal bureaucracy?

Carry out (implement) policy. By doing so, they provide services and regulation.

How has the placement of federal bureaucrats changed over time?

Closer scrutiny and less spoils. It is a combination of merit and political appointment with most jobs in the bureaucracy based on an exam or specific job qualifications.

Who exercises control over the bureaucracy (and how)?

Congress (Legislative) and the President (executive)

Monitors the safety of products produced and sold in the United States.

Consumer Product Safety Commision

42. How did September 11 expand government bureaucracy?

Crisis usually leads to action.. Homeland Security is the 15th department added to the Cabinet, the first since Veterans Affairs in 1989.

What has led to the growth of bureaucracy over our history?

Crisis, growth and size of country, 16th Amendment, change in philosophy, new issues

Commerce

Deals with our country's trade balance and business-related policy.

Veteran Affairs

Deals with returning soldiers who need medical help, job training, housing, etc.

Justice

Enforces and prosecutes the majority of federal criminal law.

Insures your bank account (up to $200,000).....means less people hide their cash under their mattress.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Manages government operations and funding at major domestic disaster zones (post-fire, tornado, etc.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Monitors the flow of our currency into the economy and manages interest rates.

Federal Reserve

How do Federal agencies perform their regulatory task of enforcing industry standards?

Field workers / agents / inspectors are out there checking things out.

How can a citizen best influence the workings of a federal agency or department?

File a complaint with the agency directly OR Go to your Congressperson (let them do the work

hat is the role of the Appropriations Committee in Congress? How has their power been somewhat limited in recent years?

Finance a government program or agency. been limited through trust funds, budget deficit, and many programs are annual authorizations instead of permanent

From the standpoint of a federal agency, what is the advantage of an iron triangle?

Gives them alliances / friends in Congress

What is patronage?

Giving a job / position / appointment as a payback for helping a candidate win election, or for loyalty, or for friendship, or as part of logrolling

Bureaucrats in civil service range from GS 1 - GS 18. What does GS stand for?

Government Service

9. This office is essentially our country's accountant, determining all revenue and expenditures.

Government Accountability Office

Devolution has brought about what change to the federal bureaucracy?

Government by proxy. Washington pays state and local governments and private groups to staff and administer federal programs

How has the placement of federal bureaucrats changed over time

It is a combination of merit and political appointment with most jobs in the bureaucracy based on an exam or specific job qualifications.

What was the civil service merit system supposed to reduce?

It was supposed to transfer jobs from patronage to the merit system

The top military brass....help the President with military decisions as Commander-in-Chief.

Joint Chiefs

16. How does Congress control / check the bureaucracy?

Lawmaking: Authorization bills (the program) and appropriations bills (purse strings), Iron Triangles, Hearings / Oversight, and the Senate approves most appointments

What is authorization legislation?

Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency

The public perception of waste in government is different than the reality. Why and how?

Less a problem than we believe. The media sensationalizes stories to sell news.'Government waste stories' are newsworthy stories because they stir emotions.

Interior

Manages all federally owned land.

Energy

Monitors oil imports and consumption, green technology, and nuclear research.

Labor

Monitors worker safety and other issues related to most blue collar occupations.

This agency spies on any and all global threats via signal intelligence of communications.

National Security Administration

Part of the EOP......this group advises the President on any serious crises here and abroad.

National Security Council

An 'independent' that investigates every aviation accident and some others.

National Transportation Safety Board

Did it grow significantly during the Cold War?

Not really out of the ordinary

Helps to pull together the details of the annual budget of our U.S. government.

Office of Management and Budget

Chief of Staff

Operate the White House and oversee White House Goals and strategies for achieving goals.

How does American bureaucracy and spending on bureaucracy and government service/regulation differ from most western European democracies?

Our bureaucracy not as large // Our spending not as much (lower % of gnp). Socialism is expensive.

Transportation

Oversees federal highway, air, railroad, and maritime regulations.

The basis of appointments to the bureaucracy during most of the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century was:

Patronage (to the winner go the "spoils")

29. The old Spoils System was reformed by a number of key legislative acts including: (list three)

Pendleton Act Hatch Act Civil Service Reform

Why is Robert Reich critical of the whole appointment process?

People hired are amateurs. Rarely have experience managing large bureaucracies, President often appoints quickly, they remain in office on average less than two years

Policy implementation can fail. Why? / How?

Poor judgment of administrators Unclear legislation Short on staff / resources Miscommunication between related departments / agencies / offices

For many years, this independent was by far the largest part of the executive branch.

Post office

Treasury

Prints our currency.

What is the biggest criticism of the process for firing a bureaucrat?

Process is long and difficult and expensive, making it very difficult to get rid of even incompetent workers.

Education

Produces national standards for schools to strive for.

How do executive orders impact bureaucracy?

Similar to law. They effect how the bureaucracy works

Homeland Security

TSA, Border Patrol, and other groups securing our country from terrorist threat.

Health and Human Services

Take care of people, focusing on the needs of the impoverished.

State

Takes care of our diplomatic relations.

Agriculture

Takes care of the majority of issues and research as related to farmers.

What is the name we give to the heads of all the major departments?

The Cabinet (secretaries)

Press vs. Secret Story

The Press Staff wants crowds and hoopla and excitement... and hopefully 'the perfect picture' or video. Secret Service wants quiet and secrecy and safety.

Defense

The department over which the President resides as Commander-in-Chief.

Red tape is a guarantee. Though perceived mostly in negative light, why is red tape good?

There would be no rules about hiring based on merit, financial accounting procedures, or regulations concerning citizen access to info or public records

Regulatory agencies and the industries they regulate do have fairly close relationships. How?

They communicate on issues, problems, programs. They share employees back and forth. They share ideas. They work together to impact Congress ($$ / policy)

Housing and Urban Development

This federal department monitors all low-income housing projects and programs.

Which of the following statements most accurately describes the size of the federal bureaucracy?

Whereas the majority of early bureaucrats were part of the US Postal system, today the federal bureaucracy is much larger and multi-faceted.

What is NOT a characteristic of bureaucrats?

almost half of all bureaucrats get their jobs through presidential appointment.

All of the following are true about the relationship between regulatory agencies and the industries they regulate EXCEPT:

d. agencies usually make decisions without consulting the regulated industry.

When a president tries to control a bureaucratic agency, all of the following methods are available to him EXCEPT

disbanding the agency

implementation

federal agencies can not always make laws work. In other words it is easy for Congress to pass legislation, it is another thing to actually make it work (implement). This is one reason Congress and the 4th Branch have a close relationship

Stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur between agency, interest group / industry, and Congressional committee are called:

iron triangle

Loose and informal relationships that exist among the large number of actors who work in broad policy areas are called:

issue network

From the standpoint of a federal agency, what is the advantage of an iron triangle?

it gives the agency allies in Congress, as well as in the private sector.

duplication

overlapping responsibility. Defense/ Veteran Affairs deal with Arlington National Cemetery

imperialism

pend and grow without reason. If a department or agency doesn't spend the money that is budgeted by Congress it only makes sense that Congress would cut their budget. Every agency is looking for ways to increase their budget and importance

Appointed heads

tension between career bureaucrats and the presidential appointments

The small group of more important Department Secretaries are sometimes referred to as the:

the Inner Cabinet

conflict

two agencies do seemingly opposite tasks. ex. one agency subsidizes farmers who limit production while another agency produces hybrid seed that grows more crop per acre.

In general, what is the opinion of the American public regarding the bureaucracy?

when people have personal dealings with bureaucrats, they generally have positive experiences, although they have a less favorable attitude about the federal government as a whole.