Chapter 1: Accountability
what is the essence of modern government?
"we the people identify problems that we expect the government will solve, to promote the general welfare."
what was the historical growth of government like?
-National bank 1913 -FDR's New Deal -:Lyndon B. John son's War on Poverty -George W. Bush investigating citizens for the purpose of eradicating terrorism -affordable care act
what was Colonial American government like?
-deep distrust in administrative power -intentionally left aspects of administration vague -avoided tyranny
elements of accountability
-fiscal accountability -process accountability -program accountability -political accountability
what is political accountability?
-political scrutiny -high standard of ethical behavior -public servants
what are the three themes of public administration?
-politics -performance -accountability
what is an example of accountability by the government?
BP Deepwater Horizon and Flint Water Crisis
what is program accountability?
a public program achieves its purpose as defined in law
how does accountability have to do with public administration?
a relationship between people (who is accountable to whom) about actions (what are they accountable for)
what is fiscal accountability?
agency officials spend money on the programs they are charged with managing
what is accountability?
answerability to whom for what
what is inevitable?
discretion
what do Americans expect government to be?
effective, efficient, equitable, and accountable
what is the three aspects of performance of the government?
effectiveness -efficiency -running government like business
responses to accountability problem
exit, voice, loyalty, neglect model
what is efficiency?
goods and services at the lowest cost in the fastest way
what is public administration?
government sets goals and creates complex organizations to meet the goals
what is process accountability?
how agencies perform their tasks
what is a whistleblower?
how much obedience do government officials owe to organizational superiors and elected officials
where are standards of ethics higher?
in the public sector
what is effectiveness?
producing high quality goods and services
what office conducts program analysis?
the US Government Accountability Office
what is exit?
the decision by members of an organization to leave especially because they disagree with polities and programs
what is voice?
the decision by members of an organization to remain within an organization and protest policies and programs with which they disagree
public service
the quality of government depends on the quality of those who work in government and respect bureaucratic accountability and ethical behavior
what is politics?
who gets what, when, and how