Bureaucracy: Executive Branch Overview

Study Notes

Bureaucracy: Government organizations implementing public policy, staffed by experienced officials. Hierarchical structure with specialized staffs, ideally free of political accountability, though subject to Congressional budget and oversight. Employs a merit system for hiring, reducing patronage and ensuring expertise.

Difficulty in firing underperforming employees due to civil service protections.
This can lead to complacency and inflexibility among employees.

Maintaining order and safety: Protecting against domestic and foreign threats, natural disasters (e.g., DoD, DHS, Secret Service, FEMA).
Implementing laws: Carrying out Congressional laws and Presidential executive orders.
Regulations: Issuing rules impacting the public (e.g., EPA's clean air standards). This is a major source of bureaucratic power, called bureaucratic rule-making.

Guidelines issued by government agencies detailing policy implementation.
Reasons Congress delegates rule-making: Lack of expertise, avoiding blame for unpopular policies, efficiency, time constraints, easier agreement.
Concerns: Separation of powers issues, ensuring legislative intent is followed. Legislative intent: The intended implementation of a law, which may not always be explicitly clear.

President and White House Staff: Works directly with the president, loyal to the presidential agenda, doesn't require Senate approval.

Cabinet Departments: Created by Congress (oldest: State, Treasury, War/Defense; newest: Homeland Security).
Independent Executive Agencies: Established by Congress, operate outside cabinet departments, report directly to the President, possess a single function, and offer independence from potentially hostile departments (e.g., Social Security Administration, CIA, NASA, EPA).
Independent Regulatory Commissions (IRCs): Regulate specific economic activities (e.g., FCC, Federal Reserve Board). Create and implement rules to protect the public interest, often addressing complexities Congress can’t handle. Can be susceptible to industry influence ("capture"), leading to pro-business rather than pro-consumer outcomes. Examples: Federal Reserve Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Government Corporations: Not included in provided text.

The text does not explicitly detail checks and balances, but it can be inferred from the discussion of Congressional oversight on the budget and the potential for conflict between the President and Independently operated agencies.