Chapter 14
The Bureaucracy: The Real Power?
Most activities of the federal government are carried out by bureaucrats. Hence the selection, organization, and control of these people is a central issue of government. Today most elected officials join the public in being critical of the bureaucrats and bureaucracy. President Reagan promised to curb the bureaucracy by eliminating the Departments of Education and Energy, cutting pay raises and fringe benefits of workers, and placing a ceiling on the number of federal employees. A commission appointed by him (Grace Commission) claimed that $424 billion could be saved in three years if its recommendations were followed. Critics scoffed! Supporters cheered!
And not much happened. In fact, another cabinet post, Veterans Affairs, was added and none were cut. President Bush, in contrast, did not denounce the bureaucracy, recognizing that if he were to be successful, he needed a loyal, efficient corps of government workers.
President Clinton and Vice President Gore pledged to reduce the civilian work force and make bureaucracy focus on customer service and yet be more efficient. Vice President Gore prepared a report of 800 recommendations to "reinvent government." George W. Bush argued in the 2000 presidential election that Gore had a chance to make the “big government” smaller but failed. Bush said that he would work to downsize the federal government. Still the negative image of government persists. In basic terms, it boils down to this.
Are bureaucrats productive people, or are they a kind of parasitical growth attached to the nation's long-suffering taxpayers?
One Answer: Yes! Bureaucrats are productive people — very important people: they make the American political system work.
Another Answer: No! Government work attracts people interested chiefly in security, routine, and carefully defined rules. It repels those with drive and initiative.
Another question concerns the organization of governmental machinery. Are bureaucrats over-organized, so that any constructive suggestions are finally lost somewhere along the chain of command? Or is the system under-organized and badly controlled, so that bureaucrats become free agents, responsible to no one? A final question relates to how the American federal bureaucracy responded to the aftermath of 9/11.
Part I — Glossary
BUREAUCRATS - Government officials, normally those who receive office through appointment rather than election.
DEPARTMENT - Usually the largest organization in government; also the highest rank in the
federal hierarchy.
BUREAUCRACY - A professional corps of officials organized in a pyramidal hierarchy and functioning under impersonal, uniform rules and procedures.
RED TAPE - The procedure and forms used in carrying out policies, often by implication, unnecessary steps.
BUREAU - Generally the largest subunit of a department or agency.
GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS - A cross between business corporations and government agencies, created to secure greater freedom of action.
INDEPENDENT AGENCY - A government entity that is independent of the three branches of government.
INDEPENDENT REGULATORY COMMISSION - A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.
SPOILS SYSTEM - System of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists or friends.
MERIT SYSTEM - System of public employment based on skills, training, and performance.
SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE - A flexible, mobile corps of senior career executives who work closely with presidential appointees to manage government.
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (OPM) - Agency that administers civil service laws, rules, and regulations.
HATCH ACT - Federal statute barring federal employees from active participation in certain kinds of politics and protecting them from being fired on partisan grounds.
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET - Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements.
IMPLEMENTATION - The process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules or
spending.
ADMINISTRATIVE DISCRETION - Authority given by Congress to the federal bureaucracy to use reasonable judgment in implementing the laws.
REGULATIONS - The formal instructions that government issues for implementing laws.
RULE-MAKING PROCESS - The formal process for making regulations.
UNCONTROLLABLE SPENDING - The portion of the federal budget that is spent on programs, such as Social Security, that the president and Congress are unwilling to cut.
ENTITLEMENTS - Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens.
INDEXING - Providing automatic increases to compensate for inflation.
OVERSIGHT - Legislative or executive review of a particular government program or organization.
CENTRAL CLEARANCE - Review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the OMB to assure that each communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program.
Part II — Political Dialogue
The Clash of Issues and Ideas
1.Do you agree that the federal bureaucracy is an overzealous guardian of the status-quo?
2. Bureaucracy is an inevitable part of all governments. Discuss this statement.
3.The Case of George Brown — How did he get his job? What was his first reaction when he was told to cut his budget? Why did he reconsider his initial reaction? What action did he finally take? Justify or criticize his decision.
4.“Americans invoke Jeffersonian values — decentralization, local control, small and amateur government — in shrill terms — as these goals become increasingly unworkable.” Discuss.
5.“Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem.” Is this statement true?
6.“We need to get the bureaucracy off our backs and the IRS out of our pocketbooks.” Discuss.
- “Compared to any other highly industrialized country with a worldwide military presence, the United States runs a tight ship, if we measure the size and cost of our bureaucracy against our population and GNP.” Defend or criticize this statement.
Part III — Political Science Today
1.Before reading this chapter, what stereotypes or images did you have of federal bureaucrats and bureaucratic agencies? Have any of those original impressions been modified after finishing the chapter? If so, which ones and why the change in viewpoint? Conversely, if you feel that your original images of bureaucracy have remained essentially the same, then explain why you feel the way you do. You may wish to incorporate the contrasting views held by liberals (federal bureaucracy is too status-quo oriented, lazy, and unimaginative) and conservatives (federal bureaucracy is too liberal, too large, powerful, and unaccountable) regarding the merits or demerits of the bureaucracy.
2.Research the procedures you would have to follow to apply for a federal civil servicejob. What pay and/or grade classification might an entry-level employee with a bachelor's degree expect? How would the salary and benefits compare with the salary and benefits for a comparable entry-level position in the private sector?
Contact your college or university career services office first to gather information for this assignment.
3.Read the side bar discussion on “red tape.” Think of three instances where the existence of such “red tape” is beneficial to the public. Be prepared to share your illustrations in class discussion.
4.Review issues of national newspapers and magazines at your college library to find two examples of Hatch Act violations. Do you think the limitations imposed by the Hatch Act are too stringent? Why/why not?
5. Choose and research a regulatory agency. What are its responsibilities? Has this agency
been pressured by Congress, the president, or interest groups? Has the agency grown in
size?
6. Congress often passes laws that are ambiguous and only vaguely articulates how they can
be interpreted or implemented. What are the pros and cons of this type of legislation?
Part IV — Data Analysis
1.Use the information gathered for item 2 under Part VII to provide a perspective about today's federal civil service salary scales. In addition, conduct library research to determine the magnitude of salary increases granted to federal employees over the last ten to fifteen years. Check to see whether the benefits provided to federal employees have been the focus of discussion during debates about the federal budget and deficit. What observations can you make from the information you have gathered about changes in federal pay and benefits from the early 1980s to the present? Put your findings in a short paper.
2.Research the issue of drug testing for civil servants. Try to find at least three arguments against the practice and three arguments for the practice. After doing this, where would you stand on this issue?
3.Research the question of waste in the federal bureaucracy. Try to find three recent examples of such waste that have been heavily publicized by the media. Do you find any common patterns in the three examples?
Part V — Test Answers
Data Analysis
1. Answers to all three data analysis problems will depend upon each student's research efforts.