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Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy. Chapter 8.2 Executive Branch at Work. Bureaucracy. What is a bureaucracy? Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials. “bureau” – French for small desks, referring to the king’s traveling business men who set up small desks in town squares

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Bureaucracy

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  1. Bureaucracy Chapter 8.2 Executive Branch at Work

  2. Bureaucracy • What is a bureaucracy? • Large, complex organization of appointed, not elected, officials. • “bureau” – French for small desks, • referring to the king’s traveling business men who set up small desks in town squares • Thus, bureaucracy = “government of small desks”

  3. Who are bureaucrats? • 1 out of 100 Americans work for government bureaucracy • Examples • US Postal Service (USPS) • Amtrak (METRO) • Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

  4. What do bureaucrats do? • They assist the President. • Give him advice about their specialties. • Example: AMTRAK • Advise POTUS to get law passed saying you can’t carry a gun on a bus. • Help carry out the rules and regulations in their fields. • Example: Take away your bus pass.

  5. Accountability • Bureaucracy is controlled by the US government • Congress • appropriates money to individual bureaucracies • President • Appoints leaders to head of bureaucracies • Hopefully the best person gets put in place. • What if the POTUS wanted to hire his friend?

  6. How did bureaucracies start? • 1829 POTUS Andrew Jackson’s “Spoils System” • Since you won the election, you get to pick your friends to be head of bureaucracies! • “To the victors go the spoils” • Lasted until 1883 • Pendleton Civil Service Act • Created in response to criticism of spoils system • Must take test to see who is qualified for jobs. • Called the merit system. • Police men • Fire men • Teachers

  7. Modern Bureaucracy • 1932-1945 • FDR’s New Deal • increased government programs and gov’t work • Established over 25 million government jobs over 12 years! • Closest to socialism we ever came. • Will Obama take us farther?

  8. Why are bureaucracies bad? House and Senate agricultural subcommittees Tobacco farmer interest groups (tobacco lobby) Department of Agriculture Congressional Committee = sympathetic to tobacco, receive campaign funds and support from tobacco interest groups; make weak laws on tobacco. Dept. Of Agriculture executes laws sympathetic to tobacco -COMMON INTEREST – Keep tobacco alive = keep their jobs alive

  9. Criticism of Bureaucracy • “Red tape” inefficiences • maze of rules, regulations, and paperwork that makes bureaucracy overwhelming to citizens • Bureau of Motor Vehicles • Social Security • Medicare and Medicaid • Financial Aid (FAFSA) • Unchecked growth • agencies expand unnecessarily at high costs • Private Health Care Insurance • Price increase of 300% in last 2 decades! • Lack of accountability • difficult in firing an incompetent bureaucrat • Difficult to close down/change a bad bureaucracy • Private Health Care to Public Health Care

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