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Why do individuals stay away from working for the government?
Americans generally do not trust the govt and think the private sector can do a better job
civil servants have very little prestige unlike other countries
our public bureaucracy is surrounded by more legal restrictions and is subject to more intense legislative oversight than other countries
What two bosses do federal agencies have?
the president
Congress
Who appoints the heads of departments?
the President appoints and the Senate approves
What is the newest federal department?
Homeland Security
created in the wake of 9/11
Know what Independent Regulatory Commissions are and how they operate.
an entity in the executive branch that is outside the immediate control of the president and Congress that issues rules and regulations to protect the public
Know what bureaucrats do.
a bureaucrat is just someone who works in a bureaucratic organization
execute programs and policies
regulating
adjudicating
discretion and democracy
Describe the Pendleton Act of 1883.
aka Civil Service Act of 1883
created a bipartisan Civil Service Commission to oversee a system of appointments to certain executive branch posts on the basis of merit
Know what Clinton meant by making government "look more like America."
he appointed many women and minorities to top posts in his administration
What are birds of passage?
top political appointees
they do not last long on the job, usually only about 22 months
they leave for many reasons
Which President established a plumber's unit?
Richard Nixon
Know how Congress can influence the behavior of an agency.
by legislating agency organization and mission
by confirming presidential appointments
by controlling the agency budget
by holding oversight hearings
by using inspectors general
Understand oversight.
Congress gathers info and has forums about the policies and performance of executive departments and agencies
Understand privatization and be able to give an example of this.
turning over certain government functions to the private sector
Defense Dept does not produce its own weapons, etc
Define red tape.
overbearing bureaucratic rules and procedures
Know what reinventing government entails and who supported this idea.
transforming the federal bureaucracy not only by cutting the fat and privatizing but also by introducing business principles into the executive branch
Clinton supported this idea and turned the responsibility over to Gore