The Federal BUREAUCRACY [AP Gov Review Unit 2 Topic 12 (2.12)]

Summary

This video covers the federal bureaucracy in the context of AP Government. It explains the structure and role of the bureaucracy in carrying out government responsibilities, focusing on cabinet departments, independent regulatory commissions, and government corporations. It explores how these entities create regulations, issue fines, and collaborate with Congress, highlighting the concept of iron triangles and issue networks. Additionally, the video touches on the historical evolution of the bureaucracy, from the spoils system to civil service reforms aimed at increasing efficiency and professionalism. A lighthearted tone is used throughout to engage the audience.

Takeaways

• 📝 The federal bureaucracy consists of millions of employees who carry out the responsibilities of the federal government under the authority of the executive branch.
• 🏛️ The executive branch enforces laws passed by Congress and requires many employees to do so, organized into different cabinet departments and agencies.
• 📜 There are 15 cabinet departments, each with specific missions, like the Department of Defense and the Department of Education, with agencies working to achieve the department's goals.
• 🏦 An example of a department is the Treasury, which has agencies like the IRS (responsible for tax collection) and the U.S. Mint (responsible for printing money).
• 📡 Independent regulatory commissions operate independently from the president but regulate specific areas of society, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
• 📬 Government corporations, like the U.S. Postal Service, are hybrids between government agencies and private businesses, providing public services through a market-driven approach.
• ⚖️ Bureaucratic organizations write and enforce regulations, issue fines for non-compliance, and provide expert testimony to Congress through what’s called the ‘iron triangle’ (bureaucrats, congressional committees, and interest groups).
• 🔄 Iron triangles, while still present, have been weakened by the rise of issue networks, which bring together various stakeholders around specific issues to influence policy.
• 📅 The efficiency of the bureaucracy has improved over time, especially after reforms such as the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, which replaced the spoils system with a merit-based system for hiring federal employees.
• 📈 Further reforms, like the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, under Jimmy Carter, upheld the merit-based system and expanded opportunities for women, enhancing professionalism and efficiency within the federal bureaucracy.

Q & A

What is the federal bureaucracy, according to the video?

The federal bureaucracy consists of millions of people employed to carry out the responsibilities of the federal government. It falls under the authority of the executive branch and helps enforce laws passed by Congress.

How is the bureaucracy structured?

The bureaucracy is structured into several layers, including 15 cabinet departments like the Department of Defense and Department of Education. Each department is subdivided into agencies that work together to achieve the department's goals.

What role do independent regulatory commissions play in the federal bureaucracy?

Independent regulatory commissions operate somewhat apart from the president's authority but are still part of the executive branch. They regulate specific aspects of society, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which regulates broadcast language and content.

What are government corporations and how do they differ from other bureaucratic entities?

Government corporations are a hybrid between government agencies and private businesses. They offer services that the government wants to provide, but where the free market is the best way to do so, like the U.S. Postal Service.

What are the main tasks of the federal bureaucracy?

The bureaucracy writes and enforces regulations, issues fines for non-compliance, and interacts with Congress. For example, the FCC mandates closed captions on TV, and the IRS fines individuals for not filing taxes on time.

What is compliance monitoring in the context of the federal bureaucracy?

Compliance monitoring refers to bureaucratic agencies ensuring that laws and regulations are being followed. If businesses or individuals fail to comply, agencies like the IRS or EPA issue fines for violations.

What is the iron triangle and how does it function?

The iron triangle is a relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups. These entities work together to make policy, with each relying on the others for expertise, funding, and political support.

What are issue networks and how do they differ from iron triangles?

Issue networks are groups of various stakeholders who come together around a specific issue to effect change, often disrupting iron triangles. They consist of people who may disagree on many things but unite on a particular issue.

What is the spoils system, and how did it lead to reform?

The spoils system allowed the president to give bureaucratic jobs to political supporters, regardless of qualifications. This led to inefficiency and corruption, and after the assassination of President Garfield, it was reformed through the Pendleton Civil Service Act.

What changes did the Pendleton Civil Service Act and later reforms introduce?

The Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 created a merit-based system for hiring bureaucrats, ensuring that jobs went to qualified individuals. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 further improved efficiency and increased opportunities for women.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the Federal Bureaucracy and its Structure

In this video, we discuss the role of the federal bureaucracy in executing the responsibilities of the U.S. government, focusing on how the executive branch carries out laws passed by Congress. The federal bureaucracy is composed of millions of workers, and its basic structure includes 15 cabinet departments, each divided into smaller agencies. These agencies, like the IRS and the U.S. Mint under the Treasury Department, work together to fulfill the department's mission. Additionally, independent regulatory commissions and government corporations, such as the FCC and USPS, operate to regulate various aspects of society and provide services to the public.

05:01

📝 How Bureaucratic Entities Carry Out Responsibilities

This section explains the key roles of bureaucratic entities in implementing government policies. First, they write and enforce regulations, such as the FCC's mandate for closed captions on broadcasts. Second, they issue fines for non-compliance, like the IRS penalizing late tax filers or the EPA fining polluters. Lastly, they interact with Congress, where department heads testify before committees, often in collaboration with interest groups. These relationships form 'iron triangles,' though their influence has diminished due to the rise of issue networks, which bring together diverse groups focused on specific concerns, such as tobacco control.

⚖️ Civil Service Reform and Bureaucratic Efficiency

This paragraph discusses the history of how people obtained jobs in the federal bureaucracy, starting with Andrew Jackson's 'spoils system,' where supporters were rewarded with government jobs. The system became problematic, leading to the assassination of President Garfield in 1881. In response, the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 introduced a merit-based system for hiring bureaucrats. This reform professionalized the bureaucracy, making it more effective. Further improvements occurred in the 20th century, particularly under President Carter's Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which promoted efficiency, expanded opportunities for women, and enhanced the merit-based hiring process.

Keywords

💡Federal Bureaucracy

The federal bureaucracy consists of millions of employees responsible for carrying out the responsibilities of the federal government. It operates under the executive branch and enforces laws passed by Congress. In the video, it is described as a complex structure made up of departments, agencies, independent regulatory commissions, and government corporations, all tasked with specific duties.

💡Cabinet Departments

These are the 15 major executive departments of the federal government, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Education. The video explains that the heads of these departments form the president’s cabinet, and each department is subdivided into agencies that work toward the department's goals.

💡Independent Regulatory Commissions

These commissions operate independently of the president's direct control but are still part of the executive branch. Their purpose is to regulate specific areas of society, like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which oversees media regulations. In the video, the FCC is mentioned for its role in ensuring appropriate language on broadcast television.

💡Government Corporations

A hybrid between a government agency and a private business, government corporations provide services that are more efficiently offered through a business model. The video uses the U.S. Postal Service as an example, explaining how it operates like a business but is owned by the government.

💡Regulations

Regulations are rules established by bureaucratic agencies to help enforce laws. These rules have the force of law, and agencies ensure compliance. The video gives the example of the FCC requiring closed captions on TV broadcasts to make media accessible to those with disabilities.

💡Iron Triangle

The iron triangle refers to the stable, mutually beneficial relationships between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups. These groups cooperate to create and enforce policies. The video highlights how bureaucrats offer expertise, congressional committees provide funding, and interest groups supply political support, forming a loop of influence.

💡Issue Networks

Issue networks are coalitions of individuals and groups who come together to address a specific issue, often disrupting iron triangles. In the video, issue networks are mentioned as a more modern and flexible alternative to iron triangles, with tobacco regulation used as an example of an issue that could be influenced by such a network.

💡Spoils System

The spoils system was a practice where political supporters were rewarded with government jobs, regardless of their qualifications. The video describes how this system led to inefficiencies and corruption, such as the assassination of President James Garfield by a disgruntled office-seeker, prompting reforms to the system.

💡Civil Service Reform

Civil service reform aimed to replace the spoils system with a merit-based system for hiring government employees. The video mentions the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 as a key reform that required government jobs to be filled based on qualifications rather than political loyalty, improving efficiency and fairness.

💡Merit-Based System

A merit-based system ensures that government jobs are awarded to individuals based on their qualifications and skills, rather than political connections. In the video, the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883 is cited as the legislation that established this system, leading to a more professional and competent federal workforce.

Highlights

The federal bureaucracy consists of millions of people employed to carry out the responsibilities of the federal government.

The bureaucracy falls under the authority of the executive branch and is responsible for enforcing laws passed by Congress.

There are 15 cabinet departments, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Education, with each department subdivided into agencies.

Independent regulatory commissions, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), regulate specific aspects of society.

Government corporations, like the U.S. Postal Service, are a hybrid between government agencies and private businesses.

The bureaucracy writes and enforces regulations, like the FCC rule that required closed captions for TV broadcasts in the 1990s.

Bureaucratic agencies issue fines for non-compliance, such as the IRS fining people for failing to meet tax deadlines or the EPA fining companies for violating the Clean Air Act.

Bureaucrats often testify before congressional committees and provide expertise in their areas, contributing to policy making.

Iron triangles form strong relationships between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups, although these have weakened due to the rise of competing interest groups and issue networks.

Issue networks are coalitions that come together around a specific issue, sometimes challenging established iron triangles.

In the 19th century, the spoils system allowed presidents to appoint supporters to bureaucratic jobs, often without regard to qualifications.

The assassination of President Garfield in 1881 led to the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, which introduced a merit-based system for federal jobs.

The merit-based system was further expanded under President Jimmy Carter with the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, promoting professionalism and efficiency in the bureaucracy.

The Civil Service Reform Act also increased opportunities for women to work in the bureaucracy.

The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the role and structure of the federal bureaucracy for the AP government curriculum.

Transcripts

hey there and welcome back to heimlich's

history now we've been going through

unit two of the ap government curriculum

and that means it's time to talk about

the federal bureaucracy so if you're

ready to get them brain cows milked

bureaucrat style then let's get to it

okay so in this video here's what we're

trying to do explain how the bureaucracy

carries out the responsibilities of the

federal government so let's begin in the

beginning what is the federal

bureaucracy well in addition to holding

the title for the word i most frequently

misspell in this curriculum the

bureaucracy consists of the millions of

people who are employed to carry out the

responsibilities of the federal

government and which falls under the

authority of the executive branch

remember the executive branch of the

government is there to enforce the laws

passed by congress in order to enforce

those laws it requires a metric butt

load of people so in order to understand

how the bureaucracy works let's begin

with its basic structure first you've

got the cabinet departments of which

there are 15. for example you have the

department of defense in the department

of education and we'll talk a lot more

about those in the next video but for

now just know that all the folks that

make up the president's cabinet are the

heads of those departments now each of

those departments are further subdivided

into agencies which all work together to

accomplish the goals of the department

for example the mission of the

department of the treasury is to quote

maintain a strong economy and in order

to get that done there are several

agencies within that department that

work to achieve that in for example you

have the internal revenue service which

is responsible for collecting taxes and

deciding how and when that occurs and

you also have the united states mint

which coins and prints all our money

okay then under the heading of

bureaucracy we have independent

regulatory commissions they're

independent because they operate

somewhat apart from the president's

authority but they're still associated

with the executive branch and these

commissions do what their names suggest

they are created for the specific

purpose of regulating some aspect of

society for example we have the federal

communications commission which is

responsible in addition to its many

other responsibilities for making sure

potty mouth language doesn't end up on

our television broadcast thanks to the

fcc i could not go on television and say

[Laughter]

and i definitely could not talk about

how

you know what i'm saying anyway the

final kind of bureaucratic entity you

should know about is the government

corporation this is a kind of hybrid

between a government agency and a

private business when there are services

that the government wants to offer to

the public but the free market is the

best way to do it then a government

corporation is created or acquired so

the next time you go outside to check

the mail you can think about government

corporations because one of the biggest

of these is the u.s postal service okay

so that's the basic structure of the

bureaucracy now let me briefly tell you

about what these entities do in order to

carry out the will of the executive

branch first these organizations write

and enforce regulations for example if

you've ever seen closed captions on a

video or tv screen that's because in the

mid 90s the fcc made it a rule that

closed captions be included for those

with disabilities there are a few

exceptions to the rule but for the most

part if you want to broadcast a show on

tv and you don't include the closed

captions the fcc is going to get you

which brings us to the next thing these

organizations do namely issue fines for

non-compliance if you decide that the

april 15th deadline for filing your

taxes just doesn't appeal to you then

maybe the irs is going to slap a fine on

you quick fast and in a hurry or another

example if businesses don't abide by the

provisions of the clean air act and

pollute the environment to their little

hearts content well the environmental

protection agency is about to hit them

with a fine and that's what's known as

compliance monitoring now the third

thing these bureaucratic organizations

do is interact with congress the

department heads are often experts in

their field and they'll go to

congressional committees and testify on

behalf of the dealings of that agency or

their department now these bureaucratic

agencies often work very closely with

congressional committees and interest

groups and when they do so this

relationship is called an iron triangle

these three entities work together and

rely on one another's strength in order

to make policy bureaucrats offer

expertise to congressional committees

with whom they are eager to cooperate

since its congress who approves funding

for their department committee members

want to pay attention to interest groups

because they often have policy experts

who can inform them of the implications

of certain policies and interest groups

can provide funding for congressional

races and if interest groups help these

congress people get elected then they

will likely provide funding for a

bureaucratic agency that will address

the interests of the interest group and

on around the triangle we go now these

days iron triangles aren't as prevalent

as they have been in the past and that's

partly because the number of competing

interest groups have multiplied

dramatically another reason is the

prevalence of issue networks which have

worked to weaken iron triangles so for

example an iron triangle that formed

around tobacco interest could be

severely disrupted by an issue network

which is a conglomeration of a bunch of

folks who sometimes disagree about a lot

of things but they come together around

one specific issue and seek to effect

change if one of these issue networks is

alarmed that so many americans are using

tobacco then they have influence to

break the triangle okay we done got

ourselves into the weeds of how the

bureaucracy works and now we need to

finish by talking about how the

efficiency of the bureaucracy has

changed over time and really this has to

do with how people come to work in the

bureaucracy back in the days of andrew

jackson getting a job in the bureaucracy

was the result of something called the

spoils system you know that saying to

the winner goes the spoils well that's

the idea of the spoils system in

jackson's day when the president won an

election that meant that he had hundreds

of bureaucratic jobs to fill and so he

would give them to those who were not

necessarily qualified for the jobs but

rather those who supported his candidacy

as you can imagine such a system can go

sideways pretty quickly as it did in

1881 in the assassination of president

james garfield just like every president

before him garfield began his term by

hearing from thousands of applicants for

bureaucratic jobs people who had helped

him get elected and there were way more

people applying than there were jobs to

give out so some people had to be told

no well as it turns out he told one

particular guy named charles guiteau no

job for you and in response kateau found

garfield at a train station and went

ahead and shot it so that event created

the occasion for reform in the way

people got bureaucratic jobs and the

word for that is civil service reform

the result was the pendleton civil

service act of 1883 which created a

merit-based system for applicants

seeking jobs in the bureaucracy now jobs

went to the people who were actually

qualified for them rather than people

who just supported the candidate so you

know good updates and it helped increase

the effectiveness of the bureaucracy

since competent people were now working

these jobs now that reform continued

into the 20th century in order to make

the bureaucracy more professional and

specialized and neutral under jimmy

carter's administration congress passed

the civil service reform act of 1978

which upheld the merit-based system

already in place but also further

expanded opportunities for women to work

in the bureaucracy and increase the

efficiency of many departments all right

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