Executive Branch

• Over 2 million employees-by far the larges single employer in the US– Civil servants or bureaucrats

• Departments within the Fed– P. 277 plus Homeland Security

• Executive Agencies-do a specific job– P. 277

• Regulatory Agencies-set up to protect citizens. Some would say business– P. 277

• Regulation vs. Deregulation

• Civil Service-system that regulates the hiring of government employees– “spoils system”-Jackson– Pendleton Act created Civil Service System in 1883– Take exam

• General questions and questions on specific field• Must get passing score of 70

– Scores are ranked– Study guides like SAT

• Over 50 applicants for each position, likely more now• Benefits

– Job security– Medical– Retirement– Salary based on ranking GS1-18

– Relationship between appointees and merit employees

• Pres appoints about 2000 people

• Public policy-decisions that government makes to do or not do something– Politicians make decisions but bureaucrats

implement them• Bureaucracy also influences decision-making process

– Over 1000 different federal programs• 535 legislators can’t stay on top of this many projects• Each agency has a client group that it serves and these

become political forces behind the agency• Biggest power Congress has over the bureaucracy is the

power of the budget