Essay on the Federal Bureaucracy

The Federal bureaucracy is a branch of government that plays a key role in implementing public policy and administering the affairs of a country. It is managed by both the president and Congress and handles the day-to-day business of the government.

Functions of the Federal Bureaucracy

The Federal bureaucracy is in charge of three main functions in the government including implementation, administration, and regulation. In this regard, it implements laws and policies that have been passed by Congress (Rom, 2013). It is also responsible for collecting fees, conducting tests, and issuing permits. Moreover, it has been empowered to issue rules and regulations that govern Federal and state programs (Rom, 2013).

Structure of the Bureaucracy

The Federal bureaucracy is composed of cabinet departments, independent regulatory and executive agencies, and government corporations. The cabinet departments are headed by cabinet secretaries appointed by the president and approved by the Senate (Rom, 2013). In contrast, the independent executive agencies are established by the Congress and have a different status from the executive. Examples of executive agencies include the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the General Service Administration (GSA), just to mention (Gormley, 2014). On the other hand, the independent regulatory agencies operate outside the major executive departments and are in charge of creating and implementing public policies. Lastly, the government corporations are responsible for issuing permits and charging the public for specific services.

Nature of the Federal Bureaucracy

The Federal bureaucracy is characterized with a hierarchical chain of command, where authority flows from top to bottom. Labor is divided efficiently among its members based on their specialty. Additionally, the body is governed by well-established rules and performance is judged based on productivity (Gormley, 2014). The organization has a defined set of goals upon which members strive to accomplish. Moreover, hiring and promotion are merit-based such that job opportunities are only open to qualified individuals.

Function of the Judicial System

The judiciary being the third arm of government is in charge of implementing and interpreting the law on behalf of the state. It is also responsible for ensuring equal justice and fairness among all citizens. Moreover, it acts as the guardian of the constitution.

Structure and Nature of the Judicial System

The judicial system operates separately from the legislative and executive bodies and is divided into three main branches including the district, circuit court of appeal, and the Supreme Court (Neubauer& Meinhold, 2016). Each court serves a different legal function for both criminal and civil cases. In this regard, the district courts presided over both criminal and civil cases. The circuit courts of appeal hear cases that have already been presented in the district courts but the participants are dissatisfied with the ruling. On the other hand, the Supreme Court only deals with matters concerning the state or constitution and is regarded as the highest court in the land (Gormley, 2014). That is to say; there are two parallel court systems in the U.S including the state and Federal courts. The Federal courts are in charge of hearing cases that involve violations of Federal laws and disputes between individuals from different states, where more than $75,000 is at stake (Gormley, 2014). On the other hand, state courts can preside over any type of case between citizens within a given state.

The Concept of the Iron Triangle

The iron triangle is composed of bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and Congressional staffs and committees. It works by linking the three groups for mutual benefits concerning policy making (Lehtonen, 2014). In this case, the interest groups act as financers for political campaigns and influence voters through funds. As a result, the Congress is obligated to work hand in hand with the interest groups and cannot develop or implement policies that are not in their best interest. Moreover, the Congress influences the bureaucracy and its operations through budgetary controls and decisions (Lehtonen, 2014). In this case, the bureaucracy is prompted to implement laws and regulations that favor both the Congress and interest groups. In other word, all the three bodies including the Congress, interest groups, and bureaucratic agencies, work together to develop and implement policies that work in their favor.

The knowledge gained in this unit has affected my perspective concerning the inner workings of the government in various ways. For instance, the information has broadened my understanding regarding the functions of the government bodies including the judiciary, executive, and Federal bureaucracy. It has also enabled me to identify the similarities and differences between their structures. Additionally, I have learned how the bodies are interrelated and the role they can play in influencing laws and policies within a given state or country. Moreover, it has helped me to clear the notion that the bureaucracy is the real government. In this regard, I have learned that the Federal bureaucracy is a body that represents the government and helps in the administration, implementation, and regulation, of public policies.

References

Gormley Jr, W. T. (2014). Taming the bureaucracy: Muscles, prayers, and other strategies. Princeton University Press.

Lehtonen, M. (2014). Evaluating megaprojects: From the iron triangleto network mapping. Evaluation, 20(3), 278-295.

Neubauer, D. W., & Meinhold, S. S. (2016). Judicial process: law, courts, and politics in the United States. Nelson Education.

Rom, M. C. (2013). The Federal bureaucracy. Governing America: The Politics of a Divided Democracy, 215.