POLS 1301165 4162004

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POLS 1301-165 4/16/2004

• The Federal Bureaucracy and Local Government

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Federal Bureaucracy

• Bureaucracy the hierarchical structure of
  government, in which there is a formal chain of
  command, specialized duties, routine
  record-keeping, and permanent staff
• Cabinet the body of individuals appointed by
  the president to head the executive departments
• Civil Service System of testing for government
  job AKA merit system
• Clientele the recipients of the services that
  the government agencys programs provide

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Federal Bureaucracy (cont)

• Iron Triangles the alliance of government
  agencies, congressional committees, and political
  interest groups which directs the policy and
  rulemaking for the mutual benefit of the three
  partners
• Patronage The practice of rewarding partisan
  supporters with government jobs / AKA Spoils
  system (Andrew Jackson)
• Pendleton Act 1883 created the civil service
  commission after a disgruntled job seeker
  assassinated President Garfield

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Local governments

• Strong Mayor vs Council/Manager
• Strong Mayor Form of local government in which
  the Mayor acts as the chief executive and chief
  legislator
• Few cities have Strong Mayor Forms of government
• Council/Manager Form of local government where
  the Mayor acts as the chief legislator, but a
  City Manager is hired by the Mayor and City
  Council to carry out the daily activities of
  running the city
• Patronage and expertise are two major reasons for
  the shift to Council/Manager

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Council Manager Form

• Politics/Administrative Dichotomy
• City Managers are typically experts that have
  been specifically trained to work in their field