The Federal Bureaucracy

What is the Federal Bureaucracy?

An administrative group of non elected officials charged with implementing the policies created by the other branches of government

What does the term “federal bureaucracy” make you think of when you hear it? Federal regulations? Red tape? Government waste and fraud?

Have you ever thought about:

1. who creates the federal agencies?
2. who gives the federal agencies their authority to carry out and enforce federal laws?
3. who are federal employees?
4. what are federal regulations?

The American federal bureaucracy is sometimes referred to as the “4th branch of government“ because of its shear size, responsibilities, and power it has over the daily lives of Americans. If you pay federal taxes, travel to a national park, like Yellowstone, purchase treasury bonds, receive a Social Security check, or are currently on Medicare, or simply go to the post office, you have had some contact with the federal bureaucracy. Businesses must also closely review the Federal Register to seeing if any proposed or final regulations impact their business.

The image at right is depicting FEMA helping citizens after a natural disaster.

Some of my students may be currently serving or in the past have served in the military and in a civilian position within one of the fifteen (15) Executive Departments and in the more than fifty (50) independent federal agencies. Students may also have family members who are currently employed or have formerly worked in the federal government.

Other students may wish to join the military or work in one of the Cabinet-level departments like the U.S. Department of Justice, Homeland Security or in one of the independent agencies, like NASA, and would be interested in knowing who to contact for employment and the process for hiring and firing of federal workers.

In this lesson, I hope to give you insight into the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy, as well as knowledge of how to obtain gainful employment in the federal government.

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Why does the President of the United States have the Power to Direct the Actions of the Federal Agencies, Including his Executive or Cabinet-level Departments?

As you are aware, the President of the United States has the power under Article II of the U.S. Constitution to “faithfully execute the laws” passed by the U.S. Congress. The President has the responsibility to carry out and enforce the laws.

Congress creates the federal agencies to help the President carry out and enforce federal laws it has enacted. The federal agencies, including the Cabinet-level departments, their political appointees and civilian and military personnel make up the federal bureaucracy. For example after 9/11, Congress created in 2002, the Department for Homeland Security to help the President more efficiently and effectively protect the United States against domestic terrorism through implementation and enforcement of immigration, border and airport security, and customs related federal laws.

Federal agencies must make sure that all federal laws are carried out and enforced as Congress intended and those individuals who head them up or work in them are accountable to the President and to Congress and ultimately to the American people. The Federal Bureaucracy

What is the Definition of Bureaucracy?

“An administrative group of non elected officials charged with implementing the policies created by the other branches of government.” (Khan Academy, 2020)

Often, the iron triangle is used to describe the bureaucracy as it is a almost a pyramid shape hierarchy. Khan further describes the iron triangle as a relationship between a bureaucrat, interest group, and a committee of Congress that all work on similar issues.

In short, in the federal agencies, power flows from the top down and in order to ensure fairness and efficiency, federal employees have to follow certain rules and procedures. Individuals who work in the civil service are protected from being fired by federal law and military personnel are subject to the U.S. Code of Military Justice.

If you are a “political appointee” like our Cabinet Secretaries, for example, President Obama may fire you without cause because you “serve at the will and pleasure” of the President. Former President G. W. Bush could have “let go” former Secretary of State, Condi Rice, because the President did not like her hair style or because she wore dress boots. This did not happen, but no one would question a President’s authority to dismiss her for such minor transgressions. However, if something so unlikely did occur to a political appointee, would he have civil service protections like the federal civilian employees under his supervision? No. Poltical appointees cannot turn to the Federal Merit Protection Board for help in reinstating their job or for back wages if they believed they were “fired without cause.”

The image shows Condi Rice in Germany with American Troops in Germany on February 23, 2005.

What is the Definition of a Bureaucrat?

Often bureaucrats are long-time career government employees. They generally work under the executive branch in one of the many cabinet level departments. These include the National Parks Service and FBI (US History 8c).

Federal civilian personnel have often been characterized as “paper pushers,” and creators of government waste, but most federal workers are hard-working individuals who do their best to serve the American people and their President.

Today there are approximately 4 million federal workers – – 2.7 million federal civilian workers and 1.4 million military personnel (US History 8c). Most federal civilian workers do not work in Washington, D.C., but across the United States.

In Dayton, Ohio, you can find federal employees at Wright Pat Air Force Base and in the Federal Building downtown. If you need the assistance of federal law enforcement, or help in securing a small business loan, or help getting your social security check, you can contact your local federal government offices. The Federal Bureaucracy.