Iron Triangle

1) a chain of command in which authority flows from top to bottom
2) a division of labor whereby work is apportioned among specialized workers to increase productivity
3) clear lines of authority among workers and their superiors
4) a goal orientation that determines structure, authority, and rules
5) impersonality whereby all employees treated fairly based on merit and all clients are served equally, without discrimination, according to established rules
6) productivity, whereby all work and actions are evaluated according to established rules

the laws creating departments, agencies, corporations, or commissions carefully describe their purpose and give them the authority to make numerous policy decisions, which have the effect of law

the process by which a law or policy is put into operation by the bureaucracy

the relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees

the loose and informal relationships actors who work in broad policy areas

working groups created to facilitate coordination of policy making and implementation across a host of governmental agencies

created by recent presidential administrations to facilitate interaction among agencies and departments at the subcabinet level--gained increasing favor after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks

take place on both informal and formal levels--the end product of all of these decision-making bodies

they exercise wide discretion in decisions concerning citizens with whom they interact-- taken together, their individual actions add up to agency behavior

the ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional intentions-- allows decision makers a tremendous amount of leeway

a quasi-legislative administrative process that has the characteristics of a legislative act

rules that govern the operation of a particular government program that have the force of law

1) public notice of the time, place, and nature or the rulemaking proceedings to be provided in the Federal Register
2) interested parties be given the opportunity to submit written arguments and facts relevant to the rule
3) the statutory purpose and basis of the rule be states (once rules are written thirty days generally must elapse before they take effect)

sometimes an agency is required by law to conduct this before issuing rules-- evidence is gathered, and witnesses testify and are cross-examined by opposing interests

a quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between two parties in a manner similar to the way courts resolve disputes

the same kinds of checks and balances that operate among the three branches of government serve to check the bureaucracy

congress creates the agencies, funds them, and established the broad rules of their operation, continually reviews the various agencies through oversight committee investigations, hearings, and its power of the purse--the federal judiciary, as in most other matter, has the ultimate authority to review administrative actions

presidents try to appoint the best possible people to carry out their wishes and policy preferences---makes hundred of appointments to the executive branch; in doing so, they have the opportunity to appoint individuals who share their views on a range of policies--makes up a very small proportion of all federal jobs, presidents or the Cabinet secretaries usually kill most top policy-making positions--- can reorganize the bureaucracy with the approval of Congress

rules or regulations issued by the president that have the effect of law. All executive orders must be published in the Federal Register

the authority to create or abolish departments and agencies as well as to transfer agency functions, as well as to transfer agency functions--can expand or contract bureaucratic discretion--senate's authority to confirm presidential appointments

having a committee or sun committee hold a hearing on an issue and then asking the relevant agency to investigate it further

proactive and allows Congress to set its own agenda for programs or agencies to review

reactive and generally involves a congressional response to a complaint filed by a constituent or politically significant actor

fire alarm oversight

congress uses its ability to fund or not fund an agency's activities much like the proverbial carrot and stick

originate with the House Appropriations Committee, not specialized legislative committees-- congress has to appropriate the money-- very important to the bureaucratic agencies

agency regulations can be nullified by joint resolutions of legislative disapproval

giving the federal judiciary a potent check on the bureaucracy

has altered the relationship of some agencies with the federal courts, resulting in less judicial deference to agency rulings---because of its jurists expertise, defer less to agency decisions than do more generalized federal courts

Congress gives Bureaucracy money and funds them
bureaucracy enforces the laws from congress and gives them ideas

interest groups gives congressman information
interestgroups has pacs to get congress members elected
congress gives interest groups access to members of congress
congress pass legislation that favors the interest groups

interest groups lobby the bureaucratic agencies so they would enforce the laws they want
bureaucracy enforces the legislation that favors what the interest groups want