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asdfdsf Chapter 9 Free Response Questions 1. Journalists have developed the iron triangle concept to describe certain external influences on agency behavior. The accuracy of this description, however, is subject to criticism. First, define the meaning of the iron triangle and discuss how it operates. Second, devise an argument based on the information in the text challenging the validity of the iron triangle. ▪ Iron triangles are the relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees. a. The committees are responsible for funding and supervising government programs and operations. b. Federal agencies are responsible for regulating the industries affected by committees. c. Interest groups seek benefit from these affected operations and programs. ▪ Members of the iron triangle, in efforts to strengthen the power of their own organizations, can disregard the needs of the general public. a. i.e. In trying to please their constituency (interest groups), agencies focus on the needs of only a portion of the actual consumers of their services. 2. All presidents complain about their inability to control the bureaucracy. Are these complaints justified' Discuss the problems a president encounters in obtaining bureaucratic cooperation. Be sure to point out the causes of these problems. ▪ As the bureaucracy has been growing, presidents have delegated more and more power to bureaucrats; this has caused them problems when they try to continue to exercise control of the bureaucracy. ▪ Bureaucrats derive power from the citizens; if the president acts in opposition to the consumers’ interests, the general public and the bureaucrats that serve it has the power to override his/her decision. ▪ The bureaucracy isn’t in Washington, D.C. with the president, weakening his/her power and oversight over the many organizations. ▪ However, president still has some authority over the bureaucracy; he/she has the power to: a. Appoint and remove agency heads and other top bureaucrats b. Reorganize the bureaucracy (with congressional approval) c. Make changes in an agency’s annual budget proposals d. Ignore legislative initiatives originating within the bureaucracy e. Initiate or adjust policies that would, if enacted by Congress, alter the bureaucracy’s activities f. Issue executive orders g. Reduce an agency’s budget 3. Is Congress effective in exercising legislative oversight of the federal bureaucracy' Support your answer by doing ONE of the following. • Explain two specific methods Congress uses to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy. ▪ Congress has always played an important role in checking the power of the bureaucracy, possessing many constitutional (to create/abolish departments/agencies, transfer agency functions, expand/contract bureaucratic discretion, utilize investigatory powers) and legal powers to assist in its oversight ▪ Congress could act with police patrol (proactive, allows Congress to set its own agenda for programs or agencies to review) or fire alarm oversight (reactive, involves a congressional response to a complaint filed by a constituent or politically significant actor); the more frequently used form of oversight is fire alarm ▪ Congress has the power of the purse because it is able to fund or not to fund (impoundment) agencies’ activities. In order to receive funding, bureaucratic agencies must have their programs authorized and have the funds appropriated by Congress 4. The United States Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion. a) Explain two reasons by Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing federal laws. ▪ Federal agencies, usually having closer relationships with and locations to the consumers, have better capability in carrying out policies of their specific fields and more resources and enforcement abilities to help them. ▪ While the legislature must change every two years, federal agencies generally remain in place over longer periods of time and are therefore able to continue policies, rules, regulation, and enforcement without interruption. b) Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below. Identify the policy over which it exercises policy-making discretion AND give one specific example of how it exercises that discretion. ▪ The Federal Reserve Board exercises its discretion over the national monetary policy. In doing so, it can regulate the money supply and interest rates. c) Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent. ▪ To ensure that federal agencies act in accordance to Congress’ approval, the legislature has the authority to appropriate the funds allotted to an agency; if an agency were to act in a way not consistent with legislative intent, the funds appropriations could be adjusted or refused until the agency begins to cooperate. ▪ Congressional review allows Congress to nullify agency regulations by joint resolutions of legislative disapproval if they do not follow legislative intent.