American Government and Politics - Assignment Example

The federal bureaucracy has several characteristics. First, it shares political ity among several s. Second, most federal agencies share their duties with local and state government agencies. Third, the bureaucrats seek court actions in fighting for their interests, as depicted in the America’s adversary culture. The federal bureaucracy is, therefore, important because it divides authority among several political leaders. The Constitution does not mention much about bureaucracy, excepting giving the president power to appoint officials. In 1789, the president received power from Congress to remove officials without the assent of the Congress. However, the question of who would have control over the bureaucracy has been hotly debated throughout American history. 2 The Congress tries to control bureaucracy by confirming the president’s nominations to appoint officials. It also appropriates money, formulate, and pass the laws of creating departments, and investigates the administration. Furthermore, it regulates the legislations that the administration would execute. The control by the Congress is essential to hold the federal bureaucracy accountable since there is no formal constitutional provision that regulates its conducts. 3 The president can control the bureaucracy by nominating people for appointments into departments and removing officials from departments. Second, he shapes the administration’s direction and directs an agency to perform its assigned duty. Third, he restructures departments and alters discretionary expenditure. This is important to ensure that the federal bureaucracy is answerable regarding its functions. 4 The federal judiciary structure consists of the Supreme Court at the top of the hierarchy. The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and eight associate justices. Each year, the court hears and makes the decision on a limited number of cases, under the direction of set guidelines and the Congress. The cases may start from the federal or state courts. They usually touch on matters pertaining to the federal law or the Constitution. Under the Supreme Court is the District (trial) Courts. It is responsible for hearing and deciding on most categories of federal cases, including both criminal and civil matters, within the limits set by the Constitution and the Congress. Appellate Courts are under District Courts. The courts of appeal hear appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies and the district courts. Through the judicial review, the Court can declare a federal or state government action unconstitutionally. Hence, the judicial review makes the federal judiciary a co-equal branch of government with the legislative and executive branches. It thus enables it to protect the rights of citizens against possible intrusions by the other branches. 5 The Supreme Court first reviews appeals. It then grants the petition and brief the case. After that, the panel holds oral argument and a meeting in the Conference follows. The judge explains the decision, write, and releases his or her opinion. The Supreme Court judges also make decisions through majority and minority opinion. In majority opinion, the Supreme Court judges sit and vote on a certain issue, and it occurs when more than half the members agree with the outcome. Minority opinion refers to a situation where one Supreme Court disagrees with a certain decision, and expresses his disageement in the form of writing. 6 The Supreme Court is political in that the justices are appointed by the president, who is a political leader. As a result, they are susceptible to political influence. Additional, the Supreme Court justices are selected from a political world where they live and work politics, and thus, tainted with political ideologies. The judiciary’s role in American politics and government is different in that it is independent and makes politically neutral decisions. 7 100 senators and 435 members of the House of Representatives make up the Congress. The Congress members represent their people in various ways. Some act as delegates, where they vote as per the wants of the majority of people in their respective districts. Others act as trustees, who apply their best conscience to vote while considering the wish of people from their constituents. The congressional committees are responsible for much of the work of the Congress. The committees are where bills are introduced for hearing and then first votes. The structure of the committee enables the Congress to study public policies, develop members’ expertise and hear from interested parties. The membership of the committee reflects the breakdown of the party; the majority of seats in every committee go to the majority party, including the chair. 8 The Institutional Presidency is a term mainly used in the White House, Office of Management and Budget, and other elements of the executive. It also refers to a pattern of behaviors that connect the presidency to other elements of the political system. It is important because it gives the president powers to carry out his or her duties. Its basic structure consists of the judicial, diplomatic, executive, military, and legislative. Additionally, the cabinet is also part of the institutional presidency consisting of leaders of the federal agencies such as the Secretary of Defense or Secretary of States. Additionally, the executive part of the institutional presidency consists of agencies such as the National Security Council. 9 Presidents can use the party, popular mobilization or administration in expanding their powers. They can create national partisan institutions to enable them influence the legislative process. They may use popular appeals to come up with a mass support that will enable them suppress their political foes. They may also create or strengthen executive agencies to lower dependency on Congress and allow them gain independent governing. Additionally, Presidents create a good working relationship with other institutions including the Bureaucracy and the Congress. This relationship fosters constant communication, establishment of trust, and sharing credit for success among others. Moreover, the President tries to support their own party, as well as seek support from the other party. Though the “executive order” allows presidents to act on their own if the Congress fails to cooperate, presidents build public support for their goals in order to put pressure on the Congress indirectly in such cases. 10 The people democratically choose their leaders to sit in the Congress. In the House, the number of representatives from a particular state depends on the population of the state. Each Congress member represents a region. Every two years, people elect their representatives. On the other hand, the Senate composition is different. Each state elects two senators regardless of size. The Senators serve for six years, but people hold elections on a two-year cycle. Both the House and the Senate make law. The theory behind it is that if the citizens elect their representatives, the people will uphold the laws. The people have power to remove the representatives through the electoral process if they fail to make preferred policies. 11 The House Speaker presides over the House of Representatives and is the primary spokesperson for the majority party. He controls and set the order of the House business. He also controls the selection of committees’ chairs and members. The controlling political party elects a majority floor leader through a caucus, a House meeting of party members. He or she is an official who is second in rank after the Speaker. He presents the party’s position on an issue and tries to win party member’s loyalty to the position. The minority floor leader tops the minority leadership structure of the minority party. In case a congressional election witnesses the minority party winning a majority of seats, the minority leader assumes the majority leader position. On the other hand, the Senate is presided over by the vice president and is known as the President of the Senate. He rarely assumes this role in the chamber. However, in the event of a possibility of a tie in votes, he appears to the chamber and casts the tiebreaking vote. He or she selects the president pro tempore, an official that handles daily business. As in the House, the Senate consists of minority and majority leaders. The majority leader carries out considerable political influence. There exist whips in both the House and the Senate. The minority and majority leaders are the ones that select their respective whips. The whips ensure that party members are present for crucial votes. They also provide information to their colleagues to enhance party loyalty. Many assistants aid the whips in this role. Additionally, Congress is the engine of ideas and action in the legislative process. Once a law has been enacted, the Congress through its committee provides an oversight and carries out investigations on matters of public policy, as well as its effects. Regardless of this power over legislation, the president still has influence in the legislative process. Nevertheless, to some extent the president and Congress can work together to achieve a common legislative goal. Parties and committees are important part of congress as they set agendas and the committee organizes important congress work dealing with policymaking. 12 The iron triangle is a close linkage between an interest group, an agency, and a congressional committee. It often forms a mutually beneficial alliance. The interest groups also influence the Congress through lobbying activities and financially contributing to the political campaigns in order to buy the Congress indirectly to support their agendas. 13 An interest group, a member of the Congress or the executive initiate a bill. The Speaker or the Majority Leader refers the bill to the respective standing committee. It then receives a thorough examination at the committee stage. It is then debated in the Senate and the House. A conference committee then reconciles any differences in amendments to the bill. It then returns to the House and the Senate for a full vote. If approved, the president receives it to sign. Additionally, only members of the Congress can formally introduce a bill or initiate the legislative process. Though the proposed bill can come from the president, interest groups, or other sources, only the member of Congress can start the process. After the bill leaves committee, the house rules committee must consider it and give it a "rule," which describes how it will be debated and voted on such as if amendments are allowable, and if the allowable number. There is no equivalent committee in the senate. Both the house and the senate must pass the bill before it goes to conference committee. Read More