IMPLEMENTATION & ADJUDICATION

U. S. STATES: OBAMACARE IS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL(21 ATTORNEYS)

GENERAL CHALLENGE)

Functions of the Political System

BureaucraciesLargest organizations

in contemporary government

Encompass: members of the executive branch below the top executive

The Bureaucracy: Functions

Almost alone in implementing and enforcing laws and regulations

May articulate and aggregate interests Adjudication

Involved in communication

Bureaucracy and Performance

Features of bureaucracies (Weber) Decision making - based on fixed and official

jurisdictions, rules and regulations; Formal and specialized educational or training

requirements for each position; Hierarchical command structure: a firmly ordered

system of super- and subordination, in which information flows upward and decisions downward;

Decisions - made on the basis of SOPs, which include extensive written records; and

Officials hold career positions, appointed and promoted on the basis of merit have protection against political interference (notably

in the form of permanent job tenure).

Bureaucratic Expansion in Twentieth Century

Beyond watchman state model Defense Crime prevention

New areas of government involvement Health Productivity Welfare

Other Factors in Bureaucratic Expansion

InertiaTendency of government to seek growth for

its own sakeReaction to above tendencies

Movement to reduce budgets Movements to downsize bureaucracy

Recruitment into the Bureaucracy

Structure Patronage

Dominant in 19th century Remains common in third world

Civil service Top political executives Higher civil service (largely recruited from best

universities) Centrality of technical specialization