Study Tool American Urban Society Chapters 13-16 Spring 2013 Ch13

1/ The American Federal bureaucracy has mushroomed into a giant apparatus to protect us, provide health and services, deliver mail, collect taxesthe list goes on and on. Our expectations of our government have grown significantly from the early days of our nation when government was small. We now interact more frequently with government bureaucrats than with our elected government officials for needs such as student loans and reservations at national parks. In this modern role as provider of a myriad of services, we often forget that we, collectively as citizens, own the government and can shape the role that it plays in our lives. We should not view ourselves passively as just consumers of the array of government services. 2/ The Federal bureaucracy has undergone cycles of growth and shrinkage over the decades, due to factors such as economic downturns, wars, technological and industrial shifts and changes, etc. One period in particular is known for the Federal government responding in a major way to dramatic economic events that were unfolding in America. The impact on our country from this period remains evident in various social programs and even buildings, infrastructure and cultural artifacts that are still with us in 2010. What was this major period of bureaucratic growth in our history? 3/ In order to be efficient and effective, there are several core aspects that define a true bureaucracy. What are they? What would be some examples of organizational behavior that would be counterproductive in a bureaucracy? 4/ Private business and bureaucracies are similar in many ways. However, there are a few key areas where they differ markedly. What are some of these factors that distinguish private and public bureaucracies? 5/ The U.S. government has been employing millions of persons to do their work instead of regular line employees. Even in theaters of war, private firms are under contract to perform certain tasks that might have been done in other years by uniformed military personnel. This practice of using other outside sources of labor to do our governments work is what type of component of the Federal bureaucracy? 6/ The Presidents cabinet has 15 separate Departments. The Department of State and Department of Treasury were the first Departments created in 1789. Thirteen Departments were formed since then. The next to last Department created was the Department of Veteran Affairs in 1989. Events in 2001 led to the creation of the last Department (____________name it) in 2003. More Departments may be created in the future, or mergers might occur. I doubt a Department will be eliminated, although I have heard calls to scrap the Department of Education. C14 7/ U.S. Federal District Courts (94) hear only certain cases that come before them. For example, a case involving a murder in Akron is not likely to appear in Federal Court unless a Federal law is violated (incl. labor, civil rights, property rights, Social Security, truth-in-lending, federal crimes

and anti-trust laws). There are other Federal Courts in addition to the District Courts. What do they do?

8/ The Supreme Court did not always have the ability to force Congress to obey the Constitution. But, under the leadership of John Marshall, in Marbury v Madison, the Court found (under the principle of judicial review) that it could not force President Jefferson to honor outgoing President John Adams judicial appointments (which appointments not been delivered properly). But the Court did establish formally for the first time that it could declare existing laws as void if there was a Constitutional conflict. 9/ Where did our legal system come from? Other than Louisiana (Code Napoleon), our law was transported over the Atlantic from England. English common law is based on the principle of precedent-the linkage between previous cases and current legal cases. This basic principle of precedent is fully in effect in America today. 10/ Simply stated, American law involves cases that are civil or criminal in nature. Civil law involves disputes between private parties, and may include disputes about property, personal injuries, family law, etc. Individuals, businesses, corporations and governments may be party to a dispute (governments acting in a private capacity). Criminal cases are initiated with the government as the plaintiff (crime is against society in general) 11/ One person or business may initiate a lawsuit on behalf of others in a group who have been harmed. The Supreme Court determines the rules for determining what need to be in place to qualify for a this type of lawsuit, referred to as a class action lawsuit. 12/ Not all cases that are submitted to the Supreme Court are heard. Initially, through the process of submitting a writ of certiorari to the Court, a review is conducted, and the Court may grant the writ. Approximately 9,000 writs of certiorari are submitted, but only less than 100 are accepted for the full hearing and ultimate decision. Ch15 13/ Public policy is a term that requires more explanation. It just doesnt develop on its own. Something has to begin the process, and that is typically real problems that people have. For example, the Cuyahoga River has burned thirteen times since 1858, most notably in 1952 and 1969 when the sad state of river pollution caused a major shift towards environmental protection in our country resulting in the creation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Public policy is evolving and changing all the time, reflecting real human needs, political shifts and the interests of many interest groups, some more powerful than others. 14/ The Waxman-Markey bill was passed recently by the House of Representatives to

control the emission of carbons into the atmosphere. A cap on total carbon emissions would be created, with companies allocated a maximum share of that carbon. Any excess emission by that company will require a purchase, or trade, of carbon credits from another company. Sounds pretty simple, huh? Actually, a storm of controversy has arisen about this proposed carbon tax, and it has not passed the U.S. Senate.

15/ Costs and benefits are key to policy formulation? Who will benefit, and who will pay? Alternatives range from concentrated costs and benefits (telecommunications), to widely distributed costs and benefits (Social Security). Sometimes, these policy decisions re: who will pay generate controversy from those who are paying. For example, school levies are essentially concentrated benefits (school children) with widely distributed costs (taxpayers plus others who are subject to rent increases, etc.). Persons who dont have school children sometimes do not support school levies. 16/ As with any problem, personal or national, nothing happens until the problem is recognized and acknowledged. Potential problems with flooding were looming in coastal Louisiana before Katrina, but the scope and scale of the seriousness of the regions vulnerability was not fully recognized, despite warnings from experts. It took the Katrina tragedy to bring this problem to more full recognition, followed by agenda setting, policy formulation/adoption, and action. Other examples in our recent history exist where it has taken a tragedy to bring the problem out of obscurity to general recognition by policymakers. 17/ The demographic trends of poverty in our affluent country are often surprising. For example, more white people are poor than other groups (18-64). Also, the extent of poverty among the elderly is considerably lower than it used to be. Check out some of the other relevant demographics re: poverty. Which ones surprised you? 18/ The United States government receives money from many sources (ranging from paying a fee at a National Park to income taxes). We, as individuals are the largest contributor to the governments revenue through income taxes. Check out the sources of income chart in Chapter 15 to look at additional detail. Ch16 19/ The U.S. intelligence system is a complex web of people and organizations throughout the globe. One slip or missed bit of information can lead to a national disaster of horrendous proportions. Thus, when the 9/11 tragedy occurred, our government took a close look at our intelligence system to find out what failed and how to protect us from those who wish to do us harm. Likewise, the flawed information regarding weapons of mass destruction supposedly being developed in Iraq led to our invasion and war with this country. Fortunately, our security system has not allowed a major breach of security in the last several years. 20/ Often, the insights of those who are from another land, provide an extraordinary resource. Alexis deToqueville of France writing in the early 1800s while visiting America, made a number of fascinating observations about our new country, many of which are still true today, including observations about our yen for coalescing into groups or factions, our unique physical isolation and defensible borders, and our tendency toward egalitarianism.

21/ The Cold War between the Western world and the Soviet Union ended, for all practical purposes, in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. During the Cold War period after WWII, both entities were heavily armed with nuclear capabilities. Foreign policy of the west was geared toward limiting Soviet spread in the world, and arming ourselves such that both entities were aware one act of war against the other would produce a violent nuclear response such that both parts of the world would be effectively destroyed. Such awareness of likely destruction acted as a deterrent to hot (vs. cold) war. 22/ After a very brief peaceful interlude following the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, our national attention turned to a new spread of violence and ultimately, threats to the United States mainland. This threat came from sources other than an individual country. Instead it manifests itself in forces operating independent of national borders, and not formally related to a specific country. 23/ President George W. Bush, in an attempt to deal with this new form of warfare alluded to above, implemented a military policy (viewed by some as controversial) aimed at preventing harmful action to our country (and our allies) by using force in advance of an anticipated attack by others. 24/ So, what are our national interests? What really matters. Whats worth defending? What needs to be protected? This cluster of three (3) elements of our basic national interest are viewed as sacrosanct, and we are committed to defending them with our treasures and our blood. 25/ Congress has 535 members. Did the founding fathers give them the power to conduct a war? Would you want a war being guided by 535 different persons? Or is having just one elected leader in charge of a war the preferred scenario? I think the founders were right in how they divvied up the responsibility. Can you specify who declares war vs. who conducts the war?

Note: Articles posted on class website and class discussion notes should be reviewed for Extra Credit questions which are mined from this material.