The+Texas+Bureaucracy

Power Points



Description:

The bulk of the executive branch is composed the bureaucracy. These are the people who do the actual work required by the legislation passed into law. In this section we look at major issues associated with the bureaucracy in general and the Texas bureaucracy specifically.

Goals: After reading through the material above, you should be able to address the following questions:

- What is a bureaucracy? What are the pros and cons of the bureaucracy? - How much detail does the Texas Constitution provide for the Texas bureacracy? - What is the source of bureaucratic power? - What qualifications best explain why certain people are appointed to bureaucratic agencies? - What best explains why certain people are appointed to bureaucratic positions? - What problems does a professional bureaucracy pose for democracy? - What problems are posed by a democratically responsive bureaucracy? - What factors can best control the bureaucracy? - What is the Sunset Review process? - What is a captured agency? Why might interest groups be interested in the activities of a bureaucratic agency? - Which groups are least likely to be able to control an executive agency? - Which agencies does the governor have the most control over? Why? - How much control does the governor - or any other person in an executive position - have over the bureaucracy? - How large is the Texas bureaucracy? How many federal employees work in Texas? How many people work for the local bureaucracy? - What relationship exists between the state bureaucracy and the national government? What leverage does the national government have over the state bureaucracy?