BELLRINGER:BELLRINGER:

Chapter 7 / Section 4:Chapter 7 / Section 4:Presidential Advisers and Executive Presidential Advisers and Executive

AgenciesAgencies

I. Executive Office of the PresidentI. Executive Office of the President

• A. A. The employees of the The employees of the Executive Office of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) President (EOP) help the president by preparing reports, help the president by preparing reports, helping to write bills, and checking the work of various helping to write bills, and checking the work of various agencies.agencies.

• B. B. The people of the White House Office work directly The people of the White House Office work directly for the president. About 10 to 12 of these 500 people for the president. About 10 to 12 of these 500 people are the president’s closest advisers. are the president’s closest advisers. They make up the White House They make up the White House staff. The most powerful is the staff. The most powerful is the chief of staffchief of staff..

• C. C. The White House Staff screens the flow of The White House Staff screens the flow of information and people to the president. As a information and people to the president. As a result, this group has a lot of power.result, this group has a lot of power.

• D. D. The The Office of Management and Budget Office of Management and Budget (OMB)(OMB) prepares the federal budget and prepares the federal budget and monitors government spending. The federal monitors government spending. The federal budget lays out the administration’s plans and budget lays out the administration’s plans and goals for the coming year.goals for the coming year.

• E. E. The The National Security Council National Security Council helps the helps the president coordinate the military and foreign president coordinate the military and foreign policy. It includes the vice president, the policy. It includes the vice president, the secretaries of state and defense, and the secretaries of state and defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a group made up of the top commander of each of the made up of the top commander of each of the armed services. The NSC supervises the armed services. The NSC supervises the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)..

• F. F. George W. Bush created the George W. Bush created the Office of Office of Homeland SecurityHomeland Security to deal with terrorist to deal with terrorist activities. It includes members of the cabinet activities. It includes members of the cabinet and of agencies such as the and of agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Investigation (FBI) and and Border PatrolBorder Patrol..

• G. The three members of the G. The three members of the Council of Council of Economic AdvisersEconomic Advisers advise the president about advise the president about complex economic matters, such as complex economic matters, such as employment, tax policy, inflation, and trade.employment, tax policy, inflation, and trade.

II. CabinetII. Cabinet• A. A. TheThe cabinetcabinet is a group of advisers that includes the is a group of advisers that includes the

heads of the 14 top-level executive departments. The heads of the 14 top-level executive departments. The head of the head of the Department of Justice Department of Justice is called the is called the attorney generalattorney general. The other department heads are . The other department heads are called secretaries.called secretaries.

• B. B. Cabinet members advise the president on issues Cabinet members advise the president on issues related to their departments. related to their departments. The president decides when The president decides when the cabinet meets and how the cabinet meets and how much to much to rely on their advice.rely on their advice.

The President’s CabinetThe President’s Cabinet

GROUP WORK:GROUP WORK:Discussion Question:Discussion Question:•How did the cabinet How did the cabinet develop?develop?

ANSWER:ANSWER:• No mention of the cabinet appears in the No mention of the cabinet appears in the

Constitution. Instead, this body developed Constitution. Instead, this body developed over the years through over the years through custom and usage. It started custom and usage. It started when George Washington when George Washington began meeting regularly began meeting regularly with department heads.with department heads.

III. The Vice President and the III. The Vice President and the First LadyFirst Lady

• A. A. Most presidents have delegated little authority to Most presidents have delegated little authority to their vice presidents, though this is changing their vice presidents, though this is changing somewhat. Modern vice presidents have served on somewhat. Modern vice presidents have served on special advisory boards. They often visit foreign special advisory boards. They often visit foreign countries as representatives of the president.countries as representatives of the president.

• B. B. The Constitution does not mention the The Constitution does not mention the president’s spouse. Many First Ladies, president’s spouse. Many First Ladies, though, have served the country in useful though, have served the country in useful ways. Today First Ladies have an office and ways. Today First Ladies have an office and staff in the White House.staff in the White House.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT FIRST LADY’S WHAT ARE THE CURRENT FIRST LADY’S IMPORTANT PROJECTS?IMPORTANT PROJECTS?

IV. The Federal BureaucracyIV. The Federal Bureaucracy

A. A. The executive branch is shaped like a The executive branch is shaped like a pyramid. Directly below the president are the pyramid. Directly below the president are the cabinet secretaries and their departments. At cabinet secretaries and their departments. At the next level are hundreds of agencies. the next level are hundreds of agencies. Together, the agencies and employees of the Together, the agencies and employees of the executive branch are known as the executive branch are known as the federal federal bureaucracybureaucracy.. The workers are called The workers are called bureaucratsbureaucrats, or civil servants., or civil servants.

• B. B. These departments and agencies carry out These departments and agencies carry out government programs by performing three government programs by performing three basic jobs:basic jobs: (1) (1) They develop procedures for They develop procedures for putting new laws into practice. putting new laws into practice. (2) (2) They They administer day-to-day operations of the administer day-to-day operations of the government.government. (3) (3) They regulate, or police, They regulate, or police, various activities. In doing these jobs they various activities. In doing these jobs they help shape government policy.help shape government policy.

• C. Independent agencies C. Independent agencies are not part of the are not part of the cabinet, but they are not independent of the cabinet, but they are not independent of the president. The three types are: executive president. The three types are: executive agencies, regulatory commissions, and agencies, regulatory commissions, and government corporations.government corporations.

• D. D. Executive agencies deal with certain Executive agencies deal with certain specialized areas. The specialized areas. The National Aeronautics National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Space Administration (NASA) is one is one example.example.

• E. Government corporations E. Government corporations are like private are like private businesses, except that the government owns businesses, except that the government owns and runs them. Like businesses, they charge and runs them. Like businesses, they charge for their services, but they are not supposed for their services, but they are not supposed to make a profit. The United States Postal to make a profit. The United States Postal Service is a government corporation.Service is a government corporation.

• F. F. Unlike other independent agencies, Unlike other independent agencies, regulatory commissions do not report to the regulatory commissions do not report to the president. The president appoints members, president. The president appoints members, but only Congress can remove them through but only Congress can remove them through impeachment. Regulatory commissions impeachment. Regulatory commissions protect the public by making and protect the public by making and enforcing rules for certain industries. enforcing rules for certain industries.

• G. G. Top department jobs generally go to Top department jobs generally go to political political appointeesappointees – people whom the president has chosen – people whom the president has chosen because they have ability or were supporters of the because they have ability or were supporters of the president’s election campaign. Their employment president’s election campaign. Their employment usually ends when the president leaves office.usually ends when the president leaves office.

• H. H. About 90 percent of national government employees About 90 percent of national government employees are are civil service workerscivil service workers. Unlike appointees, they . Unlike appointees, they usually have permanent employment. The usually have permanent employment. The civil service civil service system system hires government hires government workers on the basis of open, workers on the basis of open, competitive examinations and competitive examinations and merit. merit.

• I. I. Before 1883 government jobs went to the Before 1883 government jobs went to the people as a reward for their political support. people as a reward for their political support. Abuses of this Abuses of this spoils system spoils system led Congress to led Congress to pass the pass the Pendleton ActPendleton Act, also known as the , also known as the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883Civil Service Reform Act of 1883. This law . This law limited the number of jobs the president limited the number of jobs the president could give to friends and backers. It also could give to friends and backers. It also created the civil service system.created the civil service system.

• J. J. The The Office of Personnel Management Office of Personnel Management (OPM) (OPM) directs the civil service system. It sets directs the civil service system. It sets job standards and gives written tests to job job standards and gives written tests to job seekers. The civil service system is a seekers. The civil service system is a merit merit systemsystem. Government officials hire new . Government officials hire new workers from lists of people who have passed workers from lists of people who have passed the test or otherwise met civil service the test or otherwise met civil service standards.standards.

EXIT STRATEGY:EXIT STRATEGY: