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| Chapter 14: Bureaucracy In A Democracy |
| Get Involved |
| Government bureaucracy, as the old saying goes, is forever caught in a public relations snare: you rarely notice bureaucracy when it performs its job well, but only when it fails. In a similar fashion, government bureaucracy may not be the first idea that springs to mind when considering how the Internet might enhance American civic life. But few aspects of government have more potential to be so radically transformed by new technology.
In older days, simple acts like registering to vote, or applying for a car sticker or a permit, could involve a time-consuming, in-person visit to a local bureaucratic office. Today, numerous services can be streamlined through emails, online forms, and quicker, more efficient computer databases. Federal agencies, when considering the impact of new regulations that implement congressional laws, solicit feedback both in public hearings and through emailed comments. Video-streaming technology allows concerned citizens to watch previously-distant public hearings. As public officials use the Internet to try and make themselves more accessible, so too do public bureaucracies. Just as bureaucracy quietly touches many corners of our public life, so too the Internet has been quietly transforming many features of bureaucracy. |
| 1. Use the Internet to find out more about those who work for the federal bureaucracy. Information is constantly posted online by news organizations and government watchdogs.
The Washington Post, for example, has maintained an online archive of the White House bureaucracy and staff salaries. For the 2007 Bush administration, names and salary figures can be found at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/graphics/2007stafflistsalary.html Who were the top five individuals in the Bush administration bureaucracy, in terms of salary amounts? |
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| 1b. Research one of these officials. Describe the duties of their official job during the Bush Presidency. |
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| 1c. Were you surprised by the salary amounts listed in the above website? Why or why not? |
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| 2. Use the Internet to examine some of the different federal bureaucratic websites, and what online services they offer:
The Environmental Protection Agency, located at http://www.epa.gov/, now offers a feature where citizens can report illegal polluters. The Federal Communications Commission, located at http://www.fcc.gov, offers recorded audio and video files from its recorded hearings. The Internal Revenue Service, located at http://www.irs.gov, also tries to use its website to connect with the public. Visit one of the above websites. Describe another way that these federal bureaucracies attempt to use the Internet to make their public functions more efficient. |
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| 2b. Look up the website of another executive bureaucracy mentioned in the chapter. Write up a similar description: how does this website attempt to make bureaucracy more accountable and responsive to the public? |
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