What is the relationship between the president and the bureaucracies of the executive branch, of which he is head? What frustrations do presidents face, and what tools can they use to influence the bureaucracy?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Civil servants are protected from political pressures and cannot be fired. Their loyalty to their agency or department and to the policies championed by the agency or department often runs in opposition to the president, who may wish to reform policy. The president’s political appointees are supposed to be in charge of the bureaucracy, but because civil servants typically hold positions long before and after particular presidents, they tend to stall when a political appointee tries to reform the bureaucracy. To contend with bureaucratic resistance, the president often either creates new bureaucracies to carry out policies or appoints ideologically similar political appointees (only partially successful). One of the president’s real strengths is in the budget process. Presidents use the Office of Management and Budget to fund bureaucracies to match their goals. They may also veto legislation for the bureaucracy but typically have more success reorganizing the bureaucracy or persuading bureaucrats to follow their agenda. Still, the president’s agenda is often frustrated through political realities such as the iron triangle.