What are the sources of bureaucratic power in the federal government?

What are the sources of bureaucratic power in the federal government? What restraints are in position to limit this power?

The primary source of the federal bureaucracy’s power is its general size. With a budget that exceeds $4 trillion annually, it is clear to see that its presence is felt in a number of parts of American life and government. The bureaucracy also holds onto the fact that it maintains a level of expertise that allows it to operate in many ways. As it is divided into many departments and agencies, there is an increased opportunity for each subset of the bureaucracy to be specially trained and knowledgeable on a certain topic. The Department of Agriculture is considered a leading source for information, science, and research in the field, which covers anything and virtually everything dealing with agriculture. The government bureaucracy, as it continues to compartmentalize more and more, is creating even more specialized entities to focus on the expertise of given areas.

There is also an interesting relationship that gives the bureaucracy power. This is the agency, committee, interest group triangle that serves to entrench relationships that can enter into Congressional committees from outside agencies. This creates safety nets and protections for the nation and its people, such as economic protections. Despite the many powers that the bureaucracy enjoys, there are a number of Constitutional and legal restraints. The powers of the bureaucracy may run into the Presidential powers which typically come with a role of appointing and removing individuals. These can also extend o the way that the Legislative and Judicial branches function within restraints of the bureaucratic powers. there are a number of things that one can recognize in the way that government systems work and how the federal bureaucracy is structured in the United States.