American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

THE HUMAN FACE OF THE BUREAUCRACY| 339

The Human Face of the Bureaucracy

The term “bureaucrat” applies to an array of people with diff erent qualifi cations
and job descriptions (see Nuts and Bolts 11.2). There are a lot of managers (680,000
people) and administrative support staff (273,000), but there are also 670,000 pro-
fessionals such as scientists and 8,000 people whose positions involve farming,
fi shing, and forestry. The federal government includes so many diff erent kinds
of jobs because of the vast array of services it provides. While complaints about
federal bureaucrats’ effi ciency or motivations are common, survey data show that
many have a strong interest in public service.^47 This section describes who these
people are and the terms of their government employment.

Civil Service Regulations

Most jobs in the federal bureaucracy are subject to the civil service regulations

mentioned earlier.^48 The current civil service system sets out job descriptions and

pay ranges for all federal jobs.^49 People with less than a college degree are gener-

ally eligible for clerical and low-level technical jobs. As in the private sector, a

college degree or an advanced degree and work experience qualify an individual

for higher-level positions. Federal salaries are supposed to be comparable to what

DESCRIBE WHO

BUREAUCRATS ARE

AND THE REGULATIONS

THAT GOVERN THEIR

EMPLOYMENT

Source: Congressional Budget Offi ce, Historical Budget Data, “Revenues, Outlays, Defi cits, Surpluses, and Debt Held by the Public,” http://www.cbo.gov/budget/
data/historical.shtml; “CBO’s 2011 Long-Term Budget Outlook,” http://cbo.gov/publication/41486 (accessed 3/21/12).

THE SIZE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET

The graph on the left shows that federal spending has increased sharply since the 1940s. However, the one on the right

shows that as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the size of the American economy, the

increase is much smaller, except for the fi nancial bailout and economic stimulus programs enacted in 2008 and 2009.

What might these fi gures suggest about the increase in government spending?

FIGURE » 11.4

Spending as a percentage of GDP

Spending (trillions)

0

$1

$2

$3

$4

196819721976198019841988199219962000200420082012

0

5

10

15

20

25

30%

196819721976198019841988199219962000200420082012