The merit system in bureaucracy rewards those who perform well and have relevant experience and works on a series of placement tests. Bureaucracies are able to operate fairly independently because many of the positions are appointed for long periods of time and employees are difficult to fire. They are large and require a high level of expertise, making it even more difficult for the government to exert much influence. Also, since bureaucracies operate on the merit system, incompetence or lack of knowledge is out of the question. Policy is complicated so Congress doesn't have time dwell on the details so it delegates to bureaucracies. The expertise allows bureaucrats to fill in the policy gaps. Congress can check the bureaucracy through the confirmation, or lack, of appointments. The courts hold the power of judicial review to check bureaucracy and interest can express their support or opposition of policies through the media, putting public pressure on the bureaucracies.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap10_us_govt_politics_scoring_guidelines.pdf
2. The federal bureaucracy as part of the executive branch exercises substantial independence in implementing governmental policies and programs. Most workers in the federal bureaucracy are civil-service employees who are organized under a merit system.
(a) Describe one key characteristic of the merit system.
(b) For each of the following, describe one factor that contributes to bureaucratic independence.
• The structure of the federal bureaucracy
• The complexity of public policy problems
(c) For each of the following, explain one Constitutional provision that it can use to check the bureaucracy.
• Congress • The courts • Interest groups
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