Final answer:
Bureaucratic infighting occurs due to competition among agencies for resources and control, vague mandates from Congress, and limited oversight capacity of the president, compounded by the extensive size and complexity of federal bureaucracies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why does bureaucratic infighting occur?
Bureaucratic infighting tends to occur for several reasons. Firstly, agencies compete for resources, authority, and control. This competition often stems from each bureaucracy’s need to assert its importance and maximize its budget, which can lead to inefficiencies and waste, as agencies may spend all their allocated funds to avoid future budget cuts. Secondly, Congress often leaves agencies’ mandates vague, which can result in ambiguities and conflicts over jurisdiction and responsibilities.
Finally, the president’s oversight capability can be limited in dealing with a sprawling federal bureaucracy. This creates a situation where unelected officials may compete with the president and each other, adding to the complexities of internal conflicts.
Regularly, Congress exercises oversight over the federal bureaucracy through holding hearings, making appointments, and controlling funding.
Meanwhile, citizens can use tools like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to exercise oversight, and whistleblowers within bureaucracies can also report abuses, contributing to internal checks and balances. Nonetheless, the intricate and expansive nature of these agencies means that negotiating these challenges remains a sophisticated task for elected leaders.
Historically, bureaucratic infighting has risen from tensions between the need for the government to assert regulatory power as the country grew and the methods by which it exercises control over its sprawling bureaucracies. Elected leaders have employed a variety of strategies to manage these institutions, from the patronage system to legislative oversight and beyond.