Final answer:
Presidents control the federal bureaucracy by appointing heads of departments and agencies, collaborating with Congress on oversight through budgets and hearings, and engaging in rulemaking processes. Despite the complexity of the bureaucracy, they find ways to negotiate and build support for their agendas.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Presidents Control the Bureaucracy
Presidents attempt to control the extensive federal bureaucracy using various methods. They can directly influence the bureaucracy by appointing the heads of the fifteen cabinet departments and many independent executive agencies, such as the CIA, the EPA, and the FBI. These appointments require confirmation by the Senate, which provides a check on the president's power. Additionally, presidents engage in oversight by working with Congress, which has the authority to control funding and approve presidential appointments. Legislators exercise their oversight through hearings, setting budget allowances, and rules like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Furthermore, the bureaucracy itself has mechanisms for internal oversight, including whistle-blower channels for reporting abuses. Rulemaking processes, such as the negotiated rulemaking process, encourage consensus and reduce disputes within institutions. However, due to the growth and complexity of the bureaucracy, there is an inevitable competition between the president and unelected officials in the executive branch. Despite these challenges, presidents continue to exert control over bureaucracies through various negotiations, incentives, and policy-making strategies to ensure that their administration's goals are pursued.
Lastly, the advent of civil service regulations has shaped presidential strategies to influence the bureaucracy. While once able to engage in patronage politics, modern presidents now face more limitations but still find ways to negotiate and build support for their agendas, both in public and behind closed doors.