[University]
Compared with other western democracies, the United States has a far larger number of political officials at the top of the national bureaucracy. Why is this the case? What are the implications of large numbers of political appointees for good governance?
One of the plausible explanations why the number of political positions has grown in number is because American democracy is still a work in progress. As much as possible, elected leaders would like to fill the gaps by creating positions for every administrative function. As observed by Kettl, “In civil service systems, each position is identified in terms of the special knowledge the job requires, its level of difficulty, and the responsibilities that come with it”. Over the course of time, officials are appointed as the need arises or if special functions are identified. One particular example is the creation of several government agencies because of the 9/11 terrorist attack. The Department of Homeland Security, together with its support agencies, is created because of the need. As a result, the United States increased its civil service appointees due to the 9/11 incident. Despite the fact that the United States is one of the oldest democracies of in the world, it is still an ongoing process of political experimentation. In this regards, the civil service bureaucracy is left open for improvement. Most often, the improvement means additional individuals that are specialized on a particular field or discipline.
The large number of political appointees can also be attributed to the resilience of incumbent public officials to reform the system. Political positions have been left as is, and no constitutional provisions have been made to limit the hiring of government employees. Because of this resilience and the uncertainties of the future, the practice and status of the United States’ civil service bureaucracy remained intact for years. Elected officials are empowered to choose his cabinet members. Furthermore, the hiring of political appointees increases the incumbent position in the national bureaucracy. Although the United States’ political officials far exceed those of its democratic counterparts, it may present a favorable impact to the country. Numerous officials’ means enough man power to oversee government functions. And since officials are mostly chosen for their specialty and expertise, a more focused solution to problems can be achieved. However, the large number of political appointees holding office draws a considerable sum of compensation, which is also a drain on the country’s resources. It is worth noting that the key government positions are held by political appointees and most of these positions are abandoned during a change of administration. A change in personnel could become a barrier for progress. Most often, the unfinished projects and plans of the previous administration might be abandoned because of a change in administration.
References
Kettl, D. (2014). Politics of the Administrative Process, 6th Edition. Retrieved October 2014, from http://college.cqpress.com/: http://college.cqpress.com/sites/adminpolitics6e/Home/chapter9.aspx
