There are currently many different federal bureaucratic departments and agencies in the United States. If I had to choose which part of this bureaucracy I wanted to work for, it would be the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This essay discusses the reasons for this choice. It explains the rules for recruiting federal officials, the differences between a government official and a politician, and whether the federal government is too large. Working for the EPA is important because it is crucial to protect the environment, and the global community is increasingly aware of the need to act to save our planet. Working for the EPA will allow a person to do something useful for the country.
Different rules apply when recruiting federal officials in the United States of America. For the past twenty years, a merit system has been in place that allows people from all levels of education and experience to apply for federal service. This system replaced the patronage (trophy) system, which meant that many posts were filled by people recommended by politicians (Spenkuch and Edoardo).
The primary distinction between a government official and a politician is that a government official provides direct government services to the public. In contrast, a politician is responsible for making decisions and setting priorities to achieve political objectives (Spenkuch and Edoardo). In other words, the politicians and government officials execute the decisions. Moreover, government officials must adhere to laws and policies, and politicians must choose the path that they consider most preferable.
The federal government is too large, with several agencies and programs that appear redundant or ineffective. For example, the Agency for Energy Efficiency and Development of the Energy System, the Agency for Export Regulation, the Agency for Management and Budget, the Agency for Road Information Systems, and the Agency for the Development and Planning of Health Projects and Programs should be reduced (Spenkuch and Edoardo). It’s great to eliminate some programs, such as the one to counter racism and discrimination, the program to promote small and medium-sized enterprises, and the program to prevent job displacement.
The general scope of this paper covered the EPA’s personnel choices, federal recruitment rules, the separation between career officials and politicians, and the ongoing discussion about the scale of the federal government. The federal government has reached a reasonable size, but it should be reduced or improved at times. Working for the EPA will be an excellent opportunity to benefit my hometown, state, and country.
Works Cited
Spenkuch, Jorg L., Edoardo Teso, and Guo Xu. Ideology and Performance in Public Organizations. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2021.