Instructions

Step 1: Establish Background

Work through the three interactive lessons on the origins, development, and reform of the federal bureaucracy, and complete the forum on bureaucracy and everyday life.

Step 2: Watch Videos

View the following six videos about the federal bureaucracy and answer the assigned number of questions for each video.

Video 1

Watch this video, https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?5753 

Answer one of the following questions: 

Why did the Founding Fathers vest the legislative (law-making) power in Congress through Article I of the Constitution? What were they worried about?

• Why are laws as written by Congress not sufficiently useful? What role can federal agencies play?

Video 2

Watch this video,  https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?5752 

Answer one of the following questions:

• Which Obama legislative initiatives are criticized as burdensome on business?
• What are the historic roots of today’s regulatory regime?
• How has Congress delegated increasing authority to bureaucratic agencies?
• How do these bureaucratic agencies benefit members of Congress?
• What is one proposed solution to give Congress more control over administrative regulations?

Videos 3, 4, 5, and 6

Watch each video below: 

 https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?5754 

 https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?5755 

 https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?5756 Act (opens in a new window)

 https://www.c-span.org/classroom/document/?3978 

Answer two of the following questions based on the video and your additional research:  

• Is there an issue of bureaucratic discretion being exceeded by the agency/commission? 
• Has Congress taken measures to ensure that the agency follows legislative intent in its regulations? 
• Has any federal court reviewed the regulations? If so, what was its conclusion? 

Step 3: Write an Essay

Write your responses to the questions you selected in Step 2 (Watch Videos) in an essay of at least three paragraphs. Please submit your completed project using the “Add Submission” link below. Submit your work as an MS Word or a PDF file. This project will be graded according to the marking guide provided.