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The Politics of Presidential Appointments : Political Control and Bureaucratic Performance / David E. Lewis.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2010]Copyright date: ©2008Edition: Course BookDescription: 1 online resource (312 p.) : 25 line illus. 25 tablesContent type:
Media type:
Carrier type:
ISBN:
  • 9780691135441
  • 9781400837687
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 352.6/5 22
LOC classification:
  • JK731
Other classification:
  • online - DeGruyter
Online resources: Available additional physical forms:
  • Issued also in print.
Contents:
Frontmatter -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1. Politicization in Theory and Practice -- Chapter 2. The Nature and History of the Modern Personnel System -- Chapter 3. Why, When, and Where Do Presidents Politicize the Bureaucracy? -- Chapter 4. The Pattern of Politicization: A Quantitative Overview -- Chapter 5. The Pattern of Politicization: A Closer Quantitative Analysis -- Chapter 6. Politicization and Performance: The Case of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- Chapter 7. Politicization and Performance: The Larger Pattern -- Chapter 8. Learning the Lessons of Politicization -- Notes -- List of Interviews -- References -- Index
Summary: In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many questioned whether the large number of political appointees in the Federal Emergency Management Agency contributed to the agency's poor handling of the catastrophe, ultimately costing hundreds of lives and causing immeasurable pain and suffering. The Politics of Presidential Appointments examines in depth how and why presidents use political appointees and how their choices impact government performance--for better or worse. One way presidents can influence the permanent bureaucracy is by filling key posts with people who are sympathetic to their policy goals. But if the president's appointees lack competence and an agency fails in its mission--as with Katrina--the president is accused of employing his friends and allies to the detriment of the public. Through case studies and cutting-edge analysis, David Lewis takes a fascinating look at presidential appointments dating back to the 1960s to learn which jobs went to appointees, which agencies were more likely to have appointees, how the use of appointees varied by administration, and how it affected agency performance. He argues that presidents politicize even when it hurts performance--and often with support from Congress--because they need agencies to be responsive to presidential direction. He shows how agency missions and personnel--and whether they line up with the president's vision--determine which agencies presidents target with appointees, and he sheds new light on the important role patronage plays in appointment decisions.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number URL Status Notes Barcode
eBook eBook Biblioteca "Angelicum" Pont. Univ. S.Tommaso d'Aquino Nuvola online online - DeGruyter (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Online access Not for loan (Accesso limitato) Accesso per gli utenti autorizzati / Access for authorized users (dgr)9781400837687

Frontmatter -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1. Politicization in Theory and Practice -- Chapter 2. The Nature and History of the Modern Personnel System -- Chapter 3. Why, When, and Where Do Presidents Politicize the Bureaucracy? -- Chapter 4. The Pattern of Politicization: A Quantitative Overview -- Chapter 5. The Pattern of Politicization: A Closer Quantitative Analysis -- Chapter 6. Politicization and Performance: The Case of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- Chapter 7. Politicization and Performance: The Larger Pattern -- Chapter 8. Learning the Lessons of Politicization -- Notes -- List of Interviews -- References -- Index

restricted access online access with authorization star

http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_16ec

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many questioned whether the large number of political appointees in the Federal Emergency Management Agency contributed to the agency's poor handling of the catastrophe, ultimately costing hundreds of lives and causing immeasurable pain and suffering. The Politics of Presidential Appointments examines in depth how and why presidents use political appointees and how their choices impact government performance--for better or worse. One way presidents can influence the permanent bureaucracy is by filling key posts with people who are sympathetic to their policy goals. But if the president's appointees lack competence and an agency fails in its mission--as with Katrina--the president is accused of employing his friends and allies to the detriment of the public. Through case studies and cutting-edge analysis, David Lewis takes a fascinating look at presidential appointments dating back to the 1960s to learn which jobs went to appointees, which agencies were more likely to have appointees, how the use of appointees varied by administration, and how it affected agency performance. He argues that presidents politicize even when it hurts performance--and often with support from Congress--because they need agencies to be responsive to presidential direction. He shows how agency missions and personnel--and whether they line up with the president's vision--determine which agencies presidents target with appointees, and he sheds new light on the important role patronage plays in appointment decisions.

Issued also in print.

Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.

In English.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 30. Aug 2021)