Question

Chapter 44 discusses the "executive" and the "independent" administrative agencies. The primary distinction between the two types of agencies is that the heads of executive administrative agencies are appointed by the president and serve "at the president’s pleasure" (meaning that executive agency heads can be discharged by the president at any time, for any reason,) while the commissioners of independent administrative agencies serve fixed terms (they are initially appointed by the president, with the "advice and consent" of the United States Senate,) and cannot be removed except for cause. Serving fixed terms is said to make commissioners of independent administrative agencies less accountable to the will of the executive. Examples of independent administrative agencies include the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Examples of executive administrative agencies include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Small Business Administration, and the Veteran’s Administration.
Should those administrative agencies currently classified as executive agencies be transformed into independent agencies? What advantages/disadvantages would result from such a change? Do executive agency heads owe allegiance to the president?

Answer 1

Answers:

It won't be advisable to transform this executive agencies to independent agencies, because it will reduce the power of the president, and therefore reducing the ability of the president to carry on it's agenda.

ADVANTAGE OF THE TRANSFORMATION:

1) Their will discharge their duties without any political influence.

2) The president will not longer have strong influence on their decision.

3) Each head of the agency will have a specific time and duration for it plans to be achieved before the end of it's tenure.

DISADVANTAGE OF THE TRANSACTION:

1) It will develop fight for power and control in the decisions of the agency, between the president and the head of the agency.

2) it will take away harmony been seen between the president office and the agency.

3) it will reduce the power been invested in the president in carrying on a better administration.

Executive heads owe allegiance to the president, because their are appointed by the president, and can only be removed by the president. During appointment, the president usually appoints it's loyalist that is qualified to head the agency. This is why some of their heads resign, when their can no longer cope with the will of the president.