CONGRESS: WE THE PEOPLE
CONGRESS: WE THE PEOPLE
WETA "CONGRESS: WE THE PEOPLE" IN 13.00.44-WETA credit/funding credits/title sequence 13.01.28-Shots of Federal Office buildings in Downtown D.C.. Host Ed Newman describes the massive bureaucracies housed in the buildings and their influence on policy decisions, and the struggle between Congress and White House to control the bureaucracies. Newman in offices of Social Security Administration. Says the bureaucracies have considerable power to shape policy. The program will look at how Congress relates to the bureaucracy. Shots of a press conference announcing REAGAN'S 1981 cabinet appointments. The nominees take places on a stage, include WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH [JUSTICE], CASPAR WEINBERGER [DEFENSE], DONALD REGAN [STATE]. Shot of INTERIOR SECRETARY nominee JAMES WATT in Senate Committee confirmation hearing. V.O.-description of controversy surrounding WATT'S nomination. Sen. MALCOLM WALLOP (R-WY) gives WATT a glowing introduction. WATT jokes that the committee can now adjourn, laughs at his own joke. 13.04.43-Shot of a REAGAN CABINET MEETING. Shots of a Congressional Committee meeting. V.O.-President uses loyalty and appointments to control the bureaucracies, Congress uses its oversight and appropriations functions to control them in a tug-of-war. Shots of ENERGY DEPARTMENT officials testifying that REAGAN tried to force them out of their jobs for political reasons. One bureaucrat says that she was unfairly demoted for contradicting the agenda of Reagan's appointee. Rep. Richard Ottinger in committee. Shots of ENERGY DEPARTMENT head Paul Trible, grilled by Rep. OTTINGER. TRIBLE denies making politically motivated personnel decisions to help REAGAN break the power of Congress over the bureaucracies. 13.07.50-Political scientist discusses the urge for Presidents to try to use appointments to wrest power away from Congress. Shot of Special Counsel, hired to investigate personnel moves, testifies that the executives are accountable to the President and can be pressured. V.O.-the Special Counsel determined that the administration had violated personnel practices. Rep. PATRICIA SCHROEDER in committee, asks the counsel how disputes between Congress and the President over the bureacracies should be resolved. The special Counsel basically says that if a new executive wants to clean house for political reasons, they are free to do so because staffing the bureaucracy is an Executive Branch prerogative. 13.09.36