Bureaucracy+of+Pizza

 The Bureaucracy of Pizza: Taking a Closer Look at How the Federal Bureaucracy Governs Your Pizza! **__ Background __** : When the executive branch of the national government was established in 1789, the federal bureaucracy consisted of just three Cabinet departments and the Office of the Attorney General, later to become the Justice Department. In 1789 the State Department had 9 employees, the War Department had 2, and the Treasury Department had 39. Today, the State Department employs about 28,000 civilians, the Defense Department about 670,000, and the Treasury Department about 163,000. The **federal bureaucracy** today boasts **//15 Cabinet departments//** and **//dozens of agencies, regulatory commissions, and government corporations//**//,// with a **//civilian workforce of more than 2.8 million//**. The “bureaucratic behemoth” exercises power and influence over virtually every facet of the nation’s social and economic life**//.//** In the view of many observers, the power, reach, and independence of the federal bureaucracy demand that it be viewed as a **//fourth branch of government//**.

**__ Directions __**** : ** Your task is to take each component part of a home-delivered pizza and, using the links below, research the federal agencies and departments that would regulate it in some way. Use the chart on the reverse side to explain how each component part of the pizza delivery is regulated by the agency and/or department.

**__ Internet Resources __**** : ** The links below will assist you in determining how each federal agency and/or department regulates each pizza component: 1) Cardboard Box: __[]__ 2) Tomato Sauce: __[]__ 3) Crust: __[]__ 4) Cheese: __[]__ 5) Mushrooms: [] 6) Anchovies (seafood): __[]__ 7) Pepperoni: __[|http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n29_v25/ai_11070250/l]__  8) Onions: __ [] __ 9) Delivery Vehicle: []  10) Diet Soda: __ [] __

Once you have completed the chart, answer the questions for discussion in paragraph form.

**__Questions for Discussion__**

1) What generalizations can you make about the “bureaucracy of pizza” (i.e. how involved are federal agencies and departments in the take out and frozen pizza that you eat)?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages to consumers of pizza (like you) of federal rules and regulations? Advantages and disadvantages for pizza businesses?