ABSTRACT

By fragmenting the chain of command and limiting the scope of governmental authority, the Founding Fathers consciously elected to bias the system in favor of personal liberties. The organizational constraints nested within the “separation of powers” have, to date, thwarted a dangerous consolidation of power. But these organizational safeguards serve to complicate the efficient execution of public policy by forcing administrators to accommodate conflicting political demands. Administrative efficiency is sacrificed to ensure the preservation of basic personal liberties. However problematic or politically inexpedient they may be, their basis in constitutional law renders many notions of practical reform virtually impossible.