Introduction
Public administration is primarily defined as the execution of government policies. As such, public administration is linked to certain critical aspects of government operations like coordination, organization, and planning. The Trump public charge rule is one of the most recent public administration actions in the nation. According to Bleich and Fleischhacker (2019), the public charge rule has historically been applied as a guiding principle and not as a rule. Thus, the government initially had no basis for denying green card applications as only permanent residents and citizens of the United States were entitled to public cash assistance and long-term healthcare at the expense of the United States government.
However, during the Trump era, the concept of the public charge rule was drastically expanded with an aim of significantly suppressing the number of individuals who could be deemed eligible for green card applications. As maintained by Bleich and Fleischhacker (2019), the Trump public charge rule greatly redefined the factors that rendered immigrants dependent on the benefits of the government. This paper will analyze the Trump public charge rule through the lenses of the public administration theories like classical public administration theory, postmodern public administration theory, and new public management theory.
The Trump Charge Rule Through the Lens of Classical Administration Theory
The Classical administration theory stresses the essence of an organization’s structure in realizing its functions and objectives. However, it completely overlooks the human component of the organization. As claimed by Bryer (2021), the structuring of an organization is considered critical; thus, the absence of proper structuring results in illogical, and occasionally ineffective policies. In considering the classical administration theory to analyze the action of the Trump charge rule, it is important to utilize Gulick’s human and time factors. The concept stipulates that the primary function of a government is to ensure the survival, improvement, and welfare of its citizens. Thus, it can be argued that the Trump charge rule was designed by his administration to guarantee the greater good of the citizens (Overman & Schillemans, 2022).
By redefining the metrics that rendered immigrants dependent on the United States government, the Trump charge considerably lowered the number of successful green card applications and visas issued to individuals. Consequently, the resources that would have been used on the immigrants by the government of the United States were channeled into improving the lives of the citizens through actions like increasing supplemental security income.
Through considering the other perspective of the classical administrative theory which promotes the notion that time is the single most essential component of any event, it can be asserted that the Trump charge rule was inappropriate and illogical. Boselie et al. (2021) remark that the Trump charge ruled displayed a great lack of understanding of the importance of immigrants to an economy. The pandemic has resulted in struggling economies in several countries around the world.
For instance, Karpa and Akimov (2021) document that nearly every nation in the world had no proper plan, and resources to effectively handle the consequences of the pandemic. Hence, the timing of the Trump charge rule was poor and economically misinformed as the action denied the administration an ample opportunity to tap into the rich pool of potential skilled immigrants who could have played a central role in the recovery of the economy.
The Trump Charge Rule Through the Lens of Postmodern Public Administration Theory
The postmodern public administration theory is greatly associated with the capitalist models developed in the late 20th and 21st centuries. Overman and Schillemans (2022) note that the postmodern public administration theory takes into account the dynamics of consumerism, globalization, and the balance of state and authority. More precisely the theory is more concerned with management, leadership, and efficiency. Invoking the same principles to the Trump charge rule, it is evident that the administration believed that practicing administration was an elaborate method of illustrating their sovereignty. As maintained by Karpa and Akimov (2021) one of the primary objectives of the Trump charge rule was to shield American citizens from plummeting to third-world levels, particularly in employment. The argument was often anchored on the fears that allowing too many immigrants in the country would result in a drastic increase in the supply of labor which will in turn result in low employment opportunities and poor wages.
One of the most essential perspectives of the postmodernism public administration theory is on how the government utilizes its resources on elevating the living standards of its citizens. Based on the previous history of a nation, lessons are picked that inform their decision on issues of key interest. Similarly, the Trump charge action can be argued to have originated from the past experiences the government had with immigrants.
According to Bleich and Fleischhacker (2019), the Trump charge rule dramatically emphasized the need to conduct thorough investigations on the backgrounds of individuals seeking visa entries into the United States. The move enabled the administration to effectively classify potential immigrants as either beneficial to the state or a liability to the state Boselie et al. (2021). For instance, student visas were greatly rejected compared to visas from applicants seeking permanent residency.
The Trump Charge Rule Through the Lens of New Public Management Theory.
The new public management theory is often described by scholars as the incorporation of new institutional economics into the management of the public. Bryer (2021) documents that the primary driving force behind the introduction of the new public management theory in the early 1980s was to redefine how the public sector was managed by making it more businesslike. Thus, effectively improving the workability of borrowed ideas within the government. Similarly, Overman & Schillemans (2022) remarks that the new public management theory is a type of system that advocates for accountability within the public sector while simultaneously encouraging results and not the processes. Hence, through the lens of the new public administration theory, it is vivid that the Trump charge rule completely overlooked the democratic processes involved in the formulation and implementation of laws and strictly focused on the possible results such an action would achieve.
Osborne and Gaebler are prominent promoters of the new public administration theory, from their perspective, certain ideologies can be observed that greatly conforms to the ideologies that motivated Trump’s charge rule (Overman & Schillemans, 2022). For instance, the book documents how the new government is keen on ensuring that its citizens can comfortably acquire services and products while at the same time encouraging healthy competition among the providers of the products and services (Bryer, 2021). Similarly, the Trump charge rule can be interpreted as an elaborate mechanism and strategy of guaranteeing a stable economy by limiting the number of immigrants into the nation who will at some point compete for employment and healthcare benefits with the American citizens.
Conclusion
In conclusion, public administration is a complex endeavor that ensures the efficiency of a government through the proper implementation of policies. In most instances, public administration is envisioned as a field where leaders strive to serve their societies in an attempt to promote the common good. As such, public administration is heavily anchored on the formulation and implementation of policies. The policies formulated are critical as they form and define the conditions in which citizens live. Although there have been numerous public administration actions before by the government of the United States of America, the Trump charge rule stands outs as one of the most controversial public administration actions.
The public action aimed at reducing the number of individuals who could be deemed eligible for green card applications and visa applications to the United States by redefining the metrics that constitute the charge rule. In many ways, the move was rendered illogical and criticized by numerous leaders and people around the world.
However, promoters of the activists argued that the move was necessary to protect American citizens against possible economic crises. A thorough consideration of the three main theories of public administration which include the classical public administration theory, postmodern public administration theory, and new public management theory offers a clear perspective on Trump’s charge rule and how it affects the administrators. Ideally, Trump’s charge rule incorporates numerous dynamics that cut across the three main theories of public administration. For instance, the new public administration theory advocates for successful governance through the elimination of unnecessary competition, an ideal shared by the Trump charge rule.
References
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