Iron Triangle

The Iron Triangle is basically a diagram showing how the bureaucracy collaborates and checks itself. It consists of Interest Groups, Congressional committees, and Federal Agencies. Interest Groups ideally try to lobby legislation to benefit their members. They also try to influence the way current laws are regulated, or enforced. To do this they garner support from federal agencies, which enforce and enact laws and legislation. Congressional Committees are put in charge of setting the budget and overseeing what Federal Agencies do. Federal Agencies report to the Congressional Committees on their activates. So the Iron triangle shows the relationship between these parts of the bureaucracy. The triangle also demonstrates how these three players can check each other. An interest group can withdraw support from an Agency if it is not regulating laws in its favor, or Congressional Committees can cut funding if they see the regulating of a law unfit. Thus Federal Agencies try to please both Congress and interest Groups. Ultimately the Iron Triangle showcases the influence of the interest groups, the regulation of the Federal Agencies, and the oversight and funding of Congress.