1. The Policy Making Process
Chapter 17

2. Public Policy * *

3. Public Policy-Making Process* *

4. The Policymaking System
Public Policy = how to solve a “public” problem
The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time.
The six items are hyperlinked to their own slide. A return button is also on the slide. * *

5. Making Public Policy in 5 Steps
1. The National Agenda
- getting on the radar
2. Policy Formulation
- determining the remedy
3. Policy Adoption
- choosing the remedy
4. Policy Implementation
- regulating the policy
5. Policy Evaluation
- assessing policy * *

6. Setting the Political Agenda
The political agenda: something that is important to lots of people
Healthcare?
Getting on the agenda:
- major event occurs
- Trend in statistics
- interest group awareness
- media awareness
Should policy be made radically or incrementally? * *

7. The Influence of Institutions on Public Policy
Congress makes laws; President enforces laws
Both help decide policy agenda
Court decisions require enforcement assistance→ school desegregation, abortion
Often tackle issues ignored by legislature/executive
The bureaucracy is a source of innovation and forms alliances with senators and staff
Iron Triangles
Issue Networks * *

8. Other Influences Groups may react if their issues are being ignored
Tea Party
Occupy Wall St.
States are laboratories for future national policies
Federalism
Block Grants * *

9. Costs, Benefits, Politics Effect on Policy
* In order to make a policy decision, policymakers must assess the following items:
Cost: any burden, monetary or non-monetary, that affect a group/people by a policy
Benefit: any satisfaction, monetary or non-monetary, that affect a group/people by a policy
Politics = who actually benefits/pays and who ought to benefit/pay
getting items on the policy agenda
helping one group over another group * *

10. Classifying and Explaining the Politics of Different Policy Issues* *

11. The POLITICS of Making Public Policy
Majoritarian politics: benefits for all & costs for all
Ex: Military spending
Interest group politics: benefits for a few & costs for a few
Ex: labor unions wants vs. business wants
Client politics: benefits for a few & costs for all
Pork-Barrel Projects → “Earmarks”
Ex: “Bridge to Nowhere” in Alaska
Entrepreneurial politics: Benefits for all & costs for a few
Ex: food safety, environment safety * *