Public Policy

I. Introduction Public Policy: When the government takes action or makes decisions How the gov’t responds, acts, addresses public problems Also gov’t inaction, when gov’t intentionally decides not to do anything A lot of this comes in the form of legislation, but not always

II. 3 Types of Policy Distributive: gov’t distributes a society’s resources, such as wealth, services, and other things of value, when it gives benefits to specific groups in that society Regulation: when gov’t uses legislative, military, or judicial power to stop an action by a person, organization, or group or when it mandates other behaviors or actions Example: air pollution limits on industrial plants

II. 3 Types of Policy 3. Redistributive Policy: policies that take $$ from the better off and shift it to the hands of the less well-off Example: Welfare programs- tax $ given to those who pay few taxes These policies face the most resistance; politically always an issue, mostly used on the national level

Federal Social Welfare Spending

III. Public Policy Process Define Problem Publicize a problem and demand government action. From social indicators, ex: increase in poverty Feedback to public officials about programs not working, etc.

III. Public Policy Process Define Problem Focusing Events: moments that capture attention and highlight the existence of a problem. Example: 9/11 Trigger Mechanism: the means, often tied to focusing events, to push a recognized problem further along in the policy cycle. Participants include: interest groups, general public, bureaucrats, elected officials, citizen initiatives

III. Public Policy Process Agenda Setting Problem has to be seen as serious enough by most of the policy makers to be put on the agenda Decide what issues will be resolved and what matters government will address Often takes time to get a problem on the agenda for a solution through policy- often the initial interest dies out when the cost-benefit factor is assessed Participants include: elites, president, congress

III. Public Policy Process Specify Goals Policy Formation Craft alternative solutions to problems How you define the problem frames the acceptable solutions Come in the form of laws, executive orders, court decisions, or rule-making in a department or agency Participants include: Think Tanks, the President and Executive Office, Congressional Committees, and Interest Groups

III. Public Policy Process Policy Legitimation Select a proposal, generate political support for it, enact it into law, and rule on its Constitutionality Participants include: Interest Groups, President, Congress, Courts, Media

III. Public Policy Process Policy Implementation Job of the executive branch Organize departments and agencies Provide payments and services Levy taxes Participants: President and White House, Executive Departments and Agencies, Iron Triangles

III. Public Policy Process Policy Implementation- Problems Vague/ nonspecific wording Poor reasoning in policies that provide little follow up/enforcement. Ex: gives $ to those who only “promise” to hire minorities Inadequate resources: budges is too low Turf conflicts between agencies Hostile Agencies: undermine implementation, often a reaction to vague wording New Policies: not enough $ to carry out, just get started; new policy doesn’t fit well with existing agency procedures or priorities Controversial policies- meet some resistance

III. Public Policy Process Policy Evaluation Reports outputs of government programs Evaluate policy impact on target and non-target groups Propose changes and “reforms” Done during reauthorization by Congress, investigation by Congress Also done by the courts: when rulings pertain to the implementation of a law Grassroots mobilization and cultural change can also influence the willingness of legislatures to respond

IV. Conclusion All government branches play a role Comprehensive policy change is unusual because no single interest or faction can easily take control of our system Congressional policymaking reflects the diversity of American interests and that there is no one public good but a wide range of solutions for different people in different places Policy making is incremental in its impact Founding Fathers sough stability, not flexibility, and they succeeded