Policy Making 4 chapters, 100 pages, 14 slides, You’re Welcome….

Setting The Agenda The Political Agenda: “What are we going to make policy about?” What are legitimate issues to put on the agenda? Based on: Shared political values Custom and tradition Impact of events

Scope of Government Action What is legitimate? – Always gets larger General belief that government should continue to do what “it always” has done Events change our perception

What Prompts Change? Groups – Organized or disorganized – “Relative deprivation”: Worse than you expect – Can change values and beliefs of others Institutions – Courts – Bureaucracy – Senate Media – Power of Agenda Setting (Gatekeeper) The States

Decision Making Now that something is on the agenda how is the decision made? – Determined by nature of the issue Impacts groups that become politically active Affects intensity of conflict Best viewed through Cost/Benefit Analysis – Cost: Any burden that people must bear (or expect to bear) from the policy – Benefit: Any satisfaction that people must receive (or expect to receive) from the policy – Viewed through perception and legitimacy (should that group benefit?)

Types of Politics Majoritarian Politics – Distributed Benefits (large numbers) – Distributed Costs (large numbers) – Appeals to large group of voters – Examples Military “Obamacare”

Types of Politics Interest Group Politics – Concentrated benefits (small number) – Concentrated costs (small numbers) – Debate between interest groups with minimal public involvement – Example Labor Unions v. Businesses

Types of Politics Client Politics – Concentrated Benefits (small numbers) – Distributed Costs (large numbers) – Called “client” politics because those that benefit are getting policies that serve their needs – Examples Farm Subsidies Welfare

Types of Politics Entrepreneurial Politics – Distributed Benefits (large numbers) – Concentrated Costs (small numbers) – Success dependent on… A policy entepreneur who works on behalf of unorganized majority OR Large number of voters or legislators become frustrated with another’s benefits – Examples Seat belts in all cars Superfund for environmental clean up

Types of Politics Distributed BenefitsConcentrated Benefits Distributed CostsMajoritarianClient Concentrated CostsEntrepreneurialInterest Group

Social Welfare in the United States Four Factors make us unique – Restrictive view on who is entitled to government assistance – Slower than other nations to embrace welfare – Large role for states and private institutions – Nongovernmental agencies play a role

Two Kinds of Social Welfare Majoritarian – Social Security – Medicare Client Politics – Medicaid – Food Stamps – “Means Tested” – Legitimacy

Social Welfare Entitlements – Programs that legally guarantee benefits to people who meet certain criteria – Examples Social Security Medicare Medicaid Issue – Hard to reform because benefits are “guaranteed” yet make up over 40% of federal budget (impacts budget process)

War Powers Act Provisions – President can commit troops to hostile situations but must report to Congress within 48 hours – Initial commitment is 60 days and Congress can extend (they always have)