1. The Making of Domestic and Foreign Policy: Summing Up American Government in Black and White
Chapter 16

2. Introduction to Policy Making
Domestic policy: Laws, regulations, and programs that directly affect people living in the United States
Economic and fiscal concerns, infrastructure, civil rights, civil liberties, criminal law, education, housing, and health care
Foreign policy: Law, regulations, and programs that affect the relations of the United States with other nations
Diplomatic relations, international economics and trade, global health, human rights, defense, and national security

3. Agenda-Setting Agenda universe Systemic agenda Institutional agenda
Decision agenda

4. Agenda-Setting Social movements, interest groups, and agenda setting
These groups and movements place pressure on the political system to advance their policy agendas
Protests
Demonstrations
Education

5. Agenda-Setting The media and agenda setting Content of media coverage
Amount of media exposure
The media can influence the policy positions that become a part of the policy agenda
Genocide in Bosnia versus Rwanda
See “Our Voices: President Obama’s 2009 Cairo Speech”

6. Policy Enactment Policy formulation
Members of Congress and their staff write bills
Federal judges, along with their law clerks, write opinions
Presidents and assistants craft executive orders
Independent regulatory commissioners develop rules and regulations

7. Policy Enactment Policy formulation (cont.)
The public attempts to influence policy formulation, although it does not have a great deal of power in the process
Indirect: Political parties
Direct: Administrative Procedures Act of 1946
Think tanks
Sponsoring litigation and submitting briefs

8. Policy Enactment Policy adoption Process
Legislature passes laws
Executive signs laws and issues executive orders
U.S. Supreme Court make decisions concerning laws
This process requires a great deal of compromise
Issues of race can influence policy adoption
See “Evaluating Equality: Racial Prejudice and the Public Debate over the Adoption of Health Care Reform Policies”

9. Postenactment Stages Policy implementation
Government officials must ensure that funds that have been allocated are spent
Government officials must ensure that regulations set by Congress are enforced

10. Postenactment Stages Policy implementation (cont.)
Executive: Can shape policy implementation by way it enforces laws
Civil rights laws enforced less vigorously in the 1980s
This branch is essential for implementing Supreme Court rulings
Judiciary: Lower courts often implement Supreme Court rulings

11. Postenactment Stages Policy implementation (cont.)
Policies are often written in a vague manner to help ensure that they are adopted
This vague language allows for greater influence in the structure of policy during the implementation process

12. Postenactment Stages Policy evaluation Influenced by
Governments
Interest groups
The public
Evaluators have a great deal of discretion in establishing the goals of a policy (and thus how the policy is evaluated)

13. Composition of White State Prison Inmates in the United States by Offense Type

14. Composition of Black State Prison Inmates in the United States by Offense Type

15. Composition of Latino State Prison Inmates in the United States by Offense Type

16. Postenactment Stages Policy evaluation Congressional oversight
This is a largely partisan process
This process is less likely to take place under a unified government
Interest groups
Social media
Evaluation can be biased in terms of race
Blacks and Latinos disproportionately sanctioned when failing to meet Wisconsin welfare reform program benchmarks