1. Public Policy

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Federal Social Welfare Spending

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

15. 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