Understanding the Politics of Public Policy
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Transcript of Understanding the Politics of Public Policy
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Understanding the Politics
of Public Policy
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Outline
Models and theories of public policy Policy process model
problem definition and agenda setting
policy formulation
policy legitimation
policy implementation
policy evaluation/policy change
Instruments of public policy
Policy typologies
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Models of Public Policy
Elite theory
Group theory
Institutionalism Rational choice theory
Political systems theory
Policy process model
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Policy Process Model
Policy Cycle
Problem definition/Agenda setting
Policy formulation
Policylegitimation
Policyimplementation
Policy evaluation
Policy change
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Problem Definition
Often difficult to define a problem
What is a current problem?
Why is it a problem?
Definition is based on your own
perspective
Whos involved?
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Agenda Setting
Systemic vs. government agenda
systemic: public is aware of and may be
discussing
government:considered to be those issues and
problems that policymakers are addressing at a
certain time
What issues would you consider to be onthe government agenda currently?
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Streams of Agenda Setting
Problem stream
Policy stream
Political stream
Opportunity foragenda items
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Explanations for Agenda Setting:
Problems, Politics, Participants
Problems
mandated items
magnitude of problemfocusing events (e.g., Sept. 11, Love Canal)
relationship to symbols
absence of private meansspillover impacts
analogy to other problems
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Explanations (contd)
Politics
political process change
change in administration, public opinion, etc.
Visible participants (entrepreneurs)
president and staff
congressional leadership
media
interest groups
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Explanations: Saliency and Conflict
Influences on Agenda Setting
Level of salience is HIGH Level of salience is LOW
Level of conflict is HIGH Crime, Gun control WORST CHANCE
Abortion rights
Level of conflict is LOW BEST CHANCE
Airline safety
Pork-barrel projects (e.g.,
research grants, water
projects)
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Policy Formulation
Debate over alternative policy choices
Importance of policy analysis
Actors provide their preferred positions Whos involved
bureaucracy, EOP
legislature/staffinterest groups
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Policy Legitimation
Appropriateness of government action
Important for garnering support
Deals w/two major issuesSubstance of the policy
Process of adopting the policy
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Policy Implementation
Where actual intervention is seen
Activities that put programs into effect
money spent
laws passed
regulations formulated
Done mostly by executive branch through
regulations
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Implementation
Its important to recognize that when
executive branch agencies implement
policy, they are often MAKING LAW.
How can this be?
Delegation of Authority/Power
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Delegation of Authority
Legislature confers upon an administrative agency
lawmaking power that it could exercise itself.
Raises important constitutional issues
Why would Congress do this?
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Why Does Congress Delegate?
Two Models
Good Government Model
"Nonpolitical" officials
Experts in area
Discretion and Flexibility
Shift-the-Responsibility
Time and Resource
Avoid the responsibility ofmaking a "bad" decision
Serve the constituency
through casework
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Bureaucratic Discretion
Delegation has given agencies more leeway in
determining the policies that they are
implementing. How do we control these agencies and their
power?
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Limits on Discretion
Administrative Procedures
Scientific and Economic Decision Rules
Congressional and Presidential Oversight
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Administrative Procedures
Administrative Procedure Act (1946) -- setup
procedures to deal with the shortcomings of
delegation.
Important Components
Right to seek judicial review
Rules to develop regulations (informal rulemaking)
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Informal Rulemaking
Also called notice-and-comment
Requires three major steps
Notice of intended rulemaking in the FederalRegister
Opportunity for interest parties to submit
comments
Consideration of comments and response to thecomments in the final rule.
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Economic/Scientific Analysis
Things such as:
Risk Assessments
Peer Review Cost-Benefit Analysis
Role of OMB
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Presidential Oversight
Appointment Power
Budgetary Power
Reorganizations Guidelines for Enforcement
Executive Orders
E.O.s 12291 and others
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Congressional Oversight
Committee Hearings
Budgetary Power
Investigations (GAO)
Informal (phone calls, letters, etc.)
Enactment of a statute
Deadlines
Legislative Vetoes
ruled unconstitutional in INS v. Chada
Police Patrol vs. Fire Alarm Oversight
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Policy Evaluation and Change
Step often disregarded in process
Difficult to identify the goals of a program and
if they were achieved
Different types of impacts
direct vs. indirect
short-term vs. long-term
Hopefully, will feed information back into the
policy process
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Instruments of Policy
Regulation
Government management
Taxing and spending Market mechanisms
Education and information
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Lowi Policy Typology
Distributive policy
individualized grants and programs
Redistributive policy one gains from anothers loss
Regulatory policy
government restriction of choice