Definition:
Public policy is a purposive course of action produced as a response to a problem, formulated by a specific political process, and adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency
Economic Policy
4 Types of Policy
Foreign Policy
Social Policy
Environmental Policy
Majoritarian
Interest Group
Federal Reserve Board supervises banks, maintaining the stability of the financial system, overseeing the nation's payment systems.
Means-Tested: determines whether an individual or family is eligible for government assistance
Entitlement: guaranteed government assistance
AP Government
5 types of world views:
- Isolationism (isolating one's country from the affairs of others)
- Containment (restricting the growth of an ideology)
- Disengagement (reducing interventions in an area)
- Human Rights (promoting human rights)
- Preemption (protect against countries that harbor terrorist groups)
- Small group pays and a different small group benefits
- Example: raising the minimum wage
- Everyone pays, everyone benefits
- Suffer from free rider problem
- Least controversial
- Example: education, social security
- Declares war
- Confirms presidential appointments
- Senate must ratify treaties
- Commander in Chief
- Appoints officials
- Negotiates treaties
- Has a longer term
- Is seen as the "voice" of the nation
- Can use personal emissaries
- Can enter executive agreements
Entrepreneurial
Client
- Small group pays, everyone benefits
- Example: environment
War powers act limited the power of the president to commit the US to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. Forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without Congressional approval.
- Everyone pays and a small group benefits
- Public is largely unaware of indifferent
- Example: labor unions and federal projects
- Secretary of Defense exercises command power over the armed forces
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the President's chief military adviser
- National Security Council advises the President on foreign policy
Political Agenda
Definition: deciding what to make policy about
STAGE 2: Formulating Policy
STAGE 1: Setting the Agenda
STAGE 3: Adopting Policy
STAGE 4: Implementing Policy
- Determines how an agency interprets and implements a policy
- Congress plays a crucial role in determining solutions by weighing costs and benefits
- Policy Incubation: bringing policies to maturity and refining solutions
- Policy Window: the right time for a policy to be adopted
- Usually right after it gains legitimization (popular acceptance
- Problems are identified and moved to the national agenda
- Pushed by policy entrepreneurs: people who have time and money to push an issue