Chapter 1: Intro to Public Policy

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Chapter 1: Intro to Public Policy.

Public policy

What the government does or doesn’t do to solve problems, address challenges, and make things happen; policy originates from the government as a response to public problems.

Public problem

Issues that the government has to resolve.

Government actors

Anyone acting on behalf of the government.

Turtle Excluder Device (TED)

A device mandated for shrimp nets by NMFS that allows turtles to escape, illustrating a solution to a public problem.

Distributive policy

Policy that provides beneficial goods and services to a broad portion of the population, usually funded by taxpayers (e.g., public roads, public education).

Redistributive policy

Policy that reallocates wealth, rights, or other resources to benefit particular class-based groups (e.g., SNAP, TANF).

Civil rights policies

Policies that provide social benefits to minorities and women to achieve economic and social equality (often part of redistributive efforts).

Regulatory policies

Policies that compel or discourage certain behaviors through rules backed by law, aiming to protect rights and public safety (e.g., FSMA, NLEA).

Constituent policies

Policies that create and regulate government agencies and the way the government functions (often linked to the executive branch and statutory law).

Statutory laws

Written laws passed by a legislative body.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Federal department created after 9/11 to coordinate national security, including law enforcement, regulatory, and fiscal functions.

SNAP

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; a redistributive policy providing food assistance to low-income individuals.

TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; a redistributive policy providing temporary financial support to families in need.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

Regulatory policy aimed at improving the safety of the U.S. food supply.

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)

Regulatory policy requiring nutrition labeling to inform consumers about food content.

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

U.S. health care reform law enacted in 2010 to expand health insurance access and reform the health care system.

Policy vs politics

Policy refers to the government’s actions to solve problems; politics refers to the processes by which those policies are debated and decided.