Public Policy Exam Two

Advocacy Coalition Framework

This modern variant of interest group theory focuses on the “interactions of competing advocacy coalitions” particularly within a policy subsystem. Consists of policy actors from different public and private institutions and different levels of government who share a particular set of beliefs about the policies that government should promote.

Agenda Setting

How problems are perceived and defined, command attention, and get onto the political agenda

Competitive Regulation

This is mostly associated with regulating specific industries and their practices.

Distributive Policies

Characterized by individual programs or grants that a government provides without regard to limited resources or zero-sum situations (where one group’s gain is another’s loss)

Elite Theory

This theory emphasizes how the values and preferences of governing elites, which differ from those of the public at large, affect public policy development.

Group Theory

This theory sees public policy as the product of a continuous struggle among organized interest groups.

Institutional or Government Agenda

the list of subjects or problems to which governmental officials, and people outside of government closely associated with those officials, are paying some serious attention to at any given time.

Institutional Theory

Emphasize the formal and legal aspects of government structure. Looks at the ways governments are arranges, their legal powers, and their rules of decision making. Major tenet is that structures and rules make a big difference in the kinds of policy process that occur and which policy actors are likely to be influential in them.

Policy Change

Modification of policies goals and means in light of new information or shifting political environment.

Policy Cycle

Term used to make clear that the process of policy is cyclical or continuous rather than a onetime set of actions. No policy is final with changing conditions, new info, formal evaluations, and shifting opinions so this could be presented as a series of sages linked in a circle.

Policy Evaluation

Measurement and assessment of policy and program effects, including success or failure

Policy Formulation

The design and drafting of policy goals and strategies for achieving them. Often involves the use of policy analysis.

Police Implementation

Provision of institutional resources for putting the programs into effect within a bureaucracy.

Policy Instrument

The tool, such as regulation or education, that government uses to intervene in a given problem or issue.

Polic Legitimation

The mobilization of political support and formal enactment of policies. Includes justification or rationales for the policy action.

Policy Stream

Refers to what might be done about a problem - the possible alternative policies.

Political Stream

Refers to political climate or public mood. This can be evident in surveys, be the result of an elections, and be the activity and strength of interest groups.

Political Systems Theory

Stresses the way the political system resounds to demands that arise from its environment, such as public opinion and interest group pressures. Emphasizes the larger social, economic, and cultural context in which political decisions and policy choices are made.

Problem Definition

The step in policy process where a particular issues is defined or explained in a particular way people can understand.

Problem Stream

Various bits of info available on a problem like who it affects and in what ways.

Protective or Social Regulation

Protects the general public from actives that occur in the private sector

Punctuated Equilibrium Model

Suggests that we can get dramatic policy change when the conditions are just right. We may have long periods in which policy stability is the norm and this stable condition can be undermined when new ideas make in onto the policy agenda, receive enhanced media and public attention, and are sufficiently endorsed by new policy actors to force change.

Rational Choice Theory

Draws heavily from economics and uses elaborate mathematical modeling. Often used to explain actions as diverse as individual vote decisions and the calculations of public officials. Assumes that when making decisions individuals are rational actors who seek to maximize attainment of their preferences or further their self-interest. Analysts consider what individuals values how they perceive a given situation, etc etc.

Redistributive Policies

Policies that provide benefits to one category of individuals at the expense of another; often reflect ideological or class conflict.

Regulatory Policy

Government restriction of individual choice to keep conduct from transcending acceptable bounds.

Systemic (social) Agenda

Issues the public is aware of and may be discussing.

Assessing Alternatives

Determine the merit of possible policy choices, often through the use of policy analysis. Which of several alternatives that are considered seriously is most likely to produce the outcome sought. Involves making judgement on how well each police option fits in relation to the most relevant criteria.

Democratic Political Processes

Opportunities for citizen involvement in decision making and ensuring public review of policy ideas.

Incremental Decision Making

Making modest changes in policy or making the changes gradually. More realistic approach given ideological and partisan constrains and the ever present pressure from interest groups and other constituencies

Problem

The existences of an unsatisfactory set of conditions for which relief is sought, either through private means or from the government. Commonly used in discussion of societal issues that call for a governmental response in the form of public policy.

Proximate Causes

Those cases of public policy that are most direct or immediate, and sometimes easier to handle. often contrasted with underlying, or root, causes of problems.

Rational-Comprehensive Approach

A way of making decisions that considers all significant policy alternatives and all of their major consequences. Often contrasted with incremental decision making, which is thought to be more realistic than this approach.

Rational Decision Making

An approach to decisions making that attempt to follow a series of logical or tonal steps: defining a problem, identifying goals to be sought, evaluating alternative solutions, and recommending one that best achieve the goals and objectives.

Root Causes

The basis/fundamental causes of public problems, sometimes referred to as underlying causes. Often constrained with proximate causes.

Regulate

Control Behavior

Subsidize

Give industries help

Ration

cut back resources

Tax and Spend

taxes & fees

Contract Out

pay private companies to do government jobs

Use Market Incentives

tax credits, loans, market incentives (ex. building a football stadium)

Privatize

fedez does our mail

Charge Fees

Things you pay when you do things

Educate

educate people about government issues

Create Public Trusts

PBS

Conduct Research

Research about public policy issues

Distributive policies

“small” policies with “a few” benificiaries

Redistrbutive policies

“larger” transfer of wealth, rights, or resources to groups

Regulatory policies

Controlling behavior

self-regulatory policies

Private companies, regulating their own behavior or employees’ behavior

Steps of problem analysis

Define, measure, determine the extent, think about the causes, set goals, and determine what can be done.

Agenda setting

Deciding what to do and getting ideas into the hands of policy makers

Policy formulation

Creating legislation that will get something done

Policy legitimation

voting on and approving the output

policy implimentation

Deciding how to do the policy

Policy evaluation

How successful was it? The 3 E’s

Policy change

ammendments

Butter policies

Domestic policies involving providing goods and services

Guns policies

Foreign policy or national security, protecting citzens

Subgovernments/silos

Areas of government focusing of a specific issue such as defens

Production possibility curve (PPC) first school

Everything is just right as it is, just move along the curve

Production Possibility Curve (PPC) second school

expand the curve out, more government spendingPro

Production Possibility Curve (PPC) third school

Shrink the curve and have less government spending

Production Possibility Curve (PPC) fourth school

MAGA, as close to zero as possible

Priv-brid

Healthcare subgovernment is more private than hy-brid

brainstorming

Used to foster creativity in consideration of policy alternatives. In a small group setting, individuals are encouraged to think of possible solutions without imposing constraints on the discussion or criticizing ideas as they are offered

causes

The factors that are thought to bring about a given situation or problem. Used in problem analysis to identify how a problem came to exist and why it continues

creative thinking

Refers to a way of analyzing public problems and their solutions that goes beyond conventional ideas. Important for imagining and proposing unusual solution 

ideal situation

A reference used in policy analysis whereby a highly preferable or ideal goal or solution to a problem might be set

issue framing

The practice in which policymakers and interest groups do whatever they can to set the policy agenda in their favor by defining problems their way 

literaure review

A review or assessment of available analyses or writings about a given subject. This can be a way to discover what has been written on a subject and what policy approaches have been tried in various settings

no-action analysis

A policy alternative that considers the advantages or disadvantages of taking no new action, and thus keeping a current policy in place. Maintains the status quo.

operational measures

A specific way to define and measure a policy problem, such as a rate of poverty or unemployment. Often useful when quantitative measures of problems are needed

parallel situation

A similar condition in a related policy area that might provide ideas for what actions might be undertaken to address a problem

passive collection

Finding out what others have suggested in a given policy area by speaking with a program’s clients or administrators, advocates of various positions, and organizations that have taken a position on the issues

policy design

A form of policy analysis that occurs during policy formulation, where an analyst considers how the various components of a proposed policy fit together and how they are likely to work to solve a problem. Involves consideration of what actions government will take and how they will affect “target populations,” or the people most affected by the policy

problem analysis

A series of methods that can be used to analyze the causes of public problems, where they exist, what effects they have, and what might be done about them

public attitudes and habits

The collective opinion or practice of the public, which can become entrenched due to long-standing habits and can influence policy action

quick survey

Talking with people in a particular policy network or searching through hearings transcripts, minutes of meetings, newspaper accounts, and the like for pertinent information about a problem and policy alternatives

solutions

Proposed alternatives to solve a given problem once the causes have been identified

supply and demand perspectives

Two views on how to think about public problems. One focuses on the quantity of the good or service that is, or can be made, available (supply) and the other on its use by the public (demand)—which might increase or decrease. For example, energy policy could try to increase the supply or decrease the demand through conservation.

contingent valuation methods

The use of surveys to determine the economic value that people place on certain goods or services for which there is no market value. Used in cost-benefit analysis to consider intangible costs or benefits, such as a safe community or clean water

cost-benefit analysis

A form of policy analysis in which the costs and benefits of proposed policy actions are considered carefully. Often, although not always, the major costs and benefits are measured quantitatively by their value in dollars.

discount rate

A calculation made in conducting cost-benefit analysis that takes into account the changing value of a dollar over time. Future costs and benefits are “discounted” to present value by using estimated inflation rates.

ethical analysis

Policy analysis that is based on ethical principles or norms, such as personal freedom or equality. It can supplement analysis based largely on economic, political, or administrative concerns.

impact assessment

A form of policy analysis that examines the likely effects or impacts of proposed or adopted policies. These may be environmental, social, economic, or other significant impacts

implementation analysis

A form of policy analysis that examines the process and effects of implementing public policy. Can be used to anticipate likely implementation problems prior to adoption or to document actual problems after a policy has been put into effect

opportunity costs

Common in economic analysis; one considers the value of opportunities that are forgone when time or resources are spent on a given activity. It is what people might have done with the same time or resources if they had had the choice.

program evaluation

Focuses more on policy results or outcomes than on the process of implementation, but the two go together. Evaluation of any program may be an essential part of longterm implementation success, and there are many different ways to evaluate a program.

risk assessment

A calculation or estimate of the risks to society posed by a given situation, such as terrorism or natural hazards—for example, hurricanes. A specialized and technical form of policy analysis that can identify risks and estimate their severity 

risk evaluation

Use of various methods to determine the level of risk that is acceptable to the public and policymakers. For example, to what extent should the nation protect its citizens against the risk of air pollution or unsafe food or water? Risk evaluation addresses the question of how safe is safe enough.

risk management

Describes public policies that are adopted to manage or control various risks. For example, antiterrorist policies are designed to lower the risk that terrorism presents for public safety, and pollution-control policies aim to reduce risk to public health posed by various chemicals

sensitivity analysis

A way to adjust policy analysis by making it sensitive or responsive to changes in any one variable so that the consequences can be better understood under varying assumptions. For example, forecasting can be made sensitive to different assumptions about economic growth or inflation

culture of poverty

A term used by some to describe how those living in poverty learn to work the welfare system to their benefit and pass this information on to their children, who remain poor

earned income tax credit (EITC)

A tax credit for people who work but have low wages; it reduces the amount of taxes they owe or provides a tax refund.

Food stamp program

A plan administered by the Department of Agriculture that provides low-income households with coupons that they can use to purchase food. Also called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Gini coefficient

A graphical way to demonstrate a nation’s income equality/inequality by charting the percentage of income made by quintiles of families.

means-tested programs

Social programs in which recipients must meet an income test in order to qualify for benefits

minimum wage

The lowest wage, typically by the hour, that employers may legally pay to employees or workers; the states may set a level for this wage that is higher than the federal minimum.

poverty

Defined by the Census Bureau as falling below a specified level of annual income that is adjusted each year to reflect the rising cost of living.

social secuirty

A government entitlement program that provides money for retired workers and their beneficiaries and disabled workers.