Public Policy Exam 1

public policy

what public officials within governmment, and by extension the citizens they represent, choose to do or not to do about public problems.

policy output

The formal actions that governments take to pursue their goals

Policy outcome

the effects such actions actually have on society. 

Federalism

government where sovereignty is divided between a central government and another government unit.

Context of public policy (short answer) 5

1. Social- Like demographics, are dynamic/changing, These changes are a result of things like population due to birth and death rates and immigration.

2. Economics-  Inflation and unemployment. budgetary politics influence economic context, the U.S. in deficit (spending more money that it has)

3. Political- Polarization affects policy actions. Party labels are not reliable guides

4. Governing- - Problems faced by the state and federal government. Devolution(transfer of) of authority to the states

5. Cultural- - political culture. Cultural differences explain variations in state public policy. Effects of inability to solve public problems.

negative externality

A type of market failure that occurs when two parties interact in a market and a third party is harmed as a result and does not get compensation.

Positive externality

A type of market failure that occurs the same way as a negative externatility, but the third party gains something from the two-party interaction and does not have to pay for it

Dominant role of state and local governments

Policy areas such as: education, crime control, land-use regulations

incremental policy changes

Small steps, taken slowely. Adjustemnts made at the margins of existing policies throughout minor amendments or the gradual extension of a program’s mandate or the groups it serves.

block grants vs Categorical grants (Short answer and objective)

Block grants transfers of federal dollars to the states, where the states have substantial discretion in how to spend the money to meet the needs of their citizens while categorical grants transfers of federal dollars to the states where the funding must be used for specifics purposes

Duel federalism

the functions or responsibilities of each level of gov. are distinct— little intergration of the 2 levels.

Unfunded Mandates

Federal requirments palced upon the state governments without sufficcient funds for implementation

The structure of federal judiciary

9 members of supreme court, 13 circuit court of appeals, 94 federal district courts, and special courts like bankruptcy courts and a court of appeals for armed service, a court of federal claims

Elite Theory

values and preferences of governing elites affect public policy development

Group Theory

sees public policy as the product of a continuous struggle among organized interest groups; tends to believe that power in the U.S. political system is widely shared among interest groups, each of which seeks access to the policymaking process

Institutional theory

emphasizes the formal and legal aspects of goverment strurtures. Instituional models look at the way governments are arranged, their legal powers, and their rules for decision-making

Rational choice theory

assumes that in making decsions, individuals are rational actors who seek to attain their preferances or further their self-interests. The goal is to predict how individuals will behave

Political systems theory

the way the political system responds to demands that arise from its environment. Emphasizes the larger social, economic, and cultural contect in which political decisions and policy choices are made.

Issue Salience and conflict

Salience- the issues importance to the public

conflict- the level of disagreement over it

Consensual analysis

Adhear to consensual norms and mainstream public views

Contentious analysis

challenge norms/mainstream views with new values and ways of thinking about the problem

Proximate causes

causes of public policy problems that are most direct or immediate and sometimes easier to handle.

Root cuases

fundamental causes of public problems sometimes referred to as underlying causes.

Types of policy analysis

Scietific- Seek truth through scientific methods regardless of where the knowlege is relevant or useful

Professional- Studying for professional reasons such as conducting policy anaylsis for gov agencices, think tanks, or interest groups

Political- Commited to specific policy values and goals and sometiems ideological and partisan agendas. Try to emphasize the studies and findings that advance these goals and values.

Relative and abolute terms

Relative- indicate comparison (ex. poorer than others)

Absolute- Fixed quantities (Unable to meet essential human needs)

Passive collection

Finding out what others have suggested in a given policy area by speaking with a program’s client, administrators advocates and organizations that have taken a position on the issue.

Parallel situation

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

Quantiative indicators

A specific way to define and measure a policy problem, such as a rate of poverty or unemploment

Evaluative critera (8)

Effectivness, efficiency, equity, liberty/freedom, political feasibility, social acceptibility, administrative feasibility, technical feasibility.

Opportunity costs

considers the value of opporunities that are forgone when time or resources are spent on a given activity.

Effectivness

reffers to whether a current policy or program or one that is being considered is likely to work or the likelihood that the policy’s goals will be acheived.

Efficiency

refers to what a policy or policy proposal costs in relation to its expected benefits to society; or a desire to realize the greatest possible benefit out of the dollars that the government spends.

Why it’s beneficial for citizens to study public policy

Studying public policy can help citizens sharpen they analytic skills. It also helps them decide what political positions and policies to support. Determine how best to evaluate democratic governance. it also ean encourage students to consider career option in government. It improves citizen’s ability to participate in policy processes and their ability to influence poilicy decisions

Incremental policymaking (Short Answer)

Policy changes that occur in small steps; adjustments are made at the margins of existing policies through minor amendments or the gradual extension of a program’s mandate

Define decentralization and how it can negativley impact policymaking (Short answer)

Decentralization is the transfer of policy authoity from the federal government to the states. Business interest groups may have more influence at the state level because of the states eagerness to attract business and jobs. Decisions also may be less open and visible at the state level. Only the federal government has sufficient resources to support policy activities like scientific research and health care.

6 stages in the policy process model (Short answer)

1. agenda setting- how problems are percieved and defined and get onto the polical agend

2. policy formulation- the drafting of policy goals and strategies for acheiving them

3. Policy legitimation- the mobilization of political support and formal enactment of policies

4. Policy implimentation- Provision of institutional resources for putting the programs into effect within a bureaucracy

5. Policy and program evaluation- Measurment and assessment of policy program effects

6. Policy change- Modification of policy goals in light of new information or shifting political environment

5 steps in policy analysis process (Short answer)

1. Define and analyze the problem- problem is the existence of an unsatisfactory set of conditions, analyist need to describe this set of conditions

2. Construct policy alternatives-once the problem is understood, then they think about alternative ways to deal with it.

3. Choose evaluative criteria-Once alternatives are identified then assess the potential for the alternatives and decide which evaluative criteria to use in their assment of the problem

4. assess the alternatives- then analysists asks which of the several alternatives that might be considered is most likely to procude the outcome they want

5. draw conclusions-Most studies do not recommend a single polciy action. analysts summarize their findings and draw conclusions about the relative metirts of competing policy proposals but the finals dicision is left up to policymakers

List and explain 3 evaluative criteria (Short answer)

1. Effectivness- the likelihood of acheiving policy goals and objectives or demonstrated achievment of them

2. Efficiency- the achievment of program goals or benefits in relationship to the costs. Least cost for a given benefit or largest benefit for a given cost

3. Equity- Fairness or justice in the disribution of the policy’s cost, benefits, and risk across population subgroups