i hope i don't fail :(
Public advocacy is a necessary feature of the policy analyst's role whether s/he is arguing for a personal stance or for someone else's.
*is this even a question????* - Lobbying is a form of advocacy
Describe the different approaches to policy study. Explain the reasons why government is involved in Public Policy.
- Stages or process model - Political systems theory - Group theory - Elite theory - Institutional model - Rational-choice theory Government is involved in public policy because there needs to be some type of body in place separate from the public that could systematically create and implement policies. The process of policy making and the government in itself are both very complex so that
Discuss the different determinants of factors that propel an issue to gain attention (agenda)
Because the agenda is finite, interests must compete with each other to get their issues and their preferred alternative policies, on the agenda. Issues are more likely to be elevated to agenda status if the scope of conflict is broadened. Groups that are able to create and promote the effective depiction of issues are more likely to have their issues gain attention over others. One way that an issue could gain interest and attention is through the media. The media plays a huge role in creating news stories out of situations and issues that are public. Another way an issue can gain attention is through numbers and symbols.
Discuss the connection between agenda-setting and framing. How are these processes related to the cognitive architectures of political actors? What is the role of the mass media in these processes?
Both agenda-setting and framing entails using a certain process to make a preferred alternative become considered by governmental bodies and officials. Framing could be seen as the process that comes after agenda setting. Agenda setting is deciding what problems are public enough to present to government actors. In Framing, actors consider the alternatives for the public issues and decide if those alternatives should be taken into consideration for public policy. Mass media mostly participate in the agenda setting process.
What are the major components or aspects of a problem analysis? What do you need to identify and frame a problem? What characteristics or qualities make a problem public?
Characteristics of a public problems are problems that are too grand for individuals to solve alone, and that call for government action. Major components of problem analysis: defining the problem, measuring the problem, determining the extent of the magnitude of the problem, what causes the problem, setting goals, and determining what can be done about the problem. Indicators alarm policymakers on public problems as well through numbers and statistics. Feedback about programs that are already operating can come back in the form of a problem. Focusing events call for government officials to monitor a problem.
Identify and define all stages the rational model of policy analysis, illustrating the stages using any public policy you would like. Do you agree with this consensus as described above? If so, why or why not?
First, policymakers define their goals, and set levels of achievements for those goals. Then, they would consider many or all of the alternatives that could achieve the goal. Then, they would compare the costs and benefits of each alternative Finally, they choose the alternative that could achieve that goal. I don't necessarily agree with the consensus because individual self-interest could steer greatly from the interest or greater good of the public. Rational choice theory would be ideal if there weren't such distinct differences in values based on individual experience from social surroundings. This could lead to elite individuals making decisions without the consideration of the masses.
Discuss the stages of the policy cycle and how policy advocacy can affect the evolution of policy at each stage for better and worse.
Inputs: Election results, public opinion, media, personal experiences, The Black Box: Takes into account the political environment and how the environment can turn these inputs into some form of policy implementation. Outputs: laws, policies, and regulations are a result of this
Discuss the institutional theory, group theory, and elite theory. Highlight their differences?
Institutional theory focuses on the relationship that different institutions have with one another, and how that relationship can impact public policy. An example could be that if both institutions are dominated by the same political party, then policies are more inclined to be passed and created in the interest of that particular political party. Policies created by these institutions are guided by public, once the alternatives are presented, these institutions guide the alternative into a policy that entails the interests of themselves. Group theory is the perspective that policy is a result of conflict between groups. Groups compete to have their interests heard, and fight for scarce government resources. A group must have access to governmental officials in order for their interests to be heard and considered. Elite theory is the perspective that policy reflects the values and preferences of the elite. It ignores the demands and the actions of the "masses," for the interests of the elite class. This theory doesn't fully exemplify the impact that public opinion and individual struggle has on policy making process.
In what ways can interest groups influence the making and implementation of public policy? Why do interest groups engage in venue shopping? What are some of the different kinds of venues available to interest groups and other advocates?
Interest groups can impact public policy through lobbying. Interest groups hire group representatives to promote their interests in a governmental setting. "Grass-roots" is a form of lobbying where interest groups impact public policy by getting constituents to contact legislators. Groups engage in venue shopping in order to push particular interests in policy-making institutions to ensure their preferred alternatives will effectively get through the correct avenues. Venues available include the executive, the legislature, or the courts. Venues: Institutional and Vertical! Institutional - executive (rulemaking), legislative (hearings), judicial (litigation). Vertical - federal (scope expansion), state, local (grassroots). News media.
Explain how an issue may be socially constructed depending on what political ideology a person has
Issues are only seen as issues if the person who's examining it sees it as a public issue. Some people have their own set of values that are molded and shaped by their political and social environments, and they use those to determine what is seen as public or private issues. An example is the issue with relatively low access to healthcare in America. Some people believe that it isn't a public issue because their values and beliefs are that people should earn health care themselves, others believe that it's a public issue because healthcare in general should be something given to the public and ran by the public/government.
Discuss the different policy agenda levels? Why do issues drop from agenda prominence? Why are issues likely to be elevated on the agenda if the scope of conflict is widened? Agenda denial
Issues drop from agenda prominence because other issues may arise that may call for policymaker's attention. Policymakers are inclined to pay more attention to issues if the scope of conflict widens because the issue becomes more of a political issue that only government officials are able to solve. Agenda denial is the act of policy makers deflating from the issue or making the issue seem smaller than it is in order to not address it. Examples are politicians saying that "it's not appropriate for government to intervene" is a way of agenda denial.
Policymaking Processw
Problem ID and Agenda Setting - entails identifying and targeting issues that have the ability to become of public policy. Actors determine what makes the issue a public issue, and decide if the problem is public enough to be addressed by the government. Policy Formulation - development of alternatives, deciding what can be done. Entails the borrowing of alternatives to create action. Policy Adoption - Getting the government to accept a preferred alternative. Development of support from governmental actors to legitimize an alternative. Policy Implementation - Applying the government's policy to a problem. Determines what can be done in order for the specific policy to be applied to our (America's) current laws and policies. Policy Evaluation - Entails recognizing of the policy is working or not. Examines who is involved, and who is directly and indirectly impacted by the implemented and finalized policy.
How do problems generate interest to begin with? Why are they considered important enough to solve? Discuss, the different types of language used by Deborah Stone to define a problem
Problems generate interest through the problem becoming known on a wide scale amongst the public. Interest groups can generate interest through lobbying or getting the problem out to the public through media. Problems can also generate interest if it is directly affecting a large group of people. Problems are usually considered important enough to solve if there's no other possible way to solve the problem without government intervention. Deborah Stone states that there are numerous of ways to define a problem. Stone says you can define a problem through "symbols" and "numbers," that use symbolic representation within language. What "causes" them. Who's lined up on each side (interest). What kind of choice they pose (decisions).
Examine and evaluate the differences in perspectives drawn from rational choice/comprehensive and bounded rationality. What are the assumptions and criticisms of each approach? Explain the theory or incrementalism model. Identify its main assumptions and criticisms.
Rational Choice is an approach of policy study that examines and explains how policymakers decide on alternatives. Using rational choice theory involves deciding on an alternative based on how a "rational" person would. The policymaker would consider all presented alternatives and choose the best one based on their values. Values are determined through the policymakers' political environment and experiences. Bounded rationality involves making a rational decision while considering all limitations on the decision being made. The limitations include cognitive limitations of their individual minds, and the time available to make the decision. Bounded rationality is a critique to Rational Choice in itself, it involves addressing that considering all of the alternatives isn't a feasible thing to do. Policymakers ignore most issues or alternatives, and promote few to the top of their agenda. Incrementalism, of "muddling-through" is a theory in which the policymaker decides amongst a limited amount of alternatives, while considering all of the similar existing policies as the alternatives. It's the perspective used the most in pluralist societies, like America.
1What are environmental factors that shape public policy? What are the different types of policy environment/context?
Socio-economic conditions like: wealth, education, government, etc. Environment limits and directs what policy-makers can effectively do: - Social-economic context - Political Culture - Governing context
The essential consensus among policy analysis professionals is that the rational model of public policymaking represents the "ideal" model for understanding and analyzing public policy. Discuss
The rational decision making model is a good model to make good decisions because it depends on rational way used for problems solving. In the rational model of public policy, the individual is the primary unit of analysis and theory. It shows that self-interest is a hueg driver in public policy.
Explain the three official actors? Explain the other non-official actors? How does each influence policy-making process (problem identification, policy proposals/alternatives, implementation, and evaluation)? What resources do they have at disposal? What are their incentives in the process?
The three official actors are the legislative, the executive, and the courts. Non-official actors include the media, interests groups, and political parties. The legislative makes laws and policies. They enact legislation such as civil rights, social welfare, economic regulation, budgetary policy. Members of the legislative represent local, public, and national interests. Congress drafts legislation, negotiates the details of agreements amongst parties, and have marked influence on preferred alternatives, but cannot control the outcomes. The executive, made up of the President and the President's staff, has a focus on policy initiation and adoption. The president and his staff sets an agenda and determines the policy agenda. The executive Office of the Present assists in policy development and implementation.