Intro to Public Policy - MIDTERM

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Week 2 Review Slides) - What is Problem Framing (according to both Stone, Anderson, and Lawrence)? What criteria must be met for a "problem" to become a *problem*?

"Conditions become problems only when people see them as amendable to human action." (Stone, 2002) Public Problem (Andersen p.89) = A condition or situation that produces needs or dissatisfaction among people and for which relief or redress by governmental action is sought. Lawrence (2004, p. 57) Individualizing frames limit the causes of a problem to particular individuals, often those who are afflicted with the problem. Limits government action. Systemic or Environmental frames: broaden the focus, assigning responsibility to government, business, and larger social forces. These types of problems are more clearly amenable to public action. Issues must also be judged as unacceptable compared with a standard or value Government action should also be judged as warranted and possible To successfully portray an issue as a public problem requires converting it from a private problem to a systemic problem (affecting everyone): A Systemic Problem= "A risk that individuals do not assume fully voluntarily, a risk arising from the environment itself and threatening to everyone, and, perhaps, as a risk knowingly created by others." Conditions -> Standard or Value + Government Action Possible = Problem

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Bureaucracy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: What was "rational-legal" bureaucracy formed in response to, and who popularized "rational-legal" bureaucracy?

"Modern" rational-legal forms of bureaucratic organization were largely formed in response to seemingly problematic alternatives: - i.e., machine politics or previously monarchic forms of administration based on birthright. - This contributed to patronage politics, nepotism, corruption, and, arguably, poor public service provision. Principles popularized by Max Weber (eminent Sociologist- 1864-1920)

Week 1 (Review Slides) - What are the broad definitions of Public Policy?

"What government does" (Anderson, 1994) "Whatever government chooses to do or not to do" (Dye, 1984). Can be created at different levels of government. Federal, state, local.

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Why was the ACA not able tot be repealed and replaced?

- After implementation, the Medicaid expansion became more popular. - "Taking away" peoples health care was seen in a negative light. - Interests built up around the new system - Sunk costs to implementation- health care providers got used to the new normal. Costs associated with reversal of course.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What are the Cognitive Biases that can be exploited by nudges?

- Norms/Principle of Social Proof: do what other people do -NEVER advertise "we need organs because nobody is donating!" - Loss Framing: people care more about losses than gains - Reciprocity: people want to help/hurt people who help/hurt them - Implementation/inaction gap (procrastination?) - Salience: people pay more attention to things that are salient (d'uh) - Time Inconsistency: make decisions now about actions in the far future; lock-in "planner" self's desires - Loss Aversion: under SMarT, nominal take-home pay never goes down - Status Quo Bias: once you've made your decision, it's mentally harder for your "doer" self to reverse (even though she could!) - Norms/Principle of Social Proof: do what other people do -NEVER advertise "we need organs because nobody is donating!"

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Bureaucracy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Weber noted several major principles of a rational legal bureaucracy - what were they, and what kind of ideal is this bureaucracy?

1. A formal hierarchical structure - Each level controls the level below and is controlled by the level above. A formal hierarchy is the basis of central planning and centralized decision making. 2. Management by rules - Controlling by rules allows decisions made at high levels to be executed consistently by all lower levels. 3. Organization by functional specialty - Work is to be done by specialists, and people are organized into units based on the type of work they do or skills they have. 4. Purposely impersonal - The idea is to treat all employees and customers equally, and not be influenced by individual differences. 5. Employment based on technical qualifications - Members selected based on technical competence, training and qualification. There may also be protection from arbitrary dismissal. Normative Ideal of rational-legal Bureaucracy = Efficiency (most gain for least inputs)

Top Hat Group Question (Week 5) - Group Top Hat Question 4 Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of POSITIVE FEEDBACK processes discussed in the Pierson reading: A. Early events have larger impact than later events B. May produce inefficiencies C. History is written by the victors D. Small random events can prove to have lasting consequences

C. History is written by the victors

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What are the critiques of nudging?

Too limited? Problem= More paternalistic policies more effective - E.g., taxes on cigarettes/sugar sweetened beverages extremely effective at reducing consumption, but more paternalistic - Example 2: Seat belt laws; banning smoking in public places

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is Agency Capture?

When regulatory agencies (e.g., FDA) end up representing the interests of those they are supposed to be regulating rather than the general public. - Regulators end up regulating industries in a way that benefits the regulated industry, rather than the general public. - Basic logic is that while the general public is largely ignorant of the regulator's activities, those in the regulated industries are well-informed, and pressure regulators for favorable regulation. - Information about regulated industries is largely under the control of those in the industry, and - Personal connections between regulators and the regulated also influence regulatory outcomes. - The result is that regulatory agencies act as agents for those they regulate, not the general public. - See Stigler "The Theory of Economic Regulation,"

Our Own Question: An example of noncompliance is: a. "Sanctuary cities" in which undocumented immigrants can reside without law enforcement actively seeking to deport them following the passing of stricter laws b. Demonstrators gathering to march in Washington D.C. to advocate against police brutality c. Students under 21 drinking on campus d. All of the above

a. "Sanctuary cities" in which undocumented immigrants can reside without law enforcement actively seeking to deport them following the passing of stricter laws

Our Own Question: How many stages are in the policy making process, and what order do they go in? a. 1. Agenda Setting, 2. Policy Design/Formulation, 3. Policy Adoption, 4. Implementation, 5. Evaluation b. 1. Agenda Setting, 2. Policy Adoption, 3. Policy Design, 4. Policy Formulation, 5. Evaluation, 6. Implementation c. 1. Policy Formulation, 2. Agenda Setting, 3. Policy Adoption, 4. Implementation, 5. Evaluation d. 1. Agenda Setting, 2. Policy Design/Formulation, 3. Policy Foundation, 4. Policy Adoption, 5. Implementation, 6. Evaluation

a. 1. Agenda Setting, 2. Policy Design/Formulation, 3. Policy Adoption, 4. Implementation, 5. Evaluation

Our Own Question: Which of the following is not a driving force for policy makers? a. Self interest b. Partisan disposition c. Institutional concerns d. Attention

d. Attention

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - How many types of unintended consequences are there, what are they, and their definitions and examples?

1. A positive, unexpected benefit (luck, serendipity or a windfall). - E.g., Breast feeding promotion improve child development, but also promote weight loss, reduce costs to WIC 2. A negative, unexpected detriment occurring in addition to the desired effect of the policy - e.g., Widespread pesticide use may increase agricultural productivity, improving economic well-being/food security, but also have damaging environmental and health consequences. 3. A perverse effect contrary to what was originally intended (when an intended solution makes a problem worse). - E.g., Raising the price of cigarettes increases black market trade in cigarettes; 4. Outlawing poaching makes it more lucrative. Foreseeable, negative externalities (Take the bad with the good?) - 1. E.g., taxes on cigarettes hurt the poor more than the wealthy (regressive) - 2. Policies tend to benefit the well off first/more- e.g., calorie labeling on menus

Week 1 (Review Slides) - How many major stages are there in the Policy Reform Cycle, what are they, and what do the stages do in the cycle?

1. Agenda Setting - Initial placement of an issue on the policy agenda 2. Policy Design/formulation - Development and narrowing of policy alternatives 3. Policy Adoption - Legislative consideration and passage (or rejection/amendment) of the policy; give legal force to decisions 4. Implementation - Putting the adopted policy into practice 5. Evaluation - Assess impact of the policy (was it effective?)

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - How many types of studies are there, what types of studies are they, and what is the level of how rigorous they are?

1. Before and after study: least rigorous 2. Quasi-experimental: in between 3. Experimental: most rigorous

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - What other considerations in financing policies must we consider, and what are the examples for each?

1. Collectability- How hard/easy to collect. E.g., corporate and income taxes easier to evade. 2. Fiscal neutrality- Is a policy adding to the deficit, adding revenue or neutral? E.g., a sales tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could be used to pay for anti-obesity programs. 3. Buoyancy- does it keep up with inflation? Taxes often designed as a % of wages to adjust for inflation 4. Visibility- tax is visible or acceptable to the general public. E.g., an increase in a user fee at a park or a toll increase- may be quite visible.

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - Anderson: Policy Typology: How many major types of public policy does Anderson identify, and what are their definitions?

1. Constituent- having to do with the make up of government E.g., Creation of the Department of Homeland Security Also possibly Campaign Finance Reform initiatives; Electoral College System 2. Distributive- Allocation of benefits or services, at no (visible) charge, to segments of the population. Appears to create winners without losers. E.g., Infrastructure projects; Student loans/scholarships to Medical Students; Dialysis treatment covered under Medicare for people with end stage renal disease. 3. Regulatory/Self-regulatory- Impose restrictions or limitations on the behavior of individuals and groups (self-regulatory= more voluntarily imposed; e.g., professional licensing) E.g., e.g., regulating the insurance industry, financial markets/banks, private corporations; workplace safety, anti-discrimination legislation. 4. Redistributive- Deliberate efforts by the government to shift the allocation of resources btw haves and have nots. E.g., Social welfare policies (i.e., food assistance); Social Security.

Week 1 (Review Slides) - Chapter 2 of Cochran et al describes contexts/contextual factors that influence US policy making (also known as Contextual Factors Influencing Policy Adoption). How many contextual factors/contexts are there, what are they, and their descriptions?

1. Institutional - US political institutions- tendency towards divided gov. 2.Cultural - US political culture- individualistic; bootstrap; longstanding cultural differences across states. 3. Demographic - Aging of America; Browning of America; effects on social programs and voting trends. 4. Economic - e.g., Economic crisis creating conditions for fiscal austerity or greater expansion of the state (i.e., the stimulus plan, Keynesian economic policies). 5. Ideological - e.g, Widening of partisan divisions; rise of the Tea Party.

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - Major Influences on Policy Adoption: How many major influences on policy adoption are there, what are they, and their examples?

1. Interest group influence (e.g., NRA) 2. Political Culture (importance of 2nd amendment rights to the American electorate) 3. Institutions (structure of government impeded legislative passage)

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - How many mechanisms of policy diffusion are there, and what are their definitions?

1. Learning Hypothesis: States or municipalities learn from effective policy models adopted elsewhere. They consider policies where there is evidence that they work well. THIS IS THE IDEAL SITUATION. 2. Economic Competition Hypothesis: Positive or negative economic spillovers from that adoption to nearby states/municipalities affect adoption; i.e., when one state has high property or sales taxes, effects the economy of neighboring states, who might "race to the bottom" to attract business/customers. 3. Imitation Hypothesis: The likelihood of a city adopting a policy increases when its nearest biggest neighbor adopts the same policy. Implication is that the state is just copying, but not learning. 4. Coercion Hypothesis: The likelihood of municipalities adopting a policy decreases when a higher level of government adopts a similar policy; i.e., the example of calorie labeling I discussed yesterday. Temporal Effects 5. Hypothesis: The effects of imitation are likely to be short-lived. Learning and economic competition, on the other hand, are likely to exhibit longer-term effects.

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is Path Dependency and Why does it Matter to Implementation?

A concept originally found in the natural sciences and applied to economics to explain inefficiencies "QWERTY" Key Board: - Arrangement of letters that would allow typewriter salesmen to quickly write the word "TYPEWRITER" - Administrative Assistants trained how to touch type using the QWERTY arrangements. - Other keyboard arrangements were tried, but never caught on. Sunk costs too steep - Policy feedback= difficulty of reversing course due to increasing returns after implementation Why we don't have electric cars

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Agenda Setting Slides) - Factors Affecting Problem Framing: How many factors affect problem framing, what are they, and what are their definitions? Framing of the Causes of Public Problems affects what?

1. Magnitude (nature and scope) How many people does the problem affect? E.g., Over 60% of Americans are overweight or obese- That's a huge! 2. Severity How negatively are people affected? E.g., Being overweight is implicated in approximately three hundred thousand deaths per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2003; Office of the Surgeon General 2003). 3. Tractability Are there solutions to the problem? How easier/hard are the solutions to implement? Problem: Proximal causes easier to address than root causes; e.g., provide more information vs. regulate food industry, end harmful farm subsidies, build sidewalks and other means of promoting active living. Framing of the Causes of Public Problems affects... Whether we see issues as public policy problems at all E.g., Global Climate Change- man-made or a naturally occurring process? The solutions suggested to address the problem Agree that we need to allocate funds to offset effects of global climate change, but... Disagree about changing policies related to carbon emissions.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is the Logic Model for assessing the Policy Impact of Stop and Frisk?

1. Policy Goals: Reduce Crime Make NYC the safest city in the US 2. Policy Inputs: Increase in "Proactive " Stop, Question and Frisk Policing Policies Under Mayor Bloomberg 3. Policy Outputs: Number of Arrests & Incarcerations of Criminals Number of confiscated handguns Number of averted crimes deterrence 4. Policy Outcomes: Declining crime rates Public Safety

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - Financing Policies: Equity and Taxation: How many types of equity of taxes (distribution) are there, and what are their definitions and examples?

1. Progressive= A tax that takes a higher % from rich - E.g., income taxes 2. Regressive= A tax that takes a higher % from poor - E.g., Social Security deduction- SS tax capped at $106,800 (2011) 3. Flat taxes= take the same % from rich and poor alike. - Can have the effect of being regressive since the marginal value of income declines with the amount of income. - E.g., sales taxes, user fees, poll tax, but also often payroll taxes

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - What are the Theories of/Approaches to decision-making, and how many are they?

1. Rational comprehensive- "Economist" view of decision making: Assumes a rational social planner with near perfect information weighing the cost and benefits of clear alternatives Not realistic 2. Incremental theory- Involves limited changes or additions to existing policies Policies= give and take of mutual consent among numerous participants 3. Mixed scanning- Combines both rational-comprehensive and incremental approaches Engages in broad scanning of policy options, but also targeted assessments of immediate problems.

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - Kraft & Furlong: Approaches to Policy Analysis: How many different approaches are there, and what are their objectives and limitations?

1. Scientific: Objectives - Search for truth and build theory about policy actions and effects Limitations: May be too theoretical for most decision makers Scientific approach is more typical of academic, that is, people working in colleges and universities. It tends to be more theoretical. 2. Professional: Objectives - Analyze alternatives to solve problems. Goal is practical value Limitations - May be too narrow due to time or resource constraints Professional research is more typical of organizations that still use solid research methods but they focus more on applied research, typically something that is of big interest to people and policy makers today. This means they work under time constraints and the findings of their research are more limited and their methods less rigorous. Examples: Brookings, Urban Institute, GAO. 3. Political: Objectives - Advocate and support prefered policies Limitations - May be too partisan and may lack ideological depth Political Research: some of them - like the Heritage Foundation - may have good researchers but they are very political - their goal to political advocacy. Examples: Sierra Club, Chamber of Commerce, National Rifle Association, Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - How many influences/decision criteria on legislative decision making are there, and what are they?

1. Values- personal, organizational/professional, policy, ideological 2. Political Party Affiliation- party loyalty (i.e., vote the party line) 3. Constituency Interests- "vote their constituency"- one reason for lack of party loyalty 4. Public Opinion- Overall & partisan attitudes. 5. Deference- Seek advice of more knowledgeable Legislators & defer to their judgment 6. Decision Rules- Legislators may be a vote breaker on critical issues due to decision rules (will independents caucus with the Dems or Reps) 7. Science- "Evidence-based" policy should accord with science.

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Agenda Setting Slides) - Who are the actors in Agenda Setting, what are their definitions, and what are examples of each actor?

1. Visible Participants: Set agendas, define problems Political "Champions"- influential & charismatic figures E.g., President, Bono (AIDS), Michelle Obama (obesity) Especially prominent in Problem & Politics Stream 2. Hidden Participants= Community of specialists in a given field E.g., Bureaucrats, academics, advocates May be equally or more important than the visible participants, though we usually don't know their name. Especially prominent in Policy Stream 3. Policy entrepreneurs= Advocates for proposals or for the prominence of an idea (Kingdon, p. 122). Ex., Jonathan Gruber- MIT, Econ- mastermind behind the MA health reform & ACA. Michael Bloomberg, Thomas Farley- NYC DOH- transfat ban, menu labeling. Wayne LaPierre- Executive VP of the National Rifle Association

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - Theories of the Policy Process: How many approaches/theories to the study of public policy are there, what are they, and what are their definitions?

5 different approaches to the study of public policy- 1. Elite theory- Policy not actually reflective of the will of the people but of decisions made by elites. 2. Group theory- Interest groups influence policy to meet their instrumental interests (e.g., big business) 3. Rational choice theory- Policymakers can be viewed as rational re-election seeking individuals trying to maximize their chances of being reelected and appointment to positions of higher power. 4. Institutionalism- The ability to formulate policy is constrained by the institutional process involved in policymaking. E.g., more veto points means that it is hard to pass big-bang policy- more compromise/incremental reform required. 5. Political systems theory - Policymaking is a complex series of interactions involving all of the above.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is a nudge, what is Libertarian-Paternalism, why is nudging preferable, and what is an example of nudging?

A nudge: a policy action to cheaply steer people in the direction you think is best for them without removing their ability to choose Nudges are preferable because they balance two impulses: 1. The impulse of policymakers to be "paternalistic"- i.e., tell you what is best for you ("nanny state"- e.g., make it hard for you to smoke) 2. The impulse to protect individual liberty (especially important in individualistic US context)- e.g., people hate the "individual mandate" to have health insurance "Libertarian-Paternalism": a policy action to steer people in the direction you think is best for society without removing their ability to choose NUDGE EXAMPLE: Encouraging people to become organ donors- which message most persuasive?

Top Hat Group Question (Week 2) - Top Hat Group Question #3 Kingdon's "agenda setting model" discussed in Anderson suggests that 3 separate streams need to converge for an issue to become part of the agenda for legislative consideration. Which of the following is NOT one of the three streams that Kingdon believes must converge for there to be an open policy window: A. Economic Stream B. Policy-Proposal Stream C. Problem Stream D. Politics Stream

A. Economic Stream

Top Hat Group Question (Week 3) - Group Top Hat Question 3 Shipan & Volden discuss five primary mechanisms that explain policy diffusion across local governments. In deciding whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana, Vermont looked to Colorado to understand the economic impacts of legalization on the state's budget. This is an example of which type of hypothesis as outlined in Shipan and Volden: A. Learning Hypothesis B. Economic Competition Hypothesis C. Imitation Hypothesis D. Coercion Hypothesis

A. Learning Hypothesis

Top Hat Group Question (Week 2) - Top Hat Group Reading Assessment Question #2 Anderson discusses Downs' "issue-attention cycle" (p. 107, Loss of Agenda Status), which suggests that issues tend to pass through 5 stages of increasing and decreasing attention. Which of the following problems is likely currently in the second phase of the attention cycle? (hint: the second stage is "Public becomes aware and alarmed about the condition": A. Sexual Harassment (i.e., #MeToo) B. Flint Water Crisis/lead poisoning C. Syrian refugee crisis in Europe D. Social Security Reform

A. Sexual Harassment (i.e., #MeToo)

Top Hat Reading Retention Question (Week 3) - Top Hat Reading Retention Question #1 Chapter 1 of the Anderson book introduces us to several types of public policies including distributive, regulatory and redistributive. Match each type of policy on the right to the policies on the left: A. Supplemental Nutritional Aid Program (food stamps) B. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards C. Budget allocation to build a bridge in a local district.

A. Supplemental Nutritional Aid Program (food stamps) [Redistributive] B. Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards [Regulatory] C. Budget allocation to build a bridge in a local district. [Distributive]

Week 1 (Review Slides) - How does Anderson define Public Policy?

Anderson def (p. 7): "A purposive course of action or inaction followed by an actor or set of actors in dealing with a problem or matter of concern."

Top Hat Group Question (Week 4) - Group Top Hat QUESTION 3 The Anderson textbook talks about three different theories of decision-making- the rational comprehensive approach, incremental theory and mixed scanning. Which of the following IS an example of INCREMENTAL theory: A. To formulate the Affordable Care Act, Congress engaged in a systematic analysis of all state health policies and eventually settled on the Massachusetts model. B. After failing to pass national health reform in 1994, Congress did pass an extension of coverage for uninsured children. C. Congress commissioned input from key stakeholders and factored this into their final health reform plan.

B. After failing to pass national health reform in 1994, Congress did pass an extension of coverage for uninsured children.

Top Hat Group Question (Week 5) - Group Top Hat Question 3 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) often relies on advisory committees made up of outside experts to offer science-based advice. However, these panels often include scientists who have direct financial relationships with the companies whose products are being reviewed. When the relationship between an interest group and an agency becomes overly close, it often alleged that the interest group has done what to the agency? A. Sanctioned B. Captured C. Licensed D. Adjudicated

B. Captured

Top Hat Group Question (Week 4) - Group Top Hat Question 4 Anderson talks about how various decision criteria influence policymakers voting on issues including values, political party affiliation, constituency interests, public opinion, decision rules and science. Sanders has been criticized for being soft on gun control, which he partially admits to. Given that Sanders represents a rural state, which of the following reasons has most likely influenced his past votes on gun control? A. Personal Values B. Constituency Interests C. Science D. Decision Rules

B. Constituency Interests

Top Hat Group Question (Week 3) - Group Top Hat QUESTION 4 Kraft and Furlong discuss different types of taxes that can be used to finance policies. Which of the following IS an example of a PROGRESSIVE Tax: A. "Sin taxes" on cigarettes that are used to offset the cost of tobacco prevention initiatives. B. Estate Tax (tax on the transfer of the estate of a deceased person worth $1 million+) C. 2.9% Medicare payroll taxes on all earned income D. "Congestion tax" on bridges to enter Manhattan

B. Estate Tax (tax on the transfer of the estate of a deceased person worth $1 million+)

Top Hat Group Question (Week 2) - Group Reading Assessment Question 1: Problem Definition The Anderson textbook suggests that conditions become public problems when they are judged as wrong against some standard or value and viewed as amenable to government action. The Lawrence article makes the case that obesity is actively being reframed away from arguments emphasizing personal responsibility towards arguments emphasizing systemic causes. Which of the following is NOT a framing of obesity that makes it an issue clearly amenable to public action? A. Obesity is caused by farm subsidies that make the production of corn and soy products inexpensive but keeps the price of fresh produce relatively high. B. Obesity is caused by individuals' choices to overeat and unwillingness to exercise. C. Obesity is caused by genetics. Accommodations should be made for obese individuals. D. Obesity is caused by poverty. People lack the education and knowledge to make healthy choices.

B. Obesity is caused by individuals' choices to overeat and unwillingness to exercise.

Top Hat Group Question (Week 5) - Group Top Hat Question 2 In the Frederickson et al reading on Bureaucratic Politics, the authors discuss the concept of Representative Bureaucracy. They argue that "Street-level bureaucrats make policy as a result of their behavior"- i.e., traffic cops determine the effective speed limit. Which of the following is a potential criticism of representative bureaucracy?: A. When bureaucrats represent the citizens/clients they serve, they will serve those clients better. B. Provides too much policymaking latitude to unelected bureaucrats. C. When bureaucrats share the identification, experience, and characteristics of a portion of the public, that audience will perceive the actions of those bureaucrats as legitimate.

B. Provides too much policymaking latitude to unelected bureaucrats.

Top Hat Group Question (Week 1) - Chapter 2 of Cochran et al describes 5 contexts that influence US policymaking: Institutional, cultural, demographic, economic and ideological. Which of the following is an example of how the ECONOMIC context might affect public policy making: A. Policies aimed at the redistribution of income or universal benefits in the US have been portrayed as "socialist" by economic conservatives. B. The economic crisis led to calls for greater social risk protection through universal health coverage while at the same time prompting calls to do away with public sector pensions. C. The costs associated with population aging is projected to bankrupt Social Security and Medicare by 2020 D. Public opinion polls in 2014 showed a majority of the American public now favors gay marriage and legalization of marijuana.

B. The economic crisis led to calls for greater social risk protection through universal health coverage while at the same time prompting calls to do away with public sector pensions.

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is Bureaucratic Politics, and what has been said about it?

Bureaucratic Politics - Has to do with the degree to which we think that bureaucrats should be in charge of writing/interpreting the law versus just implementing it. Opponents of delegation argue that unelected bureaucrats should not use their discretion in interpreting the law because this makes them law makers, not law implementers. Jeffersonians thought it imperative that Congress write concrete and specific statutes, that bind administrators. However, as discussed, most legislation barely gets passed at all, and when it does, with minimal consent and often purposefully vaguely worded. Delegation of discretion is therefore necessary.

Top Hat Group Question (Week 6) - Graded Top Hat Question 1 In an op-ed, former NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly cited the following statistics to demonstrate that crime has reduced due to stop and frisk: The NYPD has saved 7,383 lives through its policing tactics. ◦ 11 yrs before Bloomberg took office there were 13,212 murders ◦ 11 yrs after Bloomberg took office there were 5,849 murders The textbook lists three types of systematic studies to assess policy impact: Experimental design, quasi-experimental design, and before and after study. What type of study evidence is this? A. Experimental B. Quasi-experimental C. Before and after study

C. Before and after study

Top Hat Group Question (Week 6) - Graded Top Hat Question 3 Ch. 6 of Kraft and Furlong discusses 8 major criteria for evaluating public policies. If policymakers use a study of that shows the value of time spent on active policing measures like Stop and Frisk versus other potential uses of police time to evaluate a policy, what type of evaluative criteria are they applying? A. Political feasibility B. Equity C. Efficiency D. Technical feasibility

C. Efficiency

Top Hat Group Question (Week 3) - Group Top Hat Question 2 Kraft and Furlong mention several different types of actions that government can take including regulation, funding research, fiscal policy (subsidize/tax and spend), using market incentives, and educating the public. Which of the following gun control measures represents a fiscal policy as a policy tool? A. Conduct research on mental health and gun violence B. Create a federal registry of gun permit holders C. Provide states with monetary incentives to share information on criminal history and people prohibited from gun ownership due to mental health reasons D. Restrict violent video game exposure for children E. Enact gun buy-back programs

C. Provide states with monetary incentives to share information on criminal history and people prohibited from gun ownership due to mental health reasons

Top Hat Individual Question (Week 4) - Individual Top Hat QUESTION 2 The Steinmo and Watts article, "It's the Institutions Stupid," reviews 3 major explanations for why the US (up until recently) has continually failed in its ability to pass comprehensive health reform legislation: interests, political culture, and institutions. Which of the following examples IS an explanation based on political culture: A. The committee structure in Congress gives deference to more senior Legislators, many of whom are Southern "blue dog" Democrats. B. The American Medical Association has been a powerful lobbying machine spreading misinformation about National Health Coverage. C. The US does not have universal health coverage because of the public's aversion to big government.

C. The US does not have universal health coverage because of the public's aversion to big government.

Top Hat Group Question (Week 4) - Group Top Hat Question 1 Chapter 1 of the Anderson book describes 5 different approaches to the study of public policy- political systems theory, group theory, elite theory, institutionalism, and rational choice theory. Which of the following IS an example of how INSTITUTIONALISM might explain the failure to pass national gun control legislation in 2013: A. The National Rifle Association led a campaign to pressure legislators into opposing new gun control measures B. Legislators ignored public opinion polls showing 93% support for gun control C. There were too few votes in the Senate to break a filibuster proof (2/3) supermajority D. Republican legislators calculated that it was in their interest to vote against gun control if they want to secure reelection. E. There was no political consensus that could be reached within the system

C. There were too few votes in the Senate to break a filibuster proof (2/3) supermajority

Top Hat Group Question (Week 5) - Group Top Hat Question 1 In the Frederickson et al reading on Bureaucratic Politics, the authors discuss the concept of bureaucratic politics. While the traditional view in public administration theory is that bureaucrats are impartial arbiters of the law, the bureaucratic politics view suggests that they have ______ in how they implement the policy. A. agency B. capture C. discretion D. devotion

C. discretion

Week 1 (Review Slides) - What does Cochran describe Public Policy as?

Cochran et al. (p. 1): A set of actions taken by the government that includes, but is not limited to, making laws and is defined in terms of a common goal or purpose.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is Cost-benefit analysis, and what are some examples of this?

Cost-benefit analysis= An evaluation technique that requires identifying the costs and benefits of either a policy and translating them into monetary values for purposes of comparison. Value of Police Time- How to measure? -Police salaries -Overtime pay spent patrolling Value of averted crime? -How much crime could have been averted if they were doing other things that were more effective as a crime deterrent? -Value of public safety? -Weigh this against costs in terms of racial tensions, civil rights violations

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Bureaucracy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: What are the critiques of Rational-Legal Bureaucracy?

Critiques of Rational-Legal Bureaucracy: - Discourages creative and innovative ideas: Strict following of guidance from managers - Rigidity and inflexibility: Emphasis on rule following means less discretion in serving public - Misuse of Power: Hierarchy may be abused for personal gain - Delay in decision-making: Decision must be taken by the top level manager in the organization - One-way communication: One-way, downward communication from management down in the form of rules, regulations and job tasks. - Siloed and built in incentives towards bloating : Leads to inefficiency/redundancy with other orgs

Week 1 (Review Slides - Federalism and the US: What is the challenge that comes with federalism, and what is the problem that comes with that challenge?

Divided Government: Divided government poses a significant challenge to federal policy making The problem of divided government compounded by the influence of wealthy/powerful special interests (instrumental interests)

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What else should we consider with evaluative criteria?

Effectiveness- Will the policy produce its intended effect? Things to consider: What are the goals of the program- improved public safety? Revenue generation. Purportedly it is improved public safety- are traffic accidents reduced? Are there unintended consequences that offset the overall effectiveness? Efficiency- Cost versus benefit Given that traffic cameras are a tremendous source of revenue generation, it is likely to be a highly efficient program- program costs outweighed by new revenue. Plus if it does result in reduced traffic accidents, there is an additional public health dividend. Equity- fairness- will the costs fall disproportionately on some groups? Do we care? Highly regressive form of taxation. Costs fall disproportionately on lower income. Taxi drivers particularly affected. Also, men, who apparently speed disproportionately. Political feasibility- (technical/administrative feasibility, social acceptability, legality) Requires some technical and administrative capacity building, but clearly it is feasible to implement since many places have. Major public backlash- overall the public hates it- big brother. Legality- hasn't been contested to my knowledge, but lots of disputes in court over tickets- adding to court dockets.

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - Criteria for Judging Equity of Financing Options: How do flat taxes fair in reality?

Everybody paying the same amount (flat tax) seems fair, but in practice can be regressive since the very poor have less "disposable" income (use more/all of their income to satisfy basic needs).

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Who Implements Policy?

Executive branch agencies implement most of the policy in the US (i.e., the bureaucracy) Traditional view=Non-political administrators of the law Counterview= Discretion in implementation means that agency decisions often reflect the preferences of the Executive Branch leadership who appointed them.

Week 1 (Review Slides) - Federalism and the US: Does the Federal government have more power or less power than we think?

Federal government actually has less power than we tend to think

Week 1 (Review Slides) - Federalism and the US: What question must we ask ourselves in regards to Federalism, and what are the aspects of Federalism must we consider?

Federalism: a solution to gridlock or a double-edged sword? Allows the US, a big/heterogeneous country, to "hold-together" States as "laboratories of democracy" Allows inequalities to be perpetuated across states/reinforces division Do local governments have the capacity to make "good" policy?

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - Bureaucracy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Does "bureaucracy" have a positive or negative connotation for most of us? What is it (bureaucracy) built around?

For most of us, the term "bureaucracy" has a very negative connotation i.e., "there's too much bureaucracy where I work," referring to "red tape" or "inefficiency" Bureaucracy is built around rule-following

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is implementation success, and the unintended consequences of polices?

Implementation Success= Achieving Intended Consequences (Goals) of Policies - Stated- e.g., reduce automobile accidents by installing speed cameras - Unstated- e.g., raise revenue Unintended Consequences of Policies - Law of unintended consequences - Popularized as "Murphy's Law": Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. - More recently theorized by Sociologist Robert Merton in the 1940s

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is an example of a Before and After study?

In an op-ed, former NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly cited the following statistics to demonstrate that crime has reduced due to stop and frisk: The NYPD has saved 7,383 lives through its policing tactics. -11 yrs before Bloomberg took office there were 13,212 murders -11 yrs after Bloomberg took office there were 5,849 murders

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - What other factors effect Policy Gridlock?

Interest group influence and political culture alone cannot explain policy gridlock in the US: In democratic societies, many different ways of aggregating preferences. - Voting rules determine how our policy preferences get aggregated. - US political system deeply divided. Different voting rules may influence the composition of government. One reason the US experiences a good deal of gridlock is the nature of our electoral system and two party structure (i.e., our political institutions), which create conflictual rather than consensual arrangements. May not be ideal for aggregating our diverse preferences. The way we manage interest groups and campaign finance is another area that tends to lead toward representing interest groups rather than the broad "public interest"

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Agenda Setting Slides) - Kingdon's Agenda Setting Model is one of the most cited ___, and what does the agenda setting model involve? What happens when these _____ converge, and does agenda setting mean/=/equal adoption?

Kingdon's Agenda Setting Model is one of the most cited Public Policy Models It involves the "coupling" (coming together at the right moment) of three parallel but independent streams : Problem Stream, Policy Stream, Politics Stream. Problem and Policy solution must match and there must be a Political Opening (policy must be feasible in current political climate. When these 3 things converge, highly likelihood of rising to the official legislative agenda AGENDA SETTING DOES NOT EQUAL ADOPTION Just means it will make it on the legislative agenda

Week 1 (Review Slides) - Federalism and the US: What is federalism not sufficiently counteracted by?

Not sufficiently counteracted by value-based "public interest" groups Caveat: Don't forget that not all public interest groups are "progressive" in their value orientations. NRA could be considered a public interest group- they advocate for a specific cause.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - Out of the list of Organ Donor Frames, which one was the most effective? 1. Generic 2. Thousands of people do it 3. Thousands of people do it, with picture 4. Thousands of people do it, with logo 5. Three people die each day waiting 6. Can save nine people 7. What if you needed an organ? 8. "Please turn your support into action."

Number 7 was the most effective - reciprocity- What if you needed an organ?

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is Implementation, and what is it comprised of?

Once a policy is formulated and adopted, it still has to be implemented. Implementation= "the set of activities directed towards putting a program into effect" (Jones, 1984). It is comprised of: 1. Organization- establishment of resources, offices, and methods for administering a program. 2. Interpretation- translating the program's language (plans, directives, regulatory requirements) into actual programs (i.e., operationalizing the legislation). 3. Application- Routine provision of services, payments, or other agreed upon program objectives or instruments.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - Policy Impact: What are Policy Outputs, and Policy Outcomes?

Policy Outputs= Process Measures - The things actually done by agencies in pursuance of policy decisions and statements. - Outputs sometimes referred to as bean counting. -E.g.: # of stops; # of arrests; hours spent patrolling; versus ultimate impact on crime Policy Outcomes= Ultimate consequences for society - E.g., New York City is safer - Can be intended or unintended...

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is considered in the evaluative criteria, and the questions that are considered with each respective section?

Policy analyst may look in his/her analysis at: - Effectiveness- (Will the policy produce its intended effect?) Did it work? - Efficiency- (Cost versus benefit) Is it worth the cost? (value: cost-benefit analysis; e.g., Border Wall?) - Ethics - (Fairness- Will the costs fall disproportionately on some groups? Do we care?) Normative considerations based on personal values. -Equity (Fairness- Will the costs fall disproportionately on some groups? Do we care?) -Liberty/Freedom (Constraint on individual rights- e.g., soda size limitation) - Political feasibility- (Legality, social acceptability) Will it pass? -Legality/constitutionality- will it be challenged by the courts if it passes? (e.g., "Muslim ban") -Social acceptability/public support- Does the public support/oppose (think prohibition) -Administrative feasibility- How hard will it to be to implement in practice? (e.g.,body cameras) -Technical feasibility- is it possible? (e.g., arming teachers) In fact in some way, they overlap or conflict with the other criteria: sometimes, they may be umbrella criteria for other criteria on this list. For example, if we talk about administrative or technical feasibility, we cannot ignore effectiveness or efficiency.

Policy Adoption (Week 4 Review Slides) - What is Policy Gridlock, and what are reasons for policy gridlock within decision rules?

Policy gridlock: A situation when political decision makers are unable or unwilling to compromise in a way that permits public policy action Separation of Powers creates many "veto points"- points at which legislation can be stalled. 1. President has veto power 2. Senate and House (bicameral legislature) each have veto power 3. Senate has the filibuster (need a supermajority) 4. Committee structure: Many bills die in committee 5. Supreme Court may constitute an additional veto point 6. Federalism: Can always delegate policy to the states

Top Hat Group Question (Week 1) - Ch. 1 of Cochrane describes several major stages in the policy process. Order the following stages from "pre-policy" to policy stages: A. Evaluation B. Implementation C. Agenda Formation D. Adoption E. Problem Definition

Problem definition->Agenda Formation->Adoption->Implementation->Evaluation

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Agenda Setting Slides) - What is Problem Framing, what are the different ways an issue can be framed, and how are problems more likely to advance on the agenda?

Problem framing is a political process The same issue can be framed in very different ways- as a private matter versus a public matter Issues that are successfully framed as public problems (and with less vigorous frame contests) are more likely to advance on the agenda.

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Agenda Setting Slides) - What kind of process is problem definition, and what makes it problematic?

Process of problem definition largely a political process A process of deliberate framing/image making- attributing cause, blame, responsibility. This process can be problematic because really important issues that are not well packaged may get left off the table

Week 1 (Review Slides) - What is the difference between Public Policy versus Private Policy?

Public Policy versus Private Policy- private policies are made by private institutions, e.g., a University or Corporation may have a sexual harassment policy -> cannot be in conflict with state/federal policy, but can be harsher.

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Review Slides) -Problems with the Agenda Stetting Process: How many visions/approaches to problem definition are there, and what are their definitions?

Two Visions/Approaches to Problem Definition: 1. Political- what the most people have been talking about/what's the Big Issue 2. Rational- the issues that get attention should be those that are genuinely the most urgent, not that simply pull at our heartstrings.

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is Representative Bureaucracy, and what are the benefits and criticisms of it?

Representative Bureaucracy: "Street-level" bureaucrats make policy as a result of their behavior- i.e., traffic cops determine the effective speed limit. Benefits of Representative Bureaucracy: - When bureaucrats represent the citizens/clients they serve, they will serve those clients better. - When bureaucrats share the identification, experience, and characteristics of a portion of the public, that audience will perceive the actions of those bureaucrats as legitimate. -(e.g., argument that police should be drawn from the community that they serve) Criticism of representative bureaucracy: - Provides too much policymaking latitude to unelected bureaucrats. -Town Clerk who decides not to issue a same-sex marriage license. -CIA agent who refuses to engage in water boarding

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Review Slides) - Influences on success of advancing in agenda status: Degree of Saliency & Conflict: What is Salience, what is conflict, what are the different combinations combined with level of salience and conflict, and which combinations are the worst and best chances for a problem to get into the agenda? What are examples of each combination?

Salience: refers to the issue's relative importance to the general public Conflict: refers to level of disagreement over the issue Combined with level of salience and level of conflict. High salience and low conflict: Epidemics, aid for Hurricane Sandy victims (BEST CHANCE) Low salience and low conflict: "Pork Barrel" projects - research grants, water projects, & agricultural subsidies High salience and high conflict: Crime, gun control, abortion rights, health care reform High conflict and low salience: Population growth, energy (WORST CHANCE) The best chances for a problem to get into the agenda is if the problem is high salience and low conflict, and the worst chance is if the problem is low salience and high conflict.

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Review Slides) - How many stages are in the Down's Issue Attention Cycle, what are the stages and their definitions?

Stage 1 - Pre-Problem Stage: Undesirable social conditions exist, but little public recognition. Stage 2 - Alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm: Public becomes aware and alarmed about the condition. Stage 3 - Realization of the cost of significant progress: Complexity of the issue and difficulty to address comes to light. Stage 4 - Gradual decline in the intensity of public interest: Attention to the issue wanes. Stage 5 - Post-Problem stage: Agencies/systems developed may persist even as attention has waned.

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - What types of policies can governments make to take action, how many of them are there, and what are their examples?

There are six types of actions through policy that governments can do. 1. Regulate - Ex. Inspections (public health powers), workplace safety; calorie labeling in chain restaurants, etc. 2. Ration - Ex. Limit reimbursable services under Medicaid; require permits to be street vendors. 3. Subsidize/Tax and Spend - Ex. Student Loans; Subsidies to farmers; tax credit for health insurance; tax penalty for no health insurance; tax credit for home ownership; property taxes to fund education. 4. Market-based strategies: Contract out; Use Market Incentives/Privatize/Charge Fees - Use private contractors to deliver public services- e.g., public money for private health care plans; school vouchers; Cap and trade: use, buy, sell, or trade pollution permits; User fees on parks; public college tuition; taxes on cigarettes 5. Education/persuasion - Social marketing campaigns: safe sex; discourage teen pregnancy 6. Conduct/Support Research - National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Science Foundation (NSF)

Policy Design/Formulation (Week 3 Review Slides) - How many classifying types of public policy are there, and they are based on degrees of what?

There are three and they are based on degrees of contentiousness: Distributive (low on degree of contentiousness) - Visible only to those involved, Distributive policies are non-controversial because they are visible only to those involved. Regulatory (middle on degree of contentiousness) - Costs are concentrated on certain, often powerful, groups and the benefits diffused across less powerful or unaware groups Redistributive (high on degree of contentiousness) - Regulatory and redistributive policies more contentious because the costs are concentrated on certain, often powerful, groups and the benefits diffused across less powerful or unaware groups.

Agenda Setting and Problem Definition (Review Slides) - What are "streams" Kingdon identifies, how many "streams" are there, what are the names of each, and what are each of them comprised of?

There are three streams - they are separate but parallel- work in different logics. Problem: Mandated items - Something that government must deal with because it's required by law like Medicare (Medicare expenditures, coverage, etc.) Magnitude - how serious and visible the problem is, how hard is it to ignore it?: acid rain or global warming Focusing events - like 9/11 - because of exceptional media coverage - makes many people focus their attention to the problem and the government decision makers cannot afford not to respond to a problem (like security in the airports, etc.) Symbols (values violated) - when a problem is somehow related to the cherished symbols in American society. Example: someone burns the US flag. Policy: Potential solutions that meet "criteria for survival" e.g., feasibility, value congruity - Various policy solutions float around in various circles of policy actors all the times. The solutions that survive after numerous debates in these circles, especially if they makes sense from economic and political standpoint (ec and pol feasibility) have more chance to be used if the problem gets on the policy agenda (Ex. Political: Change in public opinion - Again, When they converge, they create opportunities to consider certain issues. Change in administration - Policy makers have best chances to move problems and policy ideas onto the agenda and step closer to an approval.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is a true experiment, what is its' design, and what are some examples of a true experiment?

To do a true "experiment," you need a control group that is not exposed to the intervention (in this case to the policy). Counterfactual: What would the rate of decline in crime have been if no policy were implemented.... True Experimental Designs with Random Assignment - Pretest-posttest control-group design: R O1 X O2 R O1 O2 Example: - The police department of a city decides to randomly select high crime precincts and assign some of them to get Stop & Frisk policing approach and others not to. - Crime rates are compared btw INTERVENTION & CONTROL precincts both BEFORE and AFTER adoption of Stop & Frisk.

Policy Implementation (Week 5 Review Slides) - What is an example of Path Dependency?

US Health Care System: Historical "accident" led to employer-sponsored insurance - WWII wage and price controls made employers' ability to compete for scarce labor on wages, encouraging adoption of health insurance as fringe benefit. - 1951- Employer-sponsored health insurance became tax deductible to encourage its expansion. -Tax exclusion is estimated to cost the fed gov over $250 billion/yr - With most people getting their insurance through Employer Sponsored Insurance coverage, interests develop around current system -Unions often oppose UHC for fear benefits may be less generous -Business does not want to have to offer higher wages, would rather offer tax exempt insurance -Providers worry government sponsored insurance would pay less, regulate more -General public fears change from the status quo: loss aversion Result= LOCK-IN

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What is a Quasi-Experiment, how is it done, and what is an example(s) of it?

Usually fall short of a true experiment either because: - They are lacking a control/comparison group - They don't have observations before and after a policy is put in place. These might involve: - Using "longitudinal" data to track trends in a particular place over long periods of time, or - Comparing similar units to each other at the same point in time - Or both, but without random assignment. EXAMPLES: Compare crime rates in NYC since the 1970s to crime rates in Philadelphia (a city that never adopted Stop & Frisk) to see if there are divergences in crime rates around the time Stop & Frisk was adopted in New York.

Policy Evaluation (Week 6 Review Slides) - What are the benefits of nudging?

When do people make GOOD choices? - Lots of experience (with feedback) - Clear connections between actions and consequences - Simple choice - Long-term - Peer/parent examples are helpful - Others' incentives are to help you Nudges can be very simple and cheap - Set a default -People are signed up for retirement plan unless they opt out -Printer will print two-sided unless you change setting - Present information -Tell people what others are doing -Tell people what they themselves are doing -Tell people gas mileage or nutrition information in a way closer to how they will use it