Domestic Policy Chapter 17

Public Policy Public Policy is an intentional course of action or inaction followed by government in dealing with some problem or matter of concern. These policies are on people Those who don’t comply can be penalized through fines, loss of benefits and even jail terms.

Theories of Public Policy Elite Theory Bureaucratic Theory Interest Group Theory

A Model of the Policy-Making Process The stages of the process Problem recognition and definition Agenda setting Policy Budgeting Policy implementation Policy evaluation Click “The stages of the process” to view a diagram of all the steps. Use the specific examples to illustrate the steps of the process, such as those exemplified by the photos accessed through the other hyperlinks on this page. To Learning Objectives

Problem Recognition and Definition There is rarely an agreed upon definition of a problem. How the problem is defined will help determine what sort of action is . Political parties and interest groups battle over the definition and recognition of a problem.

Agenda Setting Once a problem has been defined, it must be brought to the attention of public officials and placed on the agenda. Agenda setters include: the , interest groups and political crises. The president uses the State of the Union, his and key speeches to push his agenda. Crises like 9/11 and the crisis have affected the agenda in recent years.

Policy formulation/adoption These two steps are the most time consuming. Legislators, the president, interest groups and government agencies work together to try to create a policy that can be adopted. Usually the legislation is , making only marginal changes to existing policy

Budgeting/Policy Implementation The funding of a policy can determine its effectiveness. Public policy is generally implemented by government agencies ( ) The agencies are often given due to their expertise in that area. Congressional committees have the power of oversight and control over the budgets of the agencies.

Policy Evaluation The process of determining whether a course of action is achieving its intended goals. Sometimes a program is judged to be good simply because it is politically popular or fits the ideological beliefs of an elected official. - conducts hundreds of studies a year on the viability of programs and agencies.

The Evolution of Health Policy LO 17 The Evolution of Health Policy LO 17.2: Describe the evolution of health policy in the United States. Medicare – for disabled and over Medicaid – for Health Insurance National health insurance first considered in 1930s. Most people use single-payer private healthcare system. Costs are rapidly increasing. Click to view a table covering what Americans think about health insurance reform. To Learning Objectives

Public Health From AIDS to obesity, public policy makers have attempted to use government power to fight threats to the nation’s health. Tools employed by the government include: immunizations, education, advertisements, and regulations.

LO 17.2 Public Health Government sponsors research at National Institutes of Health. Government plays a major role in public health management. Photo caption: How does the government promote public health? Advertising campaigns such as this one are one of the major ways the government promotes greater health among Americans. To Learning Objectives

The Evolution of Education Policy LO 17 The Evolution of Education Policy LO 17.3: Outline the evolution of education policy in the United States. The Foundations of Education Policy Originally each state determined educational policies From school houses to education Role in political socialization in a democracy To Learning Objectives

How did Title IX change education How did Title IX change education? Title of the Education Amendments of 1972 greatly expanded educational and athletic opportunities for women. As a result of these gender equity requirements, women's lacrosse is one of the fastest growing collegiate sports. Back To Learning Objectives

The No Child Left Behind Act LO 17.3 The No Child Left Behind Act NCLB intends to promote results-oriented accountability state and local flexibility in use of national funds proven methods of achieving high-quality education outcomes school choice Click links to view a state report card and an illustration of school choice. To Learning Objectives

The Evolution of Energy and Environmental Policy LO 17 The Evolution of Energy and Environmental Policy LO 17.4: Explain the evolution of energy and environmental policy in the United States. 20th century cheap fossil fuels and economic boom Smog and other environmental problems emerge To Learning Objectives

The Foundations of Energy and Environmental Policy LO 17.4 The Foundations of Energy and Environmental Policy Energy policy By 1970s, U.S. dependent on foreign oil Oil embargo crisis. Government set conservation and efficiency standards; creates DOE Environmental policy National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 Clean Air Act of 1970 Clean Water Act of 1970 Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 Click the links to view a graph showing where U.S. oil imports come from and to view a photo illustration of the oil crisis in the 1970s. To Learning Objectives

Energy and Environmental Policy Hibernates LO 17.4 Energy and Environmental Policy Hibernates Reagan champion of deregulation 1981 National Energy Policy Plan, ended the price and allocation controls on crude oil and petroleum Bush and Clinton do little with exception of Clean Air Act of 1990 Energy Policy Act of 1992 To Learning Objectives

Energy and Environmental Policy Returns to Prominence LO 17.4 Energy and Environmental Policy Returns to Prominence 9/11 energy policy central to national security Increasing concern about global warming Kyoto Protocol in 1997 States take the lead in environmental policy. To Learning Objectives