1. Public Policy

2. Public Policy
A general plan of action adopted by government to solve a social problem, counter a threat, or pursue an objective.
The process by which government decides what are human needs and problems and how to best solve them.
The method by which government attempts to solve the problems of a nation.

3. The Policymaking Process
Agenda Setting
A variety of factors affects agenda building:
events, crises, change in expert opinion, interest group agitation
Change in public opinion
Policy Formulation
Policy Adoption
Implementation
Policy Evaluation

4. Influences on Lawmaker’s Policy Preferences
Ideology
Colleagues
Staff
Party
President
Interest Groups
Iron Triangles (key administrator, congressional subcommittee or committee chair, lobbyists from key client groups
Issue Networks

5. Domestic Policy Crime Prevention – FBI, DEA, ATF
Education – Brown v. Board of Education, No Child Left Behind Act
Energy
The Environment – EPA, Clear Air Act, Endangered Species Act
Health Care – CDC, VA, FDA, Affordable Care Act
Social Welfare - “welfare” reformed under President Clinton

6. Domestic Policy
Social welfare expenditures have increased steadily in order to provide minimum standards for all citizens.
Great Depression
New Deal (FDR)
New Frontier (Kennedy)
Great Society (Johnson)
Social Insurance (Social Security Act of and Medicare 1965) (FDR and Johnson)
Public Assistance
Affordable Care Act (Obama)

7. Economic Policy Raising revenue (taxes) and spending
Fiscal and Monetary Policy
Chief Advisors to the President: Secretary of the Treasury, Council of Economic Advisors, Director of the Office of Management & Budget
OMB: Supervises/writes the budget which is submitted to Congress
Congressional Budget Office
Impact of Committees on Budget; Appropriations
Reaganomics

8. Budget Issues Fiscal Cliff Entitlements Welfare Medicare
Social Security
Deficit/Debt
Mandatory Spending v. Discretionary Spending

9. Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy involves the strategies and procedures dealing with other nations.
The President and Foreign Policy
Formal powers of the executive branch v. formal powers of the legislative branch
The Department of State
The Department of Defense
The National Security Council
The Central Intelligence Agency

10. Isolationism v. Globalism
Cold War Politics
Nixon Doctrine/Détente
Carter Doctrine
Reagan
Bush
Clinton
Obama
Free trade, GATT, MFN, Globalization