Consider: How do we know why government enacts the policies it does?

The Last Word: Assignments 5-6 due Monday

The Policymaking ProcessAP Government and Politics

Chapter 16

Recall: Who (Really) Has the Power?

Marxist perspective perceive that government is dominated by capitalists “Government is the shadow cast by business over

society.” Elite perspective

holds that government is dominated by a few top leaders, but not just economic leaders, “MIC”

The Bureaucratic view (Weber) holds that the government is dominated by

appointed officials.

Pluralism (+) and Hyper-pluralism (-)

Types of Policies What is “public policy”?

• The intentional course of action (or inaction) followed by government in dealing with a problem or matter of concern.

Distributive: • provide benefits to individuals, groups, communities or

corporations; • Most common and least controversial• Widely shared costs, more specific beneficiaries

Student loans, farm subsidies Regulatory:

• Limit choices in order to restrict or encourage behavior; • More controversial• Costs are narrowed, benefits are diffused

Redistributive:• Transferring resources from one group to benefit another group• Also controversial

Obamacare may be one example

Policy and Politics In order to understand who becomes involved in policy

formation, and why, and thus perhaps why a certain policy is enacted, we need to examine the costs and benefits of a particular policy• We can ask, WHO BENEFITS, and to a lesser extent, WHO

PAYS, in order to find out how something became policy

Often, the perceptions of costs and benefits affect the politics of a policy, rather than the actual costs/benefits that will result• Also, questions of whether it is legitimate for a certain group or

individual to bear the costs or receive the benefits merits consideration as well.

The politics of policy is often a dispute over who will benefit or pay for a program, and/or who ought to benefit or pay for a program

Four Kinds of Policies

Widely Distributed

Costs

Concentrated Costs

Widely Distributed

Benefits

Majoritarian politics

Entrepreneurial politics

Concentrated Benefits

(Distributive) Client politics

Interest-group politics

The Case of Business Regulation Majoritarian politics

• Antitrust legislation – costs businesses but benefits many in society by preventing unfair practices

Interest group politics• Union building vs. corporations attempts to prevent it

Client politics• Milk and sugar subsidies or tariffs, for example, benefit

the producers (small groups) in the US, while the cost is borne out by a public which notices little and cares less

Entrepreneurial politics• Pure Food and Drug Act, safer and more fuel efficient

cars• The Jungle

Agenda Setting Deciding which issues to discuss

Systemic vs. governmental

Policy Formulation Crafting of proposed courses of

action

Policy Adoption Approval of a policy proposal

Policy Implementation Process of carrying out public

policies – methods: Authoritative, incentive, capacity, hortatory

Policy Evaluation Did policy achieve its goals?

A Model of the Policy-making Process

16.1

FIGURE 16.1: What Are the Stages of the Public Policy Process?

16.1

Consider: What is the federal government’s role with regard to education, according to the Constitution?

The Last Word: Assignment 6 for tomorrow, 7-8 for Wed; MC Test Friday

"Yesterday was Earth Day. And today we went right back to throwing Jamba Juice cups in the rainforest." –Jimmy Kimmel

"It's become clear to me that I've won television. You see, Jon, almost nine years ago I promised to change the world and together, I did it." –Stephen Colbert, stopping by The Daily Show to announce, in character, the real reason that he is ending his show

"Joe Biden said the U.S. will help Ukraine with financial aid as long as the leaders tackle corruption. Because if anything stops corruption, it's bribing someone to stop corruption." –Jimmy Fallon

"Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is running for re-election, and he's got a catchy campaign slogan: 'Forget my first term. I was on crack.'" –David Letterman

"This weekend over 37,000 people went to Denver to participate in the 4th annual Cannabis Cup. And they all made memories that would last a few minutes." –Seth Meyers

Health Policy Today “Entitlement program”–

a type of "government program that provides individuals with personal financial benefits to which an indefinite (but usually rather large) number of potential beneficiaries have a legal right...whenever they meet eligibility conditions that are specified by the standing law that authorizes the program.

Medicare - Created in 1965 - For people 65 and older Parts A-D

Medicaid Created in 1965 - For people poor and disabled Must meet eligibility requirements - Low-income National/state government - Fed block grants cover 50-75% 50 million Americans covered in 2010 - $400 billion Expanded by ACA

16.2

Perceived problem > Rising Costs Technology advances

Americans living longer

Health care per capita costs 1970 $356 per capita

2013 $9,349 per capita

10 percent of Americans account for 63 percent of all

health care costs

Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act Enacted in response to health care being placed on the

agenda – how?

Health Insurance in 2000s

16.2

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

Most significant health care legislation since Medicare/Medicaid in 1965• Very controversial as it moved through Congress and

after passage Goal:

• Reduce costs; try and get every American covered Provisions:

• Establish government-run exchanges• Financed by fees and taxes• Prevents denial of pre-existing conditions• Expands Medicaid coverage – burden on states• Requires purchase of health insurance or pay a tax

Federal Gov. and Education Policy Role is not stated; states/localities carry the ball most

of the time – 10% of $1.5 trillion overall on Ed spent by fed• Exception would be when mandates are created or funding is

withheld Cold War brought first real fed role in education

• NDEA - support for loans to college students, the improvement of science, math, and foreign language instruction in elementary and secondary schools, other aspects

60s/70s civil rights movements and war on poverty• Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Largest federal education law ever passed; until NCLB Funding for aid to disadvantaged children Funds for professional development, materials, resources for

educational programs The government has reauthorized the act every five years since its

enactment. Current efforts

• NCLB - The current reauthorization of ESEA

Accountability Standardized tests, report cards, reorganization if schools fail

Flexibility Schools can tailor expenditures to meet their

needs; use federal money how they see fit.

Proven methods for quality outcomes Best practices, developed at national level

School Choice Vouchers for private or other public schools Charter schools

No Child Left Behind Act 16.3

Video: So What?

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/polisci/presidency/Oconner_Ch16_Domestic_Policy_Seg6_v2.html

16

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamasdeal/view/