Domestic Public Policy4B

EconomyPresented by: Nick M., Carlos A., A.J. A.,

and Calvin L.

Creating American JobsOne way to help this movement is to cut taxes on the small

businesses and the middle class· There have been tax cuts for 95% of working families

at $400 per person· Payroll tax cut decreases taxes by 2% for families

earning $50,000 a year by $1000 a year· American opportunity tax credit can help with as much

as 30% of the college tuition

·There have been tax cuts for small businesses, along with the stimulus, which provided additional government money, meant to spur economic growth.

Creating American Jobs (Contd.)The Recovery act has also been a large part of the

administration’s plan for job creation,which includes:• tax cuts• state government relief• infrastructure projects

Creating American Jobs (Contd.)One success of the administration's job creation was the helping

of the turnaround of the American auto industry

• The possibility of liquidation brought risk of losing a million more jobs

• Aid was given in exchange for more efficient car production• After recovery of GM and Chrysler, 250,000 jobs have been

added

Fiscal Responsibility: GoalsThe Obama Administration wants: -To reduce the federal deficit through a balanced approach that

cuts spending, but also reforms the tax code so as to increase revenues. Ask the wealthiest Americans to pay more in taxes to help with these deficit reductions without sacrificing our future growth.

-To create a “21st-century” regulatory system that allows for

efficient use of federal funds while spurring innovation, competitiveness, and job creation.

AccomplishmentsBudget & Deficit reduction: The American Taxpayer Relief Act

of 2012, this resolved the issue of the “fiscal cliff” and was a step in the right direction in coupling spending cuts with tax increases. The Budget Control Act of 2012 was the culmination of negotiations between the White House and Congress in raising the federal debt ceiling. The deal and subsequent law again put the nation on track to negotiate for serious solutions to the nations

Regulatory Reform: The passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street

Reform and Consumer Protection Act. This law gave federal regulators more power to regulate the financial system and protect consumers.The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act instituted several reforms for how the federal government administers health care regulations and Medicare.

Public Opinion in PerspectiveA Gallup poll taken in February of 2013 showed that 13% of those surveyed thought

the debt or deficit was the most important problem facing the country.

The public, generally, sees federal spending as replete with waste and excess and desires lower federal expenditures.

However, those same people, generally, are very fond of the services that the federal government supplies that cost large sums of money (ex. income supplements, partial subsidies, etc.).

The largest yearly federal expenditures and contributors to the debt are the "implicit liabilities" assumed by the government (Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security) all popular programs that also consume a lot of resources and will only grow in size and cost.

DemographyRecent federal tax cuts have been geared towards low-income

families and middle-class families. These groups consume more than other socio-economic classes and so an increase in their disposable income (the result of a tax cut) leads to higher consumption for those people and a larger effect on economic growth.

More efficient regulatory policy is primarily targeted as businesses and entrepreneurs. These groups hire laborers and are bound by many of the regulatory policies of the federal government. By removing some of the regulatory red tape, businesses have an easier time investing and growing.

Economic Security for the Middle Class

Goals: - The administration wants to:+ To make college more accessible, affordable, and attainable for all American families.+ Provide higher education to

middle class families.

Economic Security (Contd.) + Assure the people that healthcare will always be there.+ Stabilize the housing market.

Accomplishments:+ President Obama passed a reform, which will prevent the excessive risk-taking that led to the financial crisis while providing...

Economic Security (Contd.)...common-sense protections to

American families for their mortgages and credit cards. The law created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to prevent mortgage companies and payday lenders from exploiting consumers.

Supporting American BusinessesIssues:o Small Businesseso Innovationo Global Competitiono Growtho Entrepreneurs

Supporting American Businesses- Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Strategies/Goals:o supported by tax reliefo decreased payroll taxeso given incentives to growo Small Business Administration: loans $93 billion to

small businesseso Affordable Health Care act supports small

businesses 500,000 employers, 4 million employeeso BusinessUSA to help growth

Public Opinion:o businesses cannot be overly restricted by federal

"red tape"Outside Influences:

o economic pressure on small businesses

Supporting American Businesses- InnovationStrategies/Goals:

o implementing nationwide broadbando clean energy gridso research and develop new technologyo improved infrastructureo fix the patent system

Public opinion:o technology is necessary to support

businessesOutside Influences:

o Patentingo the economy willing to buy into innovation

Supporting American Businesses- Global Competition

Strategies/Goals:o increase manufacturing within the USo invite foreign businesses to work in the

USo SelectUSAo education

Public opinion:o don't want large factories in the US

Outside Influences:o willingness of other countries to trade

Supporting American Businesses- GrowthStrategies/Goals:

o fix standard on businesso supported by tax reliefo decreased payroll taxeso given incentives to growo Business USA

Public opinion:o businesses are too restricted by federal "red

tape"Outside Influences:

o willingness of businesses to take risks on growth

Energy Presented by Josh P., Raj S., and Chad W.

Party platforms/ Party agendasRepublicans:·Support “new, state-of-the-art coal fired plants”·Promote gas, oil and coal development·Advocate natural gas usage·Support expediting “the approval process to build out

critical oil and gas lines.”·Pledge that “the Republican Party supports appointing

public officials to federal agencies, who will properly and correctly apply environmental laws and regulations”

Party platforms/Party agendas (Cont.)Democrats:·Provide consumers with choices to reduce costs and save

energy·Develop and secure America’s energy supplies·Create markets for innovative, clean technologies, and

fund research for the next generation of technologies·Democrats promote allocation of resources between fossil

fuels and renewables, in addition to “green” initiatives

Issues

Issues:·Fossil fuels are depleting·Fossil fuels are contaminating the

environment·Energy bills are rising(higher prices for

generating fuel, the need for infrastructure.)

·The US relies on foreign aid for oil.·Lack of sources for sustainable energy

Goals Goals:·Get rid of reliance on foreign oil·Work to obtain clean energy rather than focusing on

fossil fuels·Obtain renewable energy·Cut the energy-“Let’s cut in half the energy wasted by

our homes and business’ over the next 20 years.”·Find multiple sustainable sources of energy·Work to further progress wind and solar energy

projects

StrategiesStrategies:·Companies such as google are striving to power

themselves with 100% renewable energy·New technology is tested using 2 specific criteria; They

must have good business sense and have long-term potential in the industry.(in 2007 the largest corporate solar panel of its kind, the 1.7 MW, was installed at Mountain View

·Companies involve themselves in business with utility providers to get clean energy while also providing them with the money to make new clean energy facilities.(working together to make the whole grid greener)

Public Opinion• The US wants more renewable energy

• Increase federal funding for research on wind, solar, and hydrogen technology

• Electric companies should be prepared to start building new nuclear facilities

• The US needs to stop pollution, as it is affecting both the air and environment

Outside Influences• The will of the people is a great influence especially when

relating to the environment through global warming• Heavily influenced by foreign oil companies due to the

United States reliance on foreign oil• Companies are a big influence through the support of

renewable energy such as hydropower, solar power and wind power

• BrightSource Solar energy farm ----->(Google invests in this)

Participants

• As seen in the last slide, Google is a major contributor to making the world a little greener

• General Electric is another participant in energy distribution throughout the Unites States

• PBS is yet another electric company that is a major energy distributor throughout the United States

• As said by senator Shaheen "The cheapest energy is the energy we don't use. That is why energy efficiency is something we can all support."

Health CareBy Daniel Jacques and Mitchell Yum

Location and Party AgendasLocations:• The preamble in the constitution states "to promote the general welfare".

This relates to the health of the people through health care.• In the state of union address Obama pointed out that obamacare is

lowering healthcare costs and reducing the debt.Party Agendas:Republicans:• Republicans plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Healthcare act• Rejects national government universal Healthcare programs

Democrats:• Makes sure everyone has affordable health care • Preserving medicare • No arbitrary insurer cancellation• Expand Healthcare coverage• Cut Healthcare costs

Participants Key Organizations:• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)• Administration for Native Americans• Administration on Aging (AoA)• Administration on Developmental Disabilities• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration)• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)• Indian Health Service (IHS)• National Institutes of Health (NIH)• Office of Refugee Resettlement• Program Support Center• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Issues

• Denial of medicare due to pre-existing conditions

• Running out of insurance coverage because their health care expenses reached a dollar limit imposed by their insurance company

• Price is too expensive• Not everyone is covered

Goals• Stronger Consumer Rights and Protections

o Putting an end to pre-existing condition discriminationo Ending the limits put on medicareo Ending coverage cancellation

• More Affordable Coverageo Lowering prices for medicareo Stopping unreasonable rate increases

• Better Access to Careo Free prevention serviceso Young Adult Coverage

• Stronger Medicareo Lowering costs for prescription drugso Additional benefits for senior citizens

ex. Free flu shots

StrategiesIn the future the government will:• give three years of free Medicaid to Americans who

earn less than 133% of the poverty level• prohibit insurers from dropping or limiting coverage

because an individual chose to participate in a clinical trial

• eliminate limits set on insurance coverage• Increase security with newer technology

Public Opinion• Most people disapprove of the new healthcare laws

from Obama• Most Democrats approve of the laws but Republicans

and independents disagree with the laws • The way questions are worded on polls changes the

outcome of the polls• 69% of the public likes the fact that the government is

taking an active role in health care coverage

Outside influences • Economic influences- the cash flow of employees will be

changed due to health care• Interest groups will play a role in influencing senators to

pass a law that will favor them• Teens look online for most their health based

information. So depending on what they see, they can be influenced to use a certain product or something

Jess Hsu, Marina Karasik and Seyi Ariyo

Veterans

Veterans Affairs

Goals:• Provide veterans and their families with

healthy, stable life conditions after their services

• Seamless transition from active duty to civilian life

• To fulfill Lincoln's promise: "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan."

Veterans (cont.)

Goals:

• Medical care/disability coverage (VHA)

• Pensions and Compensation (VBA)

• Insurance (CHAMPS, USSA private)

• Education and training (VBA)

• Home loans (VBA)

Goals:

• Burial/funeral benefits (NCA)

• Rehabilitation (VHA)

• Retirement benefits (VBA)

• Crisis prevention (usually VHA)

• Tax Credits

VA Issues:

Veterans often become:• Disabled• Unemployed• Homeless• Mentally Unstable (PTSD)• Suicidal• Violent• Criminals

Major Problem with the System

• Backlog of Claims (8-12 Months)

• Eligibility Determination (about a year)

• Delays veterans from receiving all benefits

provided by VA

• Basically, the system is slow and inefficient

in the initiation process

VA Strategies and Participants

• Veterans Affairs (2nd largest cabinet dept) partners with community services

• Access to suicide prevention/mental health care services

• Specialty Care Clinics• VA helps veteran-owned businesses locate

opportunities• VA partners with Dept. of Defense and Dept. of

Labor• Secretary Shinseki- initiated 16 MI backed by

IT funding

Strategies (cont.)

• Veterans Skill to Job Act (signed July 2012)

• VOW to Hire Heroes Act (Nov 2011)• Returning Heroes Tax Credit• Veteran Gold Card (post 9/11 vets)• Veteran Job Banks• The Recovery Act (Info Tech spending-

$1.4 billion)• Integrated Electronic Health Record

(IEHR)

Influences

• The gov't needs to influence the private sector to hire veterans.

• GI Bill- 1944- provided a wide range of benefits for veterans returning from WWII

• Veterans returning from the Vietnam War were heavily discriminated against.

• Various groups outside the VA that serve veterans such as: The American Legion, The National Association for Black Veterans (assists other minorities as well), and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The End.