Ch 17 Notes

Chapter 17 Notes – Policymaking


Public policy is a general plan of action adopted by government

“Muddling through” refers to govt. taking little or no action, hoping that a problem will solve itself

Public policymaking can be divided into four categories, based on policies that prohibit, protect, promote, or provide

The purpose of tax expenditures is to encourage citizens to engage in activities that the govt. finds desirable EX. Home mortgage deduction

The principle of collective benefits is most compatible with majoritarian democracy, while selective benefits lend themselves to pluralist democracy

Interest group opposition can defeat a proposed a policy

Most policymaking involves the interaction between govt. and interest groups

Agenda refers to a set of problems or situations that have come to the attention of govt as requiring some sort of action

When problems become part of the agenda, govt tends to act

Public policy is often presented in vague terms to provide negotiating room for policymakers

States often resist federal regulations because they seldom have input into making them

The difficult and complex process involving the coordination of many agencies, levels, and interests, is true of implementation

The purpose of policy evaluation is to study an existing policy to discover what is working, what is not working, and what alternatives might work better

Policy evaluation is difficult because there is no standard method for evaluating policy

Feedback is the term applied to an evaluation of ploicies and the transmission of that information to policymakers

The assumption among political scientists is that policies are never over, they continue to evolve

The fragmented nature of the American political system gives interest groups may points of access and influence
Interagency task forces within the executive branch deal with the problem of coordinating different elements of govt.

If they must be regulated, industry prefers that it be by the national govt to provide uniformity

Issue networks are held together by knowledge, expertise, and interest in a particular policy area

Issue networks consist of key members of congressional committees; officials of the related bureau or agency; and lobbyists representing the agency's clients

Generally, policymaking is done by private-sector individuals and organizations, as well as by govt officials

Issue networks are involved in program development, policy implementation, and agenda setting

The term Iron Triangle refers to a tight alliance among bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups

Issue networks have become more prevalent than iron triangles, and reflect pluralist democracy

In-and-outers are those who switch jobs within policy communities, with the most typical switch being from govt to lobbying

The Ethics in Govt Act south to curb the excessive influence of former govt officals who were immediately becoming lobbyists

Political scientists view issue networks with some concern because networks favor well-organized constituencies over the broader public interest

The general public is most often given the least attention by policymakers