2d Policy Community and Interest Groups Flashcards
Who/what makes up the policy community?
Parliament/legislature Federal government - cabinet and central policy structure Provincial governments Individuals Organizations Interest/Pressure groups
What is a “stakeholder”?
A person, group, organization, member or system who affects or can be affected by an organization’s actions.
What are “interest groups”?
Interest groups are any organization of people with policy goals who work within the political process to affect the decisions of policy makers to achieve such goals
What are the four categories of people involved in the health care community?
Policy makers
Providers
General public
Consumers
Who are the policy makers in health care?
Government
- elected
- bureaucracy
Who are the general public in health care?
Non-clients
Taxpayers
Others impacted
Interest groups
Who are the consumers of health care?
Patients
Families
Interest groups
Who are the providers of health care?
Direct
Suppliers
Interest groups
What are some ways that interest groups attempt to influence policy?
Lobbying government
Engaging in election activities
Educating various publics
Mobilizing various publics
Who lobbies the government?
Organized interests may themselves, or hire representatives to, advocate on behalf of the group’s interests
What are lobbying activities and what do they include?
Lobbying activities include contacting members of government to disseminate information about the positive or adverse effects of proposed legislation.
Why do interest groups attempt to influence elections?
Interests may attempt to influence elections in order to help get people who support their issues elected or reelected.
What are electioneering techniques/what do they include?
Electioneering techniques include giving money to candidates, endorsing candidates or issues, and conducting grassroots activities such as get-out-the-vote drives.
What role do interest groups do to educate various publics?
Interest groups work hard to educate the public at large, government officials, their own members, and potential interest group members.
What do influence groups rely on to influence policy-making?
To influence policy-making, many groups rely on the efforts of people who are motivated to act on behalf of their issues and causes.
What kind of activities do grassroots activities include?
So-called grassroots activities might include writing letters, making phone calls, contacting policy-makers, and demonstrating.
What are the purposes of interest groups in Canada?
“to have a say you need a voice”
Aggregate and articulate views and voices.
What are some points at which health policy can be influenced?
At point of origin
During formulation
During implementation
At evaluation
What are some ways in which public policy can be influenced?
Defining the health issue Providing leadership Increasing the public profile of an issue Applying public and private pressure Participating in working groups Building coalitions Creating a readiness and changing public opinion Developing and proposing policy options Providing supportive research Acting as political decision makers
What are some types of arguments?
Factual assertions
Hypotheticals
Value assertions
Normative calculation
What are factual assertions?
Stating that something is the case
What are hypotheticals?
Stating “if P, then Q”
What are value assertions?
Statements of how things out to be.
What are normative calculations?
Moral absolutism (right or wrong) / consequentialism (The ends justify the means)
What are the characteristics of an interest group?
Fullness
Fairness
Responsiveness
Autonomy
What is fullness (as a characteristic of an interest group)?
Scope of intersts
broad representation - narrow representation
What is fairness (as a characteristics of an interest group)?
Fair or privileged access to power
Unbiased access - biased access
What is responsiveness (as a characteristic of an interest group)?
Democratic
Membership directed - leader directed
What is autonomy (as a characteristic of an interest group)?
Independence from target
Constrained - unconstrained
