Chapter 12 Flashcards
model of policy process
problem identification
agenda setting
formulation of proposals
legitamation of proposals
implementation
evaluation
agenda of public policy
on this agenda are supposedly listed policy problems that have come to the attention of public policymakers, such as the president or members of congress, such that they now recognize the need to take some sort of actions to remedy the problems
think tanks
an institution that employs scholars who develop policy proposals based on their knowledge in their respective fields of study
incrementalism model of public policy
most policy that the national government implements in a given year is simply the previous year’s policy with small (incremental) modifications made to it
rationalism model of public policy
contends that the fundamental criterion for sound policy is the realization of the greatest possible net benefit (i.e., difference between benefit and cost) to society
proposes that policymakers who are trying to design a policy should consider the principles that society values, develop an assortment of policy alternatives that would satisfy society based on those pricinples, evaluate the policy alternatives, and then compare the alternatives and select the one best alternative (i.e., the optimal choice)
public-choice model of public policy
decisions about public policymaking are made by a wide range of individuals, all of whose actions are oriented toward the realization of their self-interests
conceives of the arena of public policymaking as a giant marketplace of ideas, including policy proposals, in which government officials and individual citizens “shop” for policies that will benefit them and then support them
group-theory model of public policy
policymakers determine where to set policy based on the competition of the interest groups that are active in te particular task environment for the policy area
subgovernment model of public policy
in any particular policy area, there is an “iron triangle” partnership involving the congressional committees, executive department or agency, and interest groups active in that policy area that dominates policy in that policy area
elitism model of public policy
the elites provide direction to the officials and adminstrators. The population of officials and administrators includes elected and appointed government officials such as the empolyees of the bureaucracy. The officials and adminstrators impose policy execution upon the masses
eminent domain
the government has the impressive power to condemn an individual’s property and to convert the property to the government’s use
user fees
the government may charge individuals who use certain government services for the use of those services
entitlement programs
benefits
the law describes the qualifications for obtaining the benefit, and every individual who qualifies is entitled to the benefit; program officials do not have the discretion to deny the individual’s application for the benefit to which he is legally entitled
laissez faire
the government may decide to do nothing about a problem
appropriation laws
laws that dictate how money should be appropriated for the use of the Executive branch
