Public Policy Exam 1 Flashcards
What are national policies often implemented chiefly by?
states
Which of the following levels of government play the dominant role in crime control and land-use regulation?
local and state
T/F Politics is one of the principal reasons public policy is so riddled with conflict and why it can be so difficult to analyze
True
T/F political cultures are similar across all of the states
False
T/F Policy problems can only be addressed via government action
False
T/F Policy performance, such as state Medicaid and SNAP programs, is uniform across all states
False
Which of the following are more likely to explain why certain policies are adopted?
Theories
Which theory argues that power is pluralistic rather than concentrated in only a few elites?
Group theory `
Which theory forces people to think about the core motivation of individual political actors and its consequences for the larger political system and for public policy?
rational choice theory
T/F Policy analysis can potentially affect each of the stages in the policymaking model
True
In which stage of the policy making process does defining and analyzing the problem usually happen in?
agenda setting
T/F Incremental decision making is considered to be more realistic approach in the policy making process
True
Which exercise involves making judgements about how well each policy options fits in relation to the most relevant criteria?
assess the alternatives
T/F Policy analysts never take political realities into account when conducting any research or analysis
False
The shift in political environment-the rise in think tanks and interest groups-is most evident at which level of government?
national
What are negative incentives or penalties that are thought to discourage behavior that is inconsistent with policy goals?
Sanctions
T/F The beginning of any policy study involves a description of a problem
True
What are economic projections a example of ?
Forecasting
What is public policy?
What public officials within government, and by extension the citizens they represent, choose to do or not do about public problems. This can include passing laws or approving regulations, spending money, or providing tax breaks, among other things.
What is policy analysis?
described as a systematic and organized way to evaluate public policy alternatives or exisiting governments programs
What is the government involvement in policy making?
when the public and/or policymakers believe that government needs to intervene to correct a social problem, they create or alter policies, however this does not mean the matter is settled permanently.
Why has the government grown over the last 100 years?
- American society has become more complex and faces more challenging problems (modernity)
- Public’s acceptance of business regulation; Supreme courts expansive interpretations of the commerce and NC clauses
What is incremental policymaking?
policy changes that occur in small steps; adjustments are made at the margins of existing policies through minor amendments or the gradual extension of a program’s mandate or the groups it serves.
What is punctuated equilibrium model?
Suggests that we can get dramatic policy change when the conditions are right. Thus we may have long periods in which policy stability is the norm, in part because those who dominate the policy process are “privileged groups of elites” who are largely satisfied with the status quo.
What is the legislative branches role in policymaking?
Congress acts on legislative proposals, appropriates money for all agencies, and oversees the operations of executive agencies
What is the executives role in policymaking?
executive agencies implement public policies in part by establishing rules and regulations under the discretion granted to them by congress
What role does the Judiciary have in policymaking?
The judiciary affects public policy through established precedent
- the courts interpret constitutional and legislative provisions and settle disputes that arise as a result of executive agency decisions
What is dual federalism?
A theory that states that the functions or responsibilities of each level of government are distinct; little integration of the two levels of government exists.
What is cooperative federalism?
A theory that states that the national government is more involved in different policies through collaboration between the national and state governments
What are block grants?
Transfer of federal dollars to the states, where the states have substantial discretion in how to spend the money to meet the needs of their citizens
What are categorical grants?
transfers of federal dollars to the states where the funding must be used for specific purposes.
What are unfunded mandates?
Federal requirements placed upon the state government without sufficient funds for implementation
What is decentralization?
- transfer of policy authority from the federal government to the states
-both political parties aren’t too keen on this - question about policy capacity comes up
What is policy capacity?
the ability of government to identify and evaluate public problems, and to develop suitable policies to deal with them
What is the role of public opinion in policymaking?
- public opinion is what the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues
- two publics, attentive and general
- attentive shapes policy development and general shapes overall direction
What is elite theory?
- A policymaking theory that emphasizes how the values and preferences of governing elites, which differ from those of the public at large, affect public policy development.
- policy actors in this: think wealthy
- helps demonstrate that the policymaking process might not be as democratic as one thinks
What is group theory?
- A policymaking theory that sees public policy as the product of a continuous struggle among organized interest groups; tends to believe that power in the U.S. political system is widely shared among interest groups, each of which seeks access to the policymaking process.
- interest groups hold the power, “pluralists”
What is institutional theory?
- A policymaking theory that emphasizes the formal and legal aspects of government structures. Institutional models look at the way governments are arranged, their legal powers, and their rules for decision making.
- used to study how these different entities perform in the policymaking process
What is rational choice theory?
- A policymaking theory that draws heavily from economics; assumes that in making decisions, individuals are rational actors who seek to attain their preferences or further their self-interests. The goal is to deduce or predict how individuals will behave under a variety of conditions.
- used to explain actions as diverse as individual voter decisions
what is political systems theory?
- A policymaking theory that stresses the way the political system responds to demands that arise from its environment, such as public opinion and interest group pressures. Systems theory emphasizes the larger social, economic, and cultural context in which political decisions and policy choices are made.
What is the order of the policy process model?
- Agenda setting
- Policy Formulation
- Policy legitimation
- Policy Implementation
- Policy Evaluation
- Policy Change
What happens in agenda setting?
How problems are perceived and defined, command attention, and get onto the political agenda
What happens in policy formulation?
The design and drafting of policy goals and strategies for achieving them. Often involves the use of policy analysis
What happens in policy legitimation?
The mobilization of political support and formal enactment of policies. Includes justification or rationales for the policy action.
What happens in policy implementation?
Provision of institutional resources for putting the programs into effect within a bureaucracy
What happens in the policy evaluation?
Measurement and assessment of policy and program effects, including success or failure.
What happens in policy change ?
Modification of policy goals and means in light of new information or shifting political environment.
What are the instruments of public policy?
- regulation
- government management
- education, info, persuasion
- taxing and spending
- market mechanisms
What are the three types of policy analysis?
- scientific
- professional
- political
What is the scientific policy analysis?
- serach for the “truth” and build theory about policy actions and effects
- scientific method used
-objective and rigorous - may be too theoretical
What is the professional policy analysis?
- analyze policy alternatives for solving public problems
- objective but with goal of practical value
- research and analysis might be too narrow
What is the political policy analysis?
- advocate and supports preferred policies
- aim to influnce policy debate to realize organizational goals and values
- often ideological or partisan and may not be credible
What are operational measures in policy analysis?
- A specific way to define and measure a policy problem, such as a rate of poverty or unemployment. Often useful when quantitative measures of problems are needed.
What is the selected criteria for evaluating public policy proposals?
- effectiveness
- efficiency
- equity
- liberty/freedom
- political feasibility
- social acceptability
- administrative feasibility
- technical feasibility
what are some decision making tools?
- forecasting & impact assessment
What are some political and institutional approaches of analysis?
- political feasibility analysis
- implementation & program analysis
- ethical analysis
