The Policymaking System in American Politics

1. The Policymaking System in American Politics AP U.S. Government

2. The Policymaking System • The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. • Linkage institutions are political channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.

3. Policy Agenda • Definition: The policy agenda consists of issues that attract the serious attention of public officials. • Political issues arise when people disagree about a problem and how to fix it. • Some issues will be considered, and others will not. • A government’s policy agenda changes regularly. • It may take years to get an item on the policy agenda, and then several more years to get it acted on.

4. Policymaking Institutions • Definition: Policymaking institutions are the branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. • Legislature (Congress) • Executive (President) • Courts (Federal and State) • Bureaucracies (Federal and State)

5. Policy • A choice government makes in response to a political issue or public problem

6. Policy Areas • Social Welfare • Social Policies • Economic • Environment • The Budget • National Security policy

7. Economic Policy • Monetary Policy and Federal Reserve Board • Manipulate supply of money to keep inflation in check • Set discount rate, buy/sell bonds • Fiscal Policy and the federal budget • Keynesian: deficit spending to stimulate economy • Supply side: cut taxes

8. Policy Impacts • Does it solve the problem? • Does it create more problems? • Depending on the answer, policymakers • may revisit the issue • refine their efforts • policy must be on the agenda • or ignore the problem if people are disinterested in the policy

9. Policy Example: The Clean Air Act—Public Concern • Air pollution becomes a problem when a sufficient number of people complain about it • Asthma and children • Air quality alerts • Smog in Los Angeles

10. Clean Air Act (cont.)—Linkage Institutions • The issue attracts attention from any number of linkage institutions • News reports or books on air pollution problems • Politicians realize electoral benefits of advocating air pollution legislation • Interest groups and political parties use issue to mobilize support

11. Clean Air Act (cont.)—Institutions • In response to pressure from public (through linkage institutions), policymaking institutions respond with policy solutions: • Passing the Clean Air Act of 1970 • Issuing Executive Order to create the EPA

12. Clean Air Act (cont.)—evaluation • The Clean Air Act is evaluated over time • It is amended in 1977 to extend deadlines for compliance • The evaluation stage revealed that the initial Act—however successful in limiting air pollution—was too restrictive and impractical

13. Clean Air Act Revisited • In 1990, the Clean Air Act is again amended in response to the growing problem of: • Prevailing winds and subsequent problem of Acid Rain • Current talk of regulating carbon dioxide • California has done so • Federal “cap and trade” legislation?

14. Who sets the agenda? Rank them in order of power: The President of General Motors The President of CBS The managing editor of the CBS evening news program A U.S. Senator A homeless person An average blue-collar worker An average millionaire A federal district judge A white parent who resents having a child abused Ralph Nader An aide to a U.S. Senator An editor to the NY Times A member of the House of Representatives

15. Conclusion • Big picture of the policy process that connects all actors: public, media, institutions