Government Institutions and Policy Actors

1. 1 Government Institutions and Policy Actors

2. 2 Outline Growth of government Structure of policymaking federalism separation of powers subgovernments/policy subsystems Public opinion and public policy Interest groups Policy stalemate and improving policy capacity

3. 3 Growth of Government Growth of nation and population Increased complexity of society Regulation of business Protection of social welfare Role of U.S. in the world Citizen demands

4. 4 Government Institutions and Policy Capacity Complexity and fragmentation Federalism State variation and policy capacity Separation of Powers Legislative Executive Judiciary Informal Actors Public opinion Interest groups Subgovernments

5. 5 Federalism Evolution of federalism dual federalism cooperative federalism Continuing controversies, especially over federal dollars and state expectations State variation in policy capacity The pros and cons of devolution of authority to the states

6. 6 Separation of Powers Power is shared among three branches legislature, executive, and judiciary Founders were concerned with possibility of government tyranny Has added to the complexity of governing Has added to the challenge of building consensus for policy action, especially between the legislature and executive

7. 7 Separation of Powers: Policymakers Legislature � lawmaking bicameral system committee system (division & specialization of labor) Executive � law enforcing president/bureaucracy involved in policy development bureaucratic structure Judicial � law interpreting reactive rather than proactive judicial review

8. 8 Organizational Formats Legislative organizations (e.g., committees, individual members, party leadership)  Executive Office of the President (EOP) executive departments (cabinet-level departments) subagencies independent executive agencies (e.g., EPA) independent regulatory commissions

9. 9 Informal Actors: Public Opinion Public opinion is important in a democratic system is fleeting many people are inattentive to politics and policy can be voiced in numerous ways can have an impact, if people willing to take the time/effort can lead to interest group formation and activity

10. 10 Informal Actors: Interest Groups Important in politics, governance, and policymaking Lobbying � all branches, both for/against policies money for elections use of media information (substantive and political) litigation direct contact w/policymakers

11. 11 Interest Groups (con�t) Increase in number of groups claiming broad based representation � public interest Outnumbered by �business� type groups Economic groups easier to form Free Rider problem

12. 12 Interest Group Power Size of membership Distribution of membership Resources Ability to form coalitions Legitmacy Ability to obtain access Important (famous) members

13. 13 Informal Actors: Policy Subsystems Informal settings in which policies are made Have been called many different things subgovernments issue networks iron triangles

14. 14 Iron Triangles

15. 15 Policy Stalemate and Capacity Why does stalemate occur? Constitutional design and divided gov�t Complex problems Public opinion and consensus Organized interests Ineffective political leadership Improving capacity