The Policy-Making Process By Nathan Johnson Annie Quarles Jane Ellis

Setting the Agenda Political agenda: Issues that people believe require governmental action. Certain shared beliefs determine what makes politics legitimate. These things affect legitimacy: Shared political values The weight of custom and tradition The impact of events Changes in the way political elites think and talk about politics

Political agenda: Issues that people believe require governmental action.

Certain shared beliefs determine what makes politics legitimate.

These things affect legitimacy:

Shared political values

The weight of custom and tradition

The impact of events

Changes in the way political elites think and talk about politics

Groups Many policies are the result of small groups of people enlarging the scope of government by their demands. Relative deprivation: as people become better off, conditions that once were thought normal suddenly became intolerable This feeling caused many black riots

Many policies are the result of small groups of people enlarging the scope of government by their demands.

Relative deprivation: as people become better off, conditions that once were thought normal suddenly became intolerable

This feeling caused many black riots

Institutions The courts, the bureaucracy, and the Senate The courts can make decisions that force the hand of other branches of government Desegregation of schools First trimester abortions The bureaucracy and the Senate have become a source of policy proposals and an implementer of those proposals

The courts, the bureaucracy, and the Senate

The courts can make decisions that force the hand of other branches of government

Desegregation of schools

First trimester abortions

The bureaucracy and the Senate have become a source of policy proposals and an implementer of those proposals

Media The national press can either help place new matters on the agenda or publicize those matters placed there by others When more space is given to a proposal in newspapers, more attention is given to it in the Senate New safety standards for industry, coal mines, and automobiles

The national press can either help place new matters on the agenda or publicize those matters placed there by others

When more space is given to a proposal in newspapers, more attention is given to it in the Senate

New safety standards for industry, coal mines, and automobiles

Action by the States The national government may later adopt ideas championed in the states “ Do Not Call” law Also the attorneys general of states may sue a business firm and settle the suit with an agreement that binds the industry throughout the country 1998 tobacco agreement

The national government may later adopt ideas championed in the states

“ Do Not Call” law

Also the attorneys general of states may sue a business firm and settle the suit with an agreement that binds the industry throughout the country

1998 tobacco agreement

Costs and Benefits Cost: a burden that people believe they must bear if a policy is enacted Benefit: a satisfaction that people believe they will enjoy if a policy is adopted There are two aspects of the costs and benefits Perception Legitimacy of groups to benefit Most people prefer government programs that provide good benefits at low costs

Cost: a burden that people believe they must bear if a policy is enacted

Benefit: a satisfaction that people believe they will enjoy if a policy is adopted

There are two aspects of the costs and benefits

Perception

Legitimacy of groups to benefit

Most people prefer government programs that provide good benefits at low costs

Majoritarian Politics Majoritarian politics: a policy in which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays Interest groups do not matter to majoritarian politics due to the “free-rider” problem Drugs

Majoritarian politics: a policy in which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays

Interest groups do not matter to majoritarian politics due to the “free-rider” problem

Drugs

Interest Group Politics Interest Group Politics: a policy in which one small group benefits and another small group pays For instance, a bill requiring companies to give 60 days notice of a plant closing was backed by unions (they would benefit) and opposed by business firms (they would pay). Organized interest groups and a generally uninformed public

Interest Group Politics: a policy in which one small group benefits and another small group pays

For instance, a bill requiring companies to give 60 days notice of a plant closing was backed by unions (they would benefit) and opposed by business firms (they would pay).

Organized interest groups and a generally uninformed public

Client Politics Client politics: a policy in which one small group benefits and almost everybody pays The costs are widely spread out and hardly notice by the paying group Agricultural price supports Airline prices Pork-barrel legislation: legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return Logrolling: a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers

Client politics: a policy in which one small group benefits and almost everybody pays

The costs are widely spread out and hardly notice by the paying group

Agricultural price supports

Airline prices

Pork-barrel legislation: legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

Logrolling: a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers

Entrepreneurial Politics Entrepreneurial politics: a policy in which almost everybody benefits and a small group pays the cost Antipollution and safety requirements for cars The Founders purposefully made passing a new law very difficult Policy entrepreneurs: activists in or out of government who pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interests Ralph Nader

Entrepreneurial politics: a policy in which almost everybody benefits and a small group pays the cost

Antipollution and safety requirements for cars

The Founders purposefully made passing a new law very difficult

Policy entrepreneurs: activists in or out of government who pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interests

Ralph Nader

Entrepreneurial Politics continued… These politics can occur without a policy entrepreneur if voters of large numbers of legislators become irritated by the high cost of some benefits or become convinced of the urgent need for a new policy to impose such costs The Superfund program Oil and chemical spills Places special taxes on oil and chemical companies

These politics can occur without a policy entrepreneur if voters of large numbers of legislators become irritated by the high cost of some benefits or become convinced of the urgent need for a new policy to impose such costs

The Superfund program

Oil and chemical spills

Places special taxes on oil and chemical companies

The Case of Business Regulation Some people believe economic power will dominate political power for three reasons: Wealth can be used to buy influence Politicians and business leaders have similar class backgrounds and therefore similar beliefs about public policy Elected officials must defer to the preferences of business so as to induce corporations to keep the economy healthy and growing

Some people believe economic power will dominate political power for three reasons:

Wealth can be used to buy influence

Politicians and business leaders have similar class backgrounds and therefore similar beliefs about public policy

Elected officials must defer to the preferences of business so as to induce corporations to keep the economy healthy and growing

Continued… To others politics is a threat to the very existence of a market economy and the values that they believe such an economy protects such as economic growth, private property, and personal freedom Often politicians tent to side with nonbusiness majorities rather than business majorities

To others politics is a threat to the very existence of a market economy and the values that they believe such an economy protects such as economic growth, private property, and personal freedom

Often politicians tent to side with nonbusiness majorities rather than business majorities

Majoritarian Politics A lot of antitrust legislation has been the result of this type of politics The Sherman Act of 1890 The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914 The Clayton Act of 1914 The Grange – an organization of farmers who were very outspoken about “trustbusting” Antitrust feeling was strong, yet the movement was unfocussed No single industry was the special target of this criticism

A lot of antitrust legislation has been the result of this type of politics

The Sherman Act of 1890

The Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914

The Clayton Act of 1914

The Grange – an organization of farmers who were very outspoken about “trustbusting”

Antitrust feeling was strong, yet the movement was unfocussed

No single industry was the special target of this criticism

Interest Group Politics These are very powerful when the regulatory policies confer benefits on a particular group and costs on another, equally distinct group The Wagner Act The Taft-Hartley Act The Landrum-Griffin Act The Occupational Safety and Health Act

These are very powerful when the regulatory policies confer benefits on a particular group and costs on another, equally distinct group

The Wagner Act

The Taft-Hartley Act

The Landrum-Griffin Act

The Occupational Safety and Health Act

Client Politics When a policy confers a benefit on one group at the expense of many other people, client politics arises State and city laws regulate the practice of law and medicine as well as a host of other occupations The same thing happens on a national level The Agricultural Adjustment Act Sugar producers Regulations that starts by trying to serve a client can end up hurting it The Federal Communications Commission

When a policy confers a benefit on one group at the expense of many other people, client politics arises

State and city laws regulate the practice of law and medicine as well as a host of other occupations

The same thing happens on a national level

The Agricultural Adjustment Act

Sugar producers

Regulations that starts by trying to serve a client can end up hurting it

The Federal Communications Commission

Entrepreneurial Politics These policy entrepreneurs dramatize an issue, galvanize public opinions and mobilize congressional support Dr. Harvey Wiley When public attention is directed at a problem, it helps policy entrepreneurs The Jungle

These policy entrepreneurs dramatize an issue, galvanize public opinions and mobilize congressional support

Dr. Harvey Wiley

When public attention is directed at a problem, it helps policy entrepreneurs

The Jungle

Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests, and Values What constitutes a cost or a benefit is a matter of opinion, and opinions are always changing What you believe about something also matters Cost is important as well. People react more to what they will lose rather than what they will gain Finally, policies are affected by our values – by our conceptions of what is good for the country or community

What constitutes a cost or a benefit is a matter of opinion, and opinions are always changing

What you believe about something also matters

Cost is important as well. People react more to what they will lose rather than what they will gain

Finally, policies are affected by our values – by our conceptions of what is good for the country or community