General
What is a policy?
A deliberate, stable system of guidelines to guide decisions and solve problems or deal with a matter of concern
Name the three policy types.
Distributive, Redistributive, and Regulatory
Name the stages of the policy process.
(0) Problem Identification + Definition
(1) Agenda Setting
(2) Formulation
(3) Adoption
(4) Implementation
(5) Evaluation + Analysis
Who is involved in Stage 0 and Stage 1 of the policy process?
Anyone and everyone who has an issue /
Legislature, Executive, interest groups, political parties, media
What is an issue network?
Groups of people who form a coalition together to work on a current issue; often temporary and informal comprising of individuals with varying levels of education and expertise in a certain area.
Define the distributive policy and provide an example.
Allocation of resources to a majority of the population at the expense of all taxpayers (roads)
Why are bureaucrats especially important in the implementation phase of the policy process?
Bureaucrats actually carry out the policy
Who is involved in Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the policy process?
Legislators, bureaucrats, judges, experts /
Legislators, Executive, political parties, interest groups
What is the iron triangle and who is involved?
A mutually beneficial relationship
Legislators, Bureaucrats, and Interest Groups
Define the redistributive policy and provide an example.
Allocation of resources from one group to another so that everyone can enjoy a minimal standard of living (SNAP)
What could cause an issue to be identified for policy change or development?
Focusing events (school shootings, natural disasters) / Complaints or dissatisfaction with an existing policy (healthcare, affordable housing) / Stakeholder pressure (civil rights, workplace protections) / Research (controlled substances, education) / Legal review (segregation, marriage equality)
Who is involved in Stage 4 of the policy process?
Bureaucrats - a lot of them at every level
What is satisficing?
A decision-making strategy that aims for an adequate result rather than the optimal solution
Define the regulatory policy and provide an example.
Policy that imposes restrictions on behaviors and actions through laws and regulations (environmental regulations)
What stage of the policy process is most important and why?
No right answer but you should have thoughts! :)
Who is involved in Stage 5 of the policy process?
Agency heads, bureaucrats, universities, policy analysists, subject matter experts