Policy Basics
In the systems model, public opinion or lobbying would be considered what?
Input
What term describes when past policies shape current political expectations?
Policy legacy
Name one of the main powers of legislatures in policymaking.
Lawmaking, oversight, set policy priorities (through the budget), casework, and representation of public preferences
What is the president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress called?
The veto
Congress passes a resolution declaring "National First Responder Week." What kind of policy is this?
Symbolic policy
What is the difference between a policy output and policy outcome?
Outputs are government decisions/actions, while outcomes are the effects of those actions on society.
Which concept explains that early decisions lock in current policy trajectories?
Path dependence
What is a veto point?
A place in the process where policy can be blocked by an institution or actor.
What is one of the constraints executives face in making policy?
Separation of powers (can't pass policy alone)
Oversight of other branches
Public opinion/electoral pressure
Congress repeatedly fails to act on climate legislation even though evidence and public concerns are strong. What concept does this illustrate?
Politics of inaction
Kentucky passes a new environmental regulation, but pollution levels don't change. Is this an example of an output or outcome?
What is policy drift? Give a short example.
A policy remains unchanged while conditions shift (reducting effectiveness). Example: minimum wage
A committee in the House of Representatives holds a hearing on rising healthcare costs. They invite experts to give testimony. Which legislative power does this best illustrate?
Oversight (information gathering to monitor issues and evaluate gov't action)
Why do presidents often dominate the policy agenda compared to Congress?
Increased visibility and national focus allows them to frame issues for the public.
A gun control bill passes the House of Representatives but fails in the Senate due to the filibuster. What concept does this illustrate?
Veto point
Why is the "black box" of policymaking often described as a limitation of the systems model?
It doesn't explain how decisions are actually made inside institutions.
Explain how punctuated equilibrium theory would explain the surge of civil rights legislation in the 1960s after decades of inaction.
Long stability in policy followed by a sudden burst of change triggered by a focusing event that shifts attention.
Why does the structure of Congress make major policy change so difficult?
Multiple veto points, bicameralism, committees, polarization, gridlock
Give one example of how street-level bureaucrats can alter how citizens experience a policy.
Teacher enforcing school discipline policy, police officer discretion over punishment, casework decisions about benefit eligibility
World War II wage controls encouraged employers to offer health insurance as a benefit. Today, employer-based health insurance remains the dominant system. What concept explains this persistence?
Path dependence
The Mobile City Council passes a law banning scooters downtown. Residents then pressure the mayor to reserve this law. Using the systems model, walk through this scenario by identifying one input, one output, and one piece of feedback.
Input = citizen complaints about scooters
Output = Mobile bans scooters
Feedback = public backlash, lobbyiny for change
Compare status quo bias and the politics of inaction. How are they similar, and how are they different in explaining why policy does not change?
Both explain resistance to change.
Status quo bias = structural/institutional barriers make change hard.
Politics of inaction = policymakers deliberately choose not to act even when they could.
Explain how veto points and gridlock in Congress reflect the broader idea of policy stability. Give one example of a recent or historical issue where these dynamics played out.
Multiple veto points exist (committees, two chambers, president) that make change hard. This leads to gridlock that reinforces stabilty. Example: repeated failure to pass climate legislation, immigration reform, or gun control.
Street-level bureaucrats often have discretion when applying policies. How can this discretion both enhance and undermine the orginal goals of the policy? Give one example.
Enhance = adapt rules to fit local needs
Undermine = apply rules unevenly or with bias
Shows how implementation may diverge from intent
The New Deal created Social Security, which shaped Americans' expectations about the government's role in retirement policy for decades. What concept explains how past policies influence current political debates?