National+Public+Policy


 * National Public Policy**


 * I want my summer 2009 2302 students to use this page to do your second paper assignment

Paper #2: Outline a Public Policy Issue before the U.S. Congress:** Very simply, in this assignment I want you to select a public policy, and then summarize and analyze it. This means that I want you to define the problem the policy is meant to solve, the various proposals that are offered to solve the problem, the different people and institutions involved in establishing and then implementing the solution to the problem, and then offer some indication about how we would know if the problem is solved?

Below you will see a variety of public policy issues, you will also note names besides many of them. I want everyone to claim their own policy, analyze it and outline the ways the policy is likely to be addressed by the current Congress. I want you to do this in at least 1000 words, but you may go beyond 1000 if you wish.

Due date for 11 week class: August 12**
 * Due date for 5 week class: July 13

Here are some suggestions about how to do this assignment successfully.

First, get a handle on what the term "[|public policy]" refers to. A variety of definitions suffice. Here's one: a deliberate set of actions by governmental institutions designed to address a problem. Using the definition, let's work backwards and unpack it. We begin with a problem of some type, let's a say a social situation that needs to be addressed with an appropriate solution. The problem might be the lack of clean water, inadequate transportation, low levels of education,a poor business environment, an unacceptably high level of criminal activity, or many of hundreds of other issues. So you may wish to begin by stating clearly the problem that a policy is meant to solve. Keep in mind that controversy is likely to start at this point because not everyone is likely to agree that a certain condition is a problem. Increasingly disparities in wealth are problematic to some, but not others. Some see global warming or gay marriage as threats to the survival of the species, others do not. Some see a porous border with Mexico as a security problem, others do not. These are at root political disputes and are central to the way that we distinguish between, say, conservatives and liberals or others in the political universe. It would useful, and interesting, to speculate on the ideological issues associated with recognizing a certain issue as a problem that needs to be addressed, or not a big deal.

So begin by being clear about what the central problem associated with your policy is, and then discuss the debate associated with how the policy is to be addressed. What types of solutions are being proposed? I would like you to focus you attention on the institutions we have covered over the course of this class. All policy issues are discussed somewhere in Congress, they can be developed through the party organization, they can also be developed through the committee systems. So once you settle on a policy and have a clear idea about what problem the policy is meant to solve, your next step will be to determine which institutions in Congress -- and which individuals in Congress -- are involved in the formation of solutions for the problem. What types of proposals do you see? Which do you think are likely to be selected given the current political environment?

Once policies are passed into law -- as we now know -- they are sent to the executive branch to be implemented. This means that executive agencies also play a roll in the development of policies and are often given some ability to adjust them as they determine the best way to implement these policies on the ground. You should also try to determine which agencies are involved in the policy you select and what their involvement means for the successful implementation of the policy. Various other factors can play a role in crafting the policy you select. These will vary depending on the policy. The people who can influence transportation policy will not have a necessary impact on foreign policy for example.

I would suggest that you begin with a survey of news stories associated with the policy you select and get comfortable with the range of players involved in it.

Select one of the policies below and email me to let me know that you wish to focus on it. The list is still incomplete and if you want to focus on a policy that I do not have listed here, tell me about it and I will include it.

- Abortion (Amber Lee) - Air Quality (Stanley) - Alternative Energy (Jesus Vasquez) - Anti-Trust - Arms Control (Rachel Schutlz) - Banking Regulation (Alexandra Ofuani) - Budget - Campaign Finance Reform - Child Care - Climate Change (Kacey Cherry) - Consumer Policy - Diplomacy - Disease - Drug Policy (Kelsey Wood) - Early Childhood Education (Zach Ewan) - Economic Consequences of Climate Change Policy (Jaydee Izard) - Energy - Cap and Trade (Brandon Smith) - Energy (Offshore Drilling) (Gregorio M. Ruiz: 832-319-9086/cell) - Fiscal Policy - Food and Nutrition - Food Safety Policy (Matthew Liang) - Gun Policy (Jeff Daniels) - Health Care (Daniel Serna) - Health Insurance (Katie Daniels) - Higher Education - Homeland Defense (Brittany Nix) - Housing (Hammonds) - Infectious Disease (Ferguson) - International Development - International Trade - Illegal Immigration (Hannah Patterson) - Israel Palestine Relations (Michael Mensik) - Juvenile Justice - K-12 Education (Brandon Williams) - Labor (Jordan Faust) - Law Enforcement. (Lisa Thompson) - Medicaid (Tamara Cox) - Medicare (Mellony Ifokwe) - Monetary Policy - Nutrition (Kristi Novak) - Obesity (Christine Lam) - Offshore Drilling - Prisons, Punishment, and the Death Penalty. - Pollution - Poverty (Brittany Haupt) - Public Health (Clayton Osburn) - Regulatory Policy -- Automobile Industry (Kyle Sealy) - Science Policy - Heather Guerrero) - School Violence. (Chinelo Nweke) - Social Security (Chelsie Croasdaile) - Space Exploration - Tax Policy. (Chase Hampton) - Terrorism (Flavio Rossette) - Terrorism Detainee Policy (Chrisanne Ayala) - Transportation - Unemployment Insurance - Welfare (Anthony Rost)