Transcript GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS

Introduction
GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND
THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS
American Government:
Policy & Politics,
Eighth Edition
TANNAHILL
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
In This Chapter We Will Cover:
• The importance of government
• Government and politics
• The public policy approach to studying
government
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Government Affects Individual
Americans in Many Ways
• Regulations
– Speed limits
– Minimum drinking age
– Protection from unsafe products
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Government Affects Individual
Americans in Many Ways
• Services
– Public hospitals
– Schools
– Transportation
– Student loans
– Welfare
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Government Affects Individual
Americans in Many Ways
• Taxes
– Federal, state, and local taxes
represent 30 percent of the nation’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
–Workers pay payroll and income
taxes on wages
–Consumers pay sales taxes and
excise taxes
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Government and Politics
• Government: the institution with
authority to set policy for society
• Politics: the process that determines
who shall occupy the roles of leadership
in government and how the power of
government shall be exercised
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Public Policy, the Public Policy
Approach, and the
Policymaking Environment
• Public policy refers to the response, or
lack of response, of government
decision-makers to an issue.
• The public policy approach is a
comprehensive method for studying the
process by which public policy is
created.
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Public Policy, the Public Policy
Approach, and the
Policymaking Environment
• The policymaking environment refers to
factors outside government that impact
the policymaking process.
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Stages of the Policy Process
• Agenda building
–Problems become matters of
public concern
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Stages of the Policy Process
• Policy Formulation
–Alternative strategies for
dealing with problems are
developed
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Stages of the Policy Process
• Policy Adoption
–The decision of a government
body to accept a particular
policy and put it into effect
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Stages of the Policy Process
• Policy Implementation
–The stage in the policy
process in which policies are
carried out
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Stages of the Policy Process
• Policy evaluation
–The assessment of policy,
involving questions of equity,
efficiency, effectiveness, and
political feasibility
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Types of Policy Evaluations
• Normative analysis is based on
certain values.
• Empirical analysis is a method
relying upon experience and
scientific observation.
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006
Concluding Review
Questions
• How does government impact your life?
• What is the difference between politics
and government?
• Why is the policymaking environment
important?
• What are the stages of the policymaking
process?
Pearson Education, Inc., Longman © 2006