SPEA V 181 Girgis Exam 1 Study guide

Define public policy - Answer-what public officials within govt., and by extension the citizens they represent, choose to do or not to do about public issues Define Policy analysis - Answer-the examination of components of public policy, the policy processes, or both What is the importance of studying public policy - Answer-Works towards developing public policy solutions by studying public problems and various policy alternatives or choices that might be made What is the reason for developing public policy as a response to public issues - Answer-to administer solutions to issues that arise in public, whether those solutions be reflections of specific groups or answers to specific questions Social Context of public policy - Answer-Societal changes (e.g., population changes), Dynamic not static, Includes how groups relate to one another Economic Context of public policy - Answer-State of the economy (e.g., surplus vs. deficit), Unemployment rates, Budgetary decisions Political Context of Public Policy - Answer-Political/ideological issues (who is in power?) Loss of public trust with government and elected officials Differing Views/Polarization Political party labels are poor indicators regarding policy choices among individual elected officials Varies greatly from state to state and community to community Governing Context of Public policy - Answer-Structure of government (e.g., Constitutional separation of powers) Divided Congress often leads to no action and/or ineffective policies Federal and State Government responsibilities often overlap Unfunded Mandates Cultural Context of Public policy - Answer-Values, beliefs, attitudes, interests (e.g., red state vs. blue state) Varies by location Seen in highly debated social issues How does politics impact public policy development - Answer-The popular political ideology creates conflict in the development of public policy Can slow development but allows for the "preferred" policy to prevail