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Chapter 3

Policy Formation:

Problems, Agendas, and Formulation

Today’s Topics

Nature of policy problems

Agendas

Agenda-setting process

Nondecision-making

Formulation of proposed policies

Introduction

Federal Reports Act

Allowed information gathering necessitated by new federal programs

Collection grew with government

Paperwork Reduction Act

Agency requests for information had to be cleared by the Office of Management and Budget

Introduction

Formation

The total process of creating, adopting, and implementing a policy (the policy process)

Formulation

The crafting of alternatives or options for dealing with a problem

Policy Problems

Conditions or situations that produce needs or dissatisfaction among people and for which relief or redress by governmental action is sought

Unreasonable when judged against a standard

Acceptable for government action and there is a possible solution

What characteristics or qualities make a problem public?

Problem Creation

Standard or Value

Government Action Possible

Problem

Condition

Fig. 3.1

Policy Problems

Defined by social constructs as well as objective dimensions

Perceived differently by groups and individuals

Perceptions change over time with values and conditions

A political process as definitions point to solutions

Why do some see uninsured Americans as a private problem, and others as a public problem? Conflicting perceptions or definitions of a problem, and disagreement over remedies, reduce the likelihood of positive action.

Policy Problems

Causation

What causes a problem?

Scope

How big a problem?

Tractability

How difficult to fix?

Severity

How serious a problem?

How serious are the consequences?

The Policy Agenda

Problems compete for policy-makers’ attention due to limited time and resources

Policy agenda (problem requires government attention)

Political priorities

The Agenda-Setting Process

Systematic Agenda

Policy Entrepreneurs

Mandatory Items

Problem

Issue

Institutional Agenda

Fig. 3.2

The Policy Agenda

Two Types of Agendas

Systemic (discussion)

All those matters people are talking and fretting about

Institutional (action)

Problems which government officials feel obliged to give active and serious attention

Can be mandatory or discretionary

What is an example of a systemic agenda item?

What is an example an institutional agenda item?

The Agenda-Setting Process

Multiple Streams Approach

Mostly independent streams occasionally come together

Problems

Policies (solutions)

Politics

Opens a “policy window” that allows the issue to come onto the agenda

Kingdon’s Agenda-Setting Model

Policy Window

Problems Stream

Policy-Proposals Stream

Politics Stream

Figure 3.3

The Agenda-Setting Process

Alternative view of agenda setting

Agenda building is a competitive process--lots of factors affect agenda status

The Agenda-Setting Process

Factors in agenda-setting:

Disturbances: interest groups try to maintain equilibrium, and react accordingly if this is threatened

Political leadership

Presidential efforts

Policy entrepreneurs

Supreme Court decisions

Crisis/major event

In his study of presidential agenda setting, Professor Paul Light found that in selecting major domestic issues on which to advocate action, presidents are motivated by three primary considerations: electoral benefits, historical achievement, and good policy.

The Agenda-Setting Process

Factors in agenda-setting (cont):

Protest activity

Media attention

Changes in statistical indicators

Political changes

Other events/methods

What issues did the September 11, 2001 attacks bring to the top of the national agenda?

The Agenda-Setting Process

Agenda denial

Some groups work to keep status quo

Strategies:

There’s no problem

It’s not appropriate for government

It’ll be worse if government acts

It’s better solved by private means

Create a commission

Electoral activity

Nondecisions

When a problem or policy alternative is kept off the agenda by force, culture, or political skill

But, can help analyze the policy process

Loss of Agenda Status

Items that reach the agenda can also change or disappear

“Issue-attention cycle”

Some items do not go through this cycle (ex. environmental protection)

Five stage of the issue-attention cycle: pre-problem stage; alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm; realization of cost; gradual decline in the intensity of public interest; post-problem stage.

The Formulation of Policy Proposals

Development of pertinent and acceptable proposed courses of action for dealing with public problems

The Formulation of Policy Proposals

Key Questions

Is the policy technically sound?

Are the budgetary costs reasonable?

Is the proposal politically acceptable?

If the proposal becomes law, will the public accept it?

The Formulation of Policy Proposals

Who is involved?

President and advisors (leading source of policy initiatives)

Governmental agencies

Presidential organizations (task forces, commissions)

Legislators

Interest groups

Policy Formulation as a Technical Process

Two different activities involved in formulation

Decisions on what, if anything, should be done about a given problem

Adoption of legislation or administrative rules that appropriately enact the agreed upon principles

What is meant by the term “legislative history”? How does it apply to policy formulation?