civic engagement discussion. needed today
dhiab007
discussion5_civic_engag.docxRequirement:
Gerston’s concluding chapters are about implementation and evaluation. The former is what some refer to as “the black box” of implementation or moving a public problem to a public agenda to formulation and adoption of a public policy and then executing that policy by a bureaucracy. The latter includes assessment to see if the public policy is performing as intended.
For the discussion this week we will examine the policy passed by popular vote Washington Initiative 502 regarding marijuana reform. This is the culmination of a multi-year effort that began as a grassroots movement and became mainstream with significant coalition building through dialogue. While Wikipedia is not the best resource since it is editable by anyone, for our purposes this ballot measure summary provides an adequate description of the policy landscape to initiate a discussion.
Link: Washington Initiative 502 (Wikipedia)
Discussion
1-Identify and discuss at least two challenges to implementation and/or evaluation for the ballot measure (and subsequent public policy now in place) based on Gerston AND
Student sample:
Implementation by Degree is a challenge that Initiative 502 will face, based on Gerston. Gerston states that 'the mere decision to create a policy or law in no way dictates any certainty of application (pg 95).' I agree with this point, as the battle between state and federal authority continues to be a huge issue in states that legalize marijuana. The state can choose to legalize marijuana, but the Feds are an overriding authority with the ability to shutdown legal state marijuana distribution and place its participants in jail. For this reason, application of law carries no certainty.
Bargaining through implementation is noticeable in the provisions for Initiative 502, as the implementation process and rule establishment deadlines are staggered instead of simultaneous. This creates a challenge for marijuana users, as bargaining allows for adjustments of the law during periods of legal use. People could be using marijuana illegally, though the usage was legal just the day before.
'The Law of the Few' is evident in Initiative 502 because connectors, mavens and salesmen all had to play a part in getting this Initiative on the ballot and available for a vote. In order to 'sell' this Initiative through signature collection, mavens would have needed to feed information to the salesmen, who would then appeal to the public for signatures. Connectors would ultimately get this Initiative on a ballot for voting.
