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1.pptxChapter Two: Government Institutions and Policy Actors
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Introduction
How does our government impact policy making?
Our form of government
Government institutions
Who else influences the policies that government makes?
What can be done to increase our policy capacity?
Discussion 1
What led to the government shutdown for 16 days in 2013?
Because of our form of government, policy actors must be able to come to agreement. Is it an acceptable negotiating strategy to threaten government shut down?
CLOSED!!!!
Brief writing, or pair-share: Write what you know about why the government shut down for 16 days in 2013.
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Implications of Shutdown
Video: (http://youtu.be/xpkTfVhfVx8)
“A US Government Shutdown: Breaking Down the Numbers.” (Sept. 27, 2013). New York Times Video showing a variety of statistics about agency closures, polling data, and more about what happens when the federal government shuts down. (Time: 1:48)
Video: http://youtu.be/xpkTfVhfVx8 “A US Government Shutdown: Breaking Down the Numbers.” (Sept. 27, 2013). New York Times Video showing a variety of statistics about agency closures, polling data, and more about what happens when the federal government shuts down. (Time: 1:48)
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How Does Our Form of Government Impact Policymaking?
Clip Art Photos
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Checks and Balances
Structure of federalism
Separation of powers of three branches
Clip Art photo
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Federalism
US government structure
Established in the 10th amendment:
“The powers not delegated to the US (federal government) by the Constitution . . . are reserved to the states or to the people.”
Shared policy making by state and federal governments
Evolution
Federalism is our form of government - Has to do with what states and federal government can make policies about.
Has been a concern since our nation’s founding. During Civil War, Lincoln had to assume a larger federal role to eradicate slavery. The states had much power.
Historically – roles were clearly states: education and transportation federal: national defense, trade
Policy capacity varies so much at state level.
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Federalism (cont’d)
Dual Federalism (historical)
Clear separation of responsibility
States: education and transportation
Federal: national defense and trade
Cooperative Federalism (contemporary)
Responsibility of states vs. federal government has blurred
Results of This Balance of Power
What are the advantages?
Distributed power across wide range of parties
Both houses of Congress and the President must agree – policies are vetted
The “people” and other actors have a great deal of input
What are the disadvantages?
Often a slow process
Gridlock
Downturn of public opinion
What are the advantages and disadvantages of distributing the power across many different policy actors?
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Policy Gridlock Occurs
Complex issues, sharp differences in ways to approach them
What are some issues right now that seem to be gridlocked?
Photo from Clip Art
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Incremental Policymaking
Government action that falls between gridlock and innovation
Growth of Government
Expansion of US territory
Increasingly complex problems
Greater regulation of business
Greater acceptance of social welfare
Responsibilities as world superpower
Government’s unique ability for impact
Citizen demands for government action
Implications of this Growth
Government policy affects every aspect of life
Large impact on our economy, employment
Many more stakeholders involved
Ever increasing challenge to establish effective policies
DISCUSSION 2:
What do YOU think are some implications of the ‘growth of government’ trends?
Increasing Decentralization
Federal government dominant between 1940s & 1960s
State and local government dominant in 1970s & 1980s
Block and categorical grants: federal “lump sum” funding to states, greater state control
Growing power and policymaking by states
“Unfunded mandates:” federal requirements for states with no funding to go with it
Can States Handle this Responsibility?
Policy Capacity
The ability of a government to identify, assess, and respond to public problems
All governments have policy capacity
States vary in people, history, skills, needs, values, budgets, and methods
Which states have a good policy capacity?
How can you tell?
What about our state?
What Institutions of Government Are Involved in Policymaking?
Government Policy Actors
Clip Art photo
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Separation of Powers
Power is shared by three branches of government at all levels
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Government Institutions Involved in Policymaking
Legislative Branch: Lawmaking
Bicameral Congress
Filibuster rule in Senate
200+ Congressional committees and subcommittees
Expert staff support the legislators
Initiate and research policy proposals
Government Institutions Involved in Policymaking (cont’d)
Executive Branch: law enforcing
Office of the President
Involved in all aspects of policy making
Executive agencies
Cabinet level & all departments underneath
Political appointments
Independent executive agencies
Independent regulatory commission
Government Institutions Involved in Policymaking (cont’d)
Judicial branch: Law interpreting
Levels of federal courts
Supreme
Circuit
District
Court decisions become precedent for how a law gets enforced
Recent precedent: police cannot seize and examine cell phones upon arrest
Conclusions About Government Policy Actors
Our form of government ensures broad and balanced input into policy but slows and complicates the process
Balance of power among states and federal governments leads to questions about which level of government is responsible
Who Else Influences the Policies that Government Makes?
Informal Policy Actors
The public
Interest groups
Issue networks
1. Informal Actors: The Public
Public Opinion
Important in a democratic system
Voiced in numerous ways and at all levels
Can impact government actors
Can lead to interest group formation and activity
Who Votes?
Clip Art photo
Census graph: http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p20-573.pdf
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Who Votes?
Clip Art photo
Census graph: http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p20-573.pdf
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What Does the Public Think? Public-Opinion Polling
Video: (http://youtu.be/DAufq8y20d4)
“Science Behind The News: Opinion Polls & Random Sampling” (December 19, 2013). National Science Foundation news feature about how scientific opinion polls are conducted (Time: 4:08)
Video: http://youtu.be/DAufq8y20d4 “Science Behind The News: Opinion Polls & Random Sampling” (December 19, 2013). National Science Foundation news feature about how scientific opinion polls are conducted (Time: 4:08)
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Poll of Virginia Votes: Public Opinion Influences Public Policy
Video: (http://youtu.be/_vx5lZWnuQA)
“Virginia Voters Back Gay Marriage.” (March 31, 2014) News story announcing results of new poll of voters. (Time:50)
Video: http://youtu.be/_vx5lZWnuQA “Virginia Voters Back Gay Marriage.” (March 31, 2014) News story announcing results of new poll of voters. (Time:50).
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Discussion 2:
What can be done to improve the public’s policy capacity?
Clip Art photo
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2. Informal Actors: Interest Groups
Provide information (objective and political)
Influence public opinion – media, publications
Meet with policymakers to sway their opinions
Testify at hearings
And, lobby….
Views of Interest Groups
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Video: (https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQHFCR4FflU)
American Federation of Teachers
Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuE138p01DE)
These are two interest groups on different sides of the Common Core Standards in education debate
Clip Art photo.
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Lobbying
All levels, all agencies of government
Promote a policy agenda
Opensecrets.org data
Lobbying has grown rapidly
http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby /
Top contributors
http:// www.opensecrets.org/industries/index.php
How does lobbying influence what policies are made?
Lobbying (cont’d)
Should Comcast merge with TimeWarner Cable?
Story: lobbying by both sides (http://youtu.be/KQTaupOoPcI)
Lobbying for health care reform
Story: Drug companies lobbying in health care debate (audio) (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106899074)
Video: http://youtu.be/KQTaupOoPcI “The US of Comcast: Follow the $19M in Lobbying.” (May 8, 2014). Bloomberg News video on the lobbying involved in the proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable. (Time: 1:49)
Audio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106899074 National Public Radio news item “Drug Firms Pour $40 Million Into Health Care Debate” by Andrea Seabrook and Peter Overby, July 23, 2009. (Time: 4:49)
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3. Informal Actors: Issue Networks
Issue or Sector-specific
Defense
Health care
Energy
Many more
Specialized, technical, experts familiar with a topic
Includes government, interest groups, experts
What Do Issue Networks Do?
Influence and develop policies
Introduce legislation
Promote causes
Clip Art photo.
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Wrap Up
How does our government impact policy making?
Our form of government
Government institutions
Who else influences the policies that government makes?
What can be done to increase policy capacity?
