Chapter 17 The Policy- Making Process. Copyright © 2011 Cengage WHO GOVERNS? WHO GOVERNS? 1.Does...

Chapter 17Chapter 17The Policy-The Policy-

Making ProcessMaking Process

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. Does some political elite dominate Does some political elite dominate

American politics?American politics?

2.2. Do powerful interest groups decide Do powerful interest groups decide what policies our government should what policies our government should adopt?adopt?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. Why are Social Security payments Why are Social Security payments

popular but welfare payments to unwed popular but welfare payments to unwed mothers unpopular?mothers unpopular?

2.2. Why were government regulations on Why were government regulations on certain industries repealed over the certain industries repealed over the objection of those industries?objection of those industries?

Warm-up WWYD pg 479Warm-up WWYD pg 479

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoNNIPC0Euc

What is public What is public policypolicy


How they Set the AgendaHow they Set the Agenda

1. shared political views 1. shared political views (poverty ex.)(poverty ex.)

2. weight of custom and 2. weight of custom and tradition (accept what is tradition (accept what is customarily done in gov’t)customarily done in gov’t)

3. impact of events 3. impact of events (wars/depression)(wars/depression)

4. changes in how political 4. changes in how political elites talk/think about elites talk/think about politicspolitics


On May Day, 2006, immigrants demonstrated in Las Vegas and many other cities to show their importance in the American economy. p. 463

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Legitimate Scope of The Legitimate Scope of Government ActionGovernment Action

Always getting larger/illegitimate Always getting larger/illegitimate gov’t gets smaller “big gov’t” 1930sgov’t gets smaller “big gov’t” 1930s

During war “people expect gov’t do During war “people expect gov’t do anything to win”anything to win”

Economy bad/expect gov’t to do Economy bad/expect gov’t to do somethingsomething


The Legitimate Scope of The Legitimate Scope of Government ActionGovernment Action

GroupsGroupsmany policies are a result of many policies are a result of small groups (organized small groups (organized labor/minoritieslabor/minorities

InstitutionsInstitutionsCourts/Bureaucracy/Courts/Bureaucracy/

SenateSenateex. School ex. School desegration/abortiondesegration/abortion

MediaMediaHelp place new matters on the Help place new matters on the agenda or publicize those already on agenda or publicize those already on it/coal mining!it/coal mining!



Highway safety was always a problem, but it became a national issue after policy advocates, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), emphasized it. p. 465

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Making a DecisionMaking a Decision

Costs versus BenefitsCosts versus Benefits CostCostburden people believe they burden people believe they

must bear if a policy is enactedmust bear if a policy is enacted BenefitBenefitsatisfaction people believe satisfaction people believe

they will enjoy if a policy is adoptedthey will enjoy if a policy is adopted PerceptionPerceptionWho do people think will Who do people think will

pay (vehicle admission test)pay (vehicle admission test)


Majoritarian Politics: Distributed Majoritarian Politics: Distributed Benefits, Distributed CostsBenefits, Distributed Costs

Majoritarian politics Majoritarian politics – A policy in – A policy in which almost everybody benefits and which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody paysalmost everybody pays• Social SecuritySocial Security• Military DefenseMilitary Defense• Cancer researchCancer research

Controversy usually over Controversy usually over cost/ideology, not rival interest cost/ideology, not rival interest groupsgroups


Figure 17.1 The Politics of Figure 17.1 The Politics of Different Policy IssuesDifferent Policy Issues


Interest Group Politics – Interest Group Politics – Concentrated Benefits, Concentrated Benefits,

Concentrated CostsConcentrated Costs Interest group politics Interest group politics – A policy in – A policy in

which one small group benefits and which one small group benefits and another small group paysanother small group pays• Labor - BusinessLabor - Business• TV Broadcasters – Cable CompaniesTV Broadcasters – Cable Companies• Banks – Insurance CompaniesBanks – Insurance Companies

Fought by organized interest groupsFought by organized interest groupsCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage


During the Great Depression,During the Great Depression,depositors besiege a bank hopingdepositors besiege a bank hopingto get their savings out. p. 468to get their savings out. p. 468

Texas high school students protest against smoking during an event sponsored by Teens Against Tobacco Use, a peer-based tobacco use prevention program. p. 468

Topham/The Image Works

Bob Daemmrich/The Image Works

Client Politics: Concentrated Client Politics: Concentrated Benefits, Distributed CostsBenefits, Distributed Costs

Client politics Client politics – A policy in which one – A policy in which one small group benefits and almost small group benefits and almost everybody payseverybody pays• Farmers (cost consumers/taxes/higher Farmers (cost consumers/taxes/higher

food prices)food prices)• Airlines (restricted competition)Airlines (restricted competition)

Pork-barrel legislationPork-barrel legislation Logrolling—>Congress trades votes to Logrolling—>Congress trades votes to

get support from members in an areaget support from members in an areaCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

Entrepreneurial Politics: Entrepreneurial Politics: Distributed Benefits, Distributed Benefits, Concentrated Costs Concentrated Costs

Entrepreneurial Politics Entrepreneurial Politics – A policy in – A policy in which almost everybody benefits which almost everybody benefits and a small group pays the costand a small group pays the cost• Auto safety/antipollutionAuto safety/antipollution• Brady BillBrady Bill

Policy entrepreneurs Policy entrepreneurs – activists who – activists who pull together a political majority on pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interestsbehalf of unorganized interests


The Case of Business RegulationThe Case of Business Regulation

Majoritarian PoliticsMajoritarian PoliticsLaws passed to expressLaws passed to express

Views of a majorityViews of a majority

Of votersOf voters


The Grange sought to warn farmers of the dangers of a railroad monopoly. p. 472

The Granger Collection, New York

Interest Group PoliticsInterest Group Politics

1935 labor unions sought 1935 labor unions sought government protection for their right government protection for their right to organize, bargainto organize, bargain

Wagner ActWagner ActEst. National Labor Est. National Labor Relations Board regulate union Relations Board regulate union conduct of unions/hear complaints conduct of unions/hear complaints about unfair labor practicesabout unfair labor practices



Dairy farmers get government Dairy farmers get government subsidies for their milk subsidies for their milk production. p. 474production. p. 474

Entrepreneurial politics: Upton Entrepreneurial politics: Upton Sinclair’s book Sinclair’s book The Jungle, The Jungle, published in 1906, shocked readers published in 1906, shocked readers with its description of conditions in with its description of conditions in the meatpacking industry and the meatpacking industry and helped bring about passage of the helped bring about passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. p. 476Meat Inspection Act of 1906. p. 476

Bob Mahoney/The Image Works

Bettmann/Corbis

Client PoliticsClient Politics

A group of people receive subsidies A group of people receive subsidies Need to be viewed as “deserving Need to be viewed as “deserving

client”client” Ex. FarmersEx. Farmersreceive subsides to receive subsides to

grow crops ($171 billion)grow crops ($171 billion)


Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests and Valuesand Values

Perception of Costs Perception of Costs and Benefits=here and Benefits=here and now argumentand now argument

DeregulationDeregulation• The power of ideasThe power of ideas• Process regulationProcess regulation• AirlinesAirlines• TelephoneTelephone• TruckingTrucking


Though many economists question the value of the Small Business Administration, it remains popular because it loans money to a lot of voters. p. 477

Bill Aron/Photo Edit

M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: J. Peter, assistant to the presidentJ. Peter, assistant to the president

From: From: Daniel Gilbert, special assistant to the presidentDaniel Gilbert, special assistant to the president

Subject: Subject: Department of Energy Nuclear Waste PlanDepartment of Energy Nuclear Waste Plan

The president must decide whether to sign the bill allowing The president must decide whether to sign the bill allowing the department to establish a safe repository for the the department to establish a safe repository for the nation’s nuclear waste beneath mountains in Nevada. The nation’s nuclear waste beneath mountains in Nevada. The waste is produced mainly by 131 commercial nuclear waste is produced mainly by 131 commercial nuclear reactors and by national defense weapons programs. It is reactors and by national defense weapons programs. It is presently stored at 126 sites in over three dozen states.presently stored at 126 sites in over three dozen states.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. For over 50 years, radioactive waste that remains deadly to 1. For over 50 years, radioactive waste that remains deadly to humans for 10,000 years has been accumulating in cities humans for 10,000 years has been accumulating in cities and towns throughout the country.and towns throughout the country.

2. According to many experts, encasing the waste in well-2. According to many experts, encasing the waste in well-engineered tunnels beneath mountains in remote locations engineered tunnels beneath mountains in remote locations is both safer and more cost-effective than such alternatives is both safer and more cost-effective than such alternatives as storing it in ocean tunnels or propelling it into space.as storing it in ocean tunnels or propelling it into space.

3. The bill achieved a bipartisan majority. Polls find that most 3. The bill achieved a bipartisan majority. Polls find that most people know little about the problem but believe that people know little about the problem but believe that something should be done to increase safety.something should be done to increase safety.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. The department admits that transporting nuclear waste to 1. The department admits that transporting nuclear waste to the Nevada site through dozens of states on trucks, trains, the Nevada site through dozens of states on trucks, trains, and barges would take decades and pose safety risks.and barges would take decades and pose safety risks.

2. Some experts argue that constructing a 100-mile network 2. Some experts argue that constructing a 100-mile network of tunnels that safely stores nuclear waste in disposal of tunnels that safely stores nuclear waste in disposal canisters for 10,000 years will prove technologically difficult canisters for 10,000 years will prove technologically difficult and financially burdensome.and financially burdensome.

3. The plan is strongly opposed by many elected officials in 3. The plan is strongly opposed by many elected officials in Nevada and surrounding states, and a coalition of Nevada and surrounding states, and a coalition of environmental groups is threatening to challenge it in court.environmental groups is threatening to challenge it in court.



Your decision:Your decision:

Advise president to sign?Advise president to sign?

Advise president not to sign?Advise president not to sign?



Chapter 17 The Policy- Making Process. Copyright © 2011 Cengage WHO GOVERNS? WHO GOVERNS? 1.Does...

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