Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement (3rd edition)

"While people profess a disdain for politics, in a democracy politics is the primary vehicle for citizens to influence the decisions and decision makers that shape public policy at every level. This widely acclaimed book provides a clear and concise overview of public policymaking, designed to equip citizens to participate more effectively in the policymaking process. It gently introduces the reader to the players and institutions that comprise the public policymaking process of American society, and it demonstrates the many access points in the public policymaking process where one can participate. This fully updated third edition includes: A discussion of growing modes of public policymaking participation, including social media and voting by mail; An evaluation of the impediments to participation, including voter suppression; An examination of the role of whistleblowers as part of bureaucratic responsibility; All new case studies throughout the book on topics of interest to students and citizens alike, such as the policy response to COVID-19, George Floyd and police reform, homelessness, and the Affordable Care Act; and Student projects throughout the text, along with a glossary, and extensive coverage on Project Citizen, a format that provides students with hands-on tools for participating in the policymaking process. Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society, Third Edition may be used in introductory courses on public policy, internships, or service-learning programs. It equally serves as an invaluable resource for any organized effort to involve citizens in community service and the exercise of civic responsibility"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Endorsement 2 Half Title 4 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Table of Contents 8 Preface 10 Chapter 1 The Public Policymaking Process and How It Relates to Our Lives 12 The Public Policymaking Framework 13 What Public Policy Is—and Is Not 14 Defining Private Issues 15 Public/Private Issues in Perspective 15 Constitutionalism: The Architecture of Public Policymaking 16 Separation of Powers 17 Federalism 18 Judicial Review 19 Chartered Rights 21 Where Public Policies Are Made 22 Public Policymaking at the National Level 23 Public Policymaking at the State Level 24 Public Policymaking at the Local Level 25 Public Policymaking in Native American Nations 26 Does Citizenship Matter? 27 What Does Citizenship Mean? 28 The Rights-Bearing Model of Citizenship 28 The Citizen as Community Loyalist 29 Citizenship as Public Work 30 Practicing Citizenship Through Public Policy Analysis and Advocacy 30 Putting It Together 31 Reflection 34 Student Projects 35 Discussion Questions 35 Notes 35 Chapter 2 Identifying Public Policy Issues 40 Triggering Mechanisms: Indicators for Determining Issues 41 Scope: How Widespread a Problem 42 Intensity: How Troublesome a Problem 43 Duration: How Long a Problem? 45 Resources: Costliness of the Problem 47 Making the Puzzle Pieces Fit 49 But What If My Issue Is Kept Off the Public Agenda? 50 Deciding What Is Important—How and Why 52 Doing Research 53 Library Work—Doing It the Old-Fashioned Way 54 Going “Online” 54 Newspaper Tracking 55 Government Organizations 56 Interest Groups 57 Personal Interviews 58 Polls and Public Opinion Surveys 60 Considering What to Do 61 Knowing Where to Go, Whom to See, and How to Get There 62 Determining What Should Be Done 63 The Consequences of Inaction 64 Reflection 66 Student Projects 67 Discussion Questions 67 Notes 68 Chapter 3 Developing a Public Policy Proposal 71 Connecting Issues With Public Policymakers 72 Learning What Can Be Done By Whom 73 Starting at the Bottom of the Ladder 76 National 76 State 76 Local 76 National 77 State 77 Local 77 Clarifying Objectives 79 Other Students 80 Class Instructor 80 Family, Friends, and Acquaintances 81 Outside Parties 81 Inventing the Better Lightbulb 82 Asking the Tough Questions 83 Tobacco Regulation as an Example 84 A Checklist for Policy Analysis 86 Doing a Reality Check 86 Scheduled Meetings With Your Instructor 87 Seeking an Expert in the Field 87 Working With Your Peers 88 To Influence Or Not to Influence—That Is the Question 88 Journal Writing 89 Reflection 90 Student Projects 91 Discussion Questions 91 Notes 91 Chapter 4 Taking Action in the Political World: How to Advocate a Public Policy 94 Surveying the Policymaking Landscape 95 Public Officials 96 National Government 96 State Governments 99 Local Governments 101 Mass Media 104 The Internet 105 Interest Groups 106 Political Parties 108 Bureaucracy 109 Citizens as Individuals and in Small Groups 110 Agenda Building in Perspective 113 Preparing a Plan of Action—Carefully, and One Step at a Time 113 Whether to Act Alone Or in Concert With Others 113 Determining Your Level of Involvement 114 Preparing a List and Order of Activities 115 Making the Most of Your Opportunity 116 Timing 117 Advance Warning 117 Supplies 117 Transportation 118 Publicity 118 Follow-up 119 Public Policymaking as Complex Activities 119 Reflection 122 Student Projects 122 Discussion Questions 123 Notes 123 Chapter 5 Implementation: Carrying Out Decisions and Making Them Stick 127 The Art of Implementation 129 Bureaucracies as Implementation Agents 130 Requirements for Implementation 131 Translation Ability 131 Resources 132 Limited Numbers of Players 133 Accountability 134 Conditions for Discouraging Implementation 136 Postdecision Bargaining 136 New Priorities 137 Poor Oversight 139 Bureaucrats as Public Policymakers 140 But What About ...? 141 Keeping Your Hand in the Implementation Mix 143 Determining Whether the Policy Is Clear 143 Comparing Intentions With Outcomes 145 Reflection 148 Student Projects 148 Discussion Questions 148 Notes 149 Chapter 6 Evaluation: Does the Policy Make Sense? 152 Who Evaluates, and Why? 154 Evaluation in the Public Policymaking Environment 154 Evaluators 156 Evaluation as a Tool of Civic Engagement 157 Evaluation: Not as Easy as It Looks 158 Comparing Outcomes With Intentions: Two Approaches 160 Quantitative Measurement 160 Policy Design 160 Compliance 161 Qualitative Judgment 163 Unintended Consequences 163 New Problems 165 Bias 165 Changing Values 166 One Form of Evaluation Every Policymaker Wishes to Avoid 168 Some Final Tips 168 Conclusion 169 Reflection 172 Student Projects 172 Discussion Questions 173 Notes 173 Chapter 7 Participation, Politics, and Policymaking: Putting It Together 176 Some of What You May Have Learned 176 The Most Important Evaluation of All 178 Questions About Yourself 179 Questions About You as a Citizen 180 Questions About You and the Community 180 And Some Last Questions 181 Some Final Thoughts (From the Soapbox) 182 Handling Disappointment and Frustration 182 Understanding the Opportunities and Limits of the System 183 Skepticism, Yes; Cynicism, No 184 Why Civic Obligation? 185 Notes 187 Appendices Appendix A Glossary 189 Appendix B Project Citizen—A Brief Introduction 195 Public Policy and Representative Democracy: Connecting the Dots 195 Wither Civic Engagement? 196 Enter Project Citizen 197 Service Learning Versus Community Service 197 Project Citizen in Steps 198 Keeping a Journal 199 Step 1: Identify the Public Policy Issue 199 Step 2: Gather Information 200 Step 3: Possible Public Policy Solutions 200 Step 4: Proposed Public Policy 201 Step 5: Reflection—What Has Project Citizen Taught You About? 201 Project Citizen and Public Policy: Measuring Success 201 Beware of Unreasonable Expectations 202 It’s About Civic Engagement 202 Appendix C Recommended Readings 203 Appendix D Recommended Websites as Research Source Materials 208 Index 214 While some people profess a disdain for politics, in a democracy politics is the primary vehicle for citizens to influence the decisions and decision makers that shape public policy at every level. This widely acclaimed book provides a clear and concise overview of public policymaking, designed to equip citizens to participate more effectively in the policymaking process. It gently introduces the reader to the players and institutions that comprise the public policymaking process of American society, and it demonstrates the many access points in the public policymaking process where one can participate. This fully updated third edition includes: A discussion of growing modes of public policymaking participation, including social media and voting by mail. An evaluation of the impediments to participation, including voter suppression. An examination of the role of whistleblowers as part of bureaucratic responsibility. All new case studies throughout the book on topics of interest to students and citizens alike, such as the policy response to COVID-19, George Floyd and police reform, homelessness, and the Affordable Care Act. Student projects throughout the text, along with a glossary, and extensive coverage on Project Citizen, a format that provides students with hands-on tools for participating in the policymaking process. Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society, Third Edition may be used in introductory courses on public policy, internships, or service-learning programs. It equally serves as an invaluable resource for any organized effort to involve citizens in community service and the exercise of civic responsibility. While people profess a disdain for politics, in a democracy politics is the primary vehicle for citizens to influence the decisions and decision makers that shape public policy at every level. This widely acclaimed work provides an overview of public policymaking in all its aspects along with basic information, tools, and examples that will equip citizens to participate more effectively in the policymaking process. It is intended for use in internships and service-learning programs, but will serve equally as a resource for any organized effort to involve citizens in community service and the exercise of civic responsibility. This updated edition includes an all-new case study on the issue of immigration, and all other case studies have been revised.