Public policy is any rule, plan, or action pertaining to issues
of domestic national importance. Public policy solves internal problems, such as how
to protect citizens from toxic waste or how to ensure that all children get equal
access to education. In order to be made official, public policy legislation goes
through five steps:
- The national agenda
- Formulation
- Adoption
- Implementation
- Evaluation
The National Agenda
When something becomes a concern for a significant number of people, that
concern becomes part of the national agenda, the list of things
that the public wants the government to address. An issue becomes part of the
national agenda for any of the following reasons:
-
As part of a larger trend: Some trends, like the rise in
violent crime in the 1980s and early 1990s, lead people to demand government
action, especially for stronger federal law enforcement.
-
After a major event: Sometimes, a single event forces an
issue onto the agenda. The September 11th attacks, for example, led many
Americans to demand an increase in national security. Likewise, the Exxon
Valdez oil spill in 1989 prompted many to call for environmental protection.
-
Through an interest group: An interest group or members
of a social movement work to raise public awareness of an issue. If enough
people get involved, the issue can get put on the national agenda.
-
Speeches: Prominent politicians attempt to put an issue
on the agenda through speeches. The president is particularly able to do
this due to the amount of media coverage of the White House.
After an issue gets put on the national agenda, people will begin
petitioning the government to take action.
Formulation
Policy formulation determines how the government will respond to problems
on the national agenda. Although people may agree that a particular problem
exists, they might strongly disagree about how to remedy it. Members of
Congress, executive branch officials, and interest groups may all propose
solutions, which then prompt intense debate in the media and in
Congress.
