role in policy making: foreign and domestic united states government
DESCRIPTION
DEFINING THE DEFINITION “…purposive and consistent course of action…” Absent of logical contradictions “…response to a perceived problem of a constituency…” Government must decide both if there is a problem, and if it is worthy of action “…formulated by a specific political process…” The government must formulate a specific pplan of action to remedy the problem “…adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency…” There must be a government group to implement the solution…actionmust happenTRANSCRIPT
R O L E I N P O L I C Y M A K I N G :F O R E I G N A N D D O M E S T I C
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
POLICY MAKING• What is public policy?• Easy definition• Public policy is a course of action adopted and pursued by a
government. • More complex definition• Public policy is a purposive and consistent course of
action produced as a response to a perceived problem of a constituency, formulated by a specific political process, and adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency.
DEFINING THE DEFINITION• “…purposive and consistent course of action…”• Absent of logical contradictions
• “…response to a perceived problem of a constituency…”• Government must decide both if there is a problem, and if it is
worthy of action• “…formulated by a specific political process…”• The government must formulate a specific pplan of action to
remedy the problem• “…adopted, implemented, and enforced by a public agency…”• There must be a government group to implement the solution…
actionmust happen
SO…HOW MUCH SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT GET INVOLVED?• Policy formation and implementation is often tied
into “party ideology”• Liberals often believe human action and interaction
often has implications beyond the main parties, meaning the government has the right and duty to step in and mitigate negative implications while maximizing positive implications
• Conservatives often believe most human interaction is voluntary and private among autonomous individuals, and therefore the government (no matter how well intentioned) should let them be
WHY DO WE CALL IT “PUBLIC POLICY?”
• How is this different from your parents discussing when you have to “mow the lawn?”• The British claim that before policy can be
determined, debate/discussion over an “issue” is held.• Issue gives the idea we are talking about something of
importance…meaning we have to give it a relative value.• Whose value do we use?• How much importance should be placed on this?
PROBLEMS?
• What do you see as possible problems to policy formation?• Political goals?• Financial backers?• Lobbyists?• Constituent needs throughout the country?• International?• Political party beliefs, other than yours?• Fractured government?
“POLICY CIRCLE” (POLICYPROJECT.ORG)
Issue Framing
Agenda Set
Policy Formation
Advocacy and
Implement
Data Analysis
WHAT ARE USUAL AREAS OF POLICY CONCERN FOR THE UNITED STATES?
• Domestic• Education, Welfare, Health Care, etc.
• Foreign• Trade Balance, Oil, Foreign Aid, Human Rights
• Economic• Trade Balance, Inflation, etc.
• Energy• Environment, Green Jobs, Gas/Oil, Climate Change, etc.
• National Security• US Military, Terrorism, Conflict Resolution, Human Rights
• Media & Communications• Race & Ethnicity, Public Opinion, Elections, Online Issues
WORK OF THE BRANCHES
• Policy formation may take on a different form from the different government branches.• How would the area of Human Rights be explored or
advanced by the different branches?• How would the area of Voting Rights be explored or
advanced by the different branches?• Death penalty? Oil needs? Minimum wage?
THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
WHY BICAMERAL??
• ARTICLE I, SECTION 1, CLAUSE 1:• “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested
in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives”
• Historical - all they knew from lives in England• Practical – settle conflict between Virginia and
New Jersey plans• Theoretical – one chamber would act as a
check on the other.• Adding to this is separating all GOVERNMENT power
into three branches.
WORK PERIODS
• TERM – 2 year periods, numbered consecutively• Begins on/around January 3rd of each odd numbered
year• Usually first Monday of the month
• Currently in the 114th Congress• SESSION – 1 year period (1/2 a term)• Will adjourn (suspend business) at the end of each
session until the next January• Called adjourning “sine die” (for good)
• SPECIAL SESSION – can only be called by the President after Congress has adjourned “sine die”
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES• 114th Congress• 245 Republicans• 188 Democrats• 2 Vacant
• Serve from January 3, 2013 to January 3, 2015
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES• Size of the House of Reps – 435 Members• Based on “Reapportionment Act of 1929”• Seats distributed based on population• APPORTION / REAPPORTION• Every ten years based on the census
• Each state is guaranteed at least one seat• Biggest problem is the reapportionment after
census• GERRYMANDERING• WESBERRY v. SANDERS (1964)
• Length of service of a member – 2 years• Elections held the same day in every state• Every state is a “single member district”
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES• FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS• 25 years old, citizen of US for 7 years, live in state
you wish to represent• INFORMAL QUALIFICATIONS• Usually has to do with vote getting abilities• Party ID• Name familiarity• Gender• Ethnicity• Political Experience
JOHN BOEHNER
• Speaker of the House• Republican• Ohio
KEVIN MCCARTHY
• House Majority Leader• Republican• California
STEVE SCALISE
• House Majority Whip• Republican• Louisiana
NANCY PELOSI
• House Minority Leader• Democrat• California
STENY HOYER
• House Minority Whip• Democrat• Maryland
MIKE ROGERS
• Michigan 8th District• Republican• Chair of House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
SENATE
• 114th Congress• 53 Democrats• 2 Independents (w/
Democrats)• 45 Republicans
• Will serve from January 3, 2013 to January 3, 2015
SENATE
• Size of Senate – 100 members• 2 per state• Based on equal representation• Hopefully, more “learned” members
• Length of Service – 6 years• Continuous Body”• 1/3rd up for election every two years
• Seen as the more “respected” body historically
SENATE
• FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS• 30, lived in US for 9 years, live in state which
you represent• INFORMAL QUALIFICATIONS• Usually has to do with vote getting
abilities• Party ID• Name familiarity• Gender• Ethnicity• Political Experience – MAJOR PART HERE
JOSEPH BIDEN
• Vice President of the United States• President of the
Senate• Democrat• Delaware
ORRIN HATCH
• President Pro Tempore• Republican• Utah
HARRY REID
• Senate Majority Leader• Democrat• Nevada
RICHARD DURBIN
• Senate Majority Whip• Democrat• Illinois
MITCH MCCONNELL
• Senate Minority Leader• Republican• Kentucky
JON CORNYN
• Senate Minority Whip• Republican• Texas
DEBBIE STABENOW• Junior Senator from
Michigan• 2001-Present• Up for re-election in
2018• Democrat• Born in Gladwin, but
now lives in the Lansing Area• Ranking Member of
Senate Agriculture Committee
GARY PETERS• Senior Senator from
Michigan• 2014-Present• Up for reelection in 2020
Democrat• Born: Pontiac, MI
POWERS OF CONGRESS
• Expressed• Article I, Section 8
• Implied• Article I, Section 8, Clause 18• 14th Amendment
• Inherent• Natural
SCOPE OF CONGRESSIONAL POWERS
THREE TYPES OF POWERS
• Expressed• Written down• Article I, Section 8
• Implied• Common Sense; reasonably derived• Article I, Section 8, Clause 18• Necessary & Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
• Inherent• Natural• Right to have free elections, make war & peace,
treaties, develop a money source, etc.
APPLYING THE POWERS
• STRICT CONSTRUCTIONISTS• Anti-Federalists (Led by Thomas Jefferson)• Wanted a very tight interpretation of the
Constitution• Congress only uses those powers expressed and
those that are ABSOLUTELY necessary implied.• “That government is best that governs least”
• LIBERAL CONSTRUCTIONISTS• Federalists (Led by Alexander Hamilton)• Wanted a broader interpretation of Congressional
powers• Needed an “energetic government”
EXPRESSED POWERS – MONEY & COMMERCE
• TAX – to pay off debt and work for US common defense and welfare• Direct v. Indirect• Some groups cannot be taxed
• BORROW – Borrow money on credit for the US• COMMERCE – Regulate foreign and
interstate trade• CURRENCY – Physically coin money and
regulate the value• BANKRUPTCY – establish laws
OTHER EXPRESSED EXAMPLES• FOREIGN RELATIONS – treaties, conduct business• WAR POWERS – make war, peace, allies • NATURALIZATION – rules for citizenship• POSTAL – new post offices/areas• COPYWRIGHTS AND PATENTS – protect creative
original works • WEIGHTS AND MEASURES – value of a pound,
gallon, etc.• TERRITORY AND LAND ADMISSION• JUDICIAL – create all courts below Supreme Court
IMPLIED POWERS
• Article I, Section 8, Clause 18• Necessary & Proper Clause• Fuel of much of the argument between Strict & Liberal
Constructionists • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)• Reinforced the concept of “Necessary & Proper”• Gave credence to Implied Powers
NONLEGISLATIVE POWERS
• Constitutional Amendments• Electoral Duties• Impeachment• Appointments• Treaties• Investigatory