American Public Policy: Promise and Performance - B. Guy Peters Presented by: mohammad REZAul Karim
American Public Policy:Promise and Performance
- B. Guy Peters
Presented by:
mohammad REZAul Karim
Issues to be discussed
Defining Public Policy
Instruments of Public Policy
- Law, Services, Money, tax, Other Economic Instruments. Suasion
Effects of Tools
The Environment of Public Policy
- Conservatism, Participation, Pragmatism, Wealth, Diversity, World Leadership
What is Public Policy ?
Public Policy is the sum of government activities, whether pursued directly or through agents, as those have influence on the lives of citizens.
-Guy, Peters B. 2007, pp13
Public Policy is whatever governments choose to do or not do.
-Dye, Thomas R. 2008, pp1
Three levels of American Public Policy
Public Choices
Policy Outputs
Policy Impacts
Some aspects of American Public Policy
Different levels of governments often experience conflicts over policy. For example, role the US department of Agriculture and the Office of Surgeon General regarding tobacco contradicts.
Government policies are also implemented by private or individuals.
A number of steps is required to put the legislation into an operating program to see the effects of policies
Instruments of Public Policy
A number of government mechanism for implementing Public Policy
Have effects on socio-economic conditions of citizens
Effectiveness depends on the circumstances
Law
Easy to issue for compliance but monitoring and enforcement are still crucial
Laws are used as the means of producing government outputs, rights. ….
The US uses laws to regulate economic and social conditions.
Laws can be used as benefits as well as burdens
Features of Service
Education service is the largest one of all public services directly provided to the citizens.
pressure to control expenditure and to privatize.
Contracting out
Use of quasi-government organizations
The George W. Bush Administration has pushed to use not-profit organization
Money
Approximately 74% tax money is returned to public for social security, unemployment benefits
Categorical grants channel resources are directly to problem identified by the federal government
The federal government has less control over the block grants which allows greater autonomy for state and local government to determine their own priorities
Tax
• Tax holes or tax expenditure
(granting tax relief for an activity is the same as subsidizing that actively directly through an expenditure program)
For example, in 1999 the federal government did not collect &54.5 billion in income payments because of mortgage interest deduction.
• Taxes are used more directly to implement policy decisions.
Other Economic Instruments
Credits activities of purchasing land and supplies
Guarantee loans for students loans
Government insure certain activities such as federal food insurance made possible the development of some lands along with coasts of the United States
Suasion
It is used when all instruments fail
It is an effective instrument because people believe government is legitimately doing for their interests
Suasion declines when government loses legitimacy for Vietnam, Watergate, the savings-and-loan crisis, Iran contra but reverse in war on terror
The Effects of Tools
Influence the economy and society
Government confer the rights of citizens
Governments distribute goods and services
Government distribute burdens and benefits
The Environment of PP: Conservatism
• Social and economic services are less developed than those in Europe.
• The government of the US regulates and controls the economy, such as consumer product safety
• But it gives the opposite picture regarding the defense expenditure.
• ‘ideological conservatives’ and operational liberals
Participation
• People’s desire to participate in government
• No taxation without representation
• Effective participation is difficult
• Government fosters participation
• Citizens tend to demand local control and regard federal government as less benevolent
Pragmatism
Policies in the US tend to change slowly and incrementally
The pragmatism seems to be declining
( abortion issue, or issue of religious or ethnic basis)
Wealth
• Great wealth of the country
• Federal government provides huge funding for programs
• The US economy depends on the rest of the world
• Wealth is threatened by the capital investment and slow productivity
Diversity
Diverse economy
Uneven distribution of wealth between Rich and poor
Racial and linguistic diversity affects public policy
Socio-economic characteristics are also diverse
World Leadership
Economic, political and military world leader
Huge impact on world economy and politics
This position creates burden on policy makers
This issue makes the policy large and extremely complex
Conclusion
American policy emerges through complex interaction among various organizations
This process involves a wide range of values and ideas
Public policy is also affected by the complex society and diverse economy
Involvement of public sectors is increasing
Any question?
Thank you very much
for you kind attention
American Public Policy
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Policy Choices-Decisions
Policy outputs-Policy choices
putting into action
Policy impacts-Impact of choices &
outputs
Taken by Politicians, Civil servants, government
authority, Congressmen,
President, governor, administration, pressure
groups
Programs being put into action
Impacts on lives of citizens
Expenditure in Defense
194
8
195
7
199
9
Total public
expenditure 29
%
37
%
8%
Federal
expenditure
36
%
62
%
14
%194
8
199
9
Total public 7% 21
Expenditure in Social Services(Education, health, social welfare, housing)
Poverty in California