Dr Andrew Glencross ~ andrew.glencross@eui.eu

Introducing the US Policy-Making Process

Government and Politics of the USALecture 24

Hillary Term Essay

• What does this means for Obama?

• What does this means for Hillary?

• What does this means for Edwards?

• Deadline: 5pm, Monday 10th of March (Hillary term wk 10) • Submit essay online via www.turnitin.com and hard copy to Jane

Suiter

• Choose 1 of 3 titles; strict 2,000 word limit (excluding bibliography)– “In practice, Congress functions not as a unified institution, but as a

collection of semi-autonomous committees that seldom act in unison“. Discuss this view, and explain your response.

– What are the consequences of pluralism and federalism for the policy-making process in the US? Evaluate these consequences with reference to at least two policy areas.

– Discuss the role played by money in US Presidential elections. Elaborate your response in the context of attempts at campaign finance reform since the 1970s and the 2008 Presidential election.

• Details on course website - http://uspoliticstcd.pbwiki.com/Course-assessment

Required reading…

– LGS (Lowi et al.) chap. 13– Singh chap. 12Additional resources…

• Michael Graetz and Ian Shapiro, Death by a Thousand Cuts: The Fight over Taxing Inherited Wealth (PL-440-910 )

• Theda Skocpol, Protecting soldiers and mothers : the political origins of social policy in the United States (361.973 N2)

• Mark Penn, Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Today’s Big Changes (HL-296-916 )

Readings for today

Definitions

• Public Policy: ‘the pattern of government decisions and actions intended to address a perceived public problem’

• Hence policy-making process is the mechanism through which a public problem is both identified and tackled

• Citizens’ Expectations of Public Policy• Areas and Actors in Federal Policy-Making • Techniques of Public Policy• The Role of Interest Groups• Evaluating the Policy Process and its

Outcomes• Policy-Making and the 2008 Election

Agenda

Citizens’ Expectations of Public Policy

Three Political Subcultures in US Politics

• Moralistic

• Individualistic

• Traditionalistic

Citizens’ Expectations of Public Policy

• Moralistic dimension – often inspired by religion, e.g. prohibition, extends to foreign policy e.g. abstinence AIDS advice

• Individualistic – preference for free market solutions, loathing for “big government”, self-reliance means groups have to organise themselves to influence policy

• Traditionalistic – reverence for Constitution, seeking solutions from original intent of Founders

Areas and Actors in Federal Policy-Making

Policy Areas

• The Market Economy– relation between federal gov and market successively one of patronage (1800s), redistribution (new

deal/great society) and now regulation (post-Reagan)

• Foreign and Defence Policy– US not just regulatory state. Global role since WW II maintaining Pax Americana based on security,

economic interests and values

• Society and Values– Gov also expected to have a position on immigration, abortion, gun control, civil rights, Church/state

relations, bio-technology etc

Areas and Actors in Federal Policy-Making

The Structure of Participation in Policy-Making

• Characterised by Pluralism and Federalism• Pluralism means competition between organised

groups trying to shape public policy within and without governing institutions

• Does away with the idea of rule by parliament based on electoral majority

• Federalism provides different access points for group influence: Congress, Presidency, Courts, Regulatory Agencies, state politics

• Access and multiplicity promotes common good

Who Participates in Policy-Making?

Techniques of Public Policy• Legislation – outlaws certain actions and behaviour, or

promotes certain activities, esp. by providing funds (“grants in aid”), or can set up agencies to regulate certain policy areas

• Independent Agencies – make rules that have power of federal law, established by Congress or Pres to pursue certain goals eg anti-trust and consumer protection (Fed Trade Commission), regulate stock-market (SEC), setting and enforcing national standards of environmental protection (EPA)

• Executive Order – President can issue legally-binding EOs to depts and agencies eg to desegregate army or schools, and for defence eg internment of Japanese-Americans, detention of suspected terrorists

• Supreme Court – in absence of decision by Congress or Pres, falls to SC resolve certain issues eg abortion, campaign finance

The Role of Interest Groups

• A unique feature of US politics

• Highly Contested

• What Impact on Policy-Making for Common Good?

• Craft Policy Narratives e.g. inheritance tax framed as “death tax”, Clinton federal health care plan as “socialised healthcare”

• Raise campaign funds for elected officials• Some have close links with political parties, e.g.

unions with Democrats, NRA with Republicans. Group membership used to help mobilise voters

• Publicise issues they seek to place or keep in the public eye, e.g. abortion, civil rights, gun ownership

• Respond to proposed and actual legislation by running adverts or litigating, e.g. suing gov over Guantanamo

• At state level, heavily involved in referendum campaigns

The Role of Interest Groups

US Federalism Assumes Pluralism of Interests in Order to Counteract Nefarious Majority

Federalist 10: Extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens

The Role of Interest Groups

Evaluating the Policy Process and its Outcomes

To Evaluate Policy Process we Need to

• Understand input of interest groups and how it affects choice of policy and technique used

• Engage in a counter-factual – what would policy-making look like without certain interest group input?

• Understand the nature of power in politics

Power is also exercised when A devotes his energies to creating or reinforcing social and political values and institutional practices that limit the scope of the political process to public consideration of only those issues that are comparatively innocuous to A.

Evaluating the Policy Process and its Outcomes

Exercise of Power is not just getting A

to do Something that Affects B

Policy-Making and the 2008 Election

• Health Care

• Foreign Policy

• The Economy

• Immigration

• Taxes

Policy-Making and the 2008 Election

• What Role do Policy Statements Play in the Campaign?

• Are there Substantive Policy Differences between the Candidates and between the Parties?

Policy-Making and the 2008 Election

PERSONALITY ALSO COUNTS…

• Candidates’ stand on value issues, e.g. abortion, gun control, same-sex marriage

• Candidates’ personal narrative is e.g. common-sense conservatism-McCain, experienced campaigner - Clinton

• What story candidates can tell Americans about America e.g. change-Obama

Next Week

• Foreign Policy

• Economic Policy

• Keep an Eye on the Primaries

• 12 February: District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (both parties)