Day 1- Introduction to Policy

Materials - Attached

  • Unit 5 Schedule – Policy
  • Institutions of Government Review: Last One Standing(for teachers only)
  • Policy Introduction (for teachers only)
  • Public Policy (copy for all students)
  • Public Policy Key (for teachers only)
  • Infographic – Unemployment Rate
  • Overview of Elite and Pluralist Models of Democracy in the United States (copy, back and front, for each student)
  • Elite and Pluralist Policy Making Models

Materials - Not Attached

  • Policy Review Material

Agenda

AIM - Go over Agenda, Intent – Introduction to Policy, & Materials

Institutions of Government Review: Last One Standing

Policy Introduction - (attached)

Infographic – Unemployment rate

Students answer questions for ten minutes then get in pairs to discuss and share with class.

Homework

Read the two theories from Elite and Pluralist Models of Democracy in the United Statesand Complete the Elite and Pluralist Policy Making Models worksheet. Be prepared to share your opinion in class tomorrow.

Tweet Recap

Students do the following to be shared tomorrow in class with your colleagues:

On paper or on Twitter, share one interesting thing you learned in class today #apgopo.

Unit 5 Schedule – Policy

Day / Topic / Assignment Due
1 / Introduction to Policy / Come to class ready to learn, learn, learn! Dress sharp!
2 / Policy Theory / Elite and Pluralist Policy Making Models
3 / IOUSA / Start work on Policy Making Storyboard Project
4 / IOUSA Teams / Debt Chart
5 / DIY Public Policy Charts / Complete IOUSA Teams
6 / Economic Policy FRQ Round robin / DIY Policy Infographic
7 / Inequality *beans / FRQ + Answer to Economics Compelling Question
8 / Budgetary Process*computers / Inequality Assignment – choice of 1
9 / Social Policy Introduction / Social Policy Journal Review
10 / Social Policy Think Tanks / Social Policy Think Tanks
11 / Foreign and Military Policy / Foreign Policy/Military Policy Assignment
12 / Foreign Aid *beans / Policy Review Sheet
13 / Policy Fishbowl / Immigration Fishbowl Post
14 / Policy Project & Policy Review / Immigration Editorial & Policy Making Storyboard Project
15 / Test* / All tests and reviews

On our companion website you’ll find tons of ancillary materials, videos and interactive features.

Institutions of Government Review - POTUS

Institutions of Government Review: Last One Standing

Get in teams of 4. Give each team a #.

Teams list any 5 of the 27 expressed or delegated powers of Congress listed in Article I, Section 8.

In order, ask teams to name one delegated power of Congress

If a group lists a power that is in the Constitution, write it on the board.

If a teams lists a power that is NOT in the Constitution, they are out & exiled to Canada. Call on all the groups, in order, until there is only one group that is still naming accurate delegated powers. They are the winner and are granted the power to filibuster. In case of a tie, you have no choice but to have hold a yodeling contest to determine the winner.

Policy Introduction

Divide your chalk/white/smart board into thirds. At the top of each column write:

Definition/Examples/Creative. Students fill Public Policy Sheet then write on board.

Policy Review

Whether you know it or not, we’ve actually been studying policy all year. When we studied federalism, we were also learning about policy regarding the same-sex marriage, and the legalization of marijuana. When we studied civil rights, we were also learning about the civil rights act and policies on speech freedom and citizenship. When we studied interest groups, we were also learning about how lobbyists influence public policy. But in order to systematize your knowledge and learn more about policy, we’re going to dive a bit deeper. Let’s start with a definition:

Think storm

In your own words write: what is PUBLIC POLICY?

  • Anything a government chooses to do or not to do. (Thomas Dye)
  • A system of laws, regulations, government actions, and funding priorities set forth by a government to address social or economic issues.
  • A course of action adopted and pursued by a government.
  • 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.
  • Broadly, we might say that a public policy is simply what government (any public official who influences or determines public policy, including school officials, city council members, county supervisors, etc.) does or does not do about a problem that comes before them for consideration and possible action.

Specifically, public policy has a number of key attributes:

  • Policy is made in response to an issue or problem that requires attention. Policy is what the government chooses to do or not do about a particular issue or problem.
  • Policy might take the form of law, or regulation, or the set of all the laws and regulations that govern a particular issue or problem.
  • Policy is made on behalf of the "public."
  • Policy is oriented toward a goal or desired state, such as the solution of a problem.
  • Policy is ultimately made by governments, even if the ideas come from outside government or through the interaction of government and the public.
  • Policymaking is part of an ongoing process that does not always have a clear beginning or end, since decisions about who will benefit from policies and who will bear any burden resulting from the policy are continually reassessed, revisited and revised.

Policy Introduction

What is an example of policy?

  • For example: taxation, education, health care, defense, civil rights, water fluoridation

How does the government actually make policy?

  • Sometimes policy is controlled by spending, other times by passing laws making people do things, or by passing laws forbidding people from doing things.

Creative time:

Do one of the following things to convey the definition or examples of policy:

  • Draw a picture
  • Use emoticons
  • Make a 140 character tweet with hashtags
  • Make an acrostic of P O L I C Y

What are some controversial policy issues in the US today?

  • Lead in the water in Flint, Michigan
  • Police body cameras
  • Immigration
  • Health Care

People have different opinions about what should be done about these issues. If government represents all the people, policy will have to be a lengthy compromise.

Now that we have a definition of policy we will move on to other questions like, what does the government do or not do about these things and how does this process unfold?

We’ll also learn the ins and outs of US economic, social, and foreign policy.

And you’ll do a project, fishbowl, and discuss the issues.

*Review
This isn’t the first time you’ve encountered POLICY.

*Review Making Policy from Day 4 of the Bureaucracy Unit

Explain concept of issue networks, draw issue network example on the board, & answer questions.

Write Issue Network on half the board and Iron Triangle on the other half. All Students come to the board and write one reason under the term that they think is the more accurate description of how U.S. policy is made. Tally votes and discuss.

Teams of 4 review the final page of Making Policy and shareeither an example of an iron triangle or of an issue network about any policy then share with class.

Regulators–remember the issues we studied in the Bureaucracy unit about denture cream & oilrigs.

Review the Regulators worksheet from day 5 of Unit 4 – The Bureaucracy.

Public Policy

  1. Define PUBLIC POLICY
  1. List two examples of public policy?
  1. How does the government actually make policy?
  1. Creative time:

Do one of the following things to convey the definition or examples of policy:

  • Draw a picture
  • Use emoticons
  • Make a 140 character tweet with hashtags
  • Make an acrostic of P O L I C Y
  1. What are some controversial policy issues in the US today?
  1. Who influences the policy? (fill in the chart below)

Name / Who are they and How they can affect Policy? / Policy power ranking (1-10)
Barack Obama
Paul Ryan
Harry Reid
John Roberts
Head of Exxon
Head of the American Heritage Think Tank
Roger Ailes
The Citizens of California
Chair of the Joint-Chiefs of Staff
Beyonce´

Public Policy - KEY

  1. What is politics?
  • Anything a government chooses to do or not to do. (Thomas Dye)
  • A system of laws, regulations, government actions, and funding priorities set forth by a government to address social or economic issues.
  • A course of action adopted and pursued by a government.
  1. List Two examples of Public Policy:
  • taxation, education, health care, defense, civil rights, fluoridation of water.

Some specific example of a government policy include:

  1. Social Security – a program to insure income for all US retirees.
  2. Medicare – a program to provide health insurance for the elderly + disabled
  3. Medicaid – a program to provide medical benefits for low-income people.
  1. How does the government actually make policy?
  1. Slowly
  2. Most policy challenges are very hard to resolve
  3. Sometimes policy is controlled by spending, other times by passing laws making people do things, or by passing laws forbidding people from doing things.
  1. Creative Time
  1. What are some controversial policy issues in the US today?
  • Lead in the water in Flint, Michigan
  • Police body cameras
  • Immigration
  • Health Care
  1. Who influences the policy? (fill in the chart below)

Name / Who are they and How they can affect Policy? / Policy power ranking (1-10)
Barack Obama / POTUS / 2
Paul Ryan / Speaker of the House / 3
Harry Reid / Senate Minority Leader / 10
John Roberts / Chief Justice of SCOTUS / 9
Head of Exxon / Leader of huge US Energy corporation / 4
Head of American Heritage / Conservative Think tank / 8
Roger Ailes / Head of Fox News / 7
The Citizens of California / 45,000,000+ people in biggest US state / 5
Chair of the Joint-Chiefs of Staff / Head of all US military / 6
Beyonce´ / Bey / 1

Overview of Elite and Pluralist Models of Democracy in the United States

Table 1 The Basic Principles of the Elitist Model of Politics

  1. American society is divided into those who have political power (the few) and those who do not have political power (the many). Only a small number of people allocate society's resources and make policy; the masses do not decide public policy. Values are determined by elites.

  1. Those who govern are not typical of the masses. Elites come from the upper echelons and upper socioeconomic strata of society. They are wealthier, better educated, and have many other social and economic advantages over the average citizen.

  1. Nonelites must slowly be elevated into higher positions to avoid revolution or social and political instability. Only nonelites that have accepted the basic values of the elites can be brought into the circles of those who govern.

  1. Elites share a basic consensus about the basic values of the social system and are committed to protecting and preserving the system (the status quo). Any changes made to the system must be slow and evolutionary. In the United States, the basics of the elite consensus are for the sanctity of private property, limited government, and individual liberty (freedom).

  1. Public policy does not reflect demands made by the masses. Public policy reflects the values of elites and changes in public policy will be incremental (not revolutionary).

  1. Elites are subject to little direct influence from the apathetic masses. The masses are generally poorly informed and can be controlled by the elites, who hold a disproportional amount of political power. The elites influence the masses far more than the masses influence elites.

  1. Public policy is directed from the top downward. Power is concentrated at the top and public policy decisions are made and implemented from the top.

Source: Adapted from James Lester and Joseph Stewart, Jr. Public Policy: An Evolutionary Approach (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2000), pp. 54-55. The original source of these basic descriptions is credited to Thomas Dye and Harmon Zeigler, The Irony of Democracy (Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1981).

Overview of Elite and Pluralist Models of Democracy in the United States

Table 2 The Basic Principles of the Pluralist Model of Politics

  1. Power is an attribute of individuals in their relationships with other individual in the process of decision-making. Interest groups are the key to understanding American democracy and the public policy process. It is the competition between interest groups in the governmental process that influences public policy.

  1. Power relationships are not permanent. They are often formed for a particular decision. After the decision is made, the relationships may disappear and may be replaced by another set of power relationships when the next decision is made. These power relationships involve what we think of today as interest groups.

  1. There is not a permanent distinction between the elites and masses. Individuals who participate in decision making at one time may not be the same individuals who participate in the next decision at a different time. Individuals move in and out of the ranks of decision-makers simply by becoming active or inactive in politics.

  1. Leadership is fluid and mobile. Wealth and social status are assets in politics but are only one of many assets that are part of political power. Elites are elites only in the sense that they hold leadership positions of power, not because of some superiority of social or ruling class. The term "leader" is a better description than the term "elite" for those who hold temporary positions of political power. Power resides in the position more so than with the person. An aristocracy does not govern America.

  1. There are multiple centers and bases of power in society. No single group dominates decision making in all areas.

  1. Considerable competition exists between interest groups.

  1. Public policy reflects the bargains and compromises reached between competing groups.

Source: Adapted from James Lester and Joseph Stewart, Jr. Public Policy: An Evolutionary Approach (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2000), pp. 54-55. The original source of these basic descriptions is credited to Thomas Dye and Harmon Zeigler, The Irony of Democracy (Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1981).

Elite & Pluralist Policy Making Models

There are two competing theories about how policy decisions are made in the US.

Read the two handouts and decide for yourself which theory is more accurate.

1) Rename the two theories in the shaded boxes below.

2) Take each of the seven points from each theory and transcribe it into: a graphic image (drawing, sketch, cut and pasted digital image); a 140 character Tweet with hashtag, or a condensed bullet point in your own words.

3) Circle the title of theory you find to be a more accurate description of how policy actually gets made in the US today:

4) Choose any one policy area - health care, gun control, tax policy, oil tax, immigration, trade - and decide which theory does the better job of explaining the specific steps and actors (people, groups, institutions) involved in the actual making of policy in the US today. Show your answer in a flow chart, graphic organizer, storyboard, digital image from the internet, or any visual form that would be convincing to a student of US politics.