Political Analysis for Public Policy

Political Analysis for Public Policy

PPS 114.01 Spring 2009

Monday and Wednesday 1:15 – 2:30 pm

Professor Michael C. Munger

408 Perkins Library

Phone 660-4301; Email

Office hours: Wednesday 10:00 – 11:30 am (and by appointment; contact )

Introduction

This course focuses on how, and how well, the individual choices of political actors are translated into collective choices in public policy. Learning to analyze politics requires three tools:

(1) A model that represents preferences and goals

(2) An understanding of the "engineering" principles of institutions

(3) Techniques for evaluating and assessing the quality of outcomes of the interactions of preferences filtered through particular institutions, given the limits imposed by resources, technologies, and institutions.

In all three sections of the course, our emphasis will be on developing the skills necessary to perform political analysis. The course has two broad aims: to develop an understanding of the structure of political decisions that students can apply across issues; and to develop some experience in conducting political analysis.

Course Requirements

4 memos (12.5% each)

Presentation of Evaluation Outline in section (15%)

Reading assignments test in section (5%)

Overall section participation (5%)

Final exam (25%): You MUST be able to take the final exam. If not, you will need to tell me immediately, or drop the course. (Registrar--Exam Schedule 2009)

Memo Assignments

Each student is expected to select a particular public policy issue and write four memos relating to political strategy from the perspective of a participant in the debate over the issue.

Each student will also write an outline of an evaluation plan for current policy on that issue, and will present it in section in a five minute public speech.

Siting of hazardous waste facilities, providing access to health care, or designing markets for pollution permits are examples of issues one might choose to study. Similarly, one could adopt the perspective of a lobbyist, executive branch employee, or legislative staff member in writing the memos. In order to write convincing memos, you will need to do background research to incorporate current information into your work. The assigned readings will provide you with the analytical framework to answer the questions posed for each memo.

Before each memo I will give you a fuller description of how to approach the assignment; the questions on the syllabus are provided to give you an idea of the general topic of each memo. Each memo should be typed and double-spaced. Memos are due at the beginning of the class period. Late memos will be accepted but will be penalized one grade level per day (e.g., a B+ would be reduced to a B if the paper were one day late). Each new day on late papers starts at midnight (e.g., if you turn in a paper on Wednesday that was due at 10:05 am Tuesday, your paper would be two days late).

Course Readings

The following books are required, and are available for purchase at the Duke Bookstore:

·  Adler, Matthew, and Eric Posner (eds), Cost-Benefit Analysis: Economic, Philosophical, and Legal Perspectives, 2001, Chicago

·  Hinich, Melvin, and Michael Munger, Analytical Politics, 1997, Cambridge

·  Werner, Alan, A Guide to Implementation Research, 2004, Urban Institute

The other readings for the course are available via e-reserves on the course Blackboard site.

Sections

As a W(riting) course, PPS 114 will either teach you how to produce clear and succinct memos, or else leave big red marks on your forehead. We will try for the former, but you are going to have to work with us on that. The weekly sections will teach you research skills, memo construction, and skills in clear written argumentation. Five MPP students will serve as section leaders: Christina Alaimo, Will Carroll, Magdalena Fernandez, Curtis Palmer, and Dana Vettel..

Community Standard

By being a member of the Duke community, you are pledging to adhere to the Duke Community Standard (see http://www.integrity.duke.edu/faq/faq1.html). For advice on how to cite sources and avoid plagiarism, see http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism/index.html.

It is useful to have an idea of the outline of the course, before going into the details. The course develops as follows...

COURSE OVERVIEW

I. Introduction

a. Policy Analysis as a scholarly field, a profession, and an aspect of democracy

b. Preferences x Institutions = Outcomes

c. Unintendend consequences, and the problem of aggregation

II. Preferences: Representation

a. Economic preferences

b. Political preferences

c. Representing "collective" choices by groups

III. "Engineering" Institutions: Strategy and Unintended Consequences

a. Market Failure

b. Government Failure

c. Metrics for Social Welfare and Collective Choice: What should Jones Do?

IV. The Policy Analysis Paradigm: Cost Benefit Analysis

a. Ethical Foundations

b. Practical Foundations

c. Extensions: Risks, Discount Rates, and Present Values

V. Implementation and Evaluation: Does it Work, and How Would We Know?

a. But We Spent Our Budget!

b. Problem Definition, Data Collection, and Evaluation of Implementation

c. Using and Misusing Surveys

d. Report Writing: "What Do You WANT My Conclusions to Be?"

VI. Course Summary and Wrap-up

Detailed Syllabus for Political Analysis for Public Policy

PPS 114 Fall 2008

Wed Jan 7: Introduction and Discussion of Class Requirements

I. Introduction

Mon Jan 12: Rationality in Politics

Kelman, "'Public Choice' and Public Spirit," The Public Interest Spring 1987, 80-94 (Blackboard PDF)

Brennan and Buchanan, "Is Public Choice Immoral? The Case for the 'Nobel' Lie," Virginia Law Review March 1988, 179-190. (Link)

The Federalist Papers, Numbers 9, 10, 46, 51

Wed Jan 14: Policy Analysis as a scholarly field, a profession, and an aspect of democracy

Munger, "Experts and Advocacy," Chapter 5, Analyzing Policy (Blackboard PDF)

First Memo You are a lobbyist/consultant for an organization, hoping to influence the new Congress and Obama administration. You are going to choose, and follow, a domestic issue area throughout the semester. (For example, unemployment, health care, housing, regulation, transportation). Identify your issue and organizational perspective. What is the particular question of public policy you are focusing on? What are the constraints imposed by resources, institutions, or preferences of others on the pursuit of your goal? What are your short-term versus long-term goals here? 4 pages, due January 26.

Mon Jan 19: MLK Day! Please read Letter from a Birmingham Jail and “I Have a Dream”

There will be a quiz on this material on Wed., Jan 20!!

Wed Jan 21: Preferences

Munger, Chapters 1-2, Analytical Politics (Textbook)

Mon Jan 26: Preferences x Institutions = Outcomes I

Munger, "Experts and Advocacy," Chapter 2, Analyzing Policy (Blackboard PDF)

Wed Jan 28: Unintended Consequences: The Problem of Aggregation

Transantiago (Munger) (link)

Recycling (Munger) (link)

Price-Gouging (Munger) (link)

The Endangered Species Act (Stroup) (link)

The Flying Club (Riker) (Blackboard PDF)

The Prisoners' Dilemma (Dixit and Nalebuff) (Blackboard PDF)

II. Preferences

Mon Feb 2: Guest Lecture: Prof. Jay "Talk to the Hand!" Hamilton, on All the News That's Fit to Sell, Chapters 1-2 (Blackboard PDF)

Wed Feb 4: Rational Choice i--Economic Preferences

(Review an Introductory Economics Textbook on Indifference Curves and Consumer Theory)

FIRST MEMO DUE!!!!!

Mon Feb 9: Rational Choice II--Political Preferences

Munger, Chapters 3-4, Analytical Politics (Textbook)

Wed Feb 11: Representing Collective Choices -- Preferences x Institutions = Outcomes

Munger, Chapter 5, Analytical Politics (Textbook)

Mon Feb 16: A Particular Institution: The System of Congressional Committees

Munger, Chapter 8, Analytical Politics (Textbook)

McCubbins and Schwartz, "Congressional Oversight Overlooked," American Journal of Political Science February 1984, 165-179 (JSTOR Link)

Weingast and Moran, "The Myth of Runaway Bureaucracy-- The Case of the FTC," Regulation May/June 1982, 33-36 (REGULATION Link)

Munger, “Pangloss was Right: Reforming Congress is Useless, Too Expensive, or Harmful.” Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum, v. 9, no. 1 (1998). (DELPF Link)

III. Engineering Institutions

Wed Feb 18: Market Failure

Munger, Analyzing Policy, Chapter 4 (Blackboard PDF)

Section 5: Developing your document

Mon Feb 23: Government Failure

Munger, "Economic Choice, Political Decision, and the Problem of Limits." In Homo Economicus, Homo Politicus. 2008. (Blackboard PDF)

Wed Feb 25: Metrics for Social Welfare and Collective Choice

Munger, “Cost-Benefit Analysis,” Chapter 11, Analyzing Policy, (Blackboard PDF)

Second Memo Due!!!!

Section 6: Credibility and Evidence—Who Benefits?

Mon March 2: Okay…But What Should Jones Do?

Behn, Robert. "Policy Analysis and Public Management: What Should Jones Do?" in Gutherie S. Birkhead and James D. Carroll (eds.) Education for Public Service 1980 (1981), pp. 17-25. (Blackboard PDF)***

Sunstein, Cass. “Cognition and Cost-Benefit Analysis.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

IV. The Policy Analysis Paradigm

Wed March 4: Ethical Foundations of CBA

Kornhauser, Lewis. “On Justifying Cost-Benefit Analysis.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Nussbaum, Martha. “The Costs of Tragedy.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Sen, Amartya. “The Discipline of Cost-Benefit Analysis.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Mon March 9 and Wed March 11: No Class--Spring Break!

Mon March 16: Practical Foundations of CBA

Frank, Robert. “Why is Cost-Benefit Analysis So Controversial?” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Richardson, Henry. “The Stupidity of the Cost-Benefit Standard.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Wed March 18: Extensions: Risk, Discount Rates, and Present Values

Viscusi, Kip. “Risk Equity.” In Cost-Benefit Analysis, Textbook.

Benjamin, Dan. “Superfund Follies” (Summary of Viscusi-Hamilton, 1999, AER) (link)

Peltzman, Sam, “On Regulation of Automobile Safety.” (PODCAST link)

V. Implementation and Evaluation

Mon March 23: But We Spent Our Budget

Reading TBA

Wed March 25: Symbols and Numbers in Evaluation

Stone, Deborah. “Symbols” and “Numbers” (Chapters 6-7) Policy Paradox. (Blackboard PDF)***

THIRD MEMO DUE!!!!

Mon March 30: Problem Definition, Data Collection, and Evaluation

Werner, Alan. Guide to Implementation Research, Chapters 1-2. (Textbook)

Wed April 1: Using and Misusing Surveys

Reading TBA

Mon April 6: Implementation Documentation

Werner, Alan. Guide to Implementation Research, Chapter 3. (Textbook) McCubbins, Noll, and Weingast, "Administrative Procedures as Instruments of Political Control," Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization Fall 1987, 243-278

Wed April 8: Assessing Implementation

Werner, Alan. Guide to Implementation Research, Chapter 4. (Textbook)

Yandle, Morris, and Kosnik, “Regulation by Litigation,” PERC (link)

VI. Course Summary and Wrap-Up

Mon April 13: Preferences

Wed April 15: Institutions

(FOURTH MEMO DUE in SECTION April 17!!!!!)

Also, formal presentation of Evaluations

Mon April 20: Metrics and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Wed April 22: Review for Final

FINAL EXAMINATION: