What causes issues to be placed on the agenda? Describe the types of cycles agendas may pass through. Also, discuss the kinds of agendas that occur in policymaking.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Issues are placed on the agenda when there is a public perception that something is wrong and that the problem can be ameliorated through public action. Agendas are often discussed in the terms of an issue attentions cycle. Through this understanding, a problem is noticed by the public, and there is initial enthusiasm to address the problem through a governmental response. This initial enthusiasm becomes lessened as the cost of solutions becomes evident. As a realistic assessment of the costs of various policy options occurs, there is declining public interest in addressing the problem. Opposing political forces use this opportunity to mobilize and slow policy. Public enthusiasm declines as the difficulty of setting policy becomes evident. Government agendas are also viewed through cycles of differential activity. Baumgartner and Jones described this as punctuated equilibria--some time periods are characterized by greater public activism than others. This may be due to energetic political leaders, public mobilization, or other factors. These periods of activity are followed by periods in which the programs adopted are rationalized, consolidated, or even terminated. Most of what happens in the political system is difficult are impossible to control. Problems do not come to government fully conceptualized and the manner in which the problem is conceptualized will determine the solutions that are likely to be proposed and the organizations that will be given charge of the solutions. Agendas are discussed in terms of the systematic and the institutional. Systematic agendas consist of all issues that are commonly perceived by members of the political community as meriting public attention and involving matters within the legitimate jurisdiction of governmental authority. Setting the systematic agenda may not always be consensual and if a problem can be excluded from consideration, then those who do not want change will “win” the policy debate. The institutional agenda is that set of items explicitly up for active and serious consideration of authoritative decision-makers. It is composed of those issues on which the individuals in power within a particular institution actually are considering taking action. Institutional conflicts may arise when a problem is moved from one institutional agenda to another. The agendas of bureaucratic agencies are the narrowest and a great deal of political activity is directed at placing their agenda onto the agendas of other agencies.