What is public policy? Identify and describe the levels of public policy. Explore how government organization affects policy outcomes.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Public policy is the sum of government activities, whether pursued directly or through agents, as those activities have an influence on the lives of citizens. Policy choices are decisions made by politicians, civil servants, or others granted authority that are directed toward using public power to affect the lives of citizens. Policy outputs are choices being put into action; government doing things. Policy impacts are the effects that policy and policy outputs have on citizens. The federal system in the United States insures that, as well as the federal government, a large number of subnational governments make policy decisions. Thus, the various levels can often experience conflict over policy--the actions of one agency may contradict the actions of another. Not all government policies are implemented by government employees. A number of agencies involve the use of private agencies operating with the sanction of and in the name of government. Government has begun to use an increasing number of alternative mechanisms for implementation with private sector providers becoming increasingly important in delivering a public policy. Even when government implements a program directly, it may not use its own employees. The federal government depends upon state and local governments to implement a large number of its programs. Control of policy is lessened when implementation is dependent upon another level of government. Policy is concerned with the effect of lives of individuals within society. Any number of steps is required to turn a piece of legislation into a program. As a result, changes can occur in the intended consequences of the program. Policies emerge from a large number of programs, legislative intentions, and organizational interactions that affect the daily lives of citizens.