the policy-making process

Chapter 17Chapter 17The Policy-The Policy-

Making ProcessMaking Process

Copyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

WHO GOVERNS?WHO GOVERNS?1.1. Does some political elite dominate Does some political elite dominate

American politics?American politics?

2.2. Do powerful interest groups decide Do powerful interest groups decide what policies our government should what policies our government should adopt?adopt?

TO WHAT ENDS?TO WHAT ENDS?1.1. Why are Social Security payments Why are Social Security payments

popular but welfare payments to unwed popular but welfare payments to unwed mothers unpopular?mothers unpopular?

2.2. Why were government regulations on Why were government regulations on certain industries repealed over the certain industries repealed over the objection of those industries?objection of those industries?

Setting the AgendaSetting the Agenda

The Legitimate The Legitimate Scope of Scope of Government ActionGovernment Action• Groups Groups • InstitutionsInstitutions• MediaMedia

Action by the StatesAction by the States


On May Day, 2006, immigrants demonstrated in Las Vegas and many other cities to show their importance in the American economy. p. 463

Ethan Miller/Getty Images


Highway safety was always a problem, but it became a national issue after policy advocates, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), emphasized it. p. 465

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Making a DecisionMaking a Decision

Costs versus BenefitsCosts versus Benefits PerceptionPerception LegitimacyLegitimacy Who Who willwill benefit or pay for a program? benefit or pay for a program? Who Who oughtought to benefit or pay? to benefit or pay? Costs and Benefits may beCosts and Benefits may be

• Widely distributedWidely distributed• Narrowly concentratedNarrowly concentrated


Majoritarian Politics: Distributed Majoritarian Politics: Distributed Benefits, Distributed CostsBenefits, Distributed Costs

Majoritarian politics Majoritarian politics – A policy in – A policy in which almost everybody benefits and which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody paysalmost everybody pays• Social SecuritySocial Security• Military DefenseMilitary Defense• Cancer researchCancer research

Controversy usually over Controversy usually over cost/ideology, not rival interest cost/ideology, not rival interest groupsgroups


Figure 17.1 The Politics of Figure 17.1 The Politics of Different Policy IssuesDifferent Policy Issues


Interest Group Politics – Interest Group Politics – Concentrated Benefits, Concentrated Benefits,

Concentrated CostsConcentrated Costs Interest group politics Interest group politics – A policy in – A policy in

which one small group benefits and which one small group benefits and another small group paysanother small group pays• Labor - BusinessLabor - Business• TV Broadcasters – Cable CompaniesTV Broadcasters – Cable Companies• Banks – Insurance CompaniesBanks – Insurance Companies

Fought by organized interest groupsFought by organized interest groupsCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage


During the Great Depression,During the Great Depression,depositors besiege a bank hopingdepositors besiege a bank hopingto get their savings out. p. 468to get their savings out. p. 468

Texas high school students protest against smoking during an event sponsored by Teens Against Tobacco Use, a peer-based tobacco use prevention program. p. 468

Topham/The Image Works

Bob Daemmrich/The Image Works

Client Politics: Concentrated Client Politics: Concentrated Benefits, Distributed CostsBenefits, Distributed Costs

Client politics Client politics – A policy in which one – A policy in which one small group benefits and almost small group benefits and almost everybody payseverybody pays• FarmersFarmers• AirlinesAirlines

Pork-barrel legislationPork-barrel legislation LogrollingLogrolling LegitimacyLegitimacy


Entrepreneurial Politics: Entrepreneurial Politics: Distributed Benefits, Distributed Benefits, Concentrated Costs Concentrated Costs

Entrepreneurial Politics Entrepreneurial Politics – A policy in – A policy in which almost everybody benefits which almost everybody benefits and a small group pays the costand a small group pays the cost• Auto safety/antipollutionAuto safety/antipollution• Brady BillBrady Bill

Policy entrepreneurs Policy entrepreneurs – activists who – activists who pull together a political majority on pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interestsbehalf of unorganized interests


The Case of Business RegulationThe Case of Business Regulation

Majoritarian PoliticsMajoritarian Politics Interest Group PoliticsInterest Group Politics Client PoliticsClient Politics Entrepreneurial PoliticsEntrepreneurial Politics


The Grange sought to warn farmers of the dangers of a railroad monopoly. p. 472

The Granger Collection, New York


Dairy farmers get government Dairy farmers get government subsidies for their milk subsidies for their milk production. p. 474production. p. 474

Entrepreneurial politics: Upton Entrepreneurial politics: Upton Sinclair’s book Sinclair’s book The Jungle, The Jungle, published in 1906, shocked readers published in 1906, shocked readers with its description of conditions in with its description of conditions in the meatpacking industry and the meatpacking industry and helped bring about passage of the helped bring about passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. p. 476Meat Inspection Act of 1906. p. 476

Bob Mahoney/The Image Works

Bettmann/Corbis

Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests Perceptions, Beliefs, Interests and Valuesand Values

Perception of Costs Perception of Costs and Benefitsand Benefits

DeregulationDeregulation• The power of ideasThe power of ideas• Process regulationProcess regulation• AirlinesAirlines• TelephoneTelephone• TruckingTrucking

The Limits of IdeasThe Limits of IdeasCopyright © 2011 CengageCopyright © 2011 Cengage

Though many economists question the value of the Small Business Administration, it remains popular because it loans money to a lot of voters. p. 477

Bill Aron/Photo Edit

M E M O R A N D U MM E M O R A N D U M

To: To: J. Peter, assistant to the presidentJ. Peter, assistant to the president

From: From: Daniel Gilbert, special assistant to the presidentDaniel Gilbert, special assistant to the president

Subject: Subject: Department of Energy Nuclear Waste PlanDepartment of Energy Nuclear Waste Plan

The president must decide whether to sign the bill allowing The president must decide whether to sign the bill allowing the department to establish a safe repository for the the department to establish a safe repository for the nation’s nuclear waste beneath mountains in Nevada. The nation’s nuclear waste beneath mountains in Nevada. The waste is produced mainly by 131 commercial nuclear waste is produced mainly by 131 commercial nuclear reactors and by national defense weapons programs. It is reactors and by national defense weapons programs. It is presently stored at 126 sites in over three dozen states.presently stored at 126 sites in over three dozen states.


WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Arguments for:Arguments for:

1. For over 50 years, radioactive waste that remains deadly to 1. For over 50 years, radioactive waste that remains deadly to humans for 10,000 years has been accumulating in cities humans for 10,000 years has been accumulating in cities and towns throughout the country.and towns throughout the country.

2. According to many experts, encasing the waste in well-2. According to many experts, encasing the waste in well-engineered tunnels beneath mountains in remote locations engineered tunnels beneath mountains in remote locations is both safer and more cost-effective than such alternatives is both safer and more cost-effective than such alternatives as storing it in ocean tunnels or propelling it into space.as storing it in ocean tunnels or propelling it into space.

3. The bill achieved a bipartisan majority. Polls find that most 3. The bill achieved a bipartisan majority. Polls find that most people know little about the problem but believe that people know little about the problem but believe that something should be done to increase safety.something should be done to increase safety.



Arguments against:Arguments against:

1. The department admits that transporting nuclear waste to 1. The department admits that transporting nuclear waste to the Nevada site through dozens of states on trucks, trains, the Nevada site through dozens of states on trucks, trains, and barges would take decades and pose safety risks.and barges would take decades and pose safety risks.

2. Some experts argue that constructing a 100-mile network 2. Some experts argue that constructing a 100-mile network of tunnels that safely stores nuclear waste in disposal of tunnels that safely stores nuclear waste in disposal canisters for 10,000 years will prove technologically difficult canisters for 10,000 years will prove technologically difficult and financially burdensome.and financially burdensome.

3. The plan is strongly opposed by many elected officials in 3. The plan is strongly opposed by many elected officials in Nevada and surrounding states, and a coalition of Nevada and surrounding states, and a coalition of environmental groups is threatening to challenge it in court.environmental groups is threatening to challenge it in court.



Your decision:Your decision:

Advise president to sign?Advise president to sign?

Advise president not to sign?Advise president not to sign?



the policy-making process

Education

distributed benefits

american politics

small group benefits

politics offigure

policy advocates

groupsgroups copyright

states copyright

government regulations