Political Science 219: Introduction to Public Policy Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30 to 3:45 p.m., Van Hise 104 Dave Weimer Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs weimer@lafollette.wisc.edu Office Hours: Mondays/Wednesdays, 10 am to 11:30 am, 201 Observatory Hill Office Building Mondays, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, 215 North Hall Teaching Assistant: Simon Haeder Department of Political Science haeder@wisc.edu Office Hours: Thursdays, 1 pm to 3pm, 121 North Hall Introduction Public policies shape economic, social, and political choices by allowing, requiring, prohibiting, encouraging, or discouraging various behaviors. The authoritative decisions of governments create public policies, but their implementation in the context of administrative resources, economic conditions, and social norms largely determines their effects. In order to understand the content of public policy, one must consider how it is created and implemented as well as how it affects people. This course seeks to provide the conceptual foundations necessary for understanding American public policy. The subject matter of the course covers both policy processes and policy analysis. Policy process theories and frameworks help us understand the ways political institutions create public policy. Policy analysis introduces the skills useful in designing and assessing alternative public policies for dealing with perceived economic, social, or political problems. The first half of the course sets out conceptual foundations for understanding policy processes and doing policy analysis. The second half of the course applies the conceptual foundations to policy issues drawn primarily from the areas of criminal justice and health policy. The course will include both traditional lectures and class discussion. Monday classes and the first part of Wednesday classes will be lectures with questions encouraged. The remainder of Wednesday classes will be set aside for discussion of particular issues. An important component of the course is participation in the discussion of issues. Please do not take this course if you are unwilling to engage in the class discussions. Effective engagement will sometimes involve reviewing materials posted in advance on learn@uw. It will always involve being ready to contribute ideas, information, and informed opinions to the discussion. Absent volunteers, participants will be recruited through random selection! Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 1
Basis for Assessment Your grade in the course will be based on your performance in the following areas: Policy memoranda (20 percent) leaning how to convey analysis concisely is an essential skill for policy analysts and a valuable one in most other professions. You will write two policy memoranda. Each will have a strict page limit (three double-spaced pages exclusive of references) and strictly follow a prescribed format. Midterm examination (35 percent) covers first half of course (October 27). Final examination (45 percent) covers entire course (December 20, 12:25 p.m.) Please do not take this course if you cannot be in Madison to take the final. Books for Purchase The course will make substantial use of four books. Very highly recommended for individual purchase: Eugene Bardach, A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More nd Effective Problem Solving 3 Ed. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2009). Recommended for individual purchase: Thomas A. Birkland, An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts, and nd Models of Public Policy Making 2 Ed. (Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharp, 2005). Recommended for shared purchase (split cost with classmate): Mark A. R. Kleiman, When Brute Force Fails: How to Have Less Crime and Less Punishment (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009). David L. Weimer, Medical Governance: Values, Expertise, and Interests in Organ Transplantation (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2010). Copies of the books will be put on reserve in the College Library. Supplemental materials, including background for many of the discussion questions, will be made available through learn@uw. Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 2
Tentative Schedule of Topics Part I: Policy Process Theories and Frameworks Week 1 Introduction: Policy Making and Policy Analysis Political science and the study of public policy Discussion: How should class openings be allocated? Birkland, Chapters 1 and 2 Week 2 Formal Actors: Institutional Perspectives Median voter theorem, separation of powers, delegation Discussion: Should the Senate change the filibuster and cloture rules? Birkland, Chapter 3 Week 3 Informal Actors: Interest Groups Collective action problems; concentrated versus diffuse interests; organized versus unorganized interests; policy subsystems Discussion: How should Congress respond to Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission? Birkland, Chapters 4 and 5 Week 4 Synthesis: Policy Process Theories, Models, and Frameworks Policy streams, social construction, path dependence, advocacy coalition, punctuated equilibrium Discussion: Which perspectives on the policy process help us understand adoption of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111 148)? Birkland, Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9 Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 3
Part II: Introduction to Policy Analysis Week 5 Defining Public Policy Problems The experiential problem, framing, modeling Discussion: Should Wisconsin change child pornography laws that currently apply to sexting? Bardach, entire Week 6 Policy Goals Substantive goals (efficiency and equity); instrumental goals (adoption and implementation) Discussion: Should Wisconsin take steps to promote use of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine? Week 7 Policy Design Generic alternatives, borrowing and tinkering, backward mapping Discussion: What policy alternatives should the United States consider for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? First policy memorandum due October 20 Week 8 Prediction, Valuation, Recommendation Goals/alternatives matrices, sensitivity analysis Midterm: October 27 Part III: Application Medical Governance Week 9 Introduction: Public and Private Rulemaking Regulation by agency, collaborative rulemaking Discussion: Should the Department of Health and Human Services directly regulate the process of organ donation by living persons? Weimer, Chapters 1, 2, and 5 Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 4
Week 10 Supplying Scarce Resources Organ donation and collection Discussion: Should laws governing organ transplantation be changed to allow people to sell one of their kidneys? Weimer, Chapters 3 and 4 Week 11 Allocating Scarce Resources Values in allocation; mechanisms for allocation Discussion: Should the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network change the basis of its allocation system for cadaveric kidneys from medical appropriateness and waiting time to net medical benefit? Weimer, Chapters 6 and 7 Week 12 Promoting Evidence-Based Medicine and Controlling Medical Costs Medicare utilization and costs Discussion: Should an organization like the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network be created to allocate a Medicare surgery budget? Weimer, Chapters 8 and 9 Part IV: Application Criminal Justice Week 13 Introduction: The Criminal Justice System Police, prosecution, and corrections; political and fiscal incentives for toughness Discussion: Should Wisconsin continue to prosecute 17-year-olds as adults? Kleiman, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Week 14 Drug Policy Abuse of legal and illegal substances; framing of addiction Discussion: Should Wisconsin change its laws to all the use of marijuana for medical purposes? Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 5
Second policy memorandum due December 8 Kleiman, Chapters 7, 8, and 9 Week15 Wrap-Up, Review, and Discussion of Criminal Justice Memoranda Policy Memoranda Before writing your first memoranda, read the Memorandum on Memoranda Writing, which is available at learn@uw. Strictly follow the guidelines it sets out in terms of format and content as well as the page limit (three double-spaced pages exclusive of references; one-inch margins; no smaller than eleven-point font). Begin your memorandum with the following: To: (client s name) From: (your name) Date: (due date) Concerning: (informative title) On the specified due date for each memorandum, bring a paper copy to class and submit a pdf version to the learn@uw drop box. The drop box version should be labeled with your last name, first initial, and memorandum number (e.g., Smith_W_M1.pdf). Your memorandum will be assessed in terms of analysis, presentation, and research. First Memorandum Many public health and criminal justice experts see binge drinking as a serious problem. Propose a specific policy with potential for addressing the binge drinking problem and compare it to the status quo. Choose as your client an official of the University of Wisconsin Madison, City of Madison, Dane County, or Wisconsin state government who would be an appropriate advocate for, or implementor of, the policy. Second Memorandum In Chapter 11 of When Brute Force Fails, Mark Kleiman sets out an agenda for crime control. Select one of his agenda items. Propose a specific policy for implementing it and compare the policy with the status quo. You should identify a public official who would be an appropriate advocate for, or implementor of, the policy as the client. Introduction to Public Policy, Fall 2010, page 6