Self-Reflection And Policy Formulation Development

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2

Public Policy Seventh Edition

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For

Sandy

and

Debbie, Kyle, and Darcy

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Public Policy

Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives

Seventh Edition

Michael E. Kraft University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

Scott R. Furlong State University of New York at

Oswego

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kraft, Michael E., author. | Furlong, Scott R., author.

Title: Public policy : politics, analysis, and alternatives / Michael E. Kraft, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Scott R. Furlong, State University of New York, Oswego.

Description: Seventh edition. | Thousand Oaks, California : SAGE CQ Press, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019032197 | ISBN 9781544374611 (paperback) | ISBN 9781544374604 (epub) | ISBN 9781544374598 (epub) | ISBN 9781544374581 (pdf)

Subjects: LCSH: Policy sciences—Evaluation. | Political planning—Citizen participation. | Political planning—United States—Evaluation. | Public administration—United States—Evaluation.

Classification: LCC H97 .K73 2021 | DDC 320.60973—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019032197

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Acquisitions Editor: Anna Villarruel

Content Development Editor: Scott Harris

Editorial Assistant: Lauren Younker

Production Editor: Tracy Buyan

Copy Editor: Melinda Masson

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Typesetter: C&M Digitals (P) Ltd.

Proofreader: Lawrence W. Baker

Indexer: Kathy Paparchontis

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Brief Contents 1. Boxes, Figures, and Tables 2. Preface 3. About the Authors 4. Part I: The Study of Public Policy

1. 1 | Public Policy and Politics 2. 2 | Government Institutions and Policy Actors 3. 3 | Understanding Public Policymaking

5. Part II: Analyzing Public Policy 1. 4 | Policy Analysis: An Introduction 2. 5 | Public Problems and Policy Alternatives 3. 6 | Assessing Policy Alternatives

6. Part III: Issues and Controversies in Public Policy 1. 7 | Economic and Budgetary Policy 2. 8 | Health Care Policy 3. 9 | Welfare and Social Security Policy 4. 10 | Education Policy 5. 11 | Environmental and Energy Policy 6. 12 | Foreign Policy and Homeland Security

7. Part IV: Conclusions 1. 13 | Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice

8. Glossary 9. References

10. Index

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Detailed Contents Boxes, Figures, and Tables Preface About the Authors Part I: The Study of Public Policy

1 | Public Policy and Politics What Is Public Policy? Defining Basic Concepts

Government Politics Policy Analysis

Why Study Public Policy? Citizens’ Ability to Participate and Make Choices Citizens’ Ability to Influence Policy Decisions

The Contexts of Public Policy Social Context Economic Context Political Context Governing Context Cultural Context

The Reasons for Government Involvement Political Reasons Moral or Ethical Reasons Economics and Market Failures

The Practice of Policy Analysis The Many Uses of Policy Analysis Citizens’ Use of Policy Analysis How to Decide Which Policy Is Best: Using Multiple Criteria

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

2 | Government Institutions and Policy Actors Growth of Government

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Government Institutions and Policy Capacity Federalism

The Evolution of Federal-State Relations State Variation in Policy Capacity

Separation of Powers Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch

Informal Policy Actors and Policy Capacity Public Opinion and Policymaking Interest Groups, Nonprofits, and Public Policy Media Policy Subgovernments and Issue Networks

Improving Policy Capacity Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

3 | Understanding Public Policymaking Theories of Politics and Public Policy

Elite Theory Group Theory Institutional Theory Rational Choice Theory Political Systems Theory

The Policy Process Model Problem Definition and Agenda Setting Policy Formulation Policy Legitimation Policy Implementation Policy Evaluation Policy Change

Instruments of Public Policy Regulation Government Management Taxing and Spending Market Mechanisms Education, Information, and Persuasion

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Policy Typologies Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

Part II: Analyzing Public Policy 4 | Policy Analysis: An Introduction

The Nature of Policy Analysis Steps in the Policy Analysis Process

Define and Analyze the Problem Construct Policy Alternatives Choose Evaluative Criteria Assess the Alternatives Draw Conclusions

Types of Policy Analysis Scientific Approaches Professional Approaches Political Approaches

What Kind of Analysis Is Needed? Deal with Root Causes or Make Pragmatic Adjustments? Comprehensive Analysis or Short-Term Policy Relevance? Consensual or Contentious Analysis? Reliance on Rational Analysis or Democratic Politics? Other Aspects of Policy Analysis

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Leading General Journals of Public Policy Major Professional Newsweeklies with Policy Coverage Notes

5 | Public Problems and Policy Alternatives Problem Analysis

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The Nature of the Problem Thinking about Causes and Solutions

How to Find Information Constructing Alternatives

What Governments Can Do Policy Typologies as Analytic Tools

Thinking Creatively about Policy Action Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

6 | Assessing Policy Alternatives Evaluative Criteria for Judging Policy Proposals

Effectiveness Efficiency Equity Ethics and Political Values

Using the Methods of Policy Analysis Economic Approaches

Cost-Benefit Analysis Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Risk Assessment

Decision Making and Impacts Forecasting Impact Assessment

Political and Institutional Approaches Political Feasibility Analysis Implementation Analysis and Program Evaluation

Ethical Analysis Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

Part III: Issues and Controversies in Public Policy 7 | Economic and Budgetary Policy

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Background Goals of Economic Policy

Economic Growth Low Levels of Unemployment Low Levels of Inflation Positive Balance of Trade Managing Deficits and Debt Interrelationships of Economic Goals

Tools of Economic Policy Fiscal Policy Monetary Policy Regulation Incentives, Subsidies, and Support Tax Policy

The Budget Process and Its Effect on Economic Policy

Assumptions and Planning Agency Budget Development OMB Budget Review Congressional Review Budget Execution and Control

Economic Policy: Successes and Failures Significant Income Tax Cuts Responses to the Deficit American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Economic Issues and Challenges Maintaining Economic Growth Growth of Entitlements Income Inequality

Focused Discussion: Deficits and Debt Economic Issues Political Issues Equity and Other Ethical Issues

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites

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Notes 8 | Health Care Policy

Background Evolution of Health Care Policy A Hybrid System of Public and Private Health Care The Perils of Being Uninsured Strengths and Weaknesses of the U.S. Health Care System A Pluralistic Health Care System

Major Government Health Care Programs Medicare Medicaid Veterans’ Health Care

Other Health Care Policy Issues Portability Patients’ Rights

Rising Health Care Costs State Policy Innovations Regulation of Prescription Drugs

Managed Care Organizations Reducing Health Care Costs Quality of Care

Medical Errors Focused Discussion: Should There Be Greater Emphasis on Preventive Health Care?

Effectiveness Economic Efficiency Issues Equity and Other Ethical Issues

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

9 | Welfare and Social Security Policy Background

Poverty Social Security

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Social Security’s Changing Demographics Problems with Social Security Financing Social Security

Welfare The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Aid to Families with Dependent Children The Earned Income Tax Credit Welfare Reform Options Welfare Reform Law Analysis of the Welfare Reform Law

Focused Discussion: Can We Do Better? Addressing Poverty

Economic and Effectiveness Issues Political Issues Ethics and Equity Issues

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

10 | Education Policy Background Problems Facing Education

Funding Quality

Education Policy Reforms Merit Pay Teacher Standards, Certification, and Salaries School Vouchers, School Choice, and Charter Schools School Testing

Higher Education Issues Affirmative Action Costs of Higher Education

Focused Discussion: Higher Education Affordability, Cost, and Value

Economic Issues Political Issues

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Equity and Ethical Issues Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

11 | Environmental and Energy Policy Background The Evolution of Environmental and Energy Policy

Early Environmental and Energy Policies The Modern Environmental Movement and Policy Developments

From Consensus to Conflict in Environmental Policy Major Federal Environmental Policies

The National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Protection Statutes and the EPA Natural Resource Policies

Energy Policy Focused Discussion: Climate Change and Energy Policy Alternatives

Effectiveness Economic Issues Political Feasibility Ethical Issues

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

12 | Foreign Policy and Homeland Security Background and Policy Evolution

The Marshall Plan, NATO, and the Cold War The United Nations and Globalization Military Buildup and Nuclear Weapons The Intelligence Agencies and the War in Iraq Economic and Military Assistance: Foreign Aid

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Selected Issues in Homeland Security Comparing Homeland Security Threats: How Vulnerable Are We? The Case of Transportation Security

Focused Discussion: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism

Effectiveness and Efficiency Legal and Ethical Concerns

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

Part IV: Conclusions 13 | Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice

Policy Analysis, Citizen Participation, and Policy Change Public Policies and Their Impacts

Policy Conflicts and Incremental Decision Making Policy Strategies with No Crystal Ball

Policy Analysis and Policy Choices Evaluating Public Policy Improving Policy Capacity

Citizen Participation in Decision Making Citizen Capacity and Policy Engagement New Forms of Citizen Participation

Conclusions Discussion Questions Keywords Major Legislation Suggested Readings Suggested Websites Notes

Glossary References Index

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Chapter 1 Working with Sources: Interest Groups on the Web (box) 11 Working with Sources: The Public’s Political Knowledge (box) 13 Private Goods and Public Goods (figure) 23 Steps to Analysis: How to Interpret Policy Studies (box) 27

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Chapter 2 Federal, State, and Local Agents of Policymaking and Avenues of Policy Formation (figure) 43 Working with Sources: State Public Policies (box) 47 Working with Sources: Congress (box) 50 Working with Sources: Executive Departments and Agencies (box) 53 Federal Cabinet Departments and Major Agencies (table) 56 Working with Sources: The Federal Judiciary (box) 58 U.S. Global Warming Opinion Groups (figure) 60 Steps to Analysis: Public Opinion (box) 60 Working with Sources: Interest Group Policy Strategies (box) 63

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Chapter 3 The Policy Process Model (table) 84 Steps to Analysis: What’s on the Agenda? (box) 88 Steps to Analysis: Appraising Policy Formulation (box) 93 Steps to Analysis: Judging Policy Legitimation (box) 94 Instruments of Public Policy (figure) 101

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Chapter 4 Steps in the Policy Analysis Process (figure) 117 Orientations to Policy Analysis (figure) 124 Steps to Analysis: Think Tank Positions on Policy Issues (box) 125 Working with Sources: Comparing Think Tanks (box) 127

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Chapter 5 National Health Expenditure and Revenue by Category, 2017 (figure) 144 Working with Sources: Sustainable Development Indicators (box) 145 Steps to Analysis: Major Components of Problem Analysis (box) 150 What Governments Can Do (figure) 155 Steps to Analysis: Policy Design Tools (box) 157

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Chapter 6 Selected Criteria for Evaluating Public Policy Proposals (figure) 170 Steps to Analysis: Conducting a Cost-Benefit Analysis (box) 180 Steps to Analysis: Ethical Analysis: The Case of Organ Donation (box) 195

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Chapter 7 Steps to Analysis: Employment and Unemployment Statistics (box) 212 Working with Sources: The Consumer Price Index (box) 213 Tools of Monetary Policy (figure) 219 Steps to Analysis: Variables in Making Tax Policy (box) 223 The Federal Budgetary Process (figure) 225 Working with Sources: Views on Economics and Budgeting (box) 234 Composition of Mandatory Spending (figure) 236

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Chapter 8 Working with Sources: Health Care Policy Information (box) 253 Major Features of the Affordable Care Act (box) 256 Major Government Health-Related Programs (table) 262 National Health Expenditures, 1980–2027 (in current dollars) (table) 271 Steps to Analysis: Regulation of New Drug Approval (box) 273 State Obesity Rates, 2017 (figure) 280 Working with Sources: Ethical Issues in Health Care (box) 283

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Chapter 9 Characteristics of Individuals Living below Poverty, 2017 (figure) 295 U.S. Poverty Rates by Age, 1959–2017 (figure) 296 Gini Coefficient for U.S. Income Distribution, 2017 (figure) 297 Income Distribution in the United States, 2017 (table) 297 Steps to Analysis: AARP as an Advocacy Group (box) 302 Fewer Workers per Retiree, 1955–2095 (figure) 303 Working with Sources: Welfare and Its Ability to Meet Needs (box) 312 TANF’s Reach Declined Significantly over Time (figure) 315

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Chapter 10 Steps to Analysis: What Successful Education Programs Require (box) 333 Steps to Analysis: State Education Funding (box) 334 Steps to Analysis: Civic Knowledge (box) 336 Median Salaries of Selected Occupations, 2017 (table) 342 Inflation-Adjusted Tuition and Fees, 1988–1989 and 2018– 2019 (figure) 348 Steps to Analysis: “I’m a Student-Debt Slave” (box) 349 Federal Loans and Pell Grants Awards by Type of Institution, 2016–2017 (table) 350 Educational Appropriations per Pupil, Percent Change by State, 2013–2018 (figure) 353 2017 Median and Mean Salaries of People over Age Twenty- Five, by Educational Attainment (table) 355 Number of Loans and Loan Amounts for First-Time, Full-Time Undergraduate Students for Their First Year in College (in constant 2016 dollars) (table) 358

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Chapter 11 Steps to Analysis: Sustainable Development in the United States and the World (box) 371 Major U.S. Environmental Laws, 1964–2019 (table) 377 Steps to Analysis: Voting Records on the Environment (box) 380 Working with Sources: Executive Agencies with Environmental Responsibilities (box) 381 Working with Sources: Environmental Policy Advocacy (box) 386 Comparison of Growth Areas and Emissions, 1980–2017 (figure) 389 Working with Sources: Evaluating Environmental and Energy Policy (box) 390 U.S. Energy Consumption by Energy Source, 2017 (figure) 398

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Chapter 12 Steps to Analysis: The National Security Agency and Domestic Surveillance (box) 414 Steps to Analysis: What Is the Cost of the Global War on Terrorism? (box) 426 Foreign Aid Given by OECD Countries, Total (in billions of dollars) and as Percent of Gross National Income, 2018 (figure) 428 Top Foreign Aid Recipients, 2018, Estimated (figure) 429 Steps to Analysis: Transportation and Border Security (box) 436

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Chapter 13 Decline of Public Confidence in Government, 1958–2019 (figure) 465 Steps to Analysis: Money in Politics (box) 467 Steps to Analysis: Using Websites to Influence Public Opinion and Policy Debate (box) 470

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Preface

Forecasts about likely future conditions often are hard to make. But we can be sure of one thing. Health care costs are going to soar in the coming decades as the baby boom generation continues to age and demands an array of increasingly expensive medical services. From 2008 through 2013, U.S. health care spending grew by less than 4 percent annually, one of the lowest rates in more than fifty years, providing some modest relief from what had been an unrelenting upward spiral in costs. In 2014, the rate increased somewhat from these levels, rising to 5.3 percent, following a 2.9 percent rise in 2013, largely because of expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The following years saw further, although historically moderate, increases: 5.8 percent in 2015, 4.8 percent in 2016, and 3.9 percent in 2017. Nonetheless, total health care spending rose to a record high of $3.5 trillion in 2017, or almost 18 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). The United States spent $10,739 per person for health care in 2017, a figure certain to grow substantially over the next decade. Indeed, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services projects that per capita spending on health care by 2026 will be an astonishing $16,907 and that overall health care spending will rise to $6 trillion, or nearly 19.4 percent of GDP.

The new spending figures were released in late 2018, more than eight years after President Barack Obama succeeded in gaining approval from Congress for his sweeping changes in health care policy, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, also known as Obamacare. One purpose of the act was to slow the rate of increase in the nation’s health care spending. Whatever effects the complex and far-reaching act may have, assuming that it survives continuing legal challenges and opposition by Republicans in Congress as well as the administration of President Donald Trump, we are still likely to see an ongoing rise in national health care costs. What is the best way to deal with these ballooning costs, particularly in light of other trends—for example, continuing high levels of obesity—that could drive up costs even further? How should we protect the solvency

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of the Medicare trust fund as demands from baby boomers threaten to bankrupt it and jeopardize benefits for future generations? Indeed, what forms of health care and Social Security will be available to the generation of citizens now in their teens and twenties? What are the alternatives from which we must choose, and on what basis should we decide?

Such public policy decisions touch nearly every aspect of daily life in the United States, although many people fail to recognize or fully understand their impacts. Social Security reform, for example, may not seem terribly urgent to most young people today, but it undoubtedly will shape the quality of their lives decades down the road. This is why citizens need to understand not only how governments make policy choices but also how to evaluate those choices in what is often a sea of conflicting and misleading information and arguments. We believe the reason to be politically aware is simple: policymakers are more responsive to the public’s preferences and needs and, in some cases, are more effective when citizens take a greater interest in public affairs and play a more active role in the policymaking process. We hope this text stimulates readers’ interest and concern while equipping them with the skills they need to think critically and creatively about policy problems.

The subtitle of this book—Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives— explicitly expresses what we are trying to accomplish, which differs from conventional books on public policy. This text integrates three aspects of public policy study: government institutions and the policymaking process, the concepts and methods of policy analysis, and the choices that we make collectively about substantive public policies at all levels of government. Throughout, we focus on the interrelationship of government institutions, the interests and motivations of policy actors both inside and outside of government, and the role of policy analysis in clarifying public problems and helping citizens and policymakers choose among policy alternatives. These central themes are reinforced by providing students with the tools they need—how to find key and reliable information, how to use specific evaluative criteria, how to apply policy analysis methods and critical thinking, and how to assess the role of politics in

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policymaking—to investigate issues and carry out policy analysis on their own. We believe that this hands-on approach is the best way to teach the skills of analysis and give students not only an understanding of the conduct of public policy but also a way into the process.

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A Focus on Policy Analysis By emphasizing the pervasiveness of public policy, we try to make its study a vital activity for students. They can better appreciate the power they wield to effect change in the system once they are armed with the tools of policy analysis. However, the logic of public policy and its study must be addressed before students encounter these powerful tools of the trade. In Part I, we demonstrate that public policy choices are not made in a vacuum. Social, economic, political, and cultural contexts matter, as do the distinguishing characteristics of the U.S. government and the rationales behind government intervention. An understanding of the structure of institutions, the motivation of policy actors (both formal and informal), and the unique nature of the U.S. political system will allow students to comprehend the complexity of government while discovering opportunities for engagement with the process. We present multiple perspectives on the policymaking process, from elite theory to rational choice theory, but concentrate on the policy process model—a portrayal of policymaking as a sequence of key activities from agenda setting to policy implementation—that is used in the rest of the book. We hope these chapters encourage students to ask how decisions are made as well as why they are made in one way and not another.

Part II gets to the heart of the book and explains the approaches and methods of policy analysis, laying a foundation for dissecting and understanding public problems and policy choices. With careful application of the tools and perspectives of policy analysis, students can interpret complex and conflicting data and arguments, evaluate alternative courses of action, and anticipate the consequences of policy choices. Specific cases—from tax cuts and cell phone use by drivers to immigration reform and energy policy—illustrate both the difficulty of policy analysis and its value in policymaking. Students learn how to find and interpret policy-relevant information and to acquire an understanding of the limitations to what government can do about public problems. The evaluative criteria at the book’s core—a focus on effectiveness, efficiency, and equity—train students to think clearly about policy

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alternatives. Ethical considerations necessarily receive considerable attention as do the more common concerns over effectiveness and efficiency. Brief case studies, such as those involving human organ donation, personal privacy in relation to homeland security goals, national energy policy and climate change, and the morality of contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act, give students the opportunity to grapple with controversial issues for which no policymaker has the answer.

Part III consists of six substantive policy chapters designed to illustrate and apply the concepts and methods introduced in the first two sections of the book. The six core policy areas— economics and budgeting, health care, welfare and Social Security, education, energy and the environment, and foreign policy and homeland security—represent a substantial part of contemporary U.S. policymaking and also present a diversity of economic, political, and ethical issues for analysis. This part of the text offers a clear picture of the issues that beginning analysts would encounter in policymaking or in the evaluation of all areas of public policy. For readers who want to probe more deeply into those policy areas that we discuss peripherally—for instance, criminal justice and civil rights and liberties—we strongly recommend Issues for Debate in American Public Policy (2019), which offers selections from the CQ Researcher and abundant references to current policy debates.

Consistent with the text’s emphasis on analysis, we begin each policy area chapter with a brief illustration of a policy scenario, such as the rising costs of health care and the gap between spending and results, the persistence of poverty in the United States, conflicts over energy policy and climate change, and the balance between domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) and civil liberties, to spark student interest. A background section describes the public problems faced and the solutions chosen to date. We briefly summarize major policies and programs, discuss when and how they came into effect, review available policy evaluations, and suggest how students can investigate policy alternatives. At the end of each chapter, we offer a focused discussion of policy reform in terms of several of the key evaluative criteria used throughout the text, particularly

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effectiveness, efficiency, equity, and ethics. These discussions link closely to the kinds of questions that can be asked about any proposal for policy change and how it might be addressed. In Part IV, a concluding chapter brings together the arguments of the text, evaluates opportunities for citizen involvement in policymaking, and looks to future challenges in public policy.

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New to This Edition We made a great many changes throughout the text while preparing this seventh edition. We updated material in every chapter, particularly those that focus on substantive policy topics, and streamlined content to present the most essential information. In all chapters, we incorporated new studies and interpretations and made use of new illustrations and case studies of policy controversies and actions. In addition, we sought throughout the text to improve the clarity of presentation and to update all references to websites and recommended readings. We continue to use learning objectives that begin each chapter; they help to guide students on key chapter content and takeaways. Graphics in Parts I and II of the book provide illustrations of processes and functions essential to policymaking, enlivening the text and providing more material for visual learners.

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Special Features To underscore the importance we place on active learning and critical engagement, we include two unique text boxes to guide students as they research policy problems: “Working with Sources” and “Steps to Analysis.” The Working with Sources feature identifies important sources of information and how to utilize them, providing step-by-step suggestions on how to make good (and critical) use of the information found on internet sites— among other resources—that offer important data sources and policy perspectives. The Steps to Analysis feature invites critical thinking about specific policy problems. It demonstrates how to ask the urgent questions that drive policy analysis and then presents ways to narrow and refine these questions into feasible projects. To further direct students to the information they need, discussion questions at the end of each chapter get at, for instance, the “best” way to deal with health care concerns, environmental problems, education issues, or homeland security. These questions are followed by annotated suggested readings, suggested websites, a list of major legislation where appropriate, a list of keywords, and chapter notes. Students will find a list of references and a glossary at the end of the book as well. All have been updated for this edition of the text.

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Support for Instructors and Students This edition comes with a full range of high-quality, class-tested instructor and student digital resources prepared by Alicia Fernandez. Each resource is specifically tailored to Public Policy.

SAGE Edge offers a robust online environment featuring an impressive array of free tools and resources for review, study, and further exploration, keeping both instructors and students on the cutting edge of teaching and learning. Learn more at edge.sagepub.com/kraft7e.

SAGE Edge for Students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to- use learning environment.

Mobile-friendly Flashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts. Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material. Chapter summaries and learning objectives reinforce the most important material.

SAGE Edge for Instructors supports your teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students. Go to edge.sagepub.com/kraft7e and click on “Instructor Resources” to register and begin downloading resources.

Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert your own personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding. Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation for your course. Instructor Manual for each chapter includes a chapter summary, learning objectives, video and multimedia links,

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discussion questions, and in-class activities. All tables and figures from the textbook are included.

SAGE Coursepacks makes it easy to import our quality instructor and student resource content into your school’s learning management system (LMS). Intuitive and simple to use, SAGE Coursepacks gives you the control to focus on what really matters: customizing course content to meet your students’ needs.

Customized and curated for use in:

Blackboard

Canvas

Desire2Learn (D2L)

Moodle

Created specifically for Public Policy by Michael Kraft and Scott Furlong, SAGE Coursepacks is included FREE! Instructors, contact your sales representative to request a brief demonstration or additional information. Learning and teaching has never been easier!

SAGE Coursepacks for INSTRUCTORS supports teaching with quality content and easy-to-integrate course management tools, featuring:

Our content delivered directly into your LMS Intuitive and easy-to-use format that makes it easy to integrate SAGE Coursepacks into your course with minimal effort Pedagogically robust assessment tools that foster review, practice, and critical thinking, and offer a better, more complete way to measure student engagement, including:

Instructions on how to use and integrate the comprehensive assessments and resources provided

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Chapter tests that identify opportunities for student improvement, track student progress, and ensure mastery of key learning objectives Test banks built on Bloom’s taxonomy that provide a diverse range of test items Activity and quiz options that allow you to choose only the assignments and tests you want

Access to all the resources offered on SAGE Edge, including PowerPoints, Instructor’s Manual, and tables and figures

SAGE Coursepacks for STUDENTS enhances learning in an easy-to-use environment that offers all the resources provided on SAGE Edge, including mobile-friendly Flashcards and practice quizzes, chapter summaries, and learning objectives.

We have tried to make this text a distinctive and appealing introduction to the study of public policy while also maintaining a commitment to scholarly rigor. Our experience with students in many years of teaching tells us that they can handle demanding reading and exercises if these are linked firmly to concrete issues that affect society and students’ personal lives.

Above all, the text emphasizes the urgency of making government more responsive to citizens’ concerns and equips students with the skills they need to understand policy controversies. These skills are particularly important today, a time of significant political change in the nation and a renewed determination to alter the direction of public policy in many areas. Thus we hope the text inspires students to take a serious interest in government, politics, and public policy, and to participate enthusiastically in policy debates and decision making both today and throughout their lives.

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Acknowledgments Preparation of this text reflects contributions from many individuals and institutions. We are particularly grateful for support from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, from our colleagues in the Department of Public and Environmental Affairs at that university, and from the provost’s office at the State University of New York at Oswego. Our students in Introduction to Public Policy, Public Policy Analysis, and other courses have taught us much over the years, especially about what they need to know to become informed citizens and effective policy professionals. We are also grateful to them for allowing us the liberty of asking them to read drafts of the chapters.

We appreciate as well the efforts of hundreds of creative public policy scholars whose work makes a book like this possible. Our citation of their publications is a modest way of acknowledging our dependence on their research and insights into policy analysis and policymaking. We are particularly indebted to the many scholars who reviewed the book’s earlier editions and offered critical appraisals and perceptive, helpful suggestions. These include the following:

Susan Appe, State University of New York at Albany John M. Aughenbaugh, Virginia Commonwealth University Melissa Bass, University of Mississippi Marci Berger, Rutgers University Jessica Boscarino, Marist College Donna Comrie, Florida International University Valerie Cooley, Brown University Jeronimo Cortina, University of Houston Robert Dibie, Indiana University Kokomo Marc Eisner, Wesleyan University Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, University of North Texas Tammy R. Greer, Atlanta Metropolitan State College Jennifer Jackman, Salem State University Aubrey Jewett, University of Central Florida Joseph Karlesky, Franklin and Marshall College

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Lael R. Keiser, University of Missouri Paul Lewis, Arizona State University Steven Maloney, University of St. Thomas Marcus D. Mauldin, University of Tennessee–Chattanooga Basilio Monteiro, St. John’s University Bruce Nesmith, Coe College Philip Nicholas, Bloomsburg University Michael Rich, Emory University Benjaman R. Schmidt, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Mordu Serry-Kamal, Winston-Salem State University Deborah Stine, Carnegie Mellon University Margaret Stout, West Virginia University Linda Trautman, Ohio University Shannon Vaughan, Western Kentucky University Clayton Wukich, Sam Houston State University

Special thanks are also due to the skilled and conscientious staff at CQ Press and SAGE: Charisse Kiino, Scott Greenan, Anna Villarruel, Scott Harris, Lauren Younker, Tracy Buyan, as well as the copy editor, Melinda Masson. As always, any remaining errors and omissions rest on our shoulders. We hope readers will alert us to any such defects and suggest changes they would like to see in future editions. Contact us at kraftm@uwgb.edu or scott.furlong@oswego.edu.

Michael E. Kraft

Scott R. Furlong

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