what is policy

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what is policy?
Websters definition a definitive course of
action selected from among alternatives to guide
and determine present and future decisions
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what is public policy?
governmental response to public issues
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what is environmental policy?
governmental response to public environmental
issues
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characteristics of environmental policy

• fluid
• policy makers seldom act without constraints
• volatile mixture of politics and science

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cycle of policy development
agenda setting
policy termination
formulation/legitimization
assessment reformulation
implementation
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major constraints to environmental policy

• constitutional
• checks and balances

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(No Transcript)
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major constraints to environmental policy

• constitutional
• checks and balances
• federalism
• organized interests

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constraints continued

• incrementalism
• interest group dynamics
• political seasons
• major parties
• public mood
• economic change

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policy realities

• it is easier to defeat an initiative than it
• is to enact one, i.e., there is power in the
• status quo
• most decisions are bargained by
• coalition building

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types of policy

• distributive policy
• competitive regulatory policy
• protective regulatory policy
• redistributive policy

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types of policy

• distributive policy supports publicly
  beneficial private
• activities not usually undertaken by private
  sector

Players Iron Triangle
Affected Interest Group
Relevant Executive Branch Agency
Relevant Congressional Committees/Subcommittees
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types of policy
2. competitive regulatory policy parties
compete and the government regulates
Players Relevant Executive Branch Agency
(Captured) Regulated Industries

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types of policy
3. protective regulatory policy protects the
public by regulating private activities
Players All levels of Congress Business
Interest Groups
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types of policy

• redistributive policy seeks to change
  allocation of
• valued goods or services

Players President Congress, especially
congressional leaders Large
interest groups
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introduction to environmental policy

• what it is
• how policy is made
• constraints
• realities
• types