9780130223616

For undergraduate-level courses in Public Affairs, Public Policy, and Policy Research Methods, in departments of Public Affairs or Political Science. Previously titled Policy Choices and Public Action, this text is a comprehensive guide for understanding and participating in the discussion and debate on American public affairs decision making. The multidisciplinary author team offers a many-faceted examination of policy problems covering the economic, political, and social agenda of the nation. The text balances the traditional descriptive approach with a problem-solving professional approachi.e., it presents a series of public problems and invites consideration of possible solutions. Designed to encompass the broader scope of public affairs as well as political science, it takes a global perspective in examining the processes by which policies are developed, implemented, managed, and changed, highlighting the role of government agencies and bureaucracies along with non-governmental organizations.

Preface

ix

The American Public

1

(30)

Introduction

1

(1)

Distinguishing Public from Private

1

(2)

State, Government, and Civil Society

3

(5)

The American Public in a Global Context

8

(6)

American Demographics

14

(9)

How Do Publics Choose?

23

(2)

What Holds a Public Together?

25

(2)

Summary

27

(1)

Discussion Questions

28

(1)

Suggested Readings

28

(1)

Endnotes

28

(3)

Who Needs Government?

31

(34)

Introduction

31

(2)

What Government Is

33

(15)

What Government Does

48

(2)

The U.S. Constitutional Formula

50

(6)

The Government Debate Revisited

56

(5)

Summary

61

(1)

Discussion Questions

62

(1)

Suggested Readings

63

(1)

Endnotes

63

(2)

Making Public Policy

65

(21)

The Government's Policy Role

65

(3)

The Public Policy Process

68

(6)

Action on the Decision Agenda

74

(1)

A Framework for Making Policy Choices

75

(7)

Applying the Concepts

82

(2)

Summary

84

(1)

Discussion Questions

85

(1)

Suggested Readings

85

(1)

Endnotes

85

(1)

Government Regulation

86

(21)

Introduction

86

(1)

The Growth of Regulation

87

(1)

Rationale for Regulation

88

(5)

The Iron Law

93

(4)

The Policy Cycle: Transport Deregulation and Privatization

97

(2)

Emerging Regulatory Issues

99

(6)

Summary

105

(1)

Discussion Questions

106

(1)

Suggested Readings

106

(1)

Economic Stabilization and Growth

107

(25)

Introduction

107

(2)

The Government's Role in the Contemporary Economy

109

(1)

Analyzing Business Conditions

110

(6)

The Objectives of Economic Policy

116

(11)

The Economic Policy Landscape

127

(2)

Summary

129

(1)

Discussion Questions

130

(1)

Suggested Readings

131

(1)

Endnotes

131

(1)

U.S. Policy in a Global Economy

132

(39)

Introduction

132

(2)

The Globalization Phenomenon

134

(3)

U.S. International Trading Policy in Perspective

137

(4)

Forms of Protectionism

141

(2)

Pros and Cons of Free Trade

143

(8)

Facilitating Institutions in the International Trading Environment

151

(6)

Regional Trading Organizations

157

(4)

Currency Exchange Issues

161

(3)

The Asian Crisis

164

(1)

International Economic Policy Issues in the New Century

165

(2)

Summary

167

(1)

Discussion Questions

168

(1)

Suggested Readings

169

(1)

Endnotes

169

(2)

Poverty and Welfare: A Heartless Society?

171

(37)

Introduction

171

(1)

The Face of U.S. Poverty

171

(3)

Defining Poverty

174

(9)

The Welfare Mess (including the 1996 Welfare reforms)

183

(12)

Future Directions (including the Social Security puzzle)

195

(8)

Decision Dilemmas

203

(2)

Summary

205

(1)

Discussion Questions

206

(1)

Suggested Readings

206

(1)

Endnotes

207

(1)

The Mirage of Healthy Security

208

(32)

Introduction

208

(4)

The U.S. ``System''

212

(7)

The Problem

219

(6)

Alternatives

225

(4)

What Policies Work? (including Medicare reform)

229

(8)

Summary

237

(1)

Discussion Questions

238

(1)

Suggested Readings

238

(1)

Endnotes

239

(1)

Education and the Human Capital Challenge

240

(30)

Introduction

240

(1)

Education Is Money

241

(4)

The Condition of American Public Schools

245

(7)

Strategies and Standards

252

(3)

Options

255

(10)

Who Will Pay?

265

(2)

Summary

267

(1)

Discussion Questions

267

(1)

Suggested Readings

267

(1)

Endnotes

268

(2)

Environmental Policy

270

(25)

Introduction

270

(1)

Early Environmental Problems

271

(1)

The Role of Science in Environmental Policy

272

(2)

Principal Environmental Laws

274

(5)

Global Warming

279

(3)

Solid Waste Disposal

282

(11)

Summary

293

(1)

Discussion Questions

293

(1)

Suggested Readings

293

(1)

Endnotes

294

(1)

Agricultural Policy: Back to the Market

295

(19)

Introduction

295

(1)

The Origins of U.S. Agriculture Policy

296

(6)

A Growing Litany of Wasteful Programs

302

(8)

Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act

310

(2)

Summary

312

(1)

Discussion Questions

313

(1)

Suggested Readings

313

(1)

Endnotes

313

(1)

Natural Resource Policy: Threats of Running Out

314

(18)

Changing View of Natural Resources

314

(4)

Fisheries

318

(6)

Forests

324

(6)

Summary

330

(1)

Discussion Questions

330

(1)

Suggested Readings

331

(1)

Transportation Policy: Taming the Automobile

332

(18)

Introduction

332

(1)

Growth in Auto Ownership

333

(1)

Metropolitan Decentralization

333

(2)

Problems with Cars

335

(1)

Highway Safety

335

(5)

Road Construction

340

(1)

Problems with Public Transit

341

(4)

Car Pools

345

(1)

Road Pricing

346

(1)

Intelligent Transportation

347

(1)

Summary

348

(1)

Discussion Questions

348

(1)

Suggested Readings

349

(1)

Endnote

349

(1)

Implementing Public Policy: Management Matters!

350

(25)

Introduction

350

(2)

Background Issues in Governmental Reform

352

(9)

Managing Government in the Twenty-First Century

361

(10)

Summary: What Now? The Face of Government in the Twenty-First Century

371

(2)

Discussion Questions

373

(1)

Suggested Readings

373

(1)

Endnotes

374

(1)

Appendix: Quick Guide to the Internet

375

(3)

Endnotes

377

(1)

Glossary

378

(11)

Index

389

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American Public Policy Problems: An Introductory Guide

0130223611

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