Welcome to Public Policy Analysis

Unit 1

Course Logistics

Course layout & Assignments

Welcome

Contact

Office Hours: Primary – Phone 770-375-6774 and occasionally I will be on AIM: seabrooks09 – Tuesday’s 4pm to 6pm eastern

E-mail : TSeabrooks@kaplan.edu

Seminar’s – Monday’s8pm to 9pm Eastern Time

5 Points for each seminar

July 2012

7/9; 7/16; 7/23; 7/30 - 4 Seminars

August 2012

8/13; 8/20; 8/27 – 3 Seminars

September 2012

No Seminar on September 3rd Holiday

Course Logistics

Discussion Board – Each week there is a topic worth 20 points Across at least 3 days a week

Response to the Topic question(s) Responses to at least 2 classmates

Responses are original, thoughtful, relevant, include original evaluation, and advance the discussion

Please ensure contributions are made in a timely manner to allow for student feedback

(1Topic each week except week 3)

Course Logistics

Discussion Board cont’d

Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.

Please make sure your message is substantive – more than “I agree” or less than a paragraph response.

When you use information from our textbook or other sources you MUST cite references.

Wait to response to a message that upsets you and be careful of what you say and how you say it. (Contact Professor)

Course Logistics

Late Work – All assignments are due on the due date. Failure to submit on time can result in 5% deduction per week will be assessed on all late work. No late work will be accepted more than 3 weeks after the original due date or after the conclusion of Unit 7 without an extenuating circumstance AND prior instructor approval.

Extenuating Circumstances: Contact your instructor immediately if you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from completing assignments, projects, and quizzes, attending seminars, or participating in the class.

Course Logistics

Attendance – 21 consecutive days not in attendance will drop you from the course. If I do not see you and your grade is 70%

or lower I will call.

Text – Located under each unit (Reading) - Also, Internet Resources

Dropbox – Submit all assignments except seminar alternative.

Course Logistics

Gradebook – Each week I will post your weekly feedback by Sunday of the following week.

Plagiarism – Is not permitted (Syllabus)

As Diane Hacker writes in Rules for Writers (6th edition): “Three different acts are considered plagiarism: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words” (p. 480).

1.Introduce yourself to your classmates

2.Review: Unit 1 Key Terms

3.Read: Chapter 1, and Mini Lecture on the Reading page.

4.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

5.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (07/09/2012)

6.Review Unit 2 Assignment (100 Points) – July 17, 2012

Unit 1 – Introduction to Public Policy Analysis

1.Review Unit 2 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapters 2 and 3; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (07/16/2012)

5.Submit Unit 2 Assignment (100 Points) – July 17, 2012

Unit 2 – Role of Politics in Policy Analysis

1.Review Unit 3 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapter 4; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (07/23/2012)

5.Complete Quiz (50 Points) – July 24, 2012

6.Review Unit 4 Assignment (115 Points) – July 31, 2012

Unit 3 – Analyzing Public Policy

1.Review Unit 4 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapters 5 and 6; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (07/30/2012)

5.Complete and submit Unit 4 Assignment (115 Points) – July 31, 2012

Unit 4 – Comparing Public Policy Options

1.No Discussion Topic

2.No Seminar (August 6th)

3.Complete Midterm – Short Quiz (100 Points)August 7, 2012

4. Review and start on Unit 6 Assignment (130 Points) – August 14, 2012

Unit 5 – Midterm WeekAugust 1st to August 7th

1.Review Unit 6 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapter 7; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (08/13/2012)

5.Complete and submit Unit 6 Assignment (130 Points) – August 14, 2012

Unit 6 – Economic Policy Analysis

1.Review Unit 7 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapter 11; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Seminar - 5 Points (08/20/2012)

5.Complete Quiz (50 Points) – August 21, 2012

6.Review Unit 8 Assignment (135 Points) – August 28, 2012

Unit 7 – Environmental & Energy Policy Analysis

1.Review Unit 8 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapter 8; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.Attend Last Seminar - 5 Points (08/27/2012)

5.Complete and submit Unit 8 Assignment (135 Points) – August 28, 2012

Unit 8 – Health Care Policy Analysis

1.Review Unit 9 Key Terms on the reading page

2.Read: Chapter 12; Mini Lecture on the Reading Page

3.Post to the Discussion Board - 20 Points

4.No Seminar - 5 Points (09/03/2012)

5.Complete the Final Exam Unit 9 Assignment (120 Points) – September 4, 2012

Unit 9 – Homeland Security Policy Analysis

1.Post to the Discussion Board

2.No Seminar (09/10/2012)

3.Complete the Student Survey

Unit 10 – Reflective Summary

Introduction to Public Policy

What is public policy?What are the contexts of public policy?Why do governments intervene?Why study public policy?

What is public policy?

Public policy is…

What government chooses to do (or not to do) about problems

Formally approved policy goals and means to achieve them

Practices of agencies that implement programs

Basic Concepts

Contexts of Public Policy

Why do governments intervene?

Reasons for Intervention

Externalities

Information Failure

Not a problem for certain items one buys a lot (e.g., food)

More of a problem for:large items (cars)items difficult to understand without

assistance (e.g., prescription drugs)

Types of Goods/Services

Why public policy?

reasons for studying policy

Policy Analysis

Systematic, organized way to evaluate exiting programs or potential policy alternatives

Need for thoughtful and impartial assessment of problems and solutions

policy evaluative criteria

Unit 2 Assignment

Unit 2 Assignment

In October of 2008, Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (commonly called the bailout bill). The bill provided $700 billion dollars aimed at supporting the financial industry. The bill was supported by 91 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives as well as 33 Republican Senators including 2008 Presidential candidate Senator John McCain. Four months later in February of 2009, Congress passed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan of 2009 (commonly called the stimulus bill). The bill received no Republican votes in the U.S. House of Representatives and only 3 Republican Senators voted to support the legislation. Although both bills dealt with injecting massive amounts of tax payer dollars into the faltering U.S. economy, the level of bi-partisan support was drastically different.

Unit 2 Assignment

Directions:

Create an outline of the October 2008 and February 2009 political environments listing at least five (5) descriptive features of both environments.

At the end of the outline, write a summary paragraph of how the two political environments led to the vastly different levels of support for the “bailout” and “stimulus” bills.

References

Kraft, M. E. and Furlong, S.R. (2010) Public policy: Politics, analysis,

and alternative (3rd ed.). Washington, D. C.: CQ Press.

Adjourn

Have a great week…

“See” you on the Discussion Boards

Goodnight!