American Public Policy: Promise and Performance, 9th Edition


Book Description

Voting and elections may often be cited as the most entertaining aspect of political theatre, however, it is the arena of public policy that has the most direct impact on the lives of the citizenry. And as we have seen played out in recent debates over healthcare reform, policy changes can be dramatic, sweeping, and often hotly contested. Known for providing a trusted and comprehensive overview of the policy process, B. Guy Peters returns with the ninth edition of American Public Policy: Promise and Performance. Beyond walking students through the governmental structures and policy-making procedures, Peters efficiently covers a wide swath of policy areas, and then concludes with a look at both cost-benefit analysis and ethical analysis. Framed in context of the aftermath of the financial crisis and Great Recession, the ninth edition considers how policy has been impacted by persistent unemployment and growing income inequality. In addition, Peters discusses the strain on education budgets, increased oversight of financial activities, fiscal policies meant to stimulate the economy, and the political challenge of balancing the budget in light of increased public spending.







Understanding Public Policy


Book Description

The fully revised second edition of this textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to theories of public policy and policymaking. The policy process is complex: it contains hundreds of people and organisations from various levels and types of government, from agencies, quasi- and non-governmental organisations, interest groups and the private and voluntary sectors. This book sets out the major concepts and theories that are vital for making sense of the complexity of public policy, and explores how to combine their insights when seeking to explain the policy process. While a wide range of topics are covered – from multi-level governance and punctuated equilibrium theory to 'Multiple Streams' analysis and feminist institutionalism – this engaging text draws out the common themes among the variety of studies considered and tackles three key questions: what is the story of each theory (or multiple theories); what does policy theory tell us about issues like 'evidence based policymaking'; and how 'universal' are policy theories designed in the Global North? This book is the perfect companion for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying public policy, whether focussed on theory, analysis or the policy process, and it is essential reading for all those on MPP or MPM programmes. New to this Edition: - New sections on power, feminist institutionalism, the institutional analysis and development framework, the narrative policy framework, social construction and policy design - A consideration of policy studies in relation to the Global South in an updated concluding chapter - More coverage of policy formulation and tools, the psychology of policymaking and complexity theory - Engaging discussions of punctuated equilibrium, the advocacy coalition framework and multiple streams analysis




Politics and Public Policy


Book Description

Getting beyond the traditional policy cycle discussed in most textbooks, the fully updated fourth edition of Politics and Public Policy offers a more comprehensive and realistic view of policymaking in the United States—one that looks beyond the jockeying between presidents and members of Congress, and explores the influence of corporate leaders, interest groups, bureaucrats, judges, and journalists. The book explores six distinct, yet connected, policy domains: Boardroom Politics (decisions by business leaders and professionals); Bureaucratic Politics (rule-making and adjudication by administrators); Cloakroom Politics (lawmaking by legislators); Chief Executive Politics (decision making by presidents, governors, mayors, and their advisers); Courtroom Politics (rulings by judges); and Living Room Politics (opinions expressed through the mass media, grassroots movements, political activists, and voters). The authors’ unique framework prepares students to evaluate the strategies of various political actors within each domain.




Lobbying and Policy Change


Book Description

During the 2008 election season, politicians from both sides of the aisle promised to rid government of lobbyists’ undue influence. For the authors of Lobbying and Policy Change, the most extensive study ever done on the topic, these promises ring hollow—not because politicians fail to keep them but because lobbies are far less influential than political rhetoric suggests. Based on a comprehensive examination of ninety-eight issues, this volume demonstrates that sixty percent of recent lobbying campaigns failed to change policy despite millions of dollars spent trying. Why? The authors find that resources explain less than five percent of the difference between successful and unsuccessful efforts. Moreover, they show, these attempts must overcome an entrenched Washington system with a tremendous bias in favor of the status quo. Though elected officials and existing policies carry more weight, lobbies have an impact too, and when advocates for a given issue finally succeed, policy tends to change significantly. The authors argue, however, that the lobbying community so strongly reflects elite interests that it will not fundamentally alter the balance of power unless its makeup shifts dramatically in favor of average Americans’ concerns.




Lobbying the New President


Book Description

Presidential transitions offer the chance for new ideas, policies, and people to inhabit the White House. Transitions have triggered policy change for decades and eager interest groups have sought ways to capitalize on this often chaotic phase of US politics. President-Elect Barack Obama declared that lobbyists would be forbidden from serving his transition and issued stiff regulations and rules to limit their access to the planning for his White House. Yet even though Obama’s efforts mirror previous Presidents anti-lobbyist efforts, all Presidential transitions provide certain channels of influence, and Obama himself chose the head of a powerful and politically oriented think tank, the Center for American Progress, to run his transition. New Presidents need the information, ideas, and political capital that groups possess. Thus a curious paradox. Using an innovative mixed methodology integrating a historical analysis of original documents, original interviews with over 40 interest group leaders and transition leaders, a survey of 300 interest groups and content analysis of 300 interest group letters, Lobbying the New President uncovers the politics of interest group influence during Presidential transitions. In doing so, Heath Brown asks: Was the role played by Heritage in 1980 and CAP in 2008 indicative of a pattern of influence during the transition phase? Or have Presidents effectively shielded themselves from outside influence at the earliest point of their time in office? What can we learn about the larger study of interest groups and the Presidency from a focus on the transition phase? This book is a valuable resource that goes beyond the field of presidency studies which American politics scholars as well as public policy specialists should not go without.




American Public Policy


Book Description

This updated edition of American Public Policy by B. Guy Peters provides a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the policy-making process from procedural approaches and policy instruments to in-depth analysis of specific policy issues. The Eleventh Edition considers how policy has been impacted by recent economic and political developments. Not shying away from the complexity of governmental procedure, Peters ensures that the mechanisms of the policy process are understandable through insightful discussions of topical policy areas.




Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare - Revised Reprint - E-Book


Book Description

Featuring analysis of healthcare issues and first-person stories, Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care helps you develop skills in influencing policy in today’s changing health care environment. 145 expert contributors present a wide range of topics in policies and politics, providing a more complete background than can be found in any other policy textbook on the market. Discussions include the latest updates on conflict management, health economics, lobbying, the use of media, and working with communities for change. The revised reprint includes a new appendix with coverage of the new Affordable Care Act. With these insights and strategies, you’ll be prepared to play a leadership role in the four spheres in which nurses are politically active: the workplace, government, professional organizations, and the community. Up-to-date coverage on the Affordable Care Act in an Appendix new to the revised reprint. Comprehensive coverage of healthcare policies and politics provides a broader understanding of nursing leadership and political activism, as well as complex business and financial issues. Expert authors make up a virtual Nursing Who's Who in healthcare policy, sharing information and personal perspectives gained in the crafting of healthcare policy. Taking Action essays include personal accounts of how nurses have participated in politics and what they have accomplished. Winner of several American Journal of Nursing "Book of the Year" awards! A new Appendix on the Affordable Care Act, its implementation as of mid-2013, and the implications for nursing, is included in the revised reprint. 18 new chapters ensure that you have the most up-to-date information on policy and politics. The latest information and perspectives are provided by nursing leaders who influenced health care reform with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.




The Politics Industry


Book Description

Leading political innovation activist Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter bring fresh perspective, deep scholarship, and a real and actionable solution, Final Five Voting, to the grand challenge of our broken political and democratic system. Final Five Voting has already been adopted in Alaska and is being advanced in states across the country. The truth is, the American political system is working exactly how it is designed to work, and it isn't designed or optimized today to work for us—for ordinary citizens. Most people believe that our political system is a public institution with high-minded principles and impartial rules derived from the Constitution. In reality, it has become a private industry dominated by a textbook duopoly—the Democrats and the Republicans—and plagued and perverted by unhealthy competition between the players. Tragically, it has therefore become incapable of delivering solutions to America's key economic and social challenges. In fact, there's virtually no connection between our political leaders solving problems and getting reelected. In The Politics Industry, business leader and path-breaking political innovator Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter take a radical new approach. They ingeniously apply the tools of business analysis—and Porter's distinctive Five Forces framework—to show how the political system functions just as every other competitive industry does, and how the duopoly has led to the devastating outcomes we see today. Using this competition lens, Gehl and Porter identify the most powerful lever for change—a strategy comprised of a clear set of choices in two key areas: how our elections work and how we make our laws. Their bracing assessment and practical recommendations cut through the endless debate about various proposed fixes, such as term limits and campaign finance reform. The result: true political innovation. The Politics Industry is an original and completely nonpartisan guide that will open your eyes to the true dynamics and profound challenges of the American political system and provide real solutions for reshaping the system for the benefit of all. THE INSTITUTE FOR POLITICAL INNOVATION The authors will donate all royalties from the sale of this book to the Institute for Political Innovation.




Understanding Public Policy


Book Description

The gold-standard for introductory public policy texts, Understanding Public Policy is designed to provide students with concrete tools for both understanding and analyzing public policy. The new fourteenth edition of Understanding Public Policy focuses on the policy challenges confronting the Obama administration. This edition provides students with a close up look at the American healthcare system, current economic policies, issues of homeland security and defense policy among many other current event and issues shaping public policy today. Teaching & Learning Experience Personalize Learning_MySearchLab, which delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals. With a Pearson eText, multiple choice practice quizzes, flashcards, learning objectives and associated media, MySearchLab allows students to utilize what works best for them. Improve Skill Development and Application_ Pedagogical features including visual representations of concepts and theories give students an alternative means of understanding course content. Engage Students_ With a new four-color design, streamlined and updated coverage, and a vibrant new photo program, this edition engages students from the first page. Focusing on current events that students are experiencing in their everyday lives, this book challenges them to analyze the impact and results of policy-making in todayês world. ExploreExamples of Contemporary Public Policy- With special attention paid to the current economic state of our country and the Obama Administrationês recent impact on policy, students are presented with examples of the current events happening around them through the lens of public policy theories. Emphasize Learning Outcomes ã Clearly defined Learning Objectives for each chapter are provided in the MySearchLab. Additionally, students are provided with end-of-chapter summaries to assist with exam preparation and assignments. Understand Theory and Research ã Additional websites for further research and understanding have been included in the end-of-chapter material giving students a place to go for papers and assignments. The MySearchLab offers step-by-step tutorials offering overviews of the entire writing and research process, as well as quizzes for students to test and evaluate their understanding of course content. Support Instructors_ A strong supplements package includes MySearchLab for student studying, complete with chapter learning objectives, multiple choice quizzes, flashcards, and videos. Instructors also have access to an Instructorês Manual and Testbank, as well as PowerPoint slides.