Public Policy
Public policy can be generally defined as "a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of
action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by a governmental
entity or its representatives" (Kilpatrick, 2000). Public policy is enacted in America's laws
and all three branches of government. The federal, state, and local levels implement, enact,
legislate, and influence public policy every day. A city ordinance is an example of public
policy in action. Public policy is generally geared toward the following (ThisNation.com,
n.d.):
"Reconciling conflicting claims for scarce resources
Encouraging or fostering cooperation that would probably not occur without
government influence or encouragement
Prohibiting morally unacceptable behavior
Protecting the rights of individuals
Providing direct benefits to citizens"
Public Policy and Government
America's government has been shaped by public policy from the inception of the
Declaration of Independence. The goal of public policy and laws is to strike a balance
between liberty and order (ThisNation.com, n.d.). Should the government play a larger role
in society or a less supportive one? One of the most important questions is whether the
government should become involved in a particular issue. Examples of when society
determined that the state or federal government should be more involved in addressing
problems include campaigns such as the "Three Strikes" law for repeat offenders and the
war on drugs.
Public Policy in Action
Public policy is often born from problems in society. Once a problem is identified, several
entities will come together to evaluate the problem and, if possible, formulate a solution.
These groups include elected officials, interest groups, and citizens (ThisNation.com, n.d.).
Once a consensus is reached on a solution, this policy initiative will be adopted through the
passage of legislation. Once a law is passed, the funding and mandates for its
implementation are set in place (ThisNation.com, n.d.).
Major Types of Public Policy
Public policy can be divided into three major types: social, economic, and foreign
(ThisNation.com, n.d.). Social policy is probably the best known and can be defined as
policy that impacts society. Examples of social policy include health, education, and welfare
(ThisNation.com, n.d.). Social policy imposes laws on everyone in society, and America
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Public Policy
struggles to strengthen social policies while not trampling over individual freedoms
(ThisNation.com, n.d.). Social policies that directly impact individual freedoms include illegal
drug use, prostitution, and gambling (ThisNation.com, n.d.).
Economic policy is represented in the fiscal and monetary policy set up by the Federal
Government and entities such as the Federal Reserve and the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) (ThisNation.com, n.d.). The types of taxes Americans pay, how high taxes are, and
the national budget are all directly reflective of economic policies.
Foreign policy is a widely used term but is difficult to understand. Foreign policy represents
the country's self-interests in the affairs of other nations (ThisNation.com, n.d.). The U.S.
trade policies, use of the military to protect other borders, and peacekeeping efforts all
represent America's foreign policies. America faces many questions and struggles about how
far to assert itself in the business of other countries. The executive and legislative branches
of government are directly involved in foreign policy matters. Major issues, such as the war
on terror, has made articulating America's place in the international arena even more
difficult. As the U.S. pursues its national security goals, the nation must also increasingly
consider trade and economic goals (ThisNation.com, n.d.).
References
Kilpatrick, D. G. (2000). Definitions of public policy and the law. Retrieved February 5,
2010, from the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center Web
site: http://www.musc.edu/vawprevention/policy/definition.shtml
ThisNation.com: American government and politics online. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5,
2010, from http://www.thisnation.com/index.html
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