Public Policy/ Politics, Analysis, and Alternatives Kraft,Michael E

PART ONE: THE STUDY OF PUBLIC POLICY Public Policy and Politics What Is Public Policy? Defining Basic Concepts The Contexts of Public Policy The Reasons for Government Involvement Why Study Public Policy? The Practice of Policy Analysis Government Institutions and Policy Actors Growth of Government Government Institutions and Policy Capacity Federalism Separation of Powers Informal Policy Actors and Policy Capacity Improving Policy Capacity Understanding the Politics of Public Policy Theories of Politics and Public Policy The Policy Process Model Instruments of Public Policy Policy Typologies PART TWO: ANALYZING PUBLIC POLICY Policy Analysis: An Introduction The Nature of Policy Analysis Steps in the Policy Analysis Process Types of Policy Analysis What Kind of Analysis Is Needed?Public Problems and Policy Alternatives Problem Analysis How to Find Information Constructing Alternatives Creative Thinking about Policy Action Assessing Policy Alternatives Evaluative Criteria for Judging Policy Proposals Using the Methods of Policy Analysis Economic Approaches Decision Making and Impacts Political and Institutional Approaches Ethical Analysis PART THREE: ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES IN PUBLIC POLICY Economic and Budgetary Policy Background Goals of Economic Policy Tools of Economic Policy The Budget Process and Its Effect on Economic Policy Economic Policy: Successes and Failures Future Economic Issues and Challenges Focused Discussion: How to Address the Budgetary Shortfall Health Care Policy Background Major Government Health Care Programs Rising Health Care Costs Managed Care Organizations Reducing Health Care Costs: Beyond HMOs Quality of Care Focused Discussion: Should There Be Greater Emphasis on Preventative Health Care?Welfare and Social Security Policy Background Social Security Welfare Focused Discussion: Addressing the Elephant in the Room - Social SecurityEducation Policy Background Problems Facing Education Higher Education Issues Education Policy Reforms Focused Discussion: Higher Education Affordability, Cost, and Values Environmental and Energy Policy Background The Evolution of Environmental and Energy Policy From Consensus to Conflict in Environmental Policy Major Federal Environmental Policies Energy Policies Focused Discussion: Climate Change and Energy Policy Alternatives Foreign Policy and Homeland Security Background and Policy Evaluation Selected Issues in Homeland Security Focused Discussion: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism PART FOUR: CONCLUSIONS Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice Public Policies and Their Impacts Policy Analysis and Policy Choices Citizen Participation in Decision Making Conclusions