SS238 Unit 1 Discussion
Topic: Governments, Citizens, and Public Policy: An Introduction
“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
–John F. Kennedy
Public policy is how government, at the federal, state, and local levels address public concerns. Public policy can be understood through the following characteristics:
- The public policy responds to a perceived concern. The following concerns could be political, social, economic, environmental, etc.
- Public policy solutions are mostly addressed through legislation or regulation.
- Public policy is made at the behest of the people.
- Public policy is typically an ongoing process.
Public policy has been and continues to be strongly influenced by citizens – either as individuals and/or as groups. Citizens can affect public policy through many outlets:
- Citizens can vote for individuals who advocate a particular public policy concern.
- Citizens can mobilize, petition, attend town halls, and request attention from their representatives via phone calls, emails, social media, and visits to local, state, and federal assemblies.
- Citizens can also join or fund interest groups who advocate a particular policy concern.
One historical example of government response to a public policy concern was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. On March 25th, 1911, New York experienced the deadliest, workplace disaster it had suffered to that point. On the upper floors of a high-rise building, unreachable by the fire department, a garment factory caught on fire. With only one, badly built fire escape, and the employees locked inside the building because the owners wanted to protect against theft, 146 people, mostly immigrant women, died while trying to flee the conflagration. The public outcry over what was a senseless tragedy reignited labor and immigrant movements resulted in the formation of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and would eventually lead to federal workplace safety and injury compensation laws (Von Drehle, 2004).
More information about the lessons learned from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire can be found at the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.
Directions: Using the required, academic readings, and supplemental academic research, please address the following while adhering to the Discussion Board Rubric:
- Select a specific example of public policy from one of the following fields:
- Economic policy
- An example of economic policy is U.S. budget deficit spending.
- Education policy
- An example of education policy is the implementation of national education standards.
- Environmental policy
- An example of environmental policy is the Clean Air Act.
- Foreign policy
- An example of foreign policy is how we conduct trade with other countries.
- Healthcare policy
- An example of healthcare policy is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
- Welfare policy
- An example of welfare policy is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- Economic policy
- Explain this, specific public policy.
- Is this specific public policy a federal, state, or local public policy?
- Why does this public policy interest you?
- Why is this public policy important to you?
- How did voter engagement affect this public policy?
- How effective is this public policy?
Reference:
Drehle, D. V. (2003). Triangle: The fire that changed America. Bridgewater, NJ: Distributed by Paw Prints/Baker & Taylor.
SS238 Unit 1 Discussion Answer
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted by President Obama to improve the health disparities among the nation’s under and uninsured population (Kraft & Furlong, 2018, Chapter 8). Public healthcare policy is important to me because it pertains to the health and well-being of US citizens. Policy changes could result in limitations or advantages in my future career as a healthcare worker…….
SS238 Engagement Civil and Citizen Driven Public Policy
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