Intro to Politics

• Policy


  A definite course or method of action selected by government, institutions, group or individual from among alternatives and in the light of given conditions to guide, and usually, to determine present and future decisions
• Policy is a plan for action and it impacts our daily lives
• Reactive policy


  • Policy created in response to a current pressing problems
• Proactive policy


  • Policy is a course of action designed to prevent a problem or issue
• Public policy comprises substantive perspectives and values mixed with institutional processes for realizing them
• The language used to discuss public policy can be confusing. Policymakers, analysts, commentators sometimes speak without much clarity about intentions, goals, purposes, plans, programs, decisions, choices
• These elements can be found in many different legal expressions, such as laws, executive orders, regulations, judicial rulings
• Policy dynamics


  The disparity between policy goals and affects means that we need to pay attention to policy choices, policy outputs and policy impacts
• Policy outputs


  The formal actions that governments take to pursue their goals
• Policy outcomes


  The effects such actions actually have on society