Introduction to Public Policy

Introduction

The quotations above illustrate the prevailing preference for small government and individual liberty, which is firmly established in American history. Yet, despite this hallowed tradition, American government, especially since the 1930s, has grown in cost and reach. This has produced a staunchly conservative reaction harkening back to the 1964 presidential campaign of Senator Barry Goldwater (R.-AZ) against incumbent president Lyndon Johnson. The conservative movement now permeates American politics and government. The GOP, the Republican Party controls both houses of Congress and the Presidency. A sharp section divide within the USA, depicted by Red States and Blue States, has emerged. Deep dissatisfactions persist over government policy in Iraq and the response to the disaster in New Orleans and the Gulf region of the South. Public confidence in government at all levels has plummeted.

This sets up a paradox. Despite the popular withdrawal from big government, Washington-based institutions and insiders appear continue to expand government size, expense, and scope. The rate of federal spending increase during the first Bush administration is about 10% per year. The response to terrorism and to Katrina propel further expansion.

Professionals In the field of public policy frequently promote their stock in trade, acting as true believers advocating even more public policy initiatives and expansion of current programs. Consider Mark Twain's adage: To the man who has only a hammer, everything else is a nail. Those involved with government often tend to promote more government, evoking a countervailing response among those who oppose the expansion of government, either as an impediment to individual freedom or as a drain on their pocketbook.

Here, we remain skeptical of the stated claims of public policy and of government, adopting a critical perspective. We seek truth, not partisan advantage.

The introduction to The Public Policy Cycle Web Site includes these topics:

An orientation to the field of public policy
An explanation of the premises underlying The Public Policy Cycle Web Site:
- A critical outlook toward public policy
- The public policy cycle
- A historical context: from the Welfare State to globalism
A listing of some of the limits to public policy.
A brief word on ideology in public policy
An illustration: the seminal case of Malthus

Introduction to Public Policy

| Ideology |Limits |Cycle | Dismal Science|

Introduction

Table of Contents

Goal of The Public Policy Cycle Web Site