Week 10 CSS 1190 Public Policy

CSS 1190 The Political Process and Social Work Week 10 Public Policy and Public Administration Public Policy and Public Administration: Case example April 20, 2010, BP oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 workers A blowout preventer on the 1.5 km deep...

CSS 1190 The Political Process and Social Work Week 10 Public Policy and Public Administration Public Policy and Public Administration: Case example April 20, 2010, BP oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 workers A blowout preventer on the 1.5 km deep well failed For months, leakage of millions of litres of oil a day killed birds, dolphins, and fish It also fouled the ecologically sensitive marshes of Louisiana and the coastline of serval slates Background BP granted “categorical exemption” form environment assessment required under the National Policy Act …”if spill happened, it was ”unlikely” to have “sublethal” effects on fish and marine mammals” Less than 2 weeks before the disaster, BP lobbied the US Government to broaden scope of Categorical exemptions Gulf of Mexico Disaster and Government Regulation FACTS 1. Past decade, “move to deregulate Industry” as much as possible 2. Government regulations seen by business interests as “inefficient and harmful to the competitive free market 3. Shift seen…. from government regulation to the oil industry 4. In Canada, National Energy Board 2009, adopted “ modern, goal-oriented” approach, allowing companies to determine what technologies intended to protect the environment and most appropriate for their projects 5. Pursuit of profits and multi-dollar businesses for executives, corporations may take risks to see cut costs by pressuring government to reduce regulations 6. Lobbying efforts and financial clot = Companies getting special privileges, unaware by the public, until a disaster occurs 7. Rigid and excessive regulations may be harmful to the economy = Public Policy – What is it? Ideas and ideologies that Analysis of affect how the governments various Public policy choice’s of individuals and (definition) public policies groups make involves: policy decisions is a “course of action or 1. Looking at … Distribution of inaction chosen the broad set of 1. What power and the by public forces that set problems to ways different authorities to the context for address groups attempt address a given public policy to influence 2. How those public policy problem or 2. Examining problems are interrelated set details of the defined, of problems “ processes that (Pal, 1992) lead to the 3. General adoption of the patterns of specific policy policies in the political community Key Public Policy Issues different from the priorities of the general public Priority governments try to determine which policy area is “best” and this may be Key Public Policy Issues – Reflection How would the ideas and interests of various groups in society impact the government priority areas? What influences the “best” priority areas for government? Safety and Security Before government Existence of existed …war government is of ”all against the need for all” (lives personal were solitary, safety and poor, nasty, security brutish and short” Thomas Hobbs (1588- 167 Hobbes vs. Lock Thomas Hobbes (1588-1670) argued that the ruler /government John Lock (1632-1704) should have absolute and Individuals had been free and equal in the state of nature undivided authority to preserve but lacked the means to settle disputes “social Contact”… people established government for purpose: order and prevent civil war protection of life, liberty and prosperity. Government = limited powers, acting as a trustee to protect the rights of people. Government should be removed by force if necessary, if it infringes on the liberties that government was established to protect Comparisons of Countries today Violent civil wars raging… people fear for Liberal democracies: their lives: violence not at all Somalia, south Sudan, common: Canada, Central African Republic, Japan, Italy, United Mali, Afghanistan, Syria, States , etc etc How to ensure the safety and security of a country? Defence policy + foreign policy= peaceful world (against terrorism) Well trained police force. Protecting country from Public policies foreign attack needed to ensure – modern food security, military medicines, technology consumer products, (weaponized workplaces and drones) vehicles. Welfare state and public policy to address threats (hurricanes, tornadoes, rising sea levels Inequality in Income and Wealth In Canada and the United States  Inequality in income and wealth has been increasing  2012, CEO of largest US corporations received total earnings 354 times than that of an average employee. US has highest proportions of income going to the top 1% and one of the highest poverty rates among developed countries  2017, 100 highest paid CEO in Canada earned 209 times that of the average Canadian worker  2016, in Canada, the offshore transfer of funds was estimated to result in tax losses to the Canadian government of 6 to 7.8 billion dollars per year (Gribb & Oved, 2016).  “super-rich” increased in recent decade but also the bottom two-fifths of population have not shared in economic growth Public Policy solutions to inequality in income and wealth The outsourcing of production to low-wage countries and increase in temporary and parti-time employment may result in loss of many well paid jobs in richer countries. Public policies that may assist : 1. Encourage more on the job training 2. Ensure high quality education is available to all 3. Improve provision of day care 4. Increase minimum wage 5. Improve quality of work force 6. Long term solutions: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, technological revolution, globalization (free trade) Class discussion Do you believe that income inequality provides an important incentive for individuals to pursue education, work hard, save and invest? “Without adequate finances, many people will rely on borrowing money (i.e. education), which can lead to a financial crisis if there is a high level of debt that cannot be repaid.” Do you agree? What public policy would help deal with this situation? Class discussion High levels of inequalities in income and wealth can undermine social cohesion and the common good. Do you agree with this statement, if yes, why? If no, why not? Public Policy Overall, economic prosperity does not necessarily improve the quality of life for all of the people of a country. The accessibility of: Health care Good education Social and recreational activities Clean environment Safe communities …..are also very important Social Policy “….people are expected to be self-reliant” “the failure to provide for oneself and one’s family is the result of personal irresponsibility, rather than a general failure on the economy” Do you agree with this statement? Social Policy and the welfare state Threat of communism Expectation and growing that strength of government labour and Mobilization should take of society & socialist responsibility parties economy by for the well- governments (1940’s- Private being of for WW2 1950’s), charities & returning resulted in created the local soldiers and governments political governmen the families creating climate Great t had of those who more positive favourable depressio difficulty attitudes had to the n of dealing sacrificed toward an developmen 1930’s with the their lives active role t of the millions problems for welfare of people faced by government state were the needy unable to Welfare State Welfare State, definition “A state in which government ensures that all people have a decent standard of living and are provided protection from hardships resulting from circumstances such as unemployment, sickness, disability and old age” (Mintz, 2021) Example: Guaranteed basic annual income Criticism of the Welfare state  Increases taxes contributing to government deficits and debt  Interferes with the “discipline” for the marketplace….reducing incentive for people to work  Encourages people to become dependent on government.. Less likely to take responsibility for their own lives Are these criticism of the welfare state valid? Welfare State Benefits of a Welfare State 1. Contributes to a high quality of life enjoyed by Canadian…i.e. health care, education, etc. 2. Allows people to take greater risk, such as finding a new job knowing they have security to fall back on 3. Help people adjust as economies change (globalization) 4. Castells, 2004 states, “an efficient welfare state combined with major government investments in education, health, culture, research can help develop a highly productive workforce” 5. Contributes to social peace and economic growth i.e.. After WW2 6. Helps legitimize the free-market capitalist system by removing some of the harshness of the economic system Welfare State: United States  Has one of the weakest welfare-state programs of the developed countries (and the lowest minimum wage)  1996, U.S. government adopted a policy limiting welfare to a a maximum of five years in one’s life time  2019, Trump called for a $US 266 billion cut of medicare funding over the next decade (while greatly increasing defence spending Quality of Individual Life and Community Life Medicare was implemented Provision of Pay equity , by all parks, affirmative Public health provinces by recreational action, Public transit systems 1971. Many facilities and subsidized and urban increase life developed public meeting Subsidized child care, planning expectancy countries have places education = Human rights, enhances city and less costly publicly increases skilled work assistance for life and than private funded health health, and prosperity immigrants = improves air profit health care. (Canada happiness and harmonious quality insurance ranked lower creates a and just among other sense of society developed community countries) Four Public Policy Perspectives in democratic countries Pluralist Public choice Neo-Marxist State-centred perspective theory theory theory Views public policy Assumes that all Views politics as Views public in liberal politicians (want reflecting the policy as democracies as the to win elections) conflict that reflecting the outcome of attempt to results from the preferences and competition among maximize their way society is priorities of those a wide variety of own individual organized to in important organized groups interests or produce goods. positions of that seek to preferences. Can Public policies authority within protect and lead to excessive reflect the various state promote the government unequal power institutions. interests of their spending seeking relations between Senior public members, with no increase status or the dominant servants group having a chances for capitalist forces important  Which one of the general perspective do you think is most applicable to understand public policy? Pluralist Public choice Neo-Marxist State-centred Public Administration How should the many policies, programs, and services of government be carried out? Public Servants with a high level of professional expertise (hired based on merit) important source of information, analysis and advise for Cabinet Ministers. Activity involves the implementation of laws and policy Once law is passed, the public servants are involved in recommending how implementation is conducted and regulations needed to determine how law is to be applied. They carry out the policies adapted by the government. Each department of government is headed by a Cabinet minister who is expected to oversee and take action for the actions of the dept. Important duty of the public servant is to, “speak truth to power” … provide an objective analysis of what is in the long-term good of the country. What does governing involve? “Governing, ideally involves pursuing and balancing a variety of crucial policy goals to promote the common good” (Mintz et el, 2021). Public policy addresses many important problems, such as, Social Climate justice change Economic Inequality develop- ment Policies adopted involve complex processes involving political people. Interest groups, social movements, businesses, political parties, think tanks, and journalists will try to influence the choices of issues that will be the subject of policy making (and try to affect how policy makers think about those issues) Policy Making Policy making is not about problem solving or trying to determine the best policy to achieve the common good. The Public policy process is political process in which different goals, interests and values are involved (Simeon, 1976) These policies do not necessarily reflect the common good, rather they may reflect the political interests of government, the perspective of those involved in the policy process and the ability of various groups and individuals to exert influence (can be impacted by business interests) Next Week: Final class Student Feedback Questionnaire Final Exam Date: Friday December 6th, 7 pm, room GH 411 75 multiple choice questions Lectures: Second Half of the Semester (midterm and onward)