The Theory of Public Policy: Economic Affairs, Budget and Taxes
The policy fight on economics, foreign affairs, and national security wages on, as policymakers look to the contemporary problem stream to base their agenda setting and policy formulation. America must reconsider its Economic Affairs, namely its budget and taxes; as the 0out of control spending has reached a state of emergency, whereby America faces a detriment to its own state of national security. Under this current crisis that continues to weaken the strength and morale of the nation; public policy must be crafted to reel back the autonomy of government. Thereby a Constitutional amendment must be ratified to enact lasting regulation, and thus proceed to purge the evil from among us, (1 Cor 5:13).
A look at public policy’s differential theories reveals the many sources of consideration a policymaker can address whilst considering solutions to public problems presented by constituents, “to describe the nature of policymaking and the policies that result,” (Kraft, M., p. 82). Public policy’s differential theories provide a basis of origin and influence when crafting policy, thereby imparting Pareto Efficiency into society. Yet, man must ensure to preserve his own autonomy; As political theorist Gary Allen (1936–1986) writes “[n]o civilization has ever fallen to outsiders that did not first suffer a loss of faith in its first principles. The failure of faith always precedes the failure of will,” (Allen, G., p. 9).
Differential Theories
Elite Theory bases the influence of policy on the ruling class; a view historically taken upon public policy. Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) stated that “in all cities these two distinct parties are found, and from this it arises that the people do not wish to be ruled nor oppressed by the nobles, and the nobles wish to rule and oppress the people; and from these two opposite desires there arises in cities one of three results, either a principality, self-government, or anarchy,” (Machiavelli, N., p. 85). Thus, Elite Theory bases itself on the needs of the ruling class, neglecting the interests of the majority, favoring the superiority of the minority; namely elites. Elite Theory would not be an appropriate perspective to place policy on when considering Economic Affairs, namely Budget and Tax regulations; pretextual claims can be given for all appropriation requests as seen in the egregious omnibus bills drafted annually. When it comes to Economic Affairs, the “demands of the environment” can be concealed and coerced by the rhetoric of the elites and their mainstream media counterparts; thus evading public scrutiny, as maleficent political actors usurp further revenue from the people.
Group Theory looks to special interest groups as the source of policy; “legislators and executive officials and appeal to the broader public through issue advocacy campaigns,” (Kraft, M., p. 79). Group theory would not be a viable public policy theory to implement regarding economic affairs, nor the reigning in of special interest group expenditures; “group theory tends to exaggerate the role and influence of organized interest groups in policymaking and to underestimate the leadership of public officials and the considerable discretion they have in making policy choices,” (Kraft, M., p. 79). Kraft contends that, “power is pluralistic rather than concentrated in only a few elites…but assigning too much power to organized groups oversimplifies a more complex dynamic in policymaking. Public officials also frequently use organized interest groups to promote their own political agendas and to build support for policy initiative,” (Kraft, M, p. 79).
Institutional Theory is an umbrella term that bases its presuppositions on the traditional formation of government, federalism, and its institutions; “in addition to a focus, an organization, such as legislature, courts, and bureaucracies, the term encompasses how people within organizations relate to one another, and those in other organizations—that is the rules that govern their behavior,” (Kraft, M., p. 85). Economic policy can utilize institutional theory to prepare institutions for any significant impacts to their expected resources due to sanctions, budget cuts, and imposed regulations. The influencers of institutional theory on policymaking include “markets, individual firms or corporations, national state, and local governments, voluntary associations, such as political parties, in interest groups, and foreign political regimes,” (Kraft, M., p. 85). From an institutional standpoint, economic policy reform would bolster the American economy, thus ensuring the longevity and prosperity of these institutions for posterity.
Rational Choice Theory was prefaced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778), who stated that man was “[b]ound to a mortal body, by bonds as strange as they are powerful, his care for the preservation of this body tempts the soul to think only of self,” (Rousseau, J., Loc. 8059). The constituent, alongside the considerer themselves; will likely exalt their own interests above that of the intangible collective. As George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) wrote, “[f]or what seems to be a reality confronting him is implicitly his own original fundamental nature, which has merely the appearance of an objective being — an appearance which lies in the notion of action involving as this does self-diremption, but which expressly shows itself to be his own original nature by the interest the individual finds therein,” (Hegel, G., pp. 382, 382).
Political Systems Theory is “the way the political systems respond to the demands of its environment,” (Kraft, M., p. 88). Kraft notes that it “emphasizes the larger social, economic, and cultural context in which political decisions and policy choices are made, such as a general preference for limited government or low taxes,” (Kraft, M., p. 81). Systems theory “supplies some useful terms, such as input, demands, support, policy outputs, policy outcomes, and feedback. In systems theory, these terms operate in formal models. Input into the political system comes from demands and support,” (Kraft, M., p. 82). As Jürgen Habermas writes on the construct that systems theory is rooted; that “[i]n advanced industrial society, research, technology, production, and administration have converged to form an obscure but functionally interlock system. The system has literally become the basis of our life. Our relationship to the system is peculiar—intimate, and at the same time alienated,” (Habermas, J., p. 31). Systems theory is likely the best approach when it comes to employing sanctions against the federal government to regulate economic policy; although it remains the most obscure and broad of all classifications. The environment is clearly distressed by the actions of incumbent pol, therefore constituents must reconsider the pathogenesis of the nation's contaminates; id est Congress.
Policy Process Model
The Policy Process Model includes: “agenda setting; policy formulation; policy legitimation; policy implementation; policy and program evaluation; and policy change,” (Kraft, M., p. 90). The federal government’s boundless budget and tyrannical taxes must be addressed; reigned in by public policy. First, America ought to offer her citizens the opportunity to ingest objective information regarding the nation’s economy and the perpetrators responsible for its devolving condition. Secondly, the citizens ought to be offered the means of engaging in an effective solution, without diluting factual information with subjective contortions of grandeur. Therefore, the nation remains in then initial agenda setting stage, whereby the citizens must find consensus on a viable solution to halt the plummeting of the dollar and devaluation of the national economy, in exchange for an opportunity to participate in foreign collusion, apart from the people.
Policy Instruments
The main instruments of Public Policy and the policymaking process include: regulation; government management; education, information, and persuasion; taxing and spending; and market mechanisms. The best instrument to combat the of America’s Economic Affairs would be regulation; thus, imposing laws through the legislature and forcing rules upon the bureaucracy, (Kraft, M., p. 107). “Regulations are government decrees that either require citizens to do something or prevent them from doing so,” (Kraft, M., pp. 108, 109). The various forms of regulation in public policy resolves to different measures relayed unto the public for implementation and assimilation; these include: distributive policies (pork barrell legislation), redistributive policies (Pareto Efficiency), and regulatory policy.
America must implement an effective and lasting regulatory policy against the tyrants within Congress. As it is written, “[w]hen an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest , it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, the person’s last condition is worse than the first,” (Luke 11:24-27; CSB).
Conclusion
The government’s ability to control the current in America allows self-exaltation above their constituents, deposing them to subjects. Under these circumstances, the current establishment tasked with controlling U.S. national affairs has failed to fulfill its obligations. America’s contemporary economic policy must be considered by context of her citizenry; not through an established or other bureaucracy. Congress’s blatant negligence against annual misappropriations and misallocations has rendered the citizen as the investor; yet offers no tangible return beyond their own internal will and hope for a better future. Implementing regulatory policy is an essential means to preclude despotism from rooting itself in the sovereignty of the citizenry and their reverence of the nation. But it does not secure solutions for the detriment and havoc the current establishment has exuded. And it does not discount the continued focus on public policy incumbent pol must consider when navigating the policy process model.
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