Discussion Board

Policy Making
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Policy Making
1. From the “reality check” articles, how is policy really made at the state level?
From the reality check articles, it is clear that policy-making at the state level is influenced by external forces which have interests in how the policy will impact their businesses, organizations, political or any other socio-economic interests. Lobbyists set the agenda and greatly influence what the policy should contain. Most legislators have been compromised by lobbyists who divert public interest issues and other vital issues that should have been incorporated in any policy. Corruption is another biggest problem that influences policymaking. Well-connected individuals and interested parties pay committees and commissions to inflate figures, insert clauses, change appraisals or even supply their appraisals. In summary, state legislators are used by interested parties to make policies.
2. Did they use the policy analysis system proposed by Kraft & Furlong?
The rational decision-making model by Kraft &Furlong which outlines five steps for analyzing policy issues before decisions are made is not used by state legislators. The steps which the legislators ought to have used include identification of the problem with a purpose of defining and analyzing it, coming up with different policy alternatives, establishing the criteria for evaluation, assessing the different generated alternatives and finally coming up with the conclusion (Prokhovnik, 2005).

These steps have proved difficult for most public sector stakeholders such as legislators, head of governments, technocrats, and bureaucrats in various government institutions.
3. If state legislators aren’t using policy analysis, what other groups may be using it?
The model by Kraft &Furlong is closely followed by players in non-governmental organizations such as civil society, support groups, research organizations, faith-based organizations, and women advocacy groups among others. Examples of these bodies include International Justice Mission, First Response Team of America, Oxfam, Red Cross, Greenpeace and International Union for Conservation of Nature among others. From the ‘reality-check’ articles, it is clear that public participation as an important concept of policymaking is ignored or if it exists it is just done to hoodwink participants. Public participation is a critical part of policymaking since it aids in building trust, voiding disputes and confrontations and enhancing transparency in the entire process (Peters & Pierre, 2015). A policy without the support of the majority of stakeholders is bound to fail or become weak. Most legislators are always manipulated by different interest groups and individuals.
References
Peters, B., & Pierre, J. (2015). Public administration. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Prokhovnik, R. (2005). Making Policy, Shaping Lives. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.