Public Policy in the US Federal System

Effective public administrators, as well as effective citizens, must be well informed about public policy. One of the primary goals of this course is to make you an expert on some aspects of public policy. This week, you have learned about the US federal system of government.

For this assignment, begin with a general policy area, such as education, health care, or economic development. Then, as the course proceeds, you should narrow your focus to a specific policy issue.

You will identify a policy topic that is a responsibility of state or local government.

You will explain the following in your research paper:

• Is the policy a shared responsibility of federal, state, or local government?

• What level of government should have the primary responsibility for the issue?

To complete this assignment, perform the following tasks:

• Identify the public policy that interests you most. At this point, you may begin with a general policy area, for example, education or health care. You should briefly discuss the importance of the policy and the current state of the policy.

• Examine the constitutional distribution of powers between the federal government and the states. Does one level of government have clear authority in your policy area? Do the federal and state governments have concurrent powers?

• Does the involvement of the federal and state governments in the policy area follow the constitutional provisions?

• Briefly assess whether the constitutional distribution of power for your policy area is effective.

Cite all sources using the correct APA format.

Create your response in a 2- to 4-page Microsoft Word document.