Short Essay - Policy-making in the Federal System

The U.S. government's expansive role in public policy iscaught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popularexpectations about government's responsibility to solve problems often exceedthe capacity of state and local authorities to respond effectively. On theother hand, policies developed at the national level may not sufficientlyreflect the great diversity of interests across the US to be effective at thelocal level. Moreover, the search for effective policy is further complicatedby theoretical debates about the constitutional framework of federalism (e.g.,what limits on national power can be derived from the 10th Amendment?).

Select a policy issue that is in the middle of thesecross-currents between national, state, and local authority. It must be apolicy area other than education (the focus of Discussion One in Week Two).Some examples include: federal health care policy (e.g., Obamacare,Medicaid-not Medicare); federal transportation policy (e.g., federaltransportation subsidies); federal highway policy (e.g., federal rules aboutthe minimum drinking age, speed limits, or safety); federal urban planning andrenewal policy; federal poverty, welfare and unemployment policies; nationalsecurity policies that intersect/conflict with local police power; and federaldisaster planning and relief. These are only examples. The policy area that youselect must have a significant federalism component that requires national,state, and local interaction. It should also involve issues with a strongpotential for tension or conflict among different levels of government.

Research and write an essay on a specific policy in thearea that you select. (Note: The word "policy" is used interchangeably with theword "program.") Your essay must:

Clearly identify a specific federal policy (the policymust raise issues of federalism because it requires national, state, and localinteraction and invites tension across different levels of government), andsummarize the elements of the policy, including the problem it is supposed tosolve or improve.

Summarize the history of the policy. In your summary,explain how the policy raises issues of federalism.

Analyze the main pros and cons in debates about thepolicy.

Evaluate the pros and cons from two perspectives:

The policy's effectiveness. In your evaluation, clearlyexplain your definition of effectiveness and how it should be measured ordetermined.

The policy's consistency with the constitutionalframework of federalism. In your evaluation, clearly explain yourinterpretation of American federalism's constitutional framework and why thefederal policy is or is not consistent with it.

Follow these requirements when writing the short essay:

The body of the essay (excluding the title page and referencepage) must be at least 750 words long.

The essay must start with a short introductory paragraphwhich includes a clear thesis statement. The thesis statement must tell readerswhat the essay will demonstrate.

The essay must end with a short paragraph which includesa conclusion. The conclusion and thesis must be consistent.

The essay must logically develop the thesis in a way thatleads to the conclusion, and must be supported by facts, fully explainedconcepts or assertions, and persuasive reasoning.

The essay must address all subtopics outlined above. Atleast 20% of the essay must focus on subtopic six, listed above (yourevaluation of the various pros and cons about the policy).

Your essay must cite at least one academic article foundin the Ashford Online Library and at least three other kinds of sources (e.g.,Supreme Court opinions, magazine or newspaper articles, the course textbook,and reliable websites).

Use your own words. While brief quotes from sources maybe used, altogether the total amount of quoted text must be less than fivepercent of the body of your essay.

When you use someone else's words, they must be enclosedin quotation marks followed by an APA in-text short citation (author, year, andpage) to your source. The in-text citation must correspond to a full APAcitation for the source on the reference page at the end of the essay.

When you express someone else's ideas, arguments, orfacts in your own words, your statement must be followed by an APA in-textshort citation (author, year, and page) to your source. The in-text citationmust correspond to a full APA citation for the source in the reference page.

The form of the title page, the body pages, and thereference page must comply with APA style. Additionally, the title page mustinclude the course number and name, the instructor's name, and the datesubmitted.

The essay must use logical paragraph and sentencetransitions, complete and clear sentences, and correct grammar, spelling, andpunctuation.