Policy history

You are encouraged to use the following outline in composing your Word processed narrative:

1. Policy history
2. Policy content and intention (explicit or implicit) to address a recognized social problem;
3. Historical factors, including any policy predecessors, as well as any pertinent historical events or developments (for example, demographic shifts or trends).
4. Political Actors
5. Elected officials or other “formal” system actors (such as executive branch bureaucrats), and what they have done;
6. Unofficial political actors, including PACs (“political action committees”), paid lobbyists, and advocacy groups/issue activists, and what they have done.
7. Economic Interests
8. Economic interests favorably affected by current policy (“winners”);
9. Economic interests unfavorably affected by current policy (“losers”).
10. Ideological Factors
11. Explicit ideas or values shaping policy (for example, work is a prerequisite of benefit eligibility);
12. Implicit (unstated) ideas or beliefs (for example, benefit recipients do not want to work and must be compelled to do so).
13. Policy impact on the lives of vulnerable populations, especially the target beneficiaries. To what extent does the policy accomplish stated aims related to enhancing social welfare, and in what ways are lives improved? (For example, to what extent has the Affordable Care Act succeeded in providing health care coverage to the millions of Americans without health insurance?). On the other hand, are there notable limitations and/or unintended policy consequences that result in damage to vulnerable people, making their lives more difficult? (For example, safety net programs requiring poor mothers to work may unintentionally result in stunted development of children placed in substandard day care.)