Course description:

For better and worse, the United States stands out in the world in the peculiarity of its public policies. Among the world's wealthy democratic nations, it is only in America that all citizens do not have access to affordable health care; only in America that huge disparities exist in the public education funding for the poor and the rich and only in America that the death penalty prevails.  The United States imprisons a higher percentage of its population than any other nation, spends more on national defense, and has among the lowest tax rates in the developed world.  In comparison to other nations, the United States spends less on cash welfare, and more on food programs.  It is one of few developed nations to not offer paid maternity leave.   In these and a great many other policy areas, the United States is exceptional. This phenomenon of "American exceptionalism" raises two fundamental questions that will be the focus of this course: Why are American public policies so different? and, What are the consequences of these peculiar policies?

Course objectives:

• Develop a familiarity with a wide range of American public policies, and an understanding of the basic choices and ideologies involved in the public debates over these policies.
• Understand the broad differences between American social policy and the social policies of other developed democracies.
• Develop an understanding of the "specialness" of the United States in comparison to other countries, in terms of policy differences, social structure, the severity of its social problems, popular ideology and government structure.
• Acquire an in-depth understanding of a specific social policy issue based on independent research and analysis.
• Apply oral and written argumentation and presentation skills to the analysis of policy issues.
• Develop an appreciation for the complexity of policy choices and alternative ideological positions offered in support of competing policy proposals.
• Apply the principles market failure to the analysis of public policies

 Assignments, exams and grades:

Assignments: percent of final grade:

2  examinations: 45%
5   Position papers 50% (one paper on the debate topic)
1  Policy Debate (5%)

Blackboard grades 

Policy Debate:  Each student will debate one policy issue assigned by the instructor. Two students will debate each issue, together they will be responsible for distributing to the class a fact sheet, summarizing the issues, definitions of terms, a history of the legislation, and relevant data.

Policy analysis papers:  (see Instructions  ).  Four of the five  papers will be on the "position paper topics" scheduled for Tuesdays.  The fifth will be on one of the assigned Thursday debate topics and will be due the day of the debate.

Participation and Attendance:  Active and informed participation in this class is strongly encouraged and in some circumstances may be a basis for adjusting the final grade. Each absence after the second absence -no matter what the excuse -must be made up with an additional position paper on one of the debate topics. The grade for these papers will comprise 3% of the final grade (i.e., you lose 3 points if you don't do the paper). Hand in a hard copy of the paper within three class periods of the absence (for consecutive absences, with three class periods of the last absence).

All the written work submitted for the course must reflect each student’s own original efforts, any portion of the written assignments, including portions that may have been prepared by other members of the class, that is not a student’s own original effort must clearly acknowledge the source. All instances of plagiarism will be severely penalized and reported to the Student Judicial Office.

For purchase:Clarke E. Cochran, et. al. (COCRHAN) American Public Policy ninth edition, (2003: Wadsworth).

Class Schedule

Week 1&2: Jan 12.  Topic: American Public Policy in a Comparative Perspective

Klass notes (powerpoint)
(just the charts - word document)

Jean Hopfensperger, "Eurowelfare, Part 1, 2 and 3," Minneapolis Star Tribune
See also: Survey of Maternity Benefits

Richard W. Rahn, "Eradicating European Flu

Paul Krugman. "French Family Values," 

Week 3:  Jan 26. How we got into the economic mess we are in:

It's a Wonderful Life: Bank Run.  other links 1 2 3

The Subprime Crisis (.pptx)   .ppt

Faten Sabry and Dr. Thomas Schopflocher, The Subprime Meltdown: A Primer (June 21, 2007)

Elaine Buckberg and Ronald I. Miller, Economists’ Views: New Playbook for a Financial Crisis (Oct. 21, 2008)

Eric Petroff, Who Is To Blame For The Subprime Crisis?  Investopedia

Week 4  Feb 3.  Topic: Principles of Market Failure

Cochran, 46-50
Klass notes (powerpt)

Week 5: Feb 10

{The position paper must be posted to the website by Monday at midnight for all students except those students doing their position paper on the debate topic.  Those papers are due Wednesday at midnight}

Tuesday: position paper topic: Should the Federal Government Bailout the Big Three Auto Companies?

Thursday Debates:

• Sugar subsidies and policies

• Was the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) responsible for the subprime failure?

• "Cap and trade" carbon emissions regulation

• Ethanol subsidies (and policies)

Week 6: Feb 17 Topic: Budgets and Taxes

COCHRAN, chapt. 4

The Public Agenda webpages: The Budget (read the "overview", "fact file" and especially the complete "framing the debate" sections).

 

Klass Notes (.ppt)   Budget data

 Week 7: Feb 24.

Tuesday: position paper topic:  The Obama stimulus plan

Thursday Debates:

• The Flat Tax
• Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP)
• Obama plan to raise taxes on the wealthy

Week 8: Mar 3.

Tuesday: summary and review
Thursday: Midterm

Week 9:  Mar 17  Topic: Social Welfare

• COCHRAN, chapt. 7

The Public Agenda webpages: Welfare (read the "overview", "fact file" and especially the complete "framing the debate" sections)

welfare reform notes (excel) - additional data (powerpoint)

UNICEF, An overview of child well-being in rich countries

Week 10:  Mar 24.

Tuesday: position paper topic: Raising the Minimum wage

Thursday Debates

• Should the United States adopt the Swedish child support policy?

• Fixing the Social Security: raise taxes, cut benefits, or privatize?

• Should Chicago enact a higher minimum wage on "big box" stores?

• Should Illinois adopt a family leave program similar to California's?

Week 11:  Mar 31. Topic: Education

NOTES:  Education: What Works?

COCHRAN, chapt. 9

The Public Agenda webpages: Education (read the "overview", "fact file" and especially the complete "framing the debate" sections)

Week: 12:  Apr 7

Tuesday: position paper topic: No Child Left Behind
Thursday Debates:

• Should Illinois equalize education funding?

• Milwaukee's School Voucher program.

• Florida School Voucher program

• Should Illinois adopt a ban on Bilingual Education similar to CA, AZ., and MA.?

Week 13: Apr 14. Topic: Health Care

• Health Care notes (ppt)
• COCHRAN: chapt. 8

The Public Agenda webpages: Health Care (read the "overview", "fact file" and especially the complete "framing the debate" sections)

Week 14: Apr 21.

Tuesday: position paper topic:  Obama Health Care Plan

Thursday Debates:

• Massachusetts health care plans.
• Should Illinois limit malpractice awards?
• Should Congress require health insurance parity for mental illness?
• Should prescription drug prices be regulated?
• Is the Canadian health care system better than the US'?

Week 15: Summary and Review

Week 16: Final Exam

section 1: Thursday, May 7: 10am.

section 2: Monday, May 4, 10am.