There are challenges to agenda building that if not dealt with carefully and skillfully can adversely affect an issue or a proposal that you are trying to place in front of a decision maker. On the ot
Small Group Discussion: Policy Agendas
There are challenges to agenda building that if not dealt with carefully and skillfully can adversely affect an issue or a proposal that you are trying to place in front of a decision maker. On the other hand, no matter how expertly you build an agenda for your issue or proposal, some issues are going to simply be avoided or not selected for consideration. Why is this so?
In this Small Group Discussion, you explore challenges surrounding policy agendas and the reasons why some proposals never make it to the decision maker.
Provide responses to the following original colleague posts. The responses can be one paragraph per post.
Am Bust
RE: Small Group Discussion Group A - Week 5
COLLAPSE
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Many social issues do not receive the necessary attention from decision makers. Why might these issues be cast aside?
There are many reasons why decision-makers or the public overlook social issues such as becoming uncomfortable, feeling that they are unable to change the situation, or simply not being aware of the problems. Someone walking by a homeless individual may feel uncomfortable due to not knowing how to proceed or help. Some may think that providing them with some change or a meal may not be enough and may not know how to help. Another may not know of the issue if they never looked down to see someone sleeping on a sidewalk. This same person may be a decision-maker such as a policeman, councilwoman, or judge that may not know what to do when encountering a social issue such as homelessness.
Some issues lack sufficient support to ensure that they are added to decision-makers' agendas. Why might this be?
Due to the level of uncomfortableness or lack of knowledge of some decision-makers, they may not want to tackle the issue at hand. Some issues such as homelessness can create a divide into a community as to how to address it, which may lead to a lack of support from decision-makers.
Some issues receive significant attention from decision makers. Why might these issues easily find their way onto decision makers' agendas?
According to Martin (2012) " social welfare policy discourse, the vulnerable populations served by the social work profession tend to have lobbying efforts that are less powerful than the interests of tobacco companies, pharmaceutical companies, prison management entities, and other groups."(p.222).
At times the agencies that receive most funding are programs that assist children, animals, and veterans. The social issue of homelessness is hard to tackle when the lack of support leads to a lack of funding and attention. Some may have the opinion that men and women become homeless due to their unwise decision making and find them at fault. They are not considering social issues such as lack of supportive services, affordable housing, and well-paying employment.
References
Martin, M. E. (2012). Philosophical and religious influences on social welfare policy in the United States: The ongoing effect of Reformed theology and social Darwinism on attitudes toward the poor and social welfare policy and practice. Journal of Social Work, 12(1), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017310380088
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Mary Ser
RE: Small Group Discussion Group A - Week 5
COLLAPSE
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Many social issues do not receive the necessary attention from decision makers. Why might these issues be cast aside?
There are thousands of proposals for legislation that can be introduced in each session and it’s difficult to provide adequate review of each and, it can also be due to the many levels of review that these proposals must make it through before ever seeing the debate floor (Jansson, 2018). Sometimes its also a matter of politicians not being aware that their community identifies an issue as a problem, or the public and the legislators fail to provide accurate prioritization to issues to bring up for reform or debate.
Some issues lack sufficient support to ensure that they are added to decision-makers' agendas. Why might this be?
Sometimes politicians shy away from topics that provide them little to no advantage over being reelected or topics can be too controversial and they try to avoid displeasing the majority of their faction regardless of pleasing others (Jansson, 2018). Agencies also try to avoid issues that could disrupt operations within the agency and therefore will not support or pursue policy changes, and if the benefit outweighs the bad they will support (Jansson, 2018). It is also important to provide funding strategies for specific issues, legislators often address problems that have identified resources that make it easier to implement (Jansson, 2018). Another important thing to consider is that problems and solutions exist within cultural context, and what some consider to be a “problem” is no problem at all for others.
Some issues receive significant attention from decision makers. Why might these issues easily find their way onto decision makers' agendas?
Sometimes legislators like to take on issues that bring them attention or social issues that have a captive audience due to different media platforms, legislators know that hot topics remain on the media for a majority of time and will provide coverage of their campaign as long as they are talking about it. This helps provide exposure for their campaign, gain public support as well and rattle their opponents if they are against the issue or not addressing it at all. Its also been identified that policies that require moderate changes or adjustments are more likely to gain momentum as they are easier to attain rather than large complex issues with several factors (Jansson, 2018). Politicians are more likely to support and give attention to issues that will not harm their funding, professional or political self-interest, as well as if a controversial issue has already been brought up for debate and caused political conflict it will receive the same attention and therefore will be that much harder to reintroduce (Jansson, 2018).
References:
Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice. (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
Chapter 6, "Committing to an Issue: Building Agendas" (pp. 176-203)
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Zan Ki
RE: Small Group Discussion Group A - Week 5
COLLAPSE
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Post your responses to the following questions presented for Small Group Discussion:
Many social issues do not receive the necessary attention from decision makers. Why might these issues be cast aside?
Legislators must limit the number of issues they consider and must prioritize them (Jansson, 2018). Every proposal, perspective and constituencies takes time to properly be considered in order to address social issues. The process can be described as tedious or better yet exhausting as legislators go back and forth between one another on wether to approve or decline proposals. Legislators often avoid issues that appear to give them little or no political advantage in reelection, for example, not selecting issues that will not help them obtain or retain constituents support (Jansson, 2018).
Some issues lack sufficient support to ensure that they are added to decision-makers' agendas. Why might this be?
The greater the support something has the better the chances of it being acknowledged. This applies the same when considering a change in prominent issues found in society. For example, a petition signed by those opposed of a policy in place, might get overlooked due to minimal amount of people supporting it. They are also more prone to issues that will bring them the most exposure, as this can be seen as a political advantage.
Some issues receive significant attention from decision makers. Why might these issues easily find their way onto decision makers' agendas?
Issues in the community might easily find their way onto decision makers agendas, due to the right amount of exposure and issues is given. For example, the media often plays a role of magnifying issues that wouldn’t gain much exposure. Stories in the press, on the radio, and on television about social problems can create powerful images in the minds of citizens and elected officials, who may decide to give them serious attention (Jansson, 2018). This forces legislature to take heed and show people that they are the individuals in position of solving such issues. Decision makers have everything to gain.
Reference:
Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice. (8th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
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Dan St
Small Group Discussion Group A - Week 5
COLLAPSE
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Many social issues do not receive the necessary attention from decision makers. Why might these issues be cast aside?
If the issue seems to give them little or no political advantage or the issue may seem to be too controversial. Legislators must limit the number of issues they consider and must prioritize them (Jansson, 2018).
Some issues lack sufficient support to ensure that they are added to decision-makers' agendas. Why might this be?
This may be because it causes conflict within the agency or a political conflict in itself. They may just push it to the side because they are proceeding with other tasks they may have more interest in or even because it may take too much time and effort to proceed. With my issue of working with addicts and alcoholics, I believe prevention is a significant piece when advocating for this population. Those advocating preventive programs need to find evidence that they an successfully avert problems when proposing a specific innovation (Jansson, 2018). I would use social media to advocate for this population and use evidence-based theories to promote this.
Some issues receive significant attention from decision makers. Why might these issues easily find their way onto decision makers' agendas?
To pull an issue into the decision funnel, policy entrepreneurs use tactics that often include timing, coupling, negotiating, assembling early sponsors and supporters, and routing (Jansson, 2018). They call these windows of opportunity, so they use dramatic stories or pivotal events in the political stream and social agencies to bring the most attention to these issues and the agenda.
Reference
Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice. (8th ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Series.
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