Question

DISCUSSION82 x

Group

Work Optional: You may work with one classmate on this discussion. If you choose to work with a partner, you do not need to clear it with me first. Just add the name of your partner to the top of your discussion response. You will both need to submit a discussion response so that your submission is recorded in Canvas. Your assignment should be a minimum of 200 words.

Introduction

Public policy is usually derived from the legislature, lobbyists, and interest groups. The White House and governors also can propose public policy. Many of you are passionate about a variety of topics, as noted by your mutual aid programs in discussion 1. Please select an issue to write a brief public policy proposal on. Once you have selected a topic, think through viable solutions, and then create a macro plan for implementation. I am not looking for a 2-page paper, but I want you to be innovative and think about how your proposal will impact the country and residents. In discussion 3, you analyzed voting rights and in discussion 5 you addressed solutions to mitigate the wealth gap. Remember the critiques and suggestions for improvement as you write your public policy proposals. Follow the guidelines listed in the discussion rubric and the outline below. Be sure to take a look at the attached sample public policy proposal. I am sharing it with permission from a former student. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Requirements: Your proposal must include at least 3 data points (statistics) that support your argument. The data can be incorporated throughout your proposal or condensed to an individual section. Your proposal should be a minimum of 200 words.

Public Policy Proposal Outline

Topic Selection: What issue is keeping you up at night? It may not impact you, but rather your loved ones, coworkers, or community. What problem do you want to address or solve? (See below for topic suggestions)

Describe the Problem: State the problem that you want to address and who is impacted. What are the short-term and long-term concerns if the problem is not addressed? You may want to think about adding the 3 data points here to support your argument. (2-3 sentences)

Recommendations: Propose 3-4 recommendations to solve the problem. (3-4 bullet points)

Policy Adoption & Implementation: How should your recommendations be implemented? What governmental agencies or organizations will you need to work with? How will your proposal be funded? State government, local government, private organizations, or nonprofit organizations? Can you provide a brief 3-5 step outline? What evidence, research, or statistics do you have to support your position? These can be from scientific studies, other companies, or organizations that have followed the newly proposed policy and support your argument. (3-5 sentences)

Conclusion: Write a short conclusion to your public policy proposal. Assess your proposed policy. Will your solution solve the problem? Will it solve an immediate need until a long-term solution can be found? If your solution will not solve the problem, will it mitigate the impact on people or the community? Provide a brief summary of the information you have presented in your policy proposal. Convince the class to support your policy proposal. (2-4 sentences)

Citations: Be sure to cite your sources. You will need to include at least 2 citations.

Presentation: Be creative! You may submit your public policy proposal in any creative format you choose, just make sure that you follow the criteria. You may not copy and paste your written proposal into the discussion thread like the other discussions. Here are a few format ideas: video, PowerPoint presentation, slide show, webpage, zine, infographic, podcast, etc. (Many students use their phones to complete coursework, so please be mindful when using certain software. If possible, use closed captions (cc) on all videos. If you cannot, let me know, and will work with you to include it. Closed captions ensure that the material is accessible to everyone.)

Extra Credit: Do not forget to ask 2 classmates a question or challenge their policy position to earn your extra credit point.

Additional questions to think about:

Does your policy proposal align with current legislation? If not, how do you propose to garner support?

Will others see your policy proposal as political? Or, is it a nonpartisan effort?

Is your policy proposal popular or on the fringe?

What organizations or individuals are currently profiting from the problem? How will they respond to the loss in profit?

What organizations would you partner/align with to support your cause?

What organizations would you consider advisories?

What organizations would help support your cause, despite your opposing goals?

What actions can you take today, this week, month, or year to further the cause? Make calls, create a media campaign, etc.

What organizations, communities, or individuals will be positively and negatively impacted if your policy proposal is passed?

Sample Public Policy Proposals

Holtz-Eakin, D. (2016). Reducing Poverty the Republican Way. Standford University. https://inequality.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/Pathways_Presidential_Republican-Way (Links to an external site.)

Texas Appleseed. (2019). Out-of-School Suspensions Harm Students Experiencing Homelessness. https://www.texasappleseed.org/sites/default/files/OnePager_OSS_LyricsStory (Links to an external site.)

Need help selecting a topic? Here is a sample list of issues:

Sex trafficking

Immigration

Economic justice

Systemic racism

Environmental justice

Religious justice

LGBTQ+ justice

Disability justice

Affordable housing

Housing/food insecurity

Survival crimes

Accessible internet access

Confederate monuments

Criminal justice reform

Education

Foreign policy

Occupational segregation

Sample Student Public Policy Proposal