CHAP 3- Fall 2019 POL 211


                                               Chap 3- Understanding policy making

       “One of the first decisions to be made is whether government should intervene at all to deal with a problem or simply leave its resolution to individual action or marketplace. For example, governments chose for years not to regulate smoking in public places, and then chose to do so in an escalating series of actions as scientist learned more about the health consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke so that now many states even prohibit smoking in bars and nightclubs.  Similarly, most cities and states chose to so nothing about rising levels of childhood obesity because they determined this was largely a matter of private or family choice. Should citizens and policy makers decide that government intervention is indeed necessary, they can choose from a diverse menu of possibilities”
        As the quote states, the government should or should not intervene in all society problems. Not all problems are the government to intervene, due to an inefficient allocation of resources and citizens interventions as well. Government resources for intervention in marketplace are to connect marketplace failure, to achieve a more equitable distribution of income and wealth and also to improve the performance of the economy.  However, individual action is important for problems and issues to be solved, not just the government part. It’s important for the government to apply regulations and update laws in order to maintain society wealth and health. By regulating smoking in places, secondhand smoking has been reduced significantly; therefore, less health issues arise, also by prohibiting certain unhealthy foods in schools, decreases childhood obesity, which in turn lower health costs. I believe together with the government, we are able to make better decisions in our society, create and regulate better laws for the benefits of all.
Reference:
Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2010). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives, 6th ed. Washington, D.C: CQ.

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