Making Social Policy
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Video: The Big Picture
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http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Magleby_Ch17_Making_Social_Poli
cy_Seg1_v2.html
Learning Objectives
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17.1
Outline the goals of the federal
government’s social policy and the
forms of protection it provides
17.2
Outline the evolution of social policy
throughout the twentieth century
Learning Objectives
17.3
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Evaluate the current status of and
challenges for federal government
policy in the areas of health care,
education, and crime
Video: The Basics
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http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg2_SocialPolicy_v2.html
I. The Role of the Federal
Government in Social Policy
17.1
Our country is experiencing profound economic
and social changes due to globalization and
technological innovations. New problems that
cannot be solved by individuals, states, or the
private market have been created therefore the
federal government has had to step in. The
debate is how much should the federal
government be responsible for which has led to
extreme polarization
II. The Goals of Social Policy
17.1
A. Social safety net: determined by need for the
aged, ill, disabled, & and victims of economic
instability and family disintegration
1. Supports those adversely by affected by economic or social
factors
2. Unemployment insurance/payroll taxes
3. School lunches
4. Medicaid
B. Quality of life for all citizens: distributed by
population
1. Education
2. Environment
3. Infrastructure
B. Types of Protection
17.1
1. Public Assistance/Welfare (means-tested
entitlement programs)
A. job training, subsidies, food aid, tax credits, etc.
2. Corporate welfare
A. subsidies, bailouts
3. Middle-Class welfare
a. student grants, home-buyer, interest tax deductions
4. Social Insurance (based on past-service
or pre-payments)
a. veterans benefit, payroll taxes,
TABLE 17.1: Federal Payments to Individuals,
2012 (in billions)
17.1
17.1 In which of the following must
applicants meet eligibility
requirements based on need?
a. Means-tested programs
b. Entitlements
c. Veterans’ benefits
d. Government pensions
17.1
17.1 In which of the following must
applicants meet eligibility
requirements based on need?
a. Means-tested programs
b. Entitlements
c. Veterans’ benefits
d. Government pensions
17.1
II. The Expansion of Social
Policy in the Twentieth Century
The financial and social devastation caused by
the Great Depression compelled the federal
government to expand the scope of its social
policy.
17.2
Video: In Context
17.2
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg3_SocialPolicy_v2.htmltml
A. The New Deal
1. New legislation was passed in “the first
100 days” that provided grants to the
poor and create work programs.
2. Joblessness recognized as a societal
problem.
3. Social Security enacted to provide
minimum income for the poor particularly
the elderly
17.2
Civilian Conservation Corps
17.2
A. The New Deal
1. Aid to Families with Dependent children
(AFDC)
2. School lunch program
3. Federal Disability Insurance funded
through payroll deductions
4. Unemployment insurance funded
through payroll deductions
17.2
B. The Great Society
17.2
1. Initiated by LBJ and Democratic Congress in
the mid-1960s
a. Medicaid and Medicare
b. Head Start
c. Food Stamp Program
d. Supplemental Security Income
e. Housing assistance
School lunch
17.2
C. Reforming Welfare
1. President Clinton & Temporary
Assistance for needy families (TANF)
a. Dramatically reduced
unemployment benefits
b. Welfare reduced to 5 years of a
person’s lifetime
c. Provided job training requirements
17.2
17.2
17.2 Which president oversaw the
New Deal series of programs?
a. Lyndon Johnson
b. Barack Obama
c. Theodore Roosevelt
d. Franklin Roosevelt
17.2
17.2 Which president oversaw the
New Deal series of programs?
a. Lyndon Johnson
b. Barack Obama
c. Theodore Roosevelt
d. Franklin Roosevelt
17.2
Video: Thinking Like a
Political Scientist
17.2
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg4_SocialPolicy_v2.html
III. Social Policy Challenges for
the Future: Health, Education,
and Crime
17.3
-Prime challenge of the US, or any, government is
the ability to afford the vast social safety net.
-Life expectancies are growing and a mass
retirement of Baby Boomers looms, causing
concerns over the government’s ability to afford
social programs.
-Problem is compounded by the amount of money
being spent paying down the interest on the
public debt.
A. The Federal Role in Health
Care
17.3
1. Health Care has quadrupled since 1970’s
a. Costs are passed on to both employers and employees
b. Increasing costs of medical technology
2. Patient Protection and Affordable Health
Care Act
a. everyone required to have health insurance (tax)
b. coverage can’t be denied for preexisting conditions
c. expanded coverage for children to age 26
d. expansion of Medicare
FIGURE 17.1: Changing Priorities in the
Federal Budget
17.3
FIGURE 17.2: HEALTH CARE COSTS PER
PERSON, 1960–2012.
17.3
FIGURE 17.3: WHERE THE HEALTH CARE
DOLLER WAS SPENT, 2012.
17.3
Explore Social Policy: Is
Health Care a Public Good?
17.3
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_magleby_mpslgb
p_25/pex/pex17.html
Explore the Simulation: You
Are an OMB Staff Member
17.3
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/long/long_longman_media
_1/2013_mpsl_sim/simulation.html?simulaURL=19
B. The Federal Role in
Education
1. State and local authorities mostly
responsible for elementary and secondary
Education
a. Head Start
b. 2002 No Child Left Behind Act
2. Higher Education
a. Pell grants
17.3
Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP).
17.3
Video: In the Real World
17.3
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Seg5_SocialPolicy_v2.html
C. Federal Role in Crime
Control
1. Protect the general welfare by
protecting citizens
2. Primarily state and local matter
3. Department of Justice and the FBI
enforce Federal laws
4. 2002 USA Patriot Act enacted to fight
terrorism
17.3
D. Politics of Social Policy
17.3
1. Most Americans approve of government
benefits for low-income through no fault of
their own
2. The depth of government involvement is a
political question
3. Like many political questions, public is split
and partisan on social policy issues
17.3 Which of the following gave the
government greater authority in
investigating and prosecuting
terrorism?
a. Taft-Hartley Act
b. USA PATRIOT Act
c. National Security Act
d. Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act
17.3
17.3 Which of the following gave the
government greater authority in
investigating and prosecuting
terrorism?
a. Taft-Hartley Act
b. USA PATRIOT Act
c. National Security Act
d. Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act
17.3
Discussion Question
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Do you agree or disagree with the level of
U.S. government involvement in social
policy? Why? What effect does partisan
politics play in social policy-making?
Video: So What?
17
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MED
IA_1/polisci/presidency/Magleby_Ch17_Making_Social_Poli
cy_Seg6_v2.html
Further Review:
On MyPoliSciLab
 Listen to the Chapter
 Study and Review the Flashcards
 Study and Review the Practice Tests
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