Decision Memoranda on the Issue of Climate Change

Public Management - a decision memoranda
The capstone course is the final requirement for students in the MA in Public Management program. The Capstone paper is designed to test student proficiency in all program level objectives (see above). The paper is done in the form of a decision memoranda and must be written to a specific individual not a group. You must propose one, specific proposal that includes the policy authorization tool, the specific policy implementation tool, timing, the administrator of the policy, the budgetary cost if appropriate, the demographic who the policy is targeted to, and other necessary specifics. You must also include a measurable goal so that you can estimate the proposal's effectiveness. You CANNOT propose creating a commission to study the issue. You must have a specific and real proposal that can be analyzed. Make sure you put your name at the top of the memo and to whom you are writing. Also include the date and subject. You must follow the format below with the headers:
1. Action Forcing Event 1-2 paragraphs
2. Statement of the Problem 3-4 pages,
Must Haves for this section: A clear statement of what the problem is in your first paragraph. This is the problem your solution will address. , Citable evidence that is convincing that the problem is real and worthy of remedy. , Who is hurt by the problem? What groups or individuals suffer from the consequences of the problem. , What is the financial cost of the problem if possible. , Categorize the problem. Is it a financial problem, one of fairness, ethics, socio-economic, security, etc.
3. Background/History 6-9 pages
The outline of this section should include the following:
A starting point that begins when the problem being addressed becomes relevant. For example, if you are dealing with distracted driving and cell phone usage, you would not start with the creation of the first cell phones in the 1980s, but rather at the point that cell-phone related car accidents first became a national problem. A history of policy related to the problem. What major laws, executive orders, military actions, etc. have been put into place to address the problem to date. What were the dates, major actors if relevant. A description of how the policy has changed over time. A discussion of attempts to change policy without success. Bills that failed to pass. Armed conflicts that were repelled, etc. In deciding what policy milestones should be included in the history, keep in mind the following: 1.List only events that include significant policy changes, or major attempts to change policy that failed. 2.Do not list events that led to only increases or cuts in funding unless they were significantly above the norm. 3.List only historical events from the starting point. Do not go back too far in time to start the historical analysis. 4.Make sure each historical event is cited. If you can’t cite it, don’t include it. History/Background section should end with a review of the current policy – What are we (the nation, state, city, etc.) currently doing, why are we doing it this way, what is the public’s perception of the policy? Short assessment of how the current policy regime is or is not working.
It is essential that the writer meet four primary objectives in this section: 1.Provide enough historical information to ground the decision-making in the issue without overwhelming him/her.
Identify the key policy changes over time. 2.It is essential that the writer meet two primary objectives in this section: 3.Provide enough information for the decision-maker to feel a level of comfort regarding the issue, but at the same time do not overwhelm.
4. Proposal - A policy proposal includes the following: The policy goal, Who will implement? (government agency, nonprofit, intergovernmental entity, military, policy, etc. , What is the implementation timeline? (new policies do not become effective immediately. There is usually a transition period, How much does the proposal cost?, What is a policy authorizing tool?
What is the specific policy implementation tool?, Who will the tool target (what groups, demographics, entities such as unions, corporations, non profits will it impact).
This section contains two subsections that must include the following headers:
a. Policy Authorization Tool - Laws, Executive Authority, Treaties/International Agreements, Constitutional Authority, and/or Legal Precedent
b. Policy Implementation Tool - Policy implementation tools can be broken down into three categories:
1. Carrots - Carrots are policies which incentivize types of behavior that are deemed in the public interest (although that is not always the result). Examples of Carrots include: Tax Incentives, Grants, Loans, Exemptions, Subsidies, Entitlements, Aid, Military Assistance
2. Sticks - Sticks are policies that attempt to discourage or prevent certain types of behavior actions. Examples of Sticks include: Regulatory Enforcement, Penalties, Fines, Military, Intervention, Covert Operations, Tax or Fees for Certain Activities
3. Sermons - Sermons are policies that utilize the media and the influence of certain offices/individuals to encourage or discourage certain type of behavior or actions. Examples of Sermons include: Media Campaigns, Non-monetary awards, Contests
5. Policy Analysis 8 pages
The policy analysis section should be a systematic evaluation of the technical and policy implications of alternatives proposed to solve public problems.
Policy analysis refers to both the process of assessing policies or programs, and the product of that analysis. A policy analyst: uses qualitative and quantitative data; uses a variety of approaches to the problem; applies appropriate methods correctly. In evaluating the pros and cons of the proposal you should utilize the evaluative tools we discussed in the Public Policy core course. These include: Effectiveness, Efficiency, Equality, Liberty, Administrative Capacity, Technological Capacity, Legality. In conducting your analysis, you should use a variety of tools. These tools will typically be either quantitative, historical, or qualitative. These include: Cost-Benefit Analysis (quantitative), Contingent Valuation (quantitative), Forecasting (quantitative), Historical Comparative Analysis (historical), An assessment of expert opinions (qualitative), Case Study (qualitative), Simulation (qualitative). Identifying Costs -- Costs are consequences of a policy that are bad or negative for the society or some parts of the society. Some costs are tangible and easy to measure in dollars or numbers. Some costs are intangible and harder to measure. Security cameras in a parking garage may make people feel they have less privacy. Some school policies can decrease student morale. Costs have the same sources as benefits: The action itself, The intended consequences of the policy, The unintended consequences of the policy. AVOID BIAS
6. Political Analysis - The political analysis is an integral part of the paper. The analysis should accomplish a number of goals: 1.Identify the key stakeholders and their position on the issue at hand. 2.Identify where the public at large is on the issue. 3.Explain to the decision-maker the political benefits and costs of the proposal. 4.Offer ways to ameliorate those costs. 5.Identify possible political strategies (or tactics). Stakeholders –Who is the key stakeholder? If it is a group, what is its composition, membership, and agenda?, Who are its key leaders? What is its history of advocacy on this issue? What tactics does it employ?, Who are its likely or traditional opponents or allies? What interest does it have in this issue?, What leverage or power can it wield to influence policymakers? Possible Stakeholders Include: Member of Congress, State or local elected official, NGO, Corporation, Advocacy Organization, Unions, Foreign Government, International Governmental Entity, Bureaucratic Entity, Celebrity/elite, Academia. The Public at Large: The Political Analysis Section should also discuss where the public is on the issue at hand. How do you measure? Polling, surveys, focus groups, Internet polls, and mall-intercept surveys are all acceptable sources. If polling or data is not available on the specific issue, try to identify a related-issue. For example, if proposing an individual mandate on Americans to save, one could use polling data on the individual mandate on health insurance to draw some limited conclusions. CITE
7. Recommendation 2-4 pages
Your pro and con of the approach you recommend. Pros and cons should be political, policy, economic (what impact on business or individuals for example), capacity (the ability of government or another entity to meet the goal), national security, and budgetary (if applicable). All your arguments should be supported by cited facts, data, etc. When arguing for your recommendation, remember to: List your strongest pros in favor of your recommendation in the paper by best to worst, Attempt to refute or show how some of the cons can be addressed, Base your arguments and opinions in fact, not fiction, Don’t argue for an ideology Argue for a specific course of action. There are several ways to write a recommendation section.
Golden Handshake. Acknowledge the strongest con, argue why it can be contained, and then list your strongest pros.
Balance Sheet. Argue that either the pros outweigh the cons or vice a versa. You can do this either nominally (e.g. the total number of pros is greater than the total number of cons) or in real terms (e.g. there are more individual cons than pros but the value of the pros has a greater benefit/weight than the value of the cons).
Political vs. Policy. The policy pros far outweigh the policy cons, but political conditions make going forward impossible. This can be reversed as well.
Typically, capstone papers are about 35 to 40 pages. Style. Papers must be written in the Third Person. Students should use the Calibri font size 11 double-spaced. All papers must include footnotes, not endnotes. Please follow the Chicago Manual of Style regarding footnotes and grammar (Author, Title, Publication, Date,). CANNOT use a reference more than three times. Web-links are not acceptable as footnotes. Secondary sources such as Wikipedia are not acceptable as footnotes
Grading Rubric
Action Forcing Event
—Identify a recent event such as an article, testimony, new legislation, etc. that underscores the need to consider a policy response.
— Must be clearly written and accurately cited.
—Key Considerations. Is the Action-Forcing Event section concise and to the point? Does the action-forcing event convey the timeliness of the issue?
Statement of the Problem
—State the problem to be addressed.
—Provide cited evidence that the problem is real and what is its scope. Provide more than
one source for evidence. Problems must be directly addressed by solution. All evidence must be well researched and cited.
—Key Considerations. Does the Statement of the Problem clearly identify a problem and a list of the key evidence that supports that the problem does exist?
History/Background
—Provide a short and relevant history of the problem. Focus on how the problem has changed (worsened, improved and why), and what if any prior solutions have been implemented. Demonstrate understanding of evolution of the problem and major actors.
—Key Considerations. Is the History/Background section clear and relevant? Does the section include a concise history of recent events in the policy area and include the decision-makers’ prior positions on this issue? If relevant, does the writer include a legislative
history? Does the writer provide a list of key principal actors and constituents, and identify their position on the issue at hand?
Policy Proposal
—Present a detailed policy proposal (option).
—Proposal must be detailed. The Policy Authorization Tool must be provided and why
it was chosen. The Policy Implementation Tool must include specifics, such as budgetary
impact, timing (when it goes into effect), what specific policy mechanism will be used and how it will work, how the policy implementation tool will be targeted and why, what entity will administer.
—Provide a clear, and measurable policy goal so that the proposal can be measured for
“effectiveness”. Goals can be either quantifiable or qualitatively assessed in the policy analysis section.
—Key Considerations. Does the author explain the legal authorizing mechanism (legislation, constitutional authority, executive action, treaty, court decision etc.) as well as provide a detailed description of the policy implementation tool (tax incentive, military action, enforcement regulation, grant program, etc.), how it will work, and what entity will Implement?
Policy Analysis:
—Utilize evaluation criteria and tools to analyze the proposal. All proposals must be measured for effectiveness. Arguments as to whether a proposal will meet its goal need to be supported by cited evidence.
—Provide an unbiased pro and con for the proposal. Evidence must be cited that backs up arguments.
—Key Considerations. Does the Policy sections include an in-depth policy and economic analysis and evaluation (and where relevant a budgetary impact assessment)? Is the analysis fair and even-handed, and does the author provide an exhaustive assessment of the policy pro and cons of the proposal?
Political Analysis
—Provide information on the strength of support in the general population for the proposal. Utilize any published polling or other forms of surveys. Has the proposal been proposed in other places and if so were the proposals well received or not. If legislative support is needed what are the odds of passage?
—Provide an unbiased pro and con for the proposal. Evidence must be cited that supports arguments.
—Key Considerations. Does the Political Analysis include an in-depth analysis and evaluation? Is the analysis fair and even-handed, and does the author provide an exhaustive assessment of the political pros and cons of the proposal.
Recommendation
—Present a clear, well structured rationale to support the author’s choices.
—Key Considerations. Does the writer state the recommendation clearly in the first paragraph? Is the recommendation logical, convincing, and based on the facts presented in the paper?
The Topic NEEDS to be on the following:
Action Forcing Event:
It has been reported by NPR that historic levels of flooding have hit Pakistan. As of September 1st more than a million homes, 2 million acres of crops and 3,000 miles of roads have been ruined. This flooding has affected as many as 33 million Pakistanis, killed more than 1,100 people, and displaced half a million people as well as leaving about one third of Pakistan underwater.
Statement of the Problem:
Address how the flooding caused by climate change disproportionately affects the lower income underprivileged population. How the rich (mainly corporations from the United States) contribute the most to climate change while the poor(people) have to pay the consequences. Focus on policy the US government can pass to address this issue.
https://www(dot)bbc(dot)com/news/science-environment-62758811
https://www(dot)npr(dot)org/2022/09/01/1120472954/pakastan-flooding-relief-efforts
https://www(dot)livescience(dot)com/pakistan-flooding-satellite-images
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UPDATE from the client :
The topic needs to be on how flooding from climate change disproportionately affects the poor. The policy recommended needs to address this problem and somehow hold the rich(corporations) accountable for their contributions to climate change. (Focused on the US)