Short Essay - Policy-making in the Federal System
Research and write an essay on a specific policy in the area that you select. (Note: The word "policy" is used interchangeably with the word "program.") Your essay must:
Clearly identify a specific federal policy (the policy must raise issues of federalism because it requires national, state, and local interaction and invites tension across different levels of government), and summarize the elements of the policy, including the problem it is supposed to solve or improve.
Summarize the history of the policy. In your summary, explain how the policy raises issues of federalism.
Analyze the main pros and cons in debates about the policy.
Evaluate the pros and cons from two perspectives:
The policy's effectiveness. In your evaluation, clearly explain your definition of effectiveness and how it should be measured or determined.
The policy's consistency with the constitutional framework of federalism. In your evaluation, clearly explain your interpretation of American federalism's constitutional framework and why the federal policy is or is not consistent with it.