Government policy is the broad area of laws, enactments and regulations that governs our communities, states and nations. It affects every aspect of our daily lives from taxes and healthcare to immigration and parking fines. Many citizens try to influence the development of policies by supporting political candidates and parties. However, this is only one way to effect change. The more effective way is by influencing the policies themselves.
The first step in influencing public policy is in identifying problems worthy of attention. This requires a combination of scientific measurements, social observations and ideological judgements based on values, customs and beliefs.
Once a problem is identified, it must be assessed to determine its magnitude and potential solutions. This step is often facilitated by an expert, but it can also be accomplished in-house through careful consideration of the issue and available information.
Once the problems have been sorted out, a policy must be developed to address them. This policy will need to take into account the availability of resources, including the amount of money that can be raised through taxation and borrowing, and the impact on other policies (eg, growth versus stability).
Once the policy is established, it must be executed. This includes creating the necessary structures and procedures to see that the policy is carried out as intended. Finally, the policy must be evaluated to determine its success or failure and if it was the right policy to begin with.