20 2.11 – CHAPTER 2 SUMMARY
2.11.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The American Revolution against the British Empire gave rise to contemporary policy making in the U.S. The Constitution created a new system of government (federalism) that has continuously evolved from its birth in 1787. Initially, the new federal government was responsible for few policy areas outside of foreign affairs and public infrastructure. However, as the growing nation-state’s demands for more services and regulations from the federal government began to increase, the federal government expanded into policy areas that had previously been the exclusive domain of state governments. Policy making at the national level involves a number of different actors. Constitutional actors, comprising the three branches of the federal government, were specifically created by the U.S. Constitution. These constitutional actors (legislative, executive, and judicial branches) possess policy making powers that are purposefully intertwined with the other constitutional actors. While attempting to prevent the rise of tyrannical forces in any one branch of government, these checks- and-balances, created by the separation of powers doctrine, make policy making difficult. Non-constitutional actors are influential in the policy making process as well. Non-elected bureaucrats, citizens, interest groups, and the media impact the policy making decisions of the constitutional actors on a variety of different issues.
