The Policy Agenda

From All Possible Issues to the Shortlist for Action

What Is an Agenda?

• Agenda: The list of things being discussed and sometimes acted upon by a political body, the news media, or the public at large.
• Not every issue makes it—most never get close.

Other Ways to Define "Agenda"

1. An underlying ideological plan (what someone really wants).
2. A collection of public problems that come to the attention of the public and officials—includes causes, symbols, solutions.
3. A concrete list of bills before a legislature.

Agenda as Shared Beliefs

• A series of beliefs about what problems exist and how they should be addressed (government, private, nonprofit, joint action).
• Hidden agendas: Distrust in government—“what’s their real goal?”
• Overt agendas: The stated goals and policy positions.

The Four Levels of the Agenda

1. Agenda Universe: The collection of all possible issues.
2. Systemic Agenda: Issues the public, media, and government see as meriting attention/action.
3. Institutional Agenda: Issues up for serious consideration by a governmental body.
4. Decision Agenda: The (very) short list of issues actually acted upon.

Visualizing the Four Levels

• Agenda Universe: Everything imaginable—climate change, Bigfoot, school lunches, asteroid defense.
• Systemic Agenda: The stuff on the public radar—news stories, protests, campaign promises.
• Institutional Agenda: What’s actually on legislative calendars, agency meetings, city council dockets.
• Decision Agenda: What’s up for a vote or final action.

Gatekeeping and Boundaries

• The boundary between Systemic Agenda and Agenda Universe is the result of gatekeeping by media, politicians, and other actors.
• What’s “acceptable” for government to act on changes over time.
• Boundaries are not static—they shift with culture, events, scandals, or leadership changes.

Agenda Competition: The Hunger Games

• There are too many possible problems and too many potential solutions.
• No society or government can address them all.
• Competition for attention is fierce.
• Substantial competition for limited agenda space.

Defining Problems: Not for the Faint of Heart

• Getting on the agenda means overcoming:
  • Difficulty and complexity
  • Competition from other groups (everyone wants a piece)
  • Controversy and outright conflict

Attention as a Resource

• We live in a world of imperfect and costly information.
• Those who can persuade and use their power to get attention can shape the agenda.
• Attention bottlenecks: There’s only so much public/elite focus to go around.

Shifting Attention: Bottlenecks and Priorities

• Major events often shift what gets attention.
• Priorities determine where attention is placed (sometimes overnight).
• The loudest or most symbolically charged issues rise—others fall away.

Next: Political Power, Groups, and Policy Change