The Art of Policymaking
Tools, Techniques, and Processes in the Modern Executive Branch
Third Edition
- George E. Shambaugh IV - Georgetown University, USA
- Paul J. Weinstein Jr. - Johns Hopkins University, USA
July 2024 | 312 pages | CQ Press
The Art of Policymaking is the only book designed to provide students and practitioners with a detailed explanation of the specific tools, techniques, and processes used to create policy in the U.S., as well as the tools they need to understand them. The book includes practical advice on how to write memos, prepare polling questions, and navigate the clearance process. Case studies show how actual policies were developed and how and why policies and processes differed across administrations. And scenarios allow students to practice the tools and techniques they have learned by working through both domestic and foreign policy situations. Written by two experts in the field with experience in both academia and government, The Art of Policymaking is the perfect how-to guide for students and professionals.
Chapter 1: Why the Policymaking Process Matters
PART I. THE POLICYMAKERS
Chapter 2: The White House Policy Councils
Chapter 3: The White House Staff
Chapter 4: Agencies and Policy Implementation
Chapter 5: Policy Management
PART II. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Chapter 6: Policymaking Memoranda
Chapter 7: Policy Implementation Tools
Chapter 8: The State of the Union and the Budget Process
Chapter 9: Legislative Clearance and Coordination: SAPs, LRMs, and Other Policy Acronyms
Chapter 10: Polling and the Policymaking Process
Chapter 11: Communicating and Marketing Policy
PART III. CASE STUDIES
Chapter 12: Social Policymaking: Welfare Reform During the Clinton Administration
Chapter 13: Economic Policymaking I: The Clinton Economic Plan
Chapter 14: Economic Policymaking II: The Simpson-Bowles Commission Under President Obama
Chapter 15: Security Policymaking I: Desert Shield and Desert Storm Under George H. W. Bush
Chapter 16: Security Policymaking II: The Surge and Iraq War Under George W. Bush
Chapter 17: Congress and the Executive Branch: Yemen Policy during the Trump and Biden Administrations
PART IV. SCENARIOS
Chapter 18: Practice Scenarios
Glossary