Public Policy Portfolio Worksheet (answer this in grade 10 level)

Question

Directions: Use this worksheet to record your answers to the six activities that make
up the Public Policy Portfolio: Agenda Setting, Committee Hearings, Policy Change,
Feedback Loop, Cost-Benefit Analysis, and Media Bias. When you are finished, save
this worksheet with your answers and submit it for a portfolio grade.
Public Policy Portfolio
Select a policy and study its development through Agenda Setting, Committee
Hearings, Policy Change, the Feedback Loop, Cost-Benefit Analysis, and Media Bias.
You can use one policy to answer all of the questions, to create a complete individual
case study, or you can select a few different policies to learn about more topics.
Question 1: Agenda Setting
Select a policy topic that you find interesting. It could be the death penalty,
distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the Voting Rights Act, the Patriot Act, or another
topic you want to learn about. Search online to read newspaper articles about the
policy. Read at least five articles from different newspapers.
1. What event occurred to place this policy on the agenda?
2. Consider the same public policy you used in Question 1. Using newspaper articles or
official government websites only, determine which committees in the House and the
Senate had jurisdiction over this policy. Which party had the majority on that
committee?
3. Consider the same public policy you used in Question 1. Using newspaper articles or
official government websites only, determine which committees in the House and the
Senate had jurisdiction over this policy. Which party had the majority on that
committee?
4. Consider the feedback loop shown in this lesson. Using newspaper articles and official
government websites or reports, fill in the details for each of the five stages of the
policy process.
5. Search online for a public policy and study its projected costs and projected benefits.
How were the numbers developed? Place the numbers in a table, like the one shown
in this lesson. Was the policy economically beneficial? Whether it was or not, do you
agree that it was the right choice? If you think an economically losing policy was a
good choice, what do you base that view on?
6. Select a policy topic that you find interesting. It could be the death penalty,
distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the Voting Rights Act, the Patriot Act, or another
topic you want to learn about. Next, look online for infographics that show which
media outlets trend left or right. Find at least two different infographics, in case one
of them is incorrect. Go back to your topic and look at media coverage from both
sides of the political spectrum. Do they differ? How? Why?

Answer 1

Public Policy Portfolio

Policy Topic: Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines

Question 1: Agenda Setting

1. What event occurred to place this policy on the agenda? The COVID-19 pandemic itself was the event that brought the distribution of vaccines to the forefront of public policy discussions. The rapid spread of the virus and the need for an effective response highlighted the urgent need for vaccines to control the pandemic.

2. Which committees in the House and the Senate had jurisdiction over this policy? Which party had the majority on that committee? In the House of Representatives, the Energy and Commerce Committee had jurisdiction over public health issues, including vaccine distribution. As of 2021, the Democratic Party held the majority in this committee. In the Senate, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee had jurisdiction, where the Democratic Party also had the majority during the 117th Congress.

Question 2: Committee Hearings

3. What were the outcomes or key discussions that came from the committee hearings? The committee hearings often focused on the logistics of vaccine distribution, safety measures, emergency authorization for vaccines, and funding allocations to ensure that vaccines reached communities efficiently. Key discussions revolved around equitable distribution, the need for public education about vaccine safety, and addressing concerns in underserved populations.

Question 3: Policy Change

4. Fill in the details for each of the five stages of the policy process:
   • Problem Identification: The COVID-19 pandemic's rapid spread and high mortality rates highlighted the urgent need for vaccines.
   • Policy Formulation: Scientists and public health experts developed safe and effective vaccines, government agencies planned distribution strategies, and legislation like the CURES Act was enacted to provide funding.
   • Policy Adoption: Vaccines were approved for emergency use by the FDA, and policies for distribution were adopted at federal and state levels.
   • Policy Implementation: Distribution plans were put into action, with vaccines being delivered to healthcare facilities and administered to the public through various sites, including hospitals and mass vaccination events.
   • Policy Evaluation: Ongoing studies and public health data were collected to assess vaccine effectiveness, public willingness to be vaccinated, and any adverse effects that occurred.

Question 4: Cost-Benefit Analysis

5. Search online for a public policy and study its projected costs and projected benefits.
   • Projected Costs: $20 billion for vaccine development and distribution (developed by the U.S. government and pharmaceutical companies).
   • Projected Benefits: Estimated prevention of 1 million COVID-19 deaths and billions in economic activity restored due to reduced hospitalizations.
   • Was the policy economically beneficial? Yes, the investment in vaccines was deemed economically beneficial as the projected benefits far outweighed the costs.
   • Agreement with the choice: I agree it was the right choice because the vaccines not only saved lives but also helped to reopen the economy, support mental health, and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.

Question 5: Media Bias

6. Find infographics about media bias and analyze coverage. I found two infographics showing that outlets like Fox News trend right and outlets like CNN trend left.

   • Comparison of Media Coverage: Coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution differed in tone and emphasis.
     • Right-Leaning Outlets (e.g., Fox News): Often focused on vaccine skepticism, government overreach, and personal freedoms.
     • Left-Leaning Outlets (e.g., CNN): Emphasized public health, the importance of vaccination, and government efforts to ensure equitable distribution.

   Conclusion: The media coverage differed significantly in terms of focus and implications about government involvement. This difference likely serves to cater to their audiences' pre-existing beliefs and opinions about government intervention and public health.