1. CURRENT FEDERAL POLICY (0.5 Page / ~ 11 double spaced lines / 1pt.)
a. Briefly state the current federal law or regulation. This should be the current, relevant mandate, law or regulation that you would like to see removed, replaced or expanded.
b. These mandates, laws or regulations can be very long and detailed; so if the law is more than a few paragraphs in length summarize it and provide a link to the full text.
2. WHY THE CURRENT POLICY NEEDS TO CHANGE. (0.5 Page / ~ 11 double spaced lines / 1 pts.)
a. Discuss the scope of the problem which the current policy is meant to address and how the current policy is failing to address this problem.
b. There are several ways to explain the scope of the problem, e.g., humanitarian cost (degree of current or potential suffering, numbers of people affected, loss of life or property); economic costs (employment, income, taxes, economic development, trade impacts, etc.), citizen or national security (crime, risk of violence or war, etc.).
3. WHAT POLICY CHANGE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? (1 page/~ 22 double spaced lines /1 pt.)
a. Give a single specific, concrete recommendation for a change in the current policy that could be implemented by the Federal Government.
b. Discuss how this change to current law / policy could result in a significant improvement in the problem/outcome.
c. Discuss who wins and who loses under the new policy
4. ADOPTION PROCESS (1 Page / ~ 22 double spaced lines / 2 pts.)
a. Describe 2 methods by which your policy alternative could be adopted as the new Federal Policy. See the Chapters on Supreme Court Congress, Bureaucracy and Presidency for how Federal policies are established.
b. Be specific about the process, i.e., what steps need to be taken. For example, does Congress need to pass a law to adopt your changed policy and, if so, what committees need to vote on it prior to Congress voting on it?
c. Also, discuss what potential hurdles or issues your alternative may face with each approach when trying to get them adopted. For example, is this issue highly polarized?
References (0.5 pt.)
List references utilized. A minimum of 1 is required. Include the author, title, date of publication or date accessed and online URL (link).
Formatting: ( 0.5 pt.)
a. Double spacing and meets the required length.
b. Within your discussion acknowledge the source of assertions, facts or data that you provide. Up to 2 points may be deducted for failure to acknowledge the work of others.