What is a Policy Agenda?

The rollout of a political agenda is often accompanied by symbolism

Politicians enter office with a set of core values and a defined policy agenda influenced by a combination of factors: the power of his or her party, the support of a popular mandate, economic circumstances, the desires of constituents, governing philosophy, and political ambition. The components of a policy agenda thus generally reflect both necessity -- dealing with unavoidable political issues -- and items targeted by constituents.

Unavoidable Political Issues

The highest priority on a political agenda must be those issues which are unavoidable, due to social or economic circumstances. For example, if a region has recently been struck by a natural disaster, a newly elected governor must commit resources to cleanup and ensuring that rebuilding efforts make the region safer. A mayor elected to govern a city which is in debt must put forward a plan for stabilizing its finances. The policy agenda of a president elected during a war must include either a commitment to victory or a plan for peace.

Issues Favored by Constituents

Politicians owe their election to activists who represent blocs of constituents. These may be identified demographically, or by affiliation with a particular cause or set of interests. A policy agenda ought to reflect -- to some degree -- the priorities of these constituents. For example, a politician elected with the support of the business community may consider loosening regulations on hiring, and one whose election was made possible by environmentalists might prioritize the protection of endangered habitats.

Popular Support

The degree of ambition which a politician brings to her policy agenda is conditioned to an extent on the circumstances of her election. These include whether she was elected with an overwhelming majority -- a so-called "popular mandate" -- and her depth of support in the community. The policy agenda of a politician with such support can afford to be ambitious, and may include items of sweeping reform -- and promises of fundamental change to the political and economic system.

Governing Philosophy

A policy agenda is the practical side of an elected official's governing philosophy. Political conservatism emphasizes social stability by preserving the power of institutions and enforcing law and order. Community development projects, investments in scientific research, and more aggressive law enforcement are typical conservative policy agenda items. Political liberalism tends to be reform-oriented in process and is geared towards working people, women, and minorities. A liberal political agenda might include transparency in government, access to healthcare for the poor and funding for education.

References

• California State University Long Beach; Women and Public Policy; Summer 2002
• University of North Carolina; Agendas: Political; F.R. Baumgartner;