Kingdon Agenda Setting Summary

Latoya Lewis
MPA 226/1256
Lance Noe
Reading Assessments # 2
September 30, 2010

Agenda Setting
In Jon W. Kingdom’s Agenda Setting, the author explores how governmental agendas are established. Kingdon’s answers are concentrated on the following: problems, politics, and visible participants. Per Kingdon, problems come to occupy the attention of governmental officials according to how they are informed of the conditions and in the ways in which the conditions become defined as problems. The author discusses how indicators can establish a problem exists, assess the magnitude of the condition, and discern changes in the condition. Focusing events such as disasters or crisis are also noted for drawing attention. Kingdon also identified
The author notes that agendas are influenced by the following; new administration, national mood, and interest groups. Moreover, visible participants, such as the president, and prominent members of Congress are also noted for affecting the agenda. While the hidden cluster, such as academic specialist and career bureaucrats affect the alternatives. Kingdon suggests there is a higher probability of an item “making” the agenda if all three elements- problem, policy, and politics-are present.
The author also contributes timing as factor for items “making” the agenda. An open policy window is an ideal opportunity for advocates to push their “agenda.” Windows are opened by events associated with either the problem or political streams. The difficulties with windows is that they are scare and with short durations. However, when windows are open the likelihood of an item making the agenda-particularly when a skilled entrepreneur is present-is
The article details two models: Rational Comprehensive and Successive Limited. The con of “muddling through” the objective will often become compromised. Moreover, the focus becomes broad, thus other goals begin to be considered. Administrators tend to compromise. Solutions tend to be based on their personal values; administrators tend to lean toward options which they are familiar with; and the most suitable compromise is often chosen versus the optimal solution (s). The advantage to muddling is that the compromise reduces conflict; it conforms to the model of our government; and the incremental implementation process serves as a preventive measure.
On Thursday, July 22, 2010, President Obama signed federal legislation extending access to the existing federal unemployment extension benefits. The new legislation allowed Unemployment agencies to resume automatically filing the next level of extension claim for eligible unemployed workers once they run out of their regular state unemployment benefits or one of the four tiers of federal extension benefits. A new deadline of November 30, 2010 was established for starting any next tier of federal extension benefits