ABSTRACT
Issues have life-cycles. 1 A problem may fester quietly for years until it reaches the national political agenda as the result of either a crisis or the gradual buildup of concern from citizens and policymakers. Then comes a burst of public debate that culminates in new laws and rules. As policy implementation unfolds, the general public loses interest while groups with a special stake in the issue come to dominate the field. The policy eventually causes, aggravates, or fails to stop new problems that plague the issue area. At this point, the cycle may start again. The politics of health care provides a clear example of the life-cycle of issues.
