ABSTRACT
Public policy is nothing less than the business of translating the promise of democracy into the performance of democracy. Public policy encompasses the demands and expectations that citizens place on government and the government’s response to these demands and expectations in the form of laws and public programs. Government cannot attend to all the possible issues, problems, and demands that exist. Political scientists have devoted considerable effort to explaining how and why some policy issues make it onto the public agenda and others do not. Indicators are any measures that can be employed as systematic monitoring devices. A focusing event is something that grabs attention immediately and puts an issue on the public agenda. Feedback consists of the information policymakers routinely receive through government reports, hearings, the news, casework, meetings with lobbyists and government officials, and contact with constituents.
