Political agenda

A political agenda is a list of subjects or problems to which government officials as well as individuals outside the government are paying serious attention at any given time. It is most often shaped by political and policy elites, but can also be influenced by non-governmental activist groups, private sector lobbyists, think tanks, courts, and world events. Media coverage has also been linked to the success of the rise of political parties and their ability to get their ideas on the agenda. Although the media does often have an effect on the political agenda, these results are not always immediate. When there is a great time difference between decisions and results it is called a political agenda lag. A political agenda is a list of subjects or problems to which government officials as well as individuals outside the government are paying serious attention at any given time. It is most often shaped by political and policy elites, but can also be influenced by non-governmental activist groups, private sector lobbyists, think tanks, courts, and world events. Media coverage has also been linked to the success of the rise of political parties and their ability to get their ideas on the agenda. Although the media does often have an effect on the political agenda, these results are not always immediate. When there is a great time difference between decisions and results it is called a political agenda lag. Political agenda is also strongly tied to state centralization. The more centralized a state, the more citizens will likely try and affect the political agenda. For this reason, many political elites tend to prefer a non-centralized state where they can maintain more control over the political agenda. The “Political Agenda Effect” asserts that when citizens from different backgrounds get together, their agenda will change in a way that takes their demands away from elites to focus more on public goods. The “Escalation Effect” contends that if citizens get together, this will induce elites to form national resources to fight against them and maintain the political agenda the way they desire. The impact agenda is the increasing requirements for researchers to prove that there are real world impacts from their research. It is related to the political agenda because often governments measure a positive real world impact only in terms of the political agenda they have. When it comes to building the political agenda, there are three main models which are commonly cited: the outside initiative model, mobilization model, and inside initiative model. The political agenda is essentially defined as what governmental officials find important to discuss. Those closest to the policy process have the biggest control on what issues reach the political agenda. They are the ones with the most power to decide which ideas or issues have the most importance, and which ideas or issues are unimportant. For example, the President of the United States, has the power to make treaties, appoint ambassadors, appoint judges of the supreme court etc. These types of powers ultimately shape what voices are present in parliament and subsequently what issues reach the political agenda. Some non-governmental activist groups, such as neighborhood associations, advocate for civic beautification or improvement of communities. Many other important activist groups, like those oriented towards human rights and social justice, campaign for broad ideals. These groups work to put continuous pressure on government leaders that shape the agenda. If enough pressure is exerted onto political leaders through activist groups, it can change which issues and ideas ultimately reach the political agenda. For example the American Bar Association (ABA) and the American Medical Association (AMA), usually try to influence politicians on professional jobs. Think tanks are in need of financial backing. Most times wealthy and established investors who wish to advance a certain idea or cause onto the political agenda establish them. These issues or causes may include: economics, taxes, foreign policy, global development, education, children and families, or healthcare. Examples of think tanks that promote a certain political perspective onto the political agenda are the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute which are highly conservative. On the other side, the Center for American Progress, are more liberal with their motives. When the courts make a decision that changes a previous line of thinking, that idea immediately is on the political agenda because laws and public administration must change accordingly. The Mabo decision by the High Court in 1992 which overturned previous laws about establishing native titles is an example of this. When something unexpected happens it can force the political agenda to change immediately. For example, when Hurricane Katrina or the World Trade Centre attacks occurred they were unexpected but priority changing events. When big world events (i.e. disasters/tragedies) occur they are often followed by a policy response as well, and so what issues and ideas reach the political agenda are sometimes changed simply due to what happened in the world.