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13. Politics, Analysis, and Policy Choice

Exercises

1. Public Participation in Policy Issues
   
   Chapter 13 drives home a point made throughout the text: citizen action is essential to the policy process. There are a number of ways to get involved in policy decisions at all levels of government. In this exercise you will use the Public Citizen Web site to facilitate your own participation. After reaching the group's home page, select the "Take Action" tab. A list of public policy issues for which Public Citizen is encouraging people to contact government agencies or members of Congress is provided.
   
   
• Find an issue of interest to you. Select the "More Info/Take Action" link. Read about the issue as presented by Public Citizen. Follow the instructions provided for what you can do to register your opinion with the appropriate government official.


• Remember that Public Citizen is an interest group that promotes consumer advocacy. It therefore has a certain perspective in regard to the issues it presents. Find a contrary opinion on the issue you selected, using Google or another search engine. How do other sites differ in the way they facilitates citizen activism?