An analysis of a public policy
Write a short summary that includes the following points:
State the public policy that you chose to change.
Explain why you think it should be changed.
Using the list below, describe one of the political processes you chose to change the policy:
Legislative process.
Presidential executive action.
Administrative agency’s regulations.
Legal system of the courts.
Here is a list of a few examples of domestic public policies to change:
Energy.
The environment.
Health care.
Pick one Social welfare issue
Civil rights.
Death penalty.
Gun control.
Taxation.
Assisted suicide.
Affirmative action.
Minimum wage.
Drug legalization.
Immigration.
Hate crimes.
Capital punishment.
4 Evaluate two cases that illustrate the degree to which unions have affected health care clinical and administrative providers, such as nurses or clinic staff.
Provide specific examples to support your rationale.
I chose to change the public policy involving gun control in the United States. Gun violence is a major issue in America, with an average of nearly 100 people killed by guns each day (Taylor et al., 2017). With access to firearms so easily obtainable, it is easy for individuals who should not have access to these weapons to acquire them. Therefore, I believe that the current public policy surrounding gun control needs to be changed in order to make Americans safer and reduce gun-related deaths and injuries.
Currently, there are many loopholes within the existing law that allow individuals with criminal records or mental illness to purchase firearms without any background checks (Kleck & Patterson 1993). For example, if someone purchases a firearm from a private seller at a gun show they do not need to undergo any type of screening process before obtaining their weapon (Kleck & Patterson 1993). This means that those unqualified individuals can still obtain guns if they choose. Furthermore, even though certain states have passed laws requiring background checks for all firearms sales, there is no federal legislation guaranteeing this nationwide (Taylor et al., 2017). By closing these loopholes and making sure that everyone who purchases a firearm must go through some form of background check first would help prevent potentially dangerous people from getting their hands on weapons.
In addition, I think implementing stronger regulation on where people can store their firearms when not using them could also help reduce gun violence. Currently 37% of households with children aged 17 or younger report having at least one unlocked firearm present in their homes (Bridgeman et al., 2018). Having unlocked guns present increases the likelihood of them being accessed illegally or used accidentally which could lead to tragic consequences (Bridgeman et al.,2018). Thus, by creating more stringent regulations regarding how owners must store their firearms when not using them would significantly reduce risks associated with having guns lying around while not being monitored.
Overall then , changing the public policy concerning gun control in America is essential due its potential repercussions on both safety and societal well-being.. By requiring universal background checks as well as stricter storage regulations we can take steps towards reducing access by those unqualified thus helping ensure greater safety for all members of our community.
