This anthology is structured around a set of substantive debates over a broad range of important contemporary public policy questions. Each chapter poses a provocative contemporary public policy question, and each opens with an overview of the public policy issue in question, including its history and political-economic context. Major articles are used as opposing pairs to debate the policy question posed in each chapter and to help students form an educated opinion of the topic discussed by actively engaging them in a modern public policy debate.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Chapter 1. Growth Management: SHOULD GOVERMENTS ADOPT ?SMART GROWTH? POLICIES TO CURB SURBURBAN SPRAWL? YES: Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley, DIVIDED WE SPRAWL, The Atlantic Monthly. NO: Peter Gordon and Harry W. Richardson, PROVE IT: THE COSTS AND THE BENEFITS OF SPRAWL, Brookings Review. Discussion Questions. Web Reference. Further Reading. Chapter 2. Education Policy: WILL UNIFORM STANDARDS AND TESTING IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION? YES: Abigail Thernstrom, TESTING AND ITS ENEMIES: AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE BARRICADES, National Review. NO: Deborah Meier, EDUCATING A DEMOCRACY: STANDARDS AND THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDICATION, Boston Review. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Reading. Chapter 3. Entitlements: SHOULD SOCIAL SECURITY BE PRIVATIZED? YES: Michael Tanner, SAVING SOCIAL SECURITY IS NOT ENOUGH, The Cato Institute. NO: Brooke Harrington, INVESTOR BEWARE: CAN SMALL INVESTORS SURVIVE SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVATIZATION?, The American Prospect. 4. Globalization: DOES GLOBALIZATION PROMOTE ECONOMIC EQUALITY? YES: David Dollar and Aart Krany, SPREADING THE WEALTH, Foreign Affairs. NO: James K. Galbraith, THE CRISIS OF GLOCALIZATION, Dissent. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 5. Climate Change and Environmental Policy: SHOULD THE UNITED STATES MAKE THE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AN IMMEDIATE POLICY PRIORITY? YES: Thomas C. Schelling, WHAT MAKES GREENHOUSE SENSE? TIME TO RETHINK THE KYOTO PROTOCOL, Foreign Affairs. NO: Daniel Sarewitz and Roger Pielle, Jr., BREAKING THE GLOBAL WARMING GRIDLOCK, The Atlantic Monthly. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 6. Immigration Policy: SHOULD THE UNITED STATES ADMIT FEWER IMMIGRANTS? YES: Roy Beck, ROY BECK?S NUMBERS IN BLUEPRINTS FOR AN IDEAL IMMIGRATION POLICY, Center for Immigration Studies. NO: Stephen Moore, A STRATIEGIC US IMMIGRATION POLICY FOR THE NEW ECONOMY IN BLUEPRINTS FOR AN IDEAL IMMIGRATION POLICY, Center for Immigration Studies. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 7. Campaign Finance Reform: SHOULD ELECTIONS BE PUBLICLY FUNDED? YES: David Donnelly, Janice Fins, and Ellen S. Miller, GOING PUBLIC, Boston Review. NO: John Samples, GOVERNMENT FINANCING OF CAMPAIGNS: A PUBLIC CHOICE PERSPECTIVE, The Cato Institute. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 8. Abortion Policy: SHOULD MINORS BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PARENTAL CONSENT PRIOR TO RECEIVING AN ABORTION? YES: Anne Marie Morgan, ALONE AMONG STRANGERS: ABORTION AND PARENTAL CONSENT, Chronicles. NO: National Organization of Women, THE TRAGEDY OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT LAWS, The National NOW Times. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 9. Welfare Policy: "HAS WELFARE REFORM BEEN A SUCCESS?" YES: Ron Haskins, GIVING IS NOT ENOUGH: WORK AND WORK SUPPORTS ARE REDUCING POVERTY, Brookings Review. NO: Peter Edelman, REFORMING WELFARE-TAKE TWO, The Nation. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 10. Health Care Policy: SHOULD THE UNITED STATES ADOPT A UNIVERSAL, SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH PLAN? YES: Physicians? Working Group on Single-Payer National Health Insurance, PROPOSAL FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM. NO: Merrill Matthews, Jr., and Robert J. Cibak, HEALTH CARE QUALITLY: WOULD IT SURVIVE A SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM? Washington Policy Center. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 11. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity: SHOULD AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICIES BE CONTINUED? YES: Stanley Fish, REVERSE RACISM OR HOW THE POT GOT TO CALL THE KETTLE BLACK, The Atlantic Monthly. NO: Shelby Steele, A NEGATIVE BOTE ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, New York Times Magazine. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 12. Drug Policy: SHOULD DRUGS BE LEGALIZED? YES: Ethan A. Nadelmann, THE CASE FOR LEGALIZATION, The Public Interest. No: James Q. Wilson, AGAINST THE LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS, Commentary. 13. Gun Control: SHOULD THE SALE OF HANDGUNS BE STRICTLY CONTROLLED? YES: Steven Riczo, GUNS, AMERICA, AND THE 21ST CENTURY, USA Today Magazine. NO: Daniel D. Polsby, THE FALSE PROMISE OF GUN CONTROL, The Atlantics Monthly. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings. 14. Energy Policy: SHOULD INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF FOSSIL FUELS BE THE FOCUS OF NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY? YES: Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, speech delivered to the National Petroleum Council. NO: Senator John F. Kerry, ENERY SECURITY IS AMERICAN SECURITY, speech delivered to the Center for National Policy. Discussion Questions. Web References. Further Readings.Credits.