Assignment: Economic Essay
Write a policy report on one of the highly debated areas in Public Economics. (choose to discuss a specific policy from the following four areas)
o Education and government policies
o Social security and its reform
o Health care policies and the reform
o Tax policy and its reform
The report should aim to cover the following aspects:
• Frame the Issue and Understand the Problem
- Write about the background of the issue you choose, describing the scope of the problem to justify the need for government policy action. Be sure to address any previous policy actions taken on the matter. Your report should also discuss the possible consequences for failure to act.
• Select Criteria for Comparison
o Specify appropriate criteria against which to compare public policy proposals. The criteria should involve policy goals or positive outcomes that improve the problem in question. Examples of outcomes include economic benefits, reduced costs for taxpayers, improved student achievement, a cleaner environment or improved measures of public health.
• Identify Potential Solutions
o Specify two or more possible policy solutions to the issue at hand. These solutions should consist of specific actions that could be taken by a legislative or executive body, rather than vague social changes that are beyond the scope of government policy makers. Compare the competing proposals, describing how and to what extent each proposal addresses the problem, based on the criteria specified in
• Make Recommendations
o Recommend an action for policy makers to take, using empirical evidence from your analysis and comparison for support. Make sure that all relevant criteria for your suggestions are properly outlined and that you include strategies for implementation of your recommendations. Additionally, address the limitations of your suggestions and identify possible unanticipated outcomes.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.