Many people regard public policies as deliberate responses or purposive actions to alleviate problems and needs systematically identified by some legitimate means. Public policy is an organizing framework of purposes and rationales for government programs that deal with specified societal problems. They are complex of programs enacted and implemented by government. It is commonly assumed that government policies are intended to solve—or at least cope with—major social and economic problems. There is typically some disparity, however, between the perception of the average citizen about policy processes and the outcomes and realities of policy making.

Let us consider some of the most common popular assumptions about government policy. First, some people believe that governments have clearly defined policies, well-thought-out in advance, on all or most major issues and problems. Second, many believe these policies are established through some kind of rational choice of better (as opposed to worse) alternatives made by political leaders. Third, some think everything that is done to address a problem or issue follows those policies.

Fourth, it is often assumed that the policies of government are clearly perceived and understood by citizens. And fifth, many believe that government policies are widely agreed on and supported— otherwise, how could they remain in force? As appealing or logical as these ideas might be, not one of them is true. Public policies are generally not clearly defined in the sense that all major problems are anticipated and the machinery of government geared up to meet them before they become unmanageable. That would require the kind of centralized leadership inconsistent with the Constitution and resisted by many of us.

Some processes designed to foresee future developments and prepare for them have not accomplished all that they were intended to, and “circumstances beyond control” often prevail. With the exception of threats to national security and major natural disasters, it is unusual to have a consistent policy for dealing with a specific problem. As a practical matter, governments could not possibly have predetermined policies on all issues, especially accidents, natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes, as well as deliberate acts of terror.

Thus, policies are more often the product of responses to particular circumstances or problems rather than the result of deliberate actions. Rational policy choice implies a decision-making capacity largely lacking in most of our noncentralized government institutions. Because of this size and diversity, many government activities do not follow official policy directions or support publicly stated goals. Political party platforms, pronouncements by top executives, state and local initiatives and referenda, even Congressional resolutions are often a better reflection of intent than of reality in policy making.