16 May Social Injustice and Public Health
Order Instructions
It’s perhaps obvious to state that political leadership is a necessary condition of advancing public policy changes. In our democratic system (and arguably, even in our more polarized political climate today) bipartisan political leadership is necessary to actually enact policy changes into law. The three policy issues covered in this week’s reading from Social Injustice and Public Health — mental health, environmental health, and occupational health and safety — are all issues around which some level of bipartisan support exists in the U.S. Congress. This week, please research and construct a post that responds to the following:
1. Please identify two elected leaders from either the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives, one Democrat and one Republican, who appear to have worked together meaningfully on one of these issues. Please describe the policy measure(s) on which they have collaborated.
2. Please provide your best sense of the current climate in Congress as a whole around the policy issue you’re focusing on. Does the potential seem to exist for actual passage of legislation around this issue anytime soon? Why or why not? What additional factors would increase the chances that legislation could be passed on your issue, in your view?
Source:
Please read Social Injustice and Public Health, Chapters 9-11
