U.S. government II (Memorandum)

The policy making process involves looking at an issue on the political agenda and deciding what to do about it. The agenda isconstantly expanding due to many factors like media attention, politicians looking for votes, crisis, and interest group activity.Often the process involves political struggles.DirectionsSelect a public policy issue that interests you. It can be any topic on the political agenda.For ideas on public policy issues, visit Almanac of Policy Issues and search by issue area. The site offers background informationon issues, archived documents, and links on major U.S. public policy issues: http://www.policyalmanac.org/Using the following Memorandum format, write a public policy official of your choosing about the issue you select. Your memorandumoutlines talking points for an upcoming interview between the official and a Washington Post reporter.MEMORANDUMTo: A Public Policy OfficialFrom: John DoeDate: September 9, 2013Subject: The subject line should not exceed two lines.NOTE: A memorandum to a Public Policy Official is one page. You are preparing a Briefing Memorandum outlining talking points for anupcoming interview between the Public Policy Official and a Washington Post reporter about an important and fast-evolving public policyissue.ISSUEThe issue statement sets out what happened, is happening, or will happen to trigger the briefing memo. It should not exceed two orthree lines. An issue statement elaborates on the subject line and outlines the specific trigger for the event, or decision. A“trigger” is more descriptive than “issue” for this paragraph. In defining the issue, determine how much is already known about thesubject.Start with an Issue Statement, NOT a Purpose Statement.Example: Purpose Statement – You have already stated the purpose of the memo in your subject line. Issue Statement- This conveys asense of urgency –the reason you are writing the briefing memo.BODY OF THE MEMOThe body of a briefing memo contains:Background SectionConsiderations SectionOne approach to writing the body is to write the opening and closing paragraphs. Then ask yourself, “What will it take for readers tosee that the closing paragraph is a sensible response to the opening paragraph?” The answer forms the body of your briefing memo.BACKGROUNDBackground provides explanatory material to bring the Public Policy Official up to speed on what is happening or what has happened.This is where you provide information that will help the official understand the issue and its context.CONSIDERATIONSConsiderations provide information and arguments to justify your conclusion and/or recommendation. The considerations section providesfindings, analyses, pros and cons, options, and arguments that lead the reader to the recommendation or an advisable response to theissue statement at the beginning of the memo.CLOSING PARAGRAPHMemos should close with either a recommendation or a conclusion. Recommendations should be brief. Do not present or repeat yourrationale in the recommendations section. State specifically what the official is being asked to do or decide, as opposed to stating adesirable outcome. Ask yourself: “If I read this recommendation, would I know what I am being asked to do?”CONCLUSIONA memo for information should end with a conclusion. It should:Clarify the issue or event; (Help the official see the forest through the trees).Interpret the significance of the information.Analyze the information in the memo, not just describe the situation.Answer what happens next, or where you are in confronting the problem or process presented.Never include “We will keep you informed,” “We are monitoring the situation,” or “We will brief you on any significantdevelopments.” These are understood and expected.NOTE:This is the format I use for my interns on Capitol Hill, and it is essentially the format I used when I represented the CanadianEmbassy as a foreign agent. The Briefing Memo was the basis for every briefing/talking point memo I ever did for United States CareerAmbassador, Elbridge Durbrow.PurposeYou will explore an issue and experience the public policy process of explaining the issue and achieving a desired outcome.GradingYour memorandum is worth 60 points toward your final grade in the course. Refer to the following table to understand how thisassignment will be graded: