Assignment-Policy-2

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University of California, Los Angeles *

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Economics

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Jan 9, 2024

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Adriana Lleras-Muney Economics Department Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-3pm Bunche 9373 Intergenerational Poverty in America Policy proposal. Intergenerational mobility in America is low. Your job is to make a policy proposal to improve mobility in the US. You will imagine that you are working for the president. You will write a three-page memo with your policy proposal. Make sure you describe the policy clearly, state why the policy you are advocating for is better than other alternatives, why you think it will work, and how feasible (politically and economically) it is. Make sure to draw upon the materials we covered in class and to also review the literature on the topic, including proposals that we did not cover in class. Your memo will be 3 pages long at most (1-inch margins, use single spacing at 12-point font), excluding references and appendices (backup materials). All facts should either be computed by yourself or be accompanied by appropriate citations. Although long, this report gives you an idea of what the writing style should be ( https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2018/3903/sugary-drink-tax-112018.pdf ) Issues to consider regarding policy proposals.  How much would this cost in government expenditures? How would this be funded?  Will this be politically feasible?  Are there important ethical considerations or objections?  Who will be eligible? How many people will the policy affect?  What are the expected effects of the policy based on theories from economics and other sciences? Is there any existing evidence to support it?  Who will benefit and will everyone benefit in the same way? Are there any potential negative impacts of the policy? Are there some groups that might lose from the policy?  Will the policy change the behavior of actors in the economy? Are there hidden costs due to behavioral responses (e.g. migration)?  Will there be general equilibrium effects of the policy? Will these undermine the objectives of the policy?  Is this policy better than the alternative policies the government is already doing or that it could adopt instead?  How will the policy be implemented and enforced? Will this be done at the federal level? The state level? The county?  Will the effects of the policy be different in the short- and the long-run?  Does the success of the policy depend on other factors?

What makes an excellent memo? 1- The conceptual writing is clear and persuasive:  The main arguments are clearly explained.  The logic linking the arguments together (or linking the evidence and the arguments) is sound.  The structure of your argument is clear (make an outline and follow it! See the example below)  You devote enough attention to each of the arguments you want to make.  The writing is persuasive but otherwise succinct.  You address possible counter arguments, concerns, or issues with your proposal. 2-Use of evidence and supporting materials is appropriate *There is evidence cited in support of arguments whenever possible. *The evidence that is cited is compelling  The studies/data that are cited are relevant.  More than one source is provided as evidence.  The studies cited are high-quality: they come from a trusted source, ideally scientific publications published in good journals.  The studies cited are not “hand-picked” but derived from some consensus in the scientific community (so citing multiple studies or reviews is more powerful than citing a single study). *If there is no direct evidence, there is some suggestive evidence accompanied by solid and logical argumentation.  You may have a very innovative idea on how to tackle the problem. There may not be evidence about the exact proposal you have in mind, but you can provide related evidence suggesting reasons why it might work and should be tried.  You may also cite theoretical or ethical arguments made by others in support of your argument. 3-The presentation of the material is professionally done:  The writing is grammatically correct and typo-free.  Work is appropriately cited.  The figures or numbers cited are clearly explained.  Small points and clarifications are included in the footnotes.  Important but detailed supporting material is relegated to appendices. 4-The work is original:  Copying or paraphrasing other work is not acceptable.  Many people have thought about similar issues. It is best to acknowledge this and cite the work. You can and should rely on existing knowledge but ideally you present a new or different way to think about the issue.  Extra points are given if you have done your own data work, survey, or theory.

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