Policy Frames and Agenda Setting: The Case for Progressive Populism

Social policy in the 1990s has not moved in a progressive direction. Instead, centrist New Democrats have succeeded in promoting issues such as welfare reform and managed health care, and have made efforts to appeal to upper-middle class voters. Several socio-economic trends, including growing incom...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of progressive human services 2001-01, Vol.12 (2), p.51-69
Main Author: Scanlon, Edward
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agenda Setting
Class Politics
Income inequalities
Income Inequality
New Democrats
policy frames
Populism
Progressive politics
progressive populism
Progressivism
Social class
Social Movements
Social Policy
Social Welfare
Third Way
Welfare Reform
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Summary:Social policy in the 1990s has not moved in a progressive direction. Instead, centrist New Democrats have succeeded in promoting issues such as welfare reform and managed health care, and have made efforts to appeal to upper-middle class voters. Several socio-economic trends, including growing income inequality, employment insecurity, health care inequities, and economic globalization, are creating the basis for grass-roots movements based on historical US themes of progressive populism. Social welfare advocates should work cooperatively with these movements, elaborating their themes as a frame for social welfare policy proposals. A class-based, populist framework is recommended to promote economic reforms including universal health care, an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, an increased minimum wage, labor law reform, and universal child care.
ISSN:1042-8232
1540-7616
DOI:10.1300/J059v12n02_04