Public Policy & Community Development...the point is???

See, to me at least, its important to recognize the fact that while community development from a government perspective kind of has to be looked at through a lens of public policy that will affect the masses, there is in fact no masses, no community, without the individual.

This is important to recognize because we must always remember to put human faces to our decisions when it comes to public policy. Faces is plural because though I am saying that communities are comprised of individuals, they are individuals that do not all look, think, react the same in any given situation.

With this realization comes the realization that one size fits all policies can’t work for everybody. That being said, it would be next to impossible to try to solve societal problems individual by individual when you are a government body charged with the responsibility for and prosperity of thousands, let alone millions.

So what good is public policy?

Very.

Good public policy can ensure that a majority of people are able to find some kind of equilibrium, some type of balance in the world and then navigate it (moderately) successfully. And this is a good thing.

The problem is, good is not good enough.

That rare and elusive giant in the foothills, “great” public policy, recognizes that no matter how “good” a policy is it will never be “good” enough because it is not “good” enough for everybody. Only a majority. And with every majority created there is also by definition a minority created at the same time. Therefore, great public policy leaves room for interpretation. Great public policy is that fine, sometimes seemingly impossible line to find that regulates for the majority while finding ways for the minority to circumvent the dams of the mainstream and swim alongside joe and jane public.