The five steps of a domestic policy cycle are as follows.

1) Agenda building: this is done in many ways including lobbying, letter and email campaigns, phone calls and even protests, sit-ins, and strikes.

2) Formulation: where the policy is discussed, changes are suggested, hearings held.

3) Adoption: the policy is enacted into law, to be passed by the proper legislative body.

4) Implementation: the funding complete, decisions on spending and enforcement of the policy are put in place and made operational.

5) Evaluation – this step is meant to ensure the policy is actually working and is being implemented properly.

Parts of the policy or the entire policy may have to be re-addressed; funding may need to be increased or changed; the methods may need to be altered. This final analytical step is the reason why the process is considered cyclical.

If I were to create a policy of mandating Medical Marijuana (MMM) for all states, for instance, the first thing I would have to do is garner enough support and funding to have my proposal put on the Congressional Agenda.

Once I was able to do that, the law would need to be formulated so that it would conform to the Constitution, first and foremost – and then the logistics of implementing such a policy (MMM), would have to be worked out.

There could be plenty of opposition to such a plan. Meetings and sub-committees might be formed to further discuss it. It could be sent back for retooling or re-writing.

If the policy makes it past the Formulation stage, it then becomes adopted, where it can be voted on after even more debate. If, God willing, the bill is approved, the tough task of Implementation begins (Who gets it first? How soon? Where can I pick mine up?)

And finally, after the new MMM bill passes, it will still be evaluated for efficacy, where it might be sent back again to the Legislative bodies for revision.