Policy Implementation

Policy Implementation

Policy implementation refers to the stage in the policy cycle after a particular law has been passed, which entails putting into action the adopted law. The Supreme Court in the United States in 2015 passed a law that allowed the licensing of same-sex marriages upon certifying the outlined requirements for marriage licenses. The authority and power to issue marriage licenses were bestowed upon county clerks and other local officials. Kim Davis being a county clerk, refused to issue a marriage license to a gay couple because she argued that it is against her Christian beliefs. Also, it was a violation of the law of God, an act which made her to be jailed even though she was later released.

A gay couple visits Kim Davis’s office, being the county clerk and expects to be issued a marriage license by the clerk something which the clerk refuses to issue on the basis that it is against her Christian beliefs and the law of God. According to obergefell vs Hodges, it was unconstitutional to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the state. Once the government of any given nation has passed a law, all the government officials are subject to implementing the law without question. Kim Davis being a county clerk is expected to implement the government policy of issuing licenses to same-gender marriages. Failure to enforce government policy is subject to face the law, which results in imprisonment for going against government laws. Kim Davis was therefore jailed for failing to execute a government policy even though she was later released. It is expected of her as a government official to implement all passed government policies without question. (Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis Gets Gay Marriage and the Law Wrong | Time, n.d.)

According to the law, provided that the couple is of the right age which is above eighteen years and if not has permission from the parents and has also paid the license fee then the county clerk should issue marriage license without question. The law does not also provide the government official with permission to decide whether to issue a marriage license or not based on her personal or religious beliefs. Kim Davis is also a citizen and therefore has a right to have a belief in a supernatural being and thus based on the two images contradiction then arises on the matter of judgment that she provided on issuing of these license to these couples. (The defiant Kim Davis, the Ky. Clerk who refuses to issue gay marriage licenses—The Washington Post, n.d.)

Being an administrator in her position, it is expected that one performs her duties as outlined by the law and the code of conduct of the specified position as a clerk which entails providing marriage licenses to couples that have met the requirements whether same-sex or not. Since the policy violates her religious beliefs, she then should seek a lawful procedure to challenge the law and find inclusion on the policy for the clerks to make a judgment based on their personal or religious beliefs or instead seek to challenge the change of the whole policy so that the law will not allow same-sex marriage license in the state.

Being a citizen, one has several federal rights and freedoms and one of it being the right to own opinion. Therefore since Kim Davis is a citizen of that state, then she should have sought a legitimate procedural way to challenge the policy before it was passed rather than trying to violate it when it has already been passed and only seeks implementation by every government official whether in the agreement or not.

In conclusion, being a public official entails the implementation of government policies without question. Therefore Kim Davis being a county clerk had no reason to ethically refuse to provide the gay couple with the marriage license even though as a citizen she has the right to make personal decisions based on her own and religious beliefs.

Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis Gets Gay Marriage and the Law Wrong | Time. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://time.com/4022167/kentucky-clerk-kim-davis-doesnt-seem-to-get-how-the-constitution-works/

The defiant Kim Davis, the Ky. Clerk who refuses to issue gay marriage licenses—The Washington Post. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2020, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/02/meet-kim-davis-the-ky-clerk-who-defying-the-supreme-court-refuses-to-issue-gay-marriage-licenses/