When analyzing public policy, analysts often address policy problems by focusing on either the root causes or the proximate causes of a problem. While focusing on the root causes of a policy problem might require more time and effort, it is sometimes believed that addressing those will yield a stronger and longer-lasting solution.

On the other hand, addressing proximate causes, or immediate causes, requires far less time and effort and can quickly ameliorate a pressing problem, but using this approach can also yield only short-term solutions that act only as superficial treatments of the symptoms. To examine these different approaches, visit OpenCongress, a website that displays all of the bills currently in Congress as well as a lot of information about them.