Chapters 8 and 9

Policy making in the USA

The architecture of American Politics

• Presidential Democracy (as opposed to parliamentary democracy)

• Separation of Powers supported by a sophisticated system of checks and balances.– Horizontally– Vertically

• Judicial: Common law system

Architecture of the system (cont.)

• Election system favors the development of 2 umbrella political parties instead of multiple parties representing different positions of the ideological spectrum

Qualities of the system

• Decentralized but orderly providing a lot of space of hearing interest groups.

• Biased towards stability which can actually turn into gridlock

• Disconnection with politics – clientelism – lack of accountability towards voters

• Tendency to favor narrow interests because of their ability to influence the process.

Policy making in the United States (chapter 9)

• Policy-making systems “make” most public policy. – Networks of small, stable groups of people who

control the operating decisions of specific government agencies of specific programs. They are called systems because they are predictable and involve a high level of interaction and feedback

– The people:• Elected: President, Congressmen, Senators• Unelected: Lobbyists, professional staff, and full time

bureaucrats

Limited capabilities

• Difficulties making big changes • Presidential Democracy -- decentralization• Final decisions emerge from compromise, the

result of pulling and pushing framed by public and private interests.

• Unintended consequences are the norm

How a bill becomes Law

Bills are introduced by members of the legislature but many of them are actually initially drafted by executive branch officials.

1. Subcommittee:

1. Decides whether to hold hearings on a bill that has been introduced.

2. Sends mark up bills to Committee

2. Committee:

1. Further discusses

2. Approves bill which goes then to chamber

How a bill becomes Law (cont)

3. Chambers• Rules committee includes in Congress

agenda• Leadership informal discussions decides

whether to include in Senates agenda.

4. Amendments (more or less germane); deal brokering; in the Senate maybe filibuster.

How a bill becomes Law (cont)

5. When approved Bill is passed to the other chamber. Alternatively both chambers can be discussing it simultaneously.

If the language of the bill differs largely leaders of the committees engage meet in conference to reconcile the language.

6. Bill is sent to the White House of action. 1. President signs within 10 days or it become law by default

unless the session finishes before the 10 days.

2. President vetos the bill. The whole bill. Can only be overcome by a 2/3 majority vote in the chambers.

How a bill becomes Law (cont)

7. The bill goes back to the chambers for Authorization and Appropriation.

Most Bills are funded for 2 years

Some Bills (social security, food stamps are entitlement programs they must receive funding

Post-legislative process

8. A bureaucratic agency clarifies the law, making it workable by eliminating ambiguities and developing well-defined procedures for implementation.

• This process involves hearings followed by a discussion in the agencies.

• The result is the definition of its actual impact on business.

• It is written mostly by not elected officials• There is space for more lobbying

Post-legislative process (cont.)

• The law is published in the Federal Register• Many agencies rules are subject to constant

review.• Agencies have enforcement duties.• They also have judicial ones. In fact parties who

feel the bill just passed does not serve well their interest can use the regulars or administrative courts to challenge it.

Iron Triangle

Dep. of Agriculture

American Dairy

Assoc.

Sen. & House Agri. Committees

Interchange of personnel

Information

Support for ADA policy agenda

Support of Dep. budget

Expert information, political support

Campaign contributions

Price support for dairy products

Alternative paths

• Executive orders

• Direct ballots voted in states (e.g. California, Massachusetts)

Criticism of the regulatory process

• Undemocratic• Failing to respond to majority demand• Giving too much power to narrow interest groups• Criticism to the moral and capacity of the

bureaucracy

Types of policies and politics

Perceived Policy Benefit

Narrow Wide

Perceived policy cost

Concentrated Interest group politics: CAFE standards

Entrepreneurial politics (championed by an entrepreneur such as Ralph Nader or Ross Perot)

Disperse Client politics: Restrictions on imports of, e.g. Canadian lumber.

Majoritarian politics (Health Care or Social Security)