The political economy of expertise : information and efficiency in American national politics / Kevin M. Esterling.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Esterling, Kevin M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pressure groups--United States.

Pressure groups.

United States.

Policy sciences.

Physical Description:

xiv, 286 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Ann Arbor : University of Michigan Press, [2004]

Summary:

The Political Economy of Expertise is a carefully argued examination of how legislatures use expert research and testimony. Kevin Esterling demonstrates that interest groups can actually help the legislative process by encouraging Congress to assess research and implement well-informed policies. More than mere touts for the interests of Washington insiders, these groups encourage Congress to enact policies that are likely to succeed while avoiding those that have too great of a risk of failure. The surprising result is greater legislative efficiency. The Political Economy of Expertise illustrates that this system actually favors effective and informed decision-making, thereby increasing the likelihood that new policies-will benefit the American public.

Contents:

Democracy in an age of information and analysis

Policy expertise and accountability to citizens

Policy expertise and interest group pressure

Policy expertise and congressional learning

Introduction to the case studies

Emissions trading and confidence from EPA experimentation

School choice, uncertainty, and conceptual ambiguities

HMOs and methodological ambiguities

Discussion of the cases

The political economy of expertise

Appendix : validity and reliability issues.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-275) and indexes.

ISBN:

0472030647

0472113984

OCLC:

55000825