Ruling by statute : how uncertainty and vote buying shape lawmaking / Sebastián M. Saiegh.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Saiegh, Sebastián M., 1970- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Congress--Voting.

United States.

Legislative bodies--Voting.

Legislative bodies.

Legislators--United States.

Legislators.

Legislation--United States.

Legislation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 234 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

What are the main factors that allow presidents and prime ministers to enact policy through acts of government that carry the force of law? Or, simply put, when does a government actually govern? The theory presented in this book provides a major advance in our understanding of statutory policy making. Using a combination of an original analytical framework and statistical techniques, as well as historical and contemporary case studies, the book demonstrates that, contrary to conventional wisdom, variations in legislative passage rates are the consequences of differences in uncertainty, not partisan support. In particular, it shows that a chief executive's legislative success depends on the predictability of legislators' voting behavior and whether buying votes is a feasible option. From a normative standpoint, the book reveals that governability is best served when the opposition has realistic chances of occasionally defeating the executive in the legislative arena.

Contents:

Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction

Part II. Theoretical Foundations: 2. On statutory policy making; 3. A model of statutory policy making under uncertainty

Part III. Empirical Implications: 4. Measuring chief executives' statutory performance; 5. Patterns of statutory policy making around the world; 6. Political prowess or 'lady luck'?; 7. Buying legislators; 8. Electoral rules and lawmaking

Part IV. Normative Implications: 9. The political gap

Part V. Conclusions: 10. Conclusions

Part VI. Appendices.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-107-22135-8

1-283-11276-0

1-139-07638-8

9786613112767

1-139-08320-1

1-139-07866-6

1-139-07065-7

1-139-08093-8

0-511-84227-9

OCLC:

726734806