Participant Voice in the Bureaucratic Policymaking Process

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Yackee, Susan Webb
• 署名单位: University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND THEORY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1053-1858
• DOI: 10.1093/jopart/muu007
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 427-449
• 关键词: political efficacy; RULE; rulemaking; governance; MODEL; BIAS

摘要

I examine whether citizens who participate in agency rulemaking in the United States believe they have a meaningful voice. Using data drawn from 388 individuals, I employ an innovative survey research design approach-anchoring vignettes-to measure political efficacy during rulemaking, as well as a randomized survey experiment to study causal drivers. Despite powerful arguments associated with low efficacy, participants report, on average, a lot of say during rulemaking. However, experimental evidence suggests that participants believe agencies are more responsive to business interests than to those of ordinary citizens. When taken together, these results imply notable efficacy among those who participate. However, this normatively optimistic finding is tempered by the normatively pessimistic perception that business interests hold a clear advantage over the general public in influencing agency policy decisions.