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- Title
Driving support: workers, PACs, and congressional support of the auto industry.
- Authors
Moore, Ryan T.; Powell, Eleanor Neff; Reeves, Andrew
- Abstract
In 2008 and 2009, the House of Representatives directed billions of dollars to the auto industry by passing a bailout and the 'cash for clunkers' program. Moving beyond corporate influence via campaign contributions, we demonstrate that the presence of auto workers in a district strongly predicts legislative support for both bills. In addition to this critical legislation, we also analyze over 250 bills on which the auto industry either lobbied or took a public position. We find no patterns relating a district's workers or corporate campaign contributions to these votes on broader legislation where other groups, such as environmental advocates or labor unions, are at the table. Instead, the auto industry garners consistent support only on quasi-private, particularistic legislation. Thus, we contend that on particularistic legislation the presence of workers (not just campaign contributions) drives legislative support; however, when legislators expand the scope of conflict, the influence of a single industry is attentuated by other interests.
- Subjects
UNITED States; AUTOMOBILE industry subsidies; FINANCIAL bailouts; AUTOMOBILE industry -- Government policy; POLITICAL action committees; UNITED States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Car Allowance Rebate System; AUTOMOBILE industry; POLITICAL participation
- Publication
Business & Politics, 2013, Vol 15, Issue 2, p137
- ISSN
1469-3569
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/bap-2013-0005