13b. THE FUTURE OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL POLICY (

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13b. THE FUTURE OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL POLICY
( How Public Policy Really Works)

• Larry D. Sanders
• Fall 2005

Dept. of Ag Economics Oklahoma State
University
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APPENDICES

1. How Public Policy Really Works
2. Alternatives Consequences Problem Solving Model
3. Community Food Systems the Changing Culture of
   Policy and Science

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A. How Public Policy Really Works

• Larry D. Sanders

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Public Policy is . . .

• Public policy and sausage have a lot in common.
  You may like the results of both, but you
  wouldnt want to see how theyre made.
• --Governor Henry Bellmon, paraphrasing
• Germanys Bismark in the 19th century

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THE POLITICAL AGRO-ECONOMICS OF POLICY PLANT LIFE

• 7. FINAL GROWTH
• Dreaded Budget Deficit Virus
• Conservatives question use of tax

• 6. PEST ATTACK
• Lobbyists
• Foreign Competitors
• Economists

8. AUTHORIZED

• 9A. MONEY
• DROUGHT
• Nothing Happens
• not released

• 5. MOISTURE
• Sweat/Worry of Targeted Group

9B. APPROPRIATED

• 4. FERTILIZE
• Political Bull

10. IMPLEMENTATION

• 3. EARLY GROWTH
• Sprout in Washington, DC
• Till in Media
• Weed in Countryside

• 2. PLANT
• Seeds of Good Intention

1. PLANNING Goal -- Political Success
NOTE PEST ATTACKS MAY OCCUR AT ANY TIME IN
LIFE CYCLE
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High School Civics Model
No Action
Citizen Concern
Representative
Action
Committee
Senate/House
President
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Pre-1990s Model
(1)
House/ Senate Committees
Farm Organization Leaders
(2)
Committee
Committee Staff Writes Bill
Senate/House
President
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1990s Modelala Newt
Committee Majority
GOP Leaders
Senate/ House
Fail
Committee Compromise
Farm Organization Leaders
Demo Leaders
Conference (compromise)
Other Interest Groups
President
Veto
Sign
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Future Model?
GOP
Farm Organizations
No Compromise
Gridlock
Demos
Other Interest Groups
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Expansion of Support
ADVOCATES
Problem Recognition
Convergence of interest
Formulation of Proposal
Presentation of Proposal
Identification of Authorities
Reduction of Opposition
AUTHORITIES
Reduction of Support
Authoritative Consideration
DECISION
OPPONENTS
Emergence of Opposition
Presentation of Counterproposal
Formulation of Counterproposal
Identification of Authorities
Expansion of Opposition
IMPLEMENTATION
EVALUATION
Note Based on work by Alan Hahn
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Power Clusters
FOREIGN RELATIONS
WEST
AGRICULTURE
RURAL
LABOR
ENVIRONMENT
URBAN
SOUTH
AGED
CONSUMERS
HEALTH CARE
NORTH
TRADE
DEFENSE
EAST
BUSINESS
Etc.
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What Makes a Power Cluster Work
King-makers
Influential Core
Agencies
Legislative Committees
Kings
Professionals
Interest Groups
Active Public
Volunteers
Interested Public
Attentive Public
Latent Public
Apathetic Public
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Policy Making War Stories
HB 2559ARPA WITH 0 FOR RISK MGMT PASSED IN
SEPT. 1999.
OCTOBER, 1999 MULTI-STATE CES GROUP
PLANNED 10 MIL. RISK MGMT EDUCATION PROGRAM
USDA
NO
HOUSE BILL
KEY CONGRESSMAN
HB 4018 FUNDING 30M. 3/16/00
LGU RISK CONTS
AIDE
STATE LGU DIRECTORS
CONGRESSIONAL REPS
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 4/24/00 APPROVED 5 MIL/YR
USDA CONTROL (STATES LOST CONTROL
USDA
AESOP, ETC
KEY CONGRESSIONAL REPS
30 M FUNDING ADDED 3/22/00
CONGRESS AG COMMITTEE STAFFERS (SNOWSTORM???
SENATE AG COMMITTEE CHAIR
S 2251 BILL
PRESIDENT SIGNED HR 2559 6/2000
CONGRESS CO-SPONSORS
MISSED SOME KEY CONGRESS LEADERS
NOTE With a few exceptions, main support of key
commodity orgs. was to offer no opposition.
Dont underestimate that kind of support. Its
critical to gain no-opposition if you cant get
active support. However, some active support was
gained as well.
COMMODITY ORG LEADERS
NOTE Case study developed by J. Novak, D. Jose,
K. Klair, J. Newkirk, K. Stokes, D. Tilmon,
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How to Do Policy By the Numbers . . .

1. Plan proposal and strategy to get approval by
   legislative body.
2. Gain a broad coalition including key players.
3. Gain support of a key staff aide.
4. Walk the halls (Congress or Legislature) and also
   get support of Executive Branch (USDA or state
   dept of ag (no mistakes).
5. Expand legislative base of support.
6. Work with key staffers (hope for snowstorm?).
7. Use your own lobbyist and other groups with with
   lobbyists to follow in your tracks.
8. Get a champion in Congress and in the
   Conference Committee.

NOTE Case study developed by James Novak, et al.
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How to Do Policy By the Numbers (continued) . .
.

1. Expect that what is authorized is less than what
   was hoped for.
2. President or Governor signs legislation if they
   were brought along.
3. Plan effort to work with appropriations
   committees and expect less than what was
   authorized.
4. Plan to work with the implementing agency.
5. Track implementation and provide feedback.
6. Collect and share success stories with key
   committee and public and/or suggested
   improvements in law.
7. Dont forget who brung you to the dance.
8. Begin again at 1 as appropriate.

NOTE Case study developed by James Novak, et al.
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Summary Caveats

• Simple? Yeah, right!
• Pork, Investment Rent-seeking
• Theres the deal, and theres the real deal.
• Never under-estimate the power of 20-somethings
  in Washington.
• If you think youre starting to figure it out,
  you may have to throw out the rule book for the
  next 4 years.
• Life is not a sports event. Sooner or later we
  have to figure out how to get along, cooperate
  and find common ground.
• Compromise is essential for a democracy to work.

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Remember Pogo we are the enemy.

• What we were trying to do with our legislation .
  . . was wanton, cheap and greedya sluttish
  thing. This should come as no surprise. All
  through history mankind has been bullied by scum.
  Those who lord it over their fellows and toss
  commands in every direction and would boss the
  grass in the meadow about which way to bend in
  the wind are the most depraved kind of
  prostitutes. . . . Every government is a
  parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a
  democracy the whores are us.
• --P.J. ORourke, 1991.

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References

• Bellmon, Henry, public comments.
• Flinchbaugh, Barry, Kings and Kingmakers.
• Hahn, Alan
• House, Vern, Working With Our Publics, 1987.
• Novak, James, personal communications with
  author, 2000.
• ORourke, P.J. Parliament of Whores, 1991.
• Rauch, Jonathan, Demosclerosis, 1994.

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B.Alternatives/Consequences Problem-solving Model

1. Define the problem, not the symptoms.
2. Frame the issue constructively, not
   destructively.
3. Determine a brief range of relevant, realistic
   alternative solutions.
4. Conduct scientific, objective evaluation of
   alternatives.
5. Compare the consequences of each alternative to
   desired goals.
6. Encourage policy makers to act on preferred
   alternative.