Braking the Special Interests: Trucking Deregulation and the Politics of Policy ReformIn 1980 Congress voted to eliminate the federal system of protective regulation over the powerful trucking industry, despite fierce opposition. This upset marked a rare example in American politics of diffuse public interests winning out over powerful economic lobbies. In Braking the Special Interests Dorothy Robyn draws upon firsthand observations of formal proceedings and behind-the-scenes maneuverings to illuminate the role of political strategy in the landmark trucking battle. Robyn focuses her analysis on four elements of strategy responsible for the deregulator's victory—elements that are essential, she argues, to any successful policy battle against entrenched special interests: the effective use of economic data and analysis to make a strong case for the merits of reform; the formation and management of a diverse lobbying coalition of firms and interest groups; presidential bargaining to gain political leverage; and transition schemes to reduce uncertainty and cushion the blow to losers. Drawing on political and economic theory, Braking the Special Interests is an immensely rich and readable study of political strategy and skill, with general insights relevant to current political battles surrounding trade, agriculture, and tax policies. Robyn's interdisciplinary work will be of great value to scholars and practitioners of politics, economics, and public policy. |
Contents
The Trucking Industry and Its Regulation | 12 |
The Political Battle for Trucking Deregulation | 26 |
Strategic Use of Analysis | 57 |
Strange Bedfellows Make Good | 92 |
Transition | 149 |
The President as Strategic | 183 |
The Elements of Political Strategy | 234 |
Common terms and phrases
administration airline deregulation amendment analysis antitrust immunity Association ATA's backhaul bargaining benefits Cannon Capitol Hill Carter chairman client group coalition members Commerce Committee commission commitment compensation competition compromise conference Congress Congress Watch congressional consumer cost decontrol economic economists efficiency effort Eizenstat entry exempt fear federal fight firms Gaskins Howard Howard Cannon Ibid important industry's interest groups Kennedy Kennedy's legislation lobbying lobbyists major markup monopoly motor carrier Neil Goldschmidt Neustadt operating rights opponents organizations Packwood percent political potential president private carriers problem proposal provision Public Works Committee rate bureaus regulated carriers regulatory reform representatives Ron Lewis Senate Commerce shippers staff staffers strategy Stuart Eizenstat substantive Teamsters Thomas Gale Moore threat tion transition transportation truckers trucking battle trucking bill trucking deregulation trucking industry trucking issue trucking reform U.S. Congress uncertainty vote Washington Post Washington Star White House White House aides