I don’t think this is an accurate view of pork. Pork is pushed for by legislators, not by interest groups. These projects have some support from within the district, sure, but it’s really the legislators that want them to happen so they can advertise to their constituents. Similarly EA would be much more likely to make its way into legislation if it were pushed for by a devoted legislator than by an outside interest group.
As for the articles in the press, I think Yglesias makes a pretty convincing case that these can do quite a bit of good as well; in my mind they’re probably net good, but I understand the concern.
Pork is pushed for by legislators, not by interest groups.
I don’t really understand the distinction you’re drawing. Interest groups definitely lobby to receive pork.
These projects have some support from within the district, sure, but it’s really the legislators that want them to happen so they can advertise to their constituents.
Is the claim here that the actual spending itself doesn’t matter, and the reason it occurs is solely that the politician likes to be able to talk about the spending?
That runs counter to my understanding; this paper claims otherwise for Brazil, and this paper suggests otherwise for the US.
I’m repeating myself, which I guess is a sign I’m not writing clearly. I think the way you’re looking at it is this:
Interest group lobbies → politician pushes for the pork- > pork gets included.
My claim is that the true mechanism is this:
Politician wants some funding to show constituents → may turn to interest groups in district to see what projects need funding (or may just know about projects in their home district) → politician pushes for pork → pork gets included
I don’t think this is an accurate view of pork. Pork is pushed for by legislators, not by interest groups. These projects have some support from within the district, sure, but it’s really the legislators that want them to happen so they can advertise to their constituents. Similarly EA would be much more likely to make its way into legislation if it were pushed for by a devoted legislator than by an outside interest group.
As for the articles in the press, I think Yglesias makes a pretty convincing case that these can do quite a bit of good as well; in my mind they’re probably net good, but I understand the concern.
I don’t really understand the distinction you’re drawing. Interest groups definitely lobby to receive pork.
Is the claim here that the actual spending itself doesn’t matter, and the reason it occurs is solely that the politician likes to be able to talk about the spending?
That runs counter to my understanding; this paper claims otherwise for Brazil, and this paper suggests otherwise for the US.
I’m repeating myself, which I guess is a sign I’m not writing clearly. I think the way you’re looking at it is this:
Interest group lobbies → politician pushes for the pork- > pork gets included.
My claim is that the true mechanism is this:
Politician wants some funding to show constituents → may turn to interest groups in district to see what projects need funding (or may just know about projects in their home district) → politician pushes for pork → pork gets included