Rules and Restraint: Government Spending and the Design of Institutions (American Politics and Political Economy Series) - Softcover

Primo, David M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226682609 ISBN 13: 9780226682600

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2007

Synopsis

Government spending has increased dramatically in the United States since World War II despite the many rules intended to rein in the insatiable appetite for tax revenue most politicians seem to share. Drawing on examples from the federal and state governments, Rules and Restraint explains in lucid, nontechnical prose why these budget rules tend to fail, and proposes original alternatives for imposing much-needed fiscal discipline on our legislators.

One reason budget rules are ineffective, David Primo shows, is that politicians often create and preserve loopholes to protect programs that benefit their constituents. Another reason is that legislators must enforce their own provisions, an arrangement that is seriously compromised by their unwillingness to abide by rules that demand short-term sacrifices for the sake of long-term gain. Convinced that budget rules enacted through such a flawed legislative process are unlikely to work, Primo ultimately calls for a careful debate over the advantages and drawbacks of a constitutional convention initiated by the states—a radical step that would bypass Congress to create a path toward change. Rules and Restraint will be required reading for anyone interested in institutional design, legislatures, and policymaking.

About this title

About the Author

David Primo is assistant professor of political science at the University of Rochester and a coauthor of ThePlane Truth: Airline Crashes, the Media, and Transportation Policy.

Review

"There are no other books on budgeting that approach this level of insight or breadth. Rules and Restraint is a fine, and finely crafted, book that will go right to the top of the list of standard textbooks for classes and references for practitioners." - Michael Munger, Duke University"

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0226682609
• ISBN 13: 9780226682600
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 216