Public Policy Influences
Public Policy Influences
Learning Team B: Preston Johnson, Stephanie Johnson and Douglas Morrison
POL/443
Sherry Wood, JD
December 02, 2010
Public Policy Influences
According to G. William Domhoff, “the corporate community’s ability to transform its economic power into policy influence and political access makes it the most important influence on the federal government”(Domhoff, p.xiii). This paper will examine the influence that corporate community and other social forces have on two specific public policy issues: defense spending and organized labor.
Summary of Issues
Defense spending has been a controversial issue for many years in this country and has resulted in numerous attempts to influence the general public along with the government. An attempt to influence the general public took place in the mid-1970s, when the Committee on the Present Danger portrayed the ability of the United States to defend itself against foreign threats to be in a state of crisis. Their claim at that point was that government estimates of Soviet defense spending, military capability were far too low, and that defense spending in the United States should increased accordingly (Domhoff, 2010, p. 121). In reality, these were false claims, put forth for the sole purpose of swaying public opinion.
A similar situation exists today with threats of reduced defense spending next year causing several defense contractors to lay off personnel in anticipation of much smaller budgets than are currently in place. Threats of reduced defense budgets have caused groups such as the Heritage Foundation to go on a publicity campaign reminiscent of the 1970s. In a report dated February 22, 2010, Baker Spring writes: “The Obama Administration has proposed an FY 2011 defense budget that is inconsistent with U.S. security commitments and the Administration 's own Quadrennial Defense Review. Under the Administration 's current budget outline, total defense
Learning Team B: Preston Johnson, Stephanie Johnson and Douglas Morrison
POL/443
Sherry Wood, JD
December 02, 2010
Public Policy Influences
According to G. William Domhoff, “the corporate community’s ability to transform its economic power into policy influence and political access makes it the most important influence on the federal government”(Domhoff, p.xiii). This paper will examine the influence that corporate community and other social forces have on two specific public policy issues: defense spending and organized labor.
Summary of Issues
Defense spending has been a controversial issue for many years in this country and has resulted in numerous attempts to influence the general public along with the government. An attempt to influence the general public took place in the mid-1970s, when the Committee on the Present Danger portrayed the ability of the United States to defend itself against foreign threats to be in a state of crisis. Their claim at that point was that government estimates of Soviet defense spending, military capability were far too low, and that defense spending in the United States should increased accordingly (Domhoff, 2010, p. 121). In reality, these were false claims, put forth for the sole purpose of swaying public opinion.
A similar situation exists today with threats of reduced defense spending next year causing several defense contractors to lay off personnel in anticipation of much smaller budgets than are currently in place. Threats of reduced defense budgets have caused groups such as the Heritage Foundation to go on a publicity campaign reminiscent of the 1970s. In a report dated February 22, 2010, Baker Spring writes: “The Obama Administration has proposed an FY 2011 defense budget that is inconsistent with U.S. security commitments and the Administration 's own Quadrennial Defense Review. Under the Administration 's current budget outline, total defense
References: Domhoff, W. G. (2010). Who Rules America?. Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Company. P. 18, 24, 52, 96, 113, 114, 121 Longley, R. (n.d.). Political Action Committees. Retrieved from http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/thepoliticalsystem/a/aboutpacs. Rhea, F. (2009, March 4). Liberal-Labor coalition launches drive for Obama budget. Boston News. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/politics/ Spring, B. (2010). The 2011 Defense Budget: Inadequate and Full of Inconsistencies. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0120383520100201