Back to Search Start Over

The President as Agenda Setter-in-Chief: The Dynamics of Congressional and Presidential Agenda Setting.

Authors :
Rutledge, Paul E.
Larsen Price, Heather A.
Source :
Policy Studies Journal; Aug2014, Vol. 42 Issue 3, p443-464, 22p, 5 Black and White Photographs, 4 Charts, 1 Graph
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the agenda leadership capability of two American political institutions, Congress and the presidency, in an array of issue areas that include both domestic and foreign policy. The president has long been considered to have the most significant role in setting the policymaking agenda, but there is limited empirical research to support that claim. Examining the issue areas of defense, environment, health care, international affairs, law and crime, and macroeconomics from 1956 to 2005, we find statistically significant positive influence by the president on the congressional agenda in all six of the policy areas under examination, providing compelling evidence of presidential agenda leadership and a reactive Congress. Additionally, we find that the agenda relationship between the president and Congress is issue dependent, in that presidential attention has the largest substantive effect on the congressional agenda in the area of international affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0190292X
Volume :
42
Issue :
3
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Policy Studies Journal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
97448272
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/psj.12068