Stability and Contingency in Federalism Preferences. (12th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dinan, John; Heckelman, Jac C.
• Is Part Of: Public administration review. Volume 80:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 234
• Page End: 243
• Publication Date: 2020-02-12
• Subjects: United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; 350
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.13157
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3352

Abstract

Abstract: This article analyzes Americans' preferences for making policy at the national versus the subnational level. Relying on a Pew Research Center survey question posed in multiple recent years, we investigate the extent to which partisanship and ideology are related to support for decentralization. As expected, Republicans and conservatives are more supportive of decentralization, whereas Democrats and liberals are less supportive. However, Republicans and Democrats respond asymmetrically to changes in party control of the federal government. Republicans' support for decentralization is relatively unaffected by changes in party control, whereas Democrats' support for decentralization increases when Republicans control the federal government. These results indicate that federalism‐based appeals in American politics tap into stable views about allocation of policy authority on the part of a subset of the electorate and in ways that can influence public officials' support for decentralization. Evidence for Practice: Republicans and conservatives in the electorate are generally more supportive of decentralization compared with independents and moderates, whereas Democrats and liberals are relatively less supportive. Republicans' views on decentralization are relatively unaffected by changes in party control of the presidency and Congress, but Democrats become more supportive of decentralization when Republicans control the federal government. The greater stability of Republicans' views on decentralization, in contrast with Democrats' shifting views, indicates that Republican voters may be more likely than Democratic voters to hold their parties' elected representatives accountable for deviating from conventional party positions on national versus subnational policy authority.