Do you agree? Is this equally true everywhere? TODAY: Business plans for influencing legislative and regulatory choices p. 199: “In the long run, a firm has influence on nonmarket issues to the extent that its interests are aligned with those of the people.” Do you agree? Is this equally true everywhere?

Detection  what policy changes are imminent Evaluation  should we try to influence new policy choices?

Detection  what policy changes are imminent Evaluation  should we try to influence new policy choices? Players  Governmental Nongovernmental What are their wants? Their needs? How much influence/leverage do they have over the decision, in the near term? In the long term?

Interest Group Politics: Do legislators respond to organized interest group pressure? General public opinion? What interests tend to be represented by organized groups? What makes interest group lobbying more or less effective? How do these factors change your analysis? Distribution of costs and benefits of each decision outcome Issue salience  awareness + importance

Detection  what policy changes are imminent Evaluation  should we try to influence new policy choices? Plan: Direct strategies Indirect strategies Alliances / surrogates Public strategies How do you decide whether to build alliances? Information Resources Money Pressure

Problem 1 – Electric Deregulation: Policymakers in the U. S. and the U Problem 1 – Electric Deregulation: Policymakers in the U.S. and the U.K. are considering legislation designed to eliminate regulatory impediments to the existence of a free market in electricity sales. (E.g., US Congress, UK Parliament, regulatory commissions.) Who favors this change? How does National Energy, owner of 34 large coal-fired power plants in the U.S. and 11 in UK, support this legislation?

Electric Deregulation: Information Resources Money “Pressure” Electric Deregulation: National Energy Employees (union)? Local government? EEI/trade groups Members of Energy Committees (Ministries) Members from high priced regions  party focus vs. member focus Remainder of legislature Industrial consumers Other big consumers Ratepayer groups + environmental groups Voting Public?

Agency Implementation: FERC UK Energy Agency State PUC Rules specifying conditions under which market-based rates will be permitted Rulings on cases of alleged abuse of market power or unfair competition Should National Energy try to influence these decisions? If so, how?

Problem 2 – Mountaintop Mining: Congress is considering legislation to amend the Clean Water Act, which prohibits discharges of pollutants to waterways without a permit, to make it clear that so-called coal mining operations that place excavated dirt/rock into nearby streams do not need a Clean Water Act permit. How does National Coal, which practices mountaintop mining in 5 midwestern states, support this legislation?

Mountaintop Mining: National Mining Co. Information Resources Money “Pressure” Mountaintop Mining: National Mining Co. UMWA Employees Local government AMC/NMA State government officials Members of Environment Committees Members from WV, KY, OH, IN, IL Remainder of legislature Local and national environmental groups Voting Public

Agency Implementation: Corps of Engineers (mountaintop mining/valley fills) Rules specifying what constitutes exempt filling Issuance of rulings on whether individual actions come within the exemption