Who influences whom? The president, Congress, and the public agenda
By: EDWARDS III, George C
.
Contributor(s): WOOD, B. Dan.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, June 1999American Political Science Review 93, 2, p. 327-344Abstract: Influencing the policy agenda, the set of issues that receive serious attention by policymakers, has long been viewed as one of the most important sources of political power (Anderson 1978; Baumgartner and Jones 1993; Cobb and Elder 1972; Downs 1972; Flemming, Wood, and Bohte 1997; Jones 1994; Kingdon 1995; Light 1991; Peters and Hogwood 1985; Walker 1977). For decades, scholars have maintained that the president has a significant - indeed, the most significant - role in setting the policymaking agenda in Washington (see, e.g., Huntington 1965; Moe and Teel 1970). In a careful study of the Washington agenda, Kingdon (1995, 23) found that "no other single actor in the political system has quite the capability of the president to set agendas." More recently, Baumgartner and Jones (1993, 241), in their broad examination of agenda setting, concluded that "no other single actor can focus attention as clearly, or change the motivations of such a great number of other actors, as the president." Bond and Fleisher (1990, 230) argue that "the president's greatest influence over policy comes from the agenda he pursues and the way it is packaged."
Influencing the policy agenda, the set of issues that receive serious attention by policymakers, has long been viewed as one of the most important sources of political power (Anderson 1978; Baumgartner and Jones 1993; Cobb and Elder 1972; Downs 1972; Flemming, Wood, and Bohte 1997; Jones 1994; Kingdon 1995; Light 1991; Peters and Hogwood 1985; Walker 1977). For decades, scholars have maintained that the president has a significant - indeed, the most significant - role in setting the policymaking agenda in Washington (see, e.g., Huntington 1965; Moe and Teel 1970). In a careful study of the Washington agenda, Kingdon (1995, 23) found that "no other single actor in the political system has quite the capability of the president to set agendas." More recently, Baumgartner and Jones (1993, 241), in their broad examination of agenda setting, concluded that "no other single actor can focus attention as clearly, or change the motivations of such a great number of other actors, as the president." Bond and Fleisher (1990, 230) argue that "the president's greatest influence over policy comes from the agenda he pursues and the way it is packaged."
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