Kate White
Sunday, September 26, 2010
House approves small-business aid bill
Recently the House voted on a Small-business bill that President Obama backed and will sign. This bill is meant to give tax breaks and loans to small businesses. The bill passed with very little Republican support because of the $30 billion in funds set aside for government loans to small businesses. This issue was able to make its way to the decision agenda because people were able to prove that it in fact is a “problem” that can be fixed through government action. Republicans were unable to keep the provision for loans out of the bill because they lacked the political power to do so. This is an example of pluralism which states that groups “compete with one another in a reasonably open political system and that policy results from this group competition.”
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I disagree with the statement that “This issue was able to make its way to the decision agenda because people were able to prove that it in fact is a “problem” that can be fixed through government action.” Many people including some of the Republican Party believe that direct interference with a free market capitalistic system will only slow down economic growth. The fact is 30 billion dollars in the long run will do very little to help develop a sector hit the hardest by the current recession. I believe the real reason for putting this policy on the agenda stems from a need to do so rather than the knowledge that it can fix the problem. This still could be considered as Birkland suggest a “condition” or a fact or situation that may be unpleasant but about which nothing can be done.” The fact that loans to small business are at a low is unpleasant but direct governmental aid does not always fix the problem, since the problem relies on many economic factors. Whether this policy is in fact a problem or a condition I believe is still up for debate.
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