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The role of politics and economics in the allocation of federal stimulus spending

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  • Roy Howsen
  • Stephen Lile

Abstract

This study identifies the political and economic variables that explain differences among US states in per capita funding resulting from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. We find a marginal statistically significant negative relationship between states that have been traditionally Democratic (Blue states) versus those that have traditionally been Republican (Red states). Additionally, we find a highly statistically significant negative relationship between states that were traditionally Republican but voted for President Obama in the 2008 election (Blue states) and traditionally Red states. Furthermore, our findings suggest that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between union representation for a state and per capita funding and between per capita electoral votes and per capita funding. With regard to economic variables, we find that a state's unemployment rate has a positive and statistically significant influence with regard to funding, but a state's poverty rate has no statistically significant impact on funding.

Suggested Citation

  • Roy Howsen & Stephen Lile, 2011. "The role of politics and economics in the allocation of federal stimulus spending," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 263-266.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:18:y:2011:i:3:p:263-266
    DOI: 10.1080/13504850903559534
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wright, Gavin, 1974. "The Political Economy of New Deal Spending: An Econometric Analysis," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 56(1), pages 30-38, February.
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    3. Gary Hoover & Paul Pecorino, 2005. "The Political Determinants of Federal Expenditure at the State Level," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 123(1), pages 95-113, April.
    4. Valentino Larcinese & Leonzio Rizzo & Cecilia Testa, 2005. "Allocating the US Federal Budget to the States: the Impact of the President," STICERD - Political Economy and Public Policy Paper Series 03, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.
    5. Anderson, Gary M & Tollison, Robert D, 1991. "Congressional Influence and Patterns of New Deal Spending, 1933-1939," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(1), pages 161-175, April.
    6. Anthony Downs, 1957. "An Economic Theory of Political Action in a Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65, pages 135-135.
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