Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Switchers And Sustainers: The Use Of Side Issues In The 2008 Financial Bailout Bill, Stephen X. Flynn

Government Conference Papers

When the House tried to pass the $700 billion bank bailout, the first version of the bill failed while a week later the second version passed with 58 members of the House switching their votes in favor of the second version. This paper explains how Congressional leadership ensured the second bill's passage. With the Hixon- Marshall model on using side issues to manipulate the dimensions of legislative choice, I find that by amending the first bill with a variety of tax extenders, mental health parity, disaster relief and the alternative minimum tax patch, leaders in the House could attract enough …