IRON TRIANGLESStrangling Democracy

by Craig Collins, Ph.D.

The Government Bureaucracy——The ConstitutionThe Constitution——

President Congress Courts

GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIESGOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES

Regulations & Subsidies

MAKE LAWS• Approve Apts • Pass Budget• Oversight & Investigation• Ratify Treaties (Senate)

ENFORCE LAWS• Appoint Heads• Propose Laws/Budget• Veto/Sign Laws• Sign Treaties

INTERPRET LAWS Judicial Review—Congressional Intent—Constitutionality—Procedural Violations

PRIVATE INDUSTRIES( Banking, Agri-Business, Energy/Oil, etc.)

PRIVATE INDUSTRIES( Banking, Agri-Business, Energy/Oil, etc.)

PUBLIC SERVICESPUBLIC SERVICES(Medicare, Social Sec., Disaster Relief)PUBLIC SERVICESPUBLIC SERVICES(Medicare, Social Sec., Disaster Relief)

Collect Taxes Programs

Iron Triangles Warp GovernmentIron Triangles Warp Government

Government AgencyOr Department

Government AgencyOr Department

Congress (Key Committees)Congress (Key Committees)

President Courts

PrivateIndustryPrivateIndustry

Congress(key Congressional committees)

Congress(key Congressional committees)

Private Industry

Government AgencyGovernment Agency

IRON TRIANGLES:IRON TRIANGLES:Powerful, 3-way, mutually reinforcing policy-Powerful, 3-way, mutually reinforcing policy-makingmakingrelationships between...relationships between...

TAXE$

Campaign cashLobbying

Operating Budget & Policy control

Subsidies, tax breaks, contractsfavorable regulations

Revolving Door

PresidentCampaign cashLobbying

Appointagency heads

Government is a Maze of Iron TrianglesWeapons MakersWeapons Makers

PentagonPentagon(DoD)(DoD)

Drug IndustryDrug Industry(Pharma)(Pharma)

The FDAThe FDA

BankingBankingTreasuryTreasuryThe SECThe SECThe FEDThe FED

Timber &Timber & MiningMining

DepartmentDepartmentof Interiorof InteriorForest Service, BLMForest Service, BLM

Dept. of AgricultureDept. of Agriculture

Agri-BusinessAgri-Business

(Boeing, GE, Aerojet, Lockheed-Martin)

(Lilly, Pfizer, Abbott,Johnson & Johnson)

(Chase, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, B of A, Wells Fargo, Citicorp)

(Kimberly-Clark, Georgia Pacific, Neumont, Barrick)

(Nabisco, Archer Daniels Midland, Monsanto, Cargill, Pepsi, Coke, Kellogs)

DefenseIron Triangle

Public opinion polls consistently show that about 75% of the public favors a reduction in defense spending.

By contrast, support for increasing military spending gets about 4% support in Democratic districts and 15%in Republican districts. 

Where Does The Pubic Where Does The Pubic Stand on Military Spending?Stand on Military Spending?

Military SpendingDoubles from 1998-2008

Military Spending &The Federal Budget

How Much Do We SpendCompared to Other Nations?

The DEFENSE IRON TRIANGLEThe DEFENSE IRON TRIANGLEThe Military-Industrial ComplexThe Military-Industrial Complex

CONGRESSCOMMITTEES:Arms AppropriationsDefenseArmed Services

CONGRESSCOMMITTEES:Arms AppropriationsDefenseArmed Services

WEAPONSWEAPONSPRODUCERSPRODUCERSBoeing, Lockheed-Martin,Boeing, Lockheed-Martin,GE, Aerojet, Halliburton GE, Aerojet, Halliburton

WEAPONSWEAPONSPRODUCERSPRODUCERSBoeing, Lockheed-Martin,Boeing, Lockheed-Martin,GE, Aerojet, Halliburton GE, Aerojet, Halliburton

The PENTAGONThe PENTAGON(Dept. of Defense)

Campaign $$, LobbyingDefense Jobs

Revolving Door

Military Budget

Weapons ContractsBase Building & Supplying