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While the number of think tanks active in American politics has more than quadrupled since the 1970s, their influence has not expanded proportionally. Instead, the known ideological proclivities of many, especially newer think tanks with their aggressive efforts to obtain high profiles, have come to undermine the credibility with which experts and expertise are generally viewed by public officials. This book explains this paradox. The analysis is based on 135 in-depth interviews with officials at think tanks and those in the policy making and funding organizations that draw upon and support their work. The book reports on results from a survey of congressional staff and journalists and detailed case studies of the role of experts in health care and telecommunications reform debates in the 1990s and tax reduction in 2001.

Policy sciences --- Policy scientists --- Research institutes --- Nonprofit organizations --- Expertise --- Political planning --- Legislative hearings --- Sciences de la politique --- Analystes de la politique --- Centres de recherche --- Associations sans but lucratif --- Savoir-faire --- Politique publique --- Commissions parlementaires --- Research --- Political aspects --- Recherche --- Aspect politique --- Audiences --- Social Sciences --- Political Science --- Specialization --- Knowledge, Theory of --- Ability --- Corporations, Nonprofit --- Non-profit organizations --- Non-profit sector --- Non-profits --- Nonprofit sector --- Nonprofits --- Not-for-profit organizations --- NPOs --- Organizations, Nonprofit --- Tax-exempt organizations --- Associations, institutions, etc. --- Analysts, Policy --- Policy analysts --- Public policy experts --- Government consultants --- Political scientists --- Social scientists --- Policy-making --- Policymaking --- Public policy management --- Congressional hearings

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Oversight answers the question of whether black and Latino legislators better represent minority interests in Congress than white legislators, and it is the first book on the subject to focus on congressional oversight rather than roll-call voting. In this important book, Michael Minta demonstrates that minority lawmakers provide qualitatively better representation of black and Latino interests than their white counterparts. They are more likely to intervene in decision making by federal agencies by testifying in support of minority interests at congressional oversight hearings. Minority legislators write more letters urging agency officials to enforce civil rights policies, and spend significant time and effort advocating for solutions to problems that affect all racial and ethnic groups, such as poverty, inadequate health care, fair housing, and community development. In Oversight, Minta argues that minority members of Congress act on behalf of broad minority interests--inside and outside their districts--because of a shared bond of experience and a sense of linked fate. He shows how the presence of black and Latino legislators in the committee room increases the chances that minority perspectives and concerns will be addressed in committee deliberations, and also how minority lawmakers are effective at countering negative stereotypes about minorities in policy debates on issues like affirmative action and affordable housing.

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