ABSTRACT
Political office holders-whether motivated by ideology, partisan interests, constituent pressures, self-preservation, or the desire for advancementmake choices that shape public policy. As suggested in chapter 2, the mix and relative saliency of such factors change with the issues before them. Politicians establish priorities, both individually and as members of collective bodies. Budgetary choices lay those priorities bare. Public spending is a highly reliable map of policy priority and political influence.
