ABSTRACT
An understudied aspect of governance is the role of expert groups in promoting and shaping action to address tough political problems. Experts are most likely to become engaged when issues have an important technical or scientific dimension. The long-term fiscal challenge facing the United States (as well as many European countries) provides an opportunity to examine this phenomenon, describe different strategies being employed, and consider how well matched the strategies pursued by these groups are to the politics of this or similar issues.
