The Congressional Budget Office: Honest Numbers, Power, and Policymaking

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THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Selected Titles in the American Governance and Public Policy Series Series Editors: Gerard W. Boychuk, Karen Mossberger, and Mark C. Rom Branching Out, Digging In: Environmental Advocacy and Agenda Setting Sarah Pralle Brussels Versus the Beltway: Advocacy in the United States and the European Union Christine Mahoney City-County Consolidation: Promises Made, Promises Kept? Suzanne M. Leland and Kurt Thurmaier, Editors Custodians of Place: Governing the Growth and Development of Cities Paul G. Lewis and Max Neiman The Education Mayor: Improving America’s Schools Kenneth K. Wong, Francis X. Shen, Dorothea Anagnostopoulos, and Stacey Rutledge Expert Advice for Policy Choice: Analysis and Discourse Duncan MacRae Jr. and Dale Whittington The Government Taketh Away: The Politics of Pain in the United States and Canada Leslie A. Pal and R. Kent Weaver, Editors Healthy Voices, Unhealthy Silence: Advocacy and Health Policy for the Poor Colleen M. Grogan and Michael K. Gusmano Investing in the Disadvantaged: Assessing the Benefits and Costs of Social Policies David L. Weimer and Aidan R. Vining, Editors Lessons of Disaster: Policy Change after Catastrophic Events Thomas Birkland Making Policy, Making Law: An Interbranch Perspective Mark C. Miller and Jeb Barnes, Editors Medical Governance: Values, Expertise, and Interests in Organ Transplantation David L. Weimer Metropolitan Governance: Conflict, Competition, and Cooperation Richard C. Feiock, Editor National Health Insurance in the United States and Canada: Race, Territory, and the Roots of Difference Gerard W. Boychuk Out and Running: Gay and Lesbian Candidates, Elections, and Policy Representation Donald P. Haider-Markel The Politics of Unfunded Mandates: Whither Federalism? Paul L. Posner Power, Knowledge, and Politics: Policy Analysis in the States John A. Hird Scandalous Politics: Child Welfare Policy in the States Juliet F. Gainsborough School’s In: Federalism and the National Education Agenda Paul Manna Ten Thousand Democracies: Politics and Public Opinion in America’s School Districts Michael B. Berkman and Eric Plutzer THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Honest Numbers, Power, and Policymaking PHILIP G. JOYCE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY PRESS/WASHINGTON D.C. Georgetown University Press, Washington, D.C. www.press.georgetown.edu© 2011 by Georgetown University Press. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Joyce, Philip G., 1956The Congressional Budget Office : honest numbers, power, and policymaking / Philip G. Joyce. p. cm. — (American governance and public policy series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58901-757-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. United States. Congressional Budget Office. 2. Budget—United States. I. Title. HJ2051.J69 2011 336.73—dc22 2010037040 o This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials. 15 14 13 12 11 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 First printing Printed in the United States of America To Rita, Chris, Mariah, and Samuel— who both inspire me and make my world a more fun place to be This page intentionally left blank ...