Constituency Opinion: A Test of the Surrogate Model

Using direct measures of district opinion, this article teststhe linearity and additivity assumptions of the surrogate model.Neither assumption is upheld when subjected to appropriate empiricaltests     

TAXES, TORTS, AND THE TOXICS RELEASE INVENTORY: CONGRESSIONAL VOTING ON INSTRUMENTS TO CONTROL POLLUTION

Theories of rational political ignorance and congressional voting imply that Congress members may take different interests into account when they vote on technical amendments than when they vote on a bill's final passage. This article uses votes on Superfund reauthorization to examine what factors influence politicians' support for different instruments to control pollution and how the interests Congress members take into account vary with the anticipated degree of electoral scrutiny. Controlling for a legislator's general support for environmental programs, a representative's votes on specific policy instruments in Superfund legislation depended on the district-level costs and benefits of the instruments.     

THE PRODUCTION IMPACT OF “CASH‐FOR‐CLUNKERS”: IMPLICATIONS FOR STABILIZATION POLICY

Stabilization policies frequently aim to boost spending as a means to increase gross domestic product. Spending does not necessarily translate into production, however, especially when inventories are involved. We look at the “cash‐for‐clunkers” program that helped finance the purchase of nearly 700,000 vehicles in 2009. An analysis of auto sales and production movements reveals that the program did prompt a large spike in sales. But the program had only a modest and fleeting impact on production, as inventories buffered the movements in sales. These findings suggest caution in judging the efficacy of such policies by their impact on spending alone. (JEL E23, E65, L62)     

ARE PART-TIME WOMEN PAID LESS? A MODEL WITH FIRM-SPECIFIC EFFECTS

This paper uses data from a survey of child-care establishments to compare part-and full-time wages within two narrow occupations, one high skill and one low skill. Unlike previous studies, it controls for firm-specific effects. We find that when firm-specific effects are accounted for, only the low-skill workers in our sample receive lower wages for working part-time. On the other hand, when compensation is defined to include prorated fringe benefits, establishments appear to compensate both high- and low-skill part-timers at a lower hourly rate.     

Using a Markov Chain to Construct a Tractable Approximation of an Intractable Probability Distribution

Abstract.  Let π denote an intractable probability distribution that we would like to explore. Suppose that we have a positive recurrent, irreducible Markov chain that satisfies a minorization condition and has π as its invariant measure. We provide a method of using simulations from the Markov chain to construct a statistical estimate of π from which it is straightforward to sample. We show that this estimate is 'strongly consistent' in the sense that the total variation distance between the estimate and π converges to 0 almost surely as the number of simulations grows. Moreover, we use some recently developed asymptotic results to provide guidance as to how much simulation is necessary. Draws from the estimate can be used to approximate features of π or as intelligent starting values for the original Markov chain. We illustrate our methods with two examples.     

SEX DISCRIMINATION AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN FACULTY SALARIES

A counterfactual model is used to determine if sex discrimination in salaries existed at Illinois State University. The analysis makes use of detailed peer evaluations of each faculty members's productivity in scholarly productivity, teaching, and service. The model is extended to examine the effects of Affirmative Action salary increments given female faculty members. Evidence of sex discrimination in salaries against female faculty is found. The Affirmative Action salary program erased this discrimination and introduced statistically significant discrimination against male faculty.     

Relations between Status and Power Structures: Toward a General Theory*

Contemporary work on the development of status and power structures is reviewed. It is shown that theorists have conceptualized the relationship between these structures in opposite ways. Some have held that the structures tend toward alignment. Specifically, they have held that persons tend to be equally high or low in both structures. Others have held that the structures tend toward non-alignment. Specifically, they have held that the range of persons statuses tends to be greater than the range of their power. An attempt is made to reconcile the different theories underlying these two conceptions by postulating that one conception is correct under certain conditions and that the other is correct under other conditions. The conditions specified involve an important but somewhat neglected aspect of the overall stratification structure, what is called the secondary stratification structure, and the importance persons assign to this structure.     

ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN A MULTIPLANT TECHNOLOGY: EVIDENCE FROM THE OILPATCH

A unique micro data set detailing operating costs and technical characteristics of 133 Texas oil leases was used to estimate an econometric cost function, yielding a number of interesting findings. First, evidence of economies of scale in crude extraction implies additional gains from oil field unitization and helps explain the paradox that voluntary unitization often occurs in the later stages of a field's life. Second, marginal operating costs per well were found to be about 30 percent below average costs, explaining why many wells remain operational despite falling crude oil prices. Finally, the results confirmed a number of plausible technical relationships. For example, operating costs rise sharply with depth, explaining the existence of shallow, low-production stripper wells.