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The Influence of Politics on Federal Disaster Declaration Decision Delays

Author

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  • Langabeer James R.

    (University of Texas, Houston)

  • DelliFraine Jami

    (University of Texas, Houston)

  • Alqusairi Diaa

    (University of Texas, Houston)

Abstract

During major disasters, requests for federal assistance are of vital significance since speed of response can preserve lives and minimize total damage. Disaster declarations have extensive political consequences, and yet no previous study has explored the impact of partisan politics on the speed or timing of the decision. In this study, we use public choice decision theory to examine decision delays, since delays are often used for bureaucratic positioning and coping with uncertainty in the political process. We propose that the interaction effect of the political party affiliations of the president-governor dyad could partially explain the approval time delay differentials. We analyze 917 disaster declarations that occurred between 1993 and 2009. Using hierarchical moderated regression, we found evidence that the partisan nature of the dyad does influence overall decision delays and more specifically that a Democratic president-Republican governor combination resulted in the shortest mean delays across all declarations.

Suggested Citation

  • Langabeer James R. & DelliFraine Jami & Alqusairi Diaa, 2012. "The Influence of Politics on Federal Disaster Declaration Decision Delays," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, De Gruyter, vol. 9(1), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:johsem:v:9:y:2012:i:1:p:19:n:19
    DOI: 10.1515/1547-7355.1960
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