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The Impact of Political Influence on Appointees: Evidence from the Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program

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  • Matthew Davis
  • Mary Eschelbach Hansen
  • Thomas Husted

Abstract

Presidential disaster declarations provide disaster aid through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are known to be motivated by political factors as well as by need. The extent to which politics influence the Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster declaration decision, made by a presidential appointee, has not been previously measured. We use new data covering 1960–2013 to show that SBA declarations are subject to the same political influences as presidential declarations. Disasters occurring during reelection years, as well as those occurring in electorally important states, are more likely to receive SBA declarations. The effect of politics is stronger in the period prior to the passage of the Stafford Act in 1988, showing that the two types of declarations are substitutes for political purposes.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew Davis & Mary Eschelbach Hansen & Thomas Husted, 2018. "The Impact of Political Influence on Appointees: Evidence from the Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 84(3), pages 771-785, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:84:y:2018:i:3:p:771-785
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12242
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas Husted & David Nickerson, 2014. "Political Economy of Presidential Disaster Declarations and Federal Disaster Assistance," Public Finance Review, , vol. 42(1), pages 35-57, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Husted & David Nickerson, 2022. "Governors and electoral hazard in the allocation of federal disaster aid," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 89(2), pages 522-539, October.
    2. Meri Davlasheridze & Qing Miao, 2021. "Does post-disaster aid promote community resilience? Evidence from federal disaster programs," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 109(1), pages 63-88, October.
    3. Jordan K. Lofthouse & Leah Kral, 2025. "A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, January.

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