Robert Lawrence Healy

Bio: Robert Lawrence Healy is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Corporate social responsibility & Campaign finance. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 1 citations.

Business and political process reform: ignore or engage?

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the authors elaborate on why American businesses are often willing to advocate and deploy corporate political resources for or against specific governmental policies, but largely reluctant to engage in more general political process reform. Second, the authors introduce a set of ideas encouraging a business-driven political process reform in the USA, which the authors refer to as Corporate Political Responsibility (CPR). Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews existing literature on why firms generally avoid advocating for political process reform to identify several firm-level impediments to such action. As an outcome of that review, a CPR governance concept – a derivative from the corporate responsibility literature – is proposed and unpacked as a proposition that if adopted by firms would encourage and support business-driven process reform advocacy. Findings The primary findings are that American firms lack a rationale justifying business political activity into the political process arena; a willingness to assume a high level of political risk associated with political process intervention; and an executable corporate mechanism for doing so. Research limitations/implications A second stage build out of the paper would involve at a minimum multiple research interviews with corporate executives and trade association officials to test the viability of the CPR proposal as to whether or not the proposed governance statement would liberate firms to advocate political process reform. This paper sets the predicate for additional research. Originality/value This paper may well be the first to identify the concept of CPR as a key corporate governance proposition. It is also likely the first to conceptualize CPR as more than a theoretical rendering – it is executable. Corporations can put CPR into practice through a firm’s Board of Directors endorsing a governance statement – Corporate Political Responsibility Protocol (CPR/P) – that transforms the CPR concept into a sanctioned firm activity, giving executives significant latitude to spend corporate resources advocating political process change. This paper suggests a variety of reform possibilities – electoral, campaign finance and legislative – that could benefit from business reform advocacy.

Managing Political Polarization in Congress: A Case Study on the Use of the Hastert Rule

Abstract: The rise of the Tea Party and the ideological divisions within the Republican Party created challenging conditions for Speaker Boehner The strategic use of the “go-it-alone” Hastert Rule allowed Speaker Boehner to successfully navigate a treacherous political path of managing his divergent caucus, preserving his leadership position, and passing selective legislation when necessary even when the majority of his caucus did not support it This manufactured procedural tool served substantive and political purposes The routine use of the Hastert Rule strengthened the hand of the Tea Party members to influence legislation At the same time, selectively ignoring the Hastert Rule allowed Speaker Boehner to relieve some of the political pressure that the Tea Party members exerted in an effort to preserve the future electoral viability of his party The Hastert Rule, an informal but accepted practice in the House of Representatives, created the latitude for Speaker Boehner to maneuver through this difficult period It is an example of the remarkable ability of Congress to adapt and address internal challenges and threats