hard to identify who they are.

Similarly, policies that block imports will benefit the firms that would have competed with those imports—and

workers at those firms—who are likely to be quite visible. Consumers who would have preferred to purchase

the imported products, and who thus bear some costs of the protectionist policy, are much less visible.

Specific tax breaks and spending programs also have identifiable winners and impose costs on others who are

hard to identify. Special interests are more likely to arise from a group that is easily identifiable, rather than

from a group where some of those who suffer may not even recognize they are bearing costs.

Access for free at openstax.org
18.2 • Special Interest Politics 441

Pork Barrels and Logrolling

Politicians have an incentive to ensure that they spend government money in their home state or district,

where it will benefit their constituents in a direct and obvious way. Thus, when legislators are negotiating over
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