Using the “Hidden Levers” of Government

By Alexander Hertel-Fernandez

Excerpt:

Two years ago, The Forge featured a trio of progressive organizers discussing the hidden levers of government involved in regulatory enforcement and implementation that often go neglected by the progressive movement.

 Alex Hertel-Fernandez, who served in the Biden-Harris Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor and the White House Office of Management and Budget, takes stock of efforts by federal agencies to encourage more participation in using these “hidden levers,” including challenges and opportunities for organizers and government alike.

 The hundreds of executive agencies that make up the federal government are responsible for implementing the laws passed by Congress, and they often have substantial discretion in how they decide to interpret those laws and translate Congressional statutes into the day-to-day machinery of government. (Though conservative courts are increasingly constraining this discretion.) These decisions govern our access to public benefits like nutrition assistance for children or disability benefits; protections related to civil rights, health, and safety; and important public services such as transit, housing, and education.

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Alexander Hertel-Fernandez is an associate professor of public affairs at Columbia University and a fellow with the Roosevelt Institute. His research interests center on American political economy and recent projects include understanding new forms of worker collective a