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Thesis
Policy continuity and political challenges: the case of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Apr 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00010935
Abstract
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 is a case of federal climate and industrial policy enacted in a period of deep partisan polarization. The Act represents a significant legislative step forward in decarbonization, clean energy investment, and domestic manufacturing. After it was passed through budget reconciliation with no bipartisan support, the IRA's long-term survival remains uncertain. Today, it faces pressing challenges from shifting political dynamics, executive interventions, and legislative resistance. Accordingly, this paper addresses the question of whether transformative policies like the IRA can withstand the forces working against them, or are they destined to be dismantled when power shifts. To answer this, a multi-method case study approach was designed, incorporating process tracing, policy feedback theory, comparative legislative analysis, and empirical data review. This framework draws heavily on Eric Patashnik's concept of policy durability, which emphasizes three mechanisms that enhance legislative resilience: public support, economic entrenchment, and institutional lock-in. This paper includes an evaluation of the IRA across these dimensions, supported by empirical data, government reports, and comparisons with landmark policies such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Findings suggest that the IRA exhibits promising signs of durability through deepening economic integration, evidenced by large private-sector investments in clean energy technologies and job creation, and agency-led institutionalization. Nonetheless, the law's lack of bipartisan legitimacy and its reliance on executive implementation leave it vulnerable to political shifts, funding challenges, and administrative reinterpretation. In conclusion, this thesis contributes to broader discussions on legislative resilience by offering a model for evaluating policy continuity in a divided governance landscape and providing insights for designing reforms that endure beyond the administrations that enact them.
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Details
- Title
- Policy continuity and political challenges
- Creators
- Anzhelika Doncheva
- Contributors
- Richardson Dilworth (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 74 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts and Sciences; Center for Public Policy; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991022053440004721