and continued evidence of the failure of supply-side enforcement has produced
a new consensus to develop demand-side policies, reduce the harshness of drug
laws and make a rational drug policy (Will2009).
Third, it follows that commitment of resources to existing policies and (based on problem definitions seemingly immune to facts) prevents policymakers from considering new alternatives. This is partly a fixed-cost or sunk-cost budget problem that is exacerbated by an incremental budget process that commits or recycles about 70-80% of the annual base the next budget year. Most of it is already committed when the formulation process begins. Failure to analyze programs and policies from a "zero". base is part of the problem. Mostly, the uncontrolled, high fixed-cost budget is a problem of scarce time allotted by the budget calendar for analysis and diagnosis. It is also a problem of lack of political will, which derives from intense client pressures to continue programs. For instance, current drug policies are supported by prison construction firms, zero-tolerance groups, and legislators who claim to their constituents that passage of strict laws is equivalent to policy results. This distorted factual context provides real little incentive for analysis of policies that could absorb the remaining 20-30% of funds to use for new initiatives. More powerful stakeholders in the annual budget process are able to lock in expenditure preferences (legally through earmarks, permanent appropriations, or entitlements). These provisions cannot be easily changed because they are permanent law. In Latin American countries and many US states, sectoral expenditure shares are actually mandated by laws and constitutions. This is especially common for health and education services. These are the longer term policy drivers that work against institutional change and redefinition of policy problems. Try to change them by next fiscal year! The same pattern of expenditure mandates recurs in federal, state, and local government policy processes, removing the bulk of items from policy maker discretion. In this way, the politics of the budget process determines much of the content of public policy.