Congress and Policy Making in the 21st Century

Jeffery A. Jenkins, Eric M. Patashnik

"Congress is frequently said to be "broken, " "dysfunctional, " and "weak, " but how does the contemporary Congress really work? Does Congress still have the capacity to solve major policy problems? Can it check an aggrandizing executive, oversee a powerful Federal Reserve, and represent the American people? Can Congress cope with vast changes in the American political economy, including rising income inequality and wage stagnation? Congress and Public Policy in the 21st Century takes a fresh look at the performance of Congress in the domestic arena, focusing on issues such as immigration, health care, and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." With original contributions from leading scholars, this important volume examines how Congress tackles - and fails to tackle - key policy challenges in an era of growing social diversity and ideological dissensus over the role of activist...