The Imprint of Congress

The Imprint of Congress

What kind of job has America's routinely disparaged legislative body actually done?  In _The Imprint of Congress,_ the distinguished congressional scholar David R. Mayhew gives us an insightful historical analysis of the U.S. Congress’s performance from the late eighteenth century to today, exploring what its lasting imprint has been on American politics and society.  Mayhew suggests that Congress has balanced the presidency in a surprising variety of ways, and in doing so, it has contributed to the legitimacy of a governing system faced by an often fractious public.

David R. Mayhew is Sterling Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Yale University and a specialist in American politics.