WomenMatter Fact & Trade-Offs takes a close look at what government does --and can do -- to affect our personal lives. This show, Congress Watch: Cave-In or Competence? examines the promises that parties and politicians make, and the trade-offs that they face to keep them.

Dr Bauer talks with Thomas A. Mann about the pressures that congressional leaders feel both to produce for their party and constituents and to create meaningful legislation for a diverse nation-- and why, although the public and the media often dub it ‘competence’ or ‘cave in’, there are better ways to describe how they navigate the process.

Click here for a look at the foundations of our political system (and why it’s working better than we think), and a look ahead at the best ways to judge our reps, especially as the election approaches.

Thomas E. Mann is W. Averell Harriman Chair and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution and author of numerous books and articles on American government, including "The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track".

Congress Watch: Cave-In or Competence? Is part of our ongoing focus, Congress Watch, featuring Dr. Mann. In this series along with our issues updates, WomenMatter Facts & Trade-Offs analyzes how Congress carries out its Constitutional responsibilities -- and how each of us can use www.WomenMatter.com to keep our representatives accountable to the standards we choose.

Click Here to Listen to "Congress Watch: Cave-In or Competence?"

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