Alan S. Gerber is a professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of American Politics at Yale University. He has published extensively on campaigns and elections and is coeditor (with Eric Patashnik) of Promoting the General Welfare: New Perspectives on Government Performance (Brookings, 2006). Eric M. Patashnik is associate professor of politics at the University of Virginia and author of Putting Trust in the U.S Budget: Federal Trust Funds and the Politics of Commitment (Cambridge, 2000).

"Government sometimes addresses society's problems successfully, but more often it fails to do so. This thoughtful and insightful volume demonstrates the ability of social science not only to diagnose and provide perspective on instances of government failures, but also to suggest how government might even improve its performance." —Charles R. Shipan, University of Michigan|"An innovative and important book. It showcases how systematic political science and economics research can be used both to highlight governmental shortcomings and to come up with concrete —and realistic —solutions. I know of no other book that so effectively blends political science approaches and economic methods for assessing and improving governmental performance." —Eric Schickler, University of California–Berkeley

Alan S. Gerber is a professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of American Politics at Yale University. He has published extensively on campaigns and elections and is coeditor (with Eric Patashnik) of Promoting the General Welfare: New Perspectives on Government Performance (Brookings, 2006). Eric M. Patashnik is associate professor of politics at the University of Virginia and author of Putting Trust in the U.S Budget: Federal Trust Funds and the Politics of Commitment (Cambridge, 2000).

"Government sometimes addresses society's problems successfully, but more often it fails to do so. This thoughtful and insightful volume demonstrates the ability of social science not only to diagnose and provide perspective on instances of government failures, but also to suggest how government might even improve its performance." —Charles R. Shipan, University of Michigan|"An innovative and important book. It showcases how systematic political science and economics research can be used both to highlight governmental shortcomings and to come up with concrete —and realistic —solutions. I know of no other book that so effectively blends political science approaches and economic methods for assessing and improving governmental performance." —Eric Schickler, University of California–Berkeley

Alan S. Gerber is a professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of American Politics at Yale University. He has published extensively on campaigns and elections and is coeditor (with Eric Patashnik) of Promoting the General Welfare: New Perspectives on Government Performance (Brookings, 2006). Eric M. Patashnik is associate professor of politics at the University of Virginia and author of Putting Trust in the U.S Budget: Federal Trust Funds and the Politics of Commitment (Cambridge, 2000).

"Government sometimes addresses society's problems successfully, but more often it fails to do so. This thoughtful and insightful volume demonstrates the ability of social science not only to diagnose and provide perspective on instances of government failures, but also to suggest how government might even improve its performance." —Charles R. Shipan, University of Michigan|"An innovative and important book. It showcases how systematic political science and economics research can be used both to highlight governmental shortcomings and to come up with concrete —and realistic —solutions. I know of no other book that so effectively blends political science approaches and economic methods for assessing and improving governmental performance." —Eric Schickler, University of California–Berkeley