Live-blogging Midmorning: The people and their government

A new study by the Pew Center sparks a debate on the role of trust and mistrust in American political life. Less than a quarter of Americans polled say they trust their government. Some experts say people in this country rarely express confidence in Congress and the executive branch. Others note a disturbing trend of increased polarization in government and among voters.

Guests

Paul Gronke: Associate professor of political science at Reed College and co-author of “The Skeptical American: Revisiting the Meanings of Trust in Government and Confidence in Institutions.”

William Galston: Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and co-author of “Democracy at Risk: How Political Choices Undermine Citizen Participation and What We Can Do About It.” Galston served in the Clinton administration as executive director of the National Commission on Civic Renewal.