EP 606 Our Broken Politics: Where Do We Begin to Fix It?

 Political polarization and extremism have reached dangerous levels and the country’s economic and social disparities, coupled with a toxic social media environment, exacerbate tensions and make compromise, a staple of a healthy democracy, near impossible. We must break down the systemic causes of current threats to our democracy, including restricting access to voting, anti majoritarian processes and institutions, like the Electoral College and Senate filibuster, and recognize that fundamental changes need to be made before someone in power pulls off what our guest calls a legal coup in America. He’ll describe the ways this can happen. Darrell West, of the Brookings Institution, and author of “Power Politics” joins us to assess our many political and societal challenges and how to address them.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download