Is the U.S. a gerontocracy?
Update: 2025-12-04
Description
The average age of Congress' members has gotten older compared to the Americans it represents. This 119th Congress is the third oldest since 1789. On today’s show, Princeton economist Owen Zidar joins Kimberly to explain how decades of public policy have fueled a generational wealth gap and what our so-called gerontocracy has to do with it. Plus, what it would take for Congress to really address the economic issues younger Americans are facing.
Here’s everything we talked about today:
- ”It’s My Party and I’ll Leave When I Want To” from Intelligencer
- ”Gerontocracy is everywhere” from Slow Boring
- ”How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up” from The Washington Post
- ”The Age Divide: How America’s Electoral System Reinforces the Gerontocracy” from New America
- ”The Everywhere Millionaire” by Owen Zidar
We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.
Comments
In Channel
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States00:00
00:00
1.0x
