#1811 Country for Old Men: Gerontocracy By Design and the Democracy Problem

Air Date: 7/25/2026 Today we look at the idea that America has become a gerontocracy, a country run by the old, and then interrogate the premise a bit. The wealth, the politicians, and the voting electorate really do concentrate at the top of the age ladder, and benefits for the old tend to stay protected while younger people wait their turn. But several of our sources argue age is the wrong name for the problem, that it is really a story about money and who the whole system was built to serve. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: What Is There to Say About Lindsey Graham - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 7-12-26 KP 2: Where Is Mitch McConnell? - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 7-10-26 KP 3: The Mitch McConnell Mystery Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-14-26 KP 4: Why Is Congress Like This Part 1 - Civics 101 - Air Date 6-30-26 KP 5: Mitch, Lindsey and the Gerontocracy Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 7-13-26 KP 6: Gerontocracy with Samuel Moyn Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-1-26 (00:52:22) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR How Congress Got Crippled, A True Crime Story My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (01:07:37) SECTION A: THE MCCONNELL & GRAHAM MOMENT A1: A Grave Situation In The Senate Part 1 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-14-26 A2: The Mitch McConnell Mystery Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-14-26 A3: A Grave Situation In The Senate Part 2 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-14-26 A4: The Attractive Anti-Politics of 'Gerontocracy' Discourse Part 1 - Citations Needed - Air Date 9-21-22 (01:49:14) SECTION B: THE GERONTOCRACY CASE B1: Mitch McConnell and Our Very Old Congress Part 1 - What A Day - Air Date 7-9-26 B2: Mitch, Lindsey and the Gerontocracy Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 7-13-26 B3: Mitch McConnell and Our Very Old Congress Part 2 - What A Day - Air Date 7-9-26 B4: The Gerontocracy Problem Samuel Moyn - Future Hindsight - Air Date 6-11-26 B5: Gerontocracy with Samuel Moyn Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-1-26 B6: The Attractive Anti-Politics of 'Gerontocracy' Discourse Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 9-21-22 (02:34:15) SECTION C: HOW CONGRESS ACTUALLY WORKS C1: Melinda N. Ritchie, Backdoor Lawmaking Evading Obstacles in the US Congress (Oxford UP, 2023) Part 1 - New Books in Political Science - Air Date 12-12-23 C2: Why Is Congress Like This Part 2 - Civics 101 - Air Date 6-30-26 C3: Melinda N. Ritchie, Backdoor Lawmaking Evading Obstacles in the US Congress (Oxford UP, 2023) Part 2 - New Books in Political Science - Air Date 12-12-23   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]