Why can't Americans compromise?

Published: Feb. 12, 2024, 8:52 p.m.

In this week\u2019s episode of Politics In Question, Jonathan Rauch joins Lee and James to consider why Americans can\u2019t compromise. Rauch is a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program and the author of eight books and many articles on public policy, culture, and government. He is a contributing writer of The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Award, the magazine industry\u2019s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. His many Brookings publications include the 2021 book \u201cThe Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth\u201d, as well as the 2015 ebook \u201cPolitical Realism: How Hacks, Machines, Big Money, and Back-Room Deals Can Strengthen American Democracy.\u201d Other books include \u201cThe Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better after 50\u201d (2018) and \u201cGay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America\u201d (2004). He has also authored research on political parties, marijuana legalization, LGBT rights and religious liberty, and more.\n\nWhat is compromise? Where does it happen? What does it take to get it? And what is preventing Americans from doing it today, especially in Congress? Are lawmakers really trying to win in the House and Senate? These are some of the questions that Jonathan, Lee, and James ask in this week\u2019s episode.