logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2020
53 m

America’s Hidden Duopoly (Ep. 356 Rebroa...

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
We all know our political system is “broken” — but what if that’s not true? Some say the Republicans and Democrats constitute a wildly successful industry that has colluded to kill off competition, stifle reform, and drive the country apart. So what are you going to do about it? 
Up next
Oct 16
691. Is This What a “Good Billionaire” Looks Like?
David Rubenstein, a product of the old bipartisan D.C., made his fortune in private equity. He’s been spending it on “patriotic philanthropy” and institutions like the Kennedy Center, where Trump fired him as chairman. Now he wonders if the center can hold. SOURCES:David Rubenste ... Show More
43m 23s
Oct 9
690. It’s Show Business, Baby!
Podcasting started as a niche-nerd pursuit. Now it’s a $9 billion industry. Is that a lot? The strange economics of this thing we do. SOURCES:Jim Bankoff, chairman and C.E.O. of Vox Media.Ben Davis, head of digital at WME.Will Page, former chief economist at Spotify and author of ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 2
689. Here’s Why Your Hamburger Just Got So Pricey
An economist calls America’s beef industry a “miracle.” An antitrust scholar calls it “broken.” Maybe they’re both right? SOURCES:Austin Frerick, agriculture antitrust expert, fellow at Yale University, author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry ... Show More
49m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2020
A radical — or obvious? — plan to save American democracy
We talk a lot on this show about the problems with American political institutions. But what if all those problems are actually just one problem: the two-party system. Lee Drutman is a political scientist, senior fellow in the Political Reform program at New America, co-host of ... Show More
1h 9m
Jul 2020
SYSK Selects: How Lobbying Works
<p>Lobbying is an entrenched part of American politics and one that many people think is breaking government. But petitioning the government is protected in the Constitution. How can this system be fixed? join Josh and Chuck as they explore the topic in this classic episode.</p>< ... Show More
54m 20s
Oct 2018
Politicians Should Look in the Mirror to Discover Who Caused the Pre-Existing Condition Problem Ep. 291
Are you sick of Republicans and the conservative media focusing on these quasi-cultural flash points but then agreeing with Democrats on all the policy outcomes? Be sure to tune in today. In this blockbuster episode, I cram as much health care policy into one show as I possibly ... Show More
1h 20m
Jan 2018
E Pluribus Unum?
<p>The tone of American politics can be...nasty. But is this nastiness really worse than in previous eras, and if so, what does that mean for our democracy? Historian David Moss takes the long view — arguing that American democracy is much more resilient than we realize. This wee ... Show More
35m 44s
Feb 2025
Is America broken?
What do you think of America’s institutions? Alana Newhouse, founder and editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine, says that may be the most important political question in America. In an essay published more than two years ago, Newhouse argued that there is a new political divide, one ... Show More
49m 43s
Nov 2022
The elephant in the chamber? America’s midterms
<p>Our election model <a href="https://www.economist.com/mid-terms-2022?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">sug ... Show More
29m 55s