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Politics in Question

Politics in Question

By: Julia Azari Lee Drutman and James Wallner
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 A podcast about how our political institutions are failing us and ideas for fixing them. Join hosts Lee Drutman and James Wallner as they imagine and argue over what American politics could look like if citizens questioned everything. Politics In Question is a joint venture of New America and the Foundation for American Innovation. Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Does Moderation Matter?

    Does Moderation Matter?
    Dec 19 2025

    In this week’s episode of Politics in Question, Lee and James dive into the “moderate debate.” They discuss Lee’s recent Substack essay, The Moderation Debate Fiddles with 2% While Democracy’s Dimensionality Collapses.

    Should parties move to the center? How do we define “moderate”? And what would it take to reinvigorate dimensionality in party politics? These are some of the questions Lee and James ask in this week’s episode.

    Links to the previous episodes referenced:

    Why do Americans use primary elections to select candidates for office? (featuring Robert Boatright)

    How did the Great Migration help shape today's politics? (featuring Keneshia Grant)


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    38 mins
  • How Do We Stop the Rise of Autocracy? Feat. Stacey Abrams

    How Do We Stop the Rise of Autocracy? Feat. Stacey Abrams
    Nov 6 2025

    In this week's episode of Politics in Question, host Lee Drutman talks with Leader Stacey Abrams about the current state of democracy. Leader Abrams is a strategist, novelist, and host of the podcast Assembly Required.

    How do we create a sustainable democracy? What’s the difference between autocracy and authoritarianism? What role does civil resistance play in sustaining democracy? These are some of the questions Lee asks in this week's episode of Politics in Question.


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    29 mins
  • Why Are We in a Shutdown?

    Why Are We in a Shutdown?
    Oct 30 2025

    In this week’s episode of Politics in Question, Lee and James talk with Matt Glassman about the state and stakes of the government shutdown. Glassman is a Senior Fellow at The Government Affairs Institute and the author of the Substack Matt’s Five Points.

    What's the underlying cause of this shutdown? How do you "win" a shutdown? What will be the future political costs for the Democratic Party in trying to make a healthcare policy deal? These are the questions that James and Lee explore in this week’s episode.


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    38 mins
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