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Why Congress: An interview with Philip Wallach

August 27, 2026 · 1 h 6 min

Show notes

Our founders did not want all of American governance to diverge from England. In fact, the founders were inspired by Parliament's structure, which attempted to represent the desires of the people. Congress was perhaps well constructed but is not currently functioning well. As Wallach argues in his book, Congress is functioning well when the people trust that their interests are properly represented in the legislature. That trust and reciprocal relationship may not currently exist in spades. However, Wallach offers some potential solutions to not only empower better representation but also inspire Congress to pass bi-partisan legislation for the betterment of the whole country.

Wallach, Philip A. Why Congress. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023. https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Why-Congress/dp/B0C446NBP5

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