The Good Congress Podcast – Lee Drutman

What if the biggest problem in American politics isn’t polarization itself, but the structure that fuels it?

In this episode of the Good Congress Podcast, host Bradford Fitch sits down with political scientist Lee Drutman to unpack the case for a multi-party democracy and how it could fundamentally reshape how Congress operates.

Drawing from Drutman’s book Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop, the conversation explores why today’s two-party system incentivizes extremism, limits coalition-building, and weakens Congress’s ability to govern effectively. The discussion goes beyond theory, examining how multi-party systems function in practice, why they often produce more moderate outcomes, and what a transition could look like in the United States.

You’ll also hear insights on:

• Why coalition governments can create built-in incentives for moderation
• How “must-pass” legislation is masking deeper dysfunction in Congress
• The role of primaries in driving polarization
• What a multi-party Congress could mean for leadership, governance, and accountability

This episode is part of the Sunwater Institute’s ongoing effort to identify practical reforms that strengthen Congress and restore trust in democratic institutions.

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