Why Is Congress So Old? And How Can We Change This? [from American History Hotline]

Why Is Congress So Old? And How Can We Change This? [from American History Hotline]

From Operation Midnight Climax by iHeartPodcasts

June 12, 2026 · 35 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the age and demographics of Congress and explores barriers to more representative leadership.

The average age of a U.S. Representative is in the 50s. In the Senate, it's in the 60s. Many Congressional members are also white and wealthy. And this is not representative of the country as a whole. So, what's keeping Congress from being more reflective of nation's population, and therefore, actually getting things done? So. Many. Things.  Bob calls up political scientist Maya Kornberg, author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress , to unpack why Congress feels frozen in place ... and how we can fix it.  From campaign money and social media to political violence and the rise of “performative politics,” Maya explains why younger leaders struggle to break through.  Listen to American History Hotline wherever you get your podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Bob

Guest: Maya Kornberg

Topics covered

  • Congress
  • politics
  • representation
  • youth leadership
  • campaign finance
  • social media
  • political violence

Keywords

  • Congress
  • age
  • representation
  • political science
  • Maya Kornberg
  • campaign money
  • social media
  • political violence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American History Hotline, iHeartPodcasts

Books & works: Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress

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