<description> &lt;p&gt;The average age of Congress' members has gotten older compared to the Americans it represents. This 119th Congress is the &lt;a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/congress-age-2025-third-oldest-us-history-rcna185742" class="default"&gt;third oldest since 1789.&lt;/a&gt; On today’s show, Princeton economist Owen Zidar joins Kimberly to explain how decades of public policy have fueled a generational wealth gap and what our so-called gerontocracy has to do with it. Plus, what it would take for Congress to really address the economic issues younger Americans are facing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here’s everything we talked about today:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="http://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/democratic-party-politicans-gerontocracy-democrats-too-old-rebecca-traister.html?itm_medium=site&amp;amp;itm_source=order-form&amp;amp;_gl=1*1rvkpo*FPAU*MTc3MzI4NDE3NS4xNzYyODA3Njc4*_ga*NTkxMjIzNDMwLjE3NjI4MDc2Nzg.*_ga_DNE38RK1HX*czE3NjM0Nzk3OTUkbzIkZzEkdDE3NjM0Nzk4OTQkajMxJGwwJGg2MzE4MTgyMjM.*_fplc*ZmtNJTJGUk1OaGNPeGlaclBrUnJUNDliMmpDWXMlMkJUOGpPU3N3Y0JoajdqMFBxNGNvd2pZYm5iaU9NUnNUMlF2eU95eWtZbFcwdno3YldCVnBRWU1vYVdKYlVhSkZFQm10NlFDbU0lMkJhdjVMejVlZ0JUSUlOdWJVSG9lVFNVTjdnJTNEJTNE" class="c-link c-link--underline"&gt;”It’s My Party and I’ll Leave When I Want To”&lt;/a&gt; from Intelligencer&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.slowboring.com/p/gerontocracy-is-everywhere" class="c-link c-link--underline"&gt;”Gerontocracy is everywhere”&lt;/a&gt; from Slow Boring&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/18/baby-boomer-wealth/" class="c-link c-link--underline"&gt;”How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up”&lt;/a&gt; from The Washington Post&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/policy-papers/the-age-divide/" class="c-link c-link--underline"&gt;”The Age Divide: How America’s Electoral System Reinforces the Gerontocracy”&lt;/a&gt; from New America&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://everywheremillionaire.substack.com/" class="c-link c-link--underline"&gt;”The Everywhere Millionaire”&lt;/a&gt; by Owen Zidar&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:makemesmart@marketplace.org" class="interallink"&gt;makemesmart@marketplace.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; </description>

Make Me Smart

Marketplace

Is the U.S. a gerontocracy?

DEC 4, 202519 MIN
Make Me Smart

Is the U.S. a gerontocracy?

DEC 4, 202519 MIN

Description

<p>The average age of Congress' members has gotten older compared to the Americans it represents. This 119th Congress is the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/congress-age-2025-third-oldest-us-history-rcna185742" class="default">third oldest since 1789.</a> On today’s show, Princeton economist Owen Zidar joins Kimberly to explain how decades of public policy have fueled a generational wealth gap and what our so-called gerontocracy has to do with it. Plus, what it would take for Congress to really address the economic issues younger Americans are facing.</p><br/><p>Here’s everything we talked about today:</p><br/><ul><li><a href="http://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/democratic-party-politicans-gerontocracy-democrats-too-old-rebecca-traister.html?itm_medium=site&amp;itm_source=order-form&amp;_gl=1*1rvkpo*FPAU*MTc3MzI4NDE3NS4xNzYyODA3Njc4*_ga*NTkxMjIzNDMwLjE3NjI4MDc2Nzg.*_ga_DNE38RK1HX*czE3NjM0Nzk3OTUkbzIkZzEkdDE3NjM0Nzk4OTQkajMxJGwwJGg2MzE4MTgyMjM.*_fplc*ZmtNJTJGUk1OaGNPeGlaclBrUnJUNDliMmpDWXMlMkJUOGpPU3N3Y0JoajdqMFBxNGNvd2pZYm5iaU9NUnNUMlF2eU95eWtZbFcwdno3YldCVnBRWU1vYVdKYlVhSkZFQm10NlFDbU0lMkJhdjVMejVlZ0JUSUlOdWJVSG9lVFNVTjdnJTNEJTNE" class="c-link c-link--underline">”It’s My Party and I’ll Leave When I Want To”</a> from Intelligencer</li><li><a href="https://www.slowboring.com/p/gerontocracy-is-everywhere" class="c-link c-link--underline">”Gerontocracy is everywhere”</a> from Slow Boring</li><li><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/11/18/baby-boomer-wealth/" class="c-link c-link--underline">”How baby boomers got so rich, and why their kids are unlikely to catch up”</a> from The Washington Post</li><li><a href="https://www.newamerica.org/political-reform/policy-papers/the-age-divide/" class="c-link c-link--underline">”The Age Divide: How America’s Electoral System Reinforces the Gerontocracy”</a> from New America</li><li><a href="https://everywheremillionaire.substack.com/" class="c-link c-link--underline">”The Everywhere Millionaire”</a> by Owen Zidar</li></ul><br/><br/><p>We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email <strong><a href="mailto:[email protected]" class="interallink">[email protected]</a></strong>.</p>