When we step back and consider America's 21st-century politics, our responses to crises — in 2001, 2008-09, and this year — vastly exceed "normal" times in terms of importance. This change of perspective should compel us to reject the idea that polarization is the defining feature of our era, and to reassess our understanding of the American political system's capacities and infirmities. Guest Philip Wallach discusses how we can better prepare for emergencies before they happen — or, better yet, prevent them from becoming emergencies at all.

Philip Wallach is a resident senior fellow in governance at the R Street Institute, where he researches America’s separation of powers with a focus on the relationship between Congress and the administrative state. He was previously a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, and he served as a fellow with the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress from May to October 2019.

This podcast discusses themes from Philip’s essay in the Summer 2020 issue of National Affairs, “Crisis Government.”