Aired Jul 23, 2025

In this episode of Outrage Overload, we explore whether citizens can make better decisions, and whether democracy itself can work better, when the public is truly engaged.

Our guest is Professor James Fishkin, a leading political scientist at Stanford University and the creator of deliberative polling, a method used around the world to tap into what the public would think if it had the chance to deliberate, consider evidence, and weigh real trade-offs.

Fishkin’s work goes far beyond having nicer conversations. It’s about whether ordinary people, when given time, information, and space to deliberate, can reach smarter, more thoughtful policy positions. And if that’s true, it could revolutionize how we think about elections, public opinion, and the future of democracy itself.

Why This Matters

At a time when politics feels stuck and polarization is rising, Fishkin’s work poses a bold challenge. Maybe democracy is not broken. Maybe we are just not using it right.

What if, instead of shallow polling and partisan hot takes, we could tap into informed public judgment? What if the key to better governance is not just better politicians, but better public engagement?

Links

The Deliberative Democracy Lab (Stanford)

James S. Fishkin, PhD (Stanford)

Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy? (Book)