Are we now a ‘broligarchy’? Assuming they’re all confirmed, a record 13 billionaires could end up serving in Trump’s second administration. Collectively, these individuals are worth $383 billion.
To discuss the implications for American democracy of so many billionaires directly and overtly involving themselves in government, “Forum,” KQED’s long-running call-in live talk show, invited BESI’s director Paul Pierson for the January 27, 2025, edition of the program.
Pierson’s research has investigated the quality of democratic governance, and his current work focuses on challenges facing the United States in an era of acute economic inequality and intense political polarization. During the broadcast, he offered some edifying context for the current political moment, including the astounding and accelerating concentration of wealth over the past decade.
Pierson was joined by Brooke Harrington, professor of sociology at Dartmouth College, and Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. KQED’s Alexis Madrigal hosted.