Ben Sasse on the Senate's "smack-down nonsense" and his wish for America

Former Senator Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given three to four months to live, but is now on 'extended time.' Sasse believes Congress is consumed by 'reductionistic tribalism' and isn't spending enough time on large-scale problems, including the disruptions that artificial intelligence will bring. He criticizes the Senate for being unproductive and not addressing fundamental issues, such as the impact of AI on the economy and how people work. Sasse suggests the House should be much larger, with 2,000 lawmakers, and the Senate should be more productive and focused on major questions. He believes the U.S. is nearing an inflection point and that the republic's survival depends on people engaging in deliberative, long-form discourse. Sasse is optimistic about what a free people and a republic can build if they start with their local communities.