Lost Debate

Ravi is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, founder and author of the popular newsletter Tangle. President Biden recently coined his economic agenda “Bidenomics,” but the White House’s efforts to sell the plan haven’t been successful. So what is Bidenomics, and was it a risk for the Biden admin to stamp the President’s name on it? Fitch Ratings downgraded the U.S. government’s credit rating from ‘...

Oregon's controversial initiative to decriminalize the “personal use” of drugs was introduced as an effort to curb overdoses, but there have been unforeseen consequences. Ravi and Rikki dive into the first two years of Measure 110 and what we can learn from it. The backlash against corporate diversity efforts has spiked since SCOTUS’ groundbreaking decision to end affirmative action. As conservati...

The federal investigations into Hunter Biden continue after a plea deal was put on hold last week. Ravi and Rikki debate the controversies surrounding the president’s son, why public opinion on the investigations has become so polarized, and where Joe Biden fits into all of this. The classical education movement has picked up steam post-COVID. Nowhere is that more true than in Florida, where the s...

In this episode, Marlon Marshall and Ravi discuss the past, present, and potential future of progressive messaging and policy for kids. They survey the landscape of K-12 practice and leadership, giving an honest assessment of the strengths and shortcomings of the movement for student excellence. In the process, they lay out the beginnings of a vision for the future of the so-called education refor...

In one of the most important cases in American history, former President Donald Trump was indicted on Tuesday by Special Counsel Jack Smith in connection with Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Rikki and Ravi talk through the indictment, the strength of the case, and Trump’s best defense.  A recent study found young men now play video games more than ever before. What are the repercuss...

A wave of major developments at America’s southern border has pitted the Biden administration against a host of forces, including liberal advocacy groups, the Texas governor, and border towns. A new series of eye-opening studies from Science and Nature may challenge the way we view social media and polarization. The results seem to be counterintuitive to the common narrative of social media’s role...

The Department of Education launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard’s legacy admissions policy. Is this the next domino to fall for college admissions? In a bombshell congressional hearing, three retired military veterans spoke about the government’s knowledge of UFOs. Rikki and Ravi debate whether this finally confirms the existence of extraterrestrial life. Finally, the hosts unpack s...

A new report from the World Health Organization suggests that aspartame, the widely used artificial sweetener, may cause cancer. Should Americans worry about this? Chief diversity officers were some of the hottest hires in corporate America two years ago, but some high-profile companies have started to say goodbye to this role. Ravi and Rikki dissect the new trend and question whether this is the...

Ravi is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, founder and author of the popular newsletter Tangle. Senate Democrats plan to push a bill that will impose new ethics rules on the Supreme Court. Does Congress have the authority to act? In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court backed a Colorado web designer's claim that the First Amendment allows her to reject building wedding websites for same-sex couples....

The Biden administration announced their Plan B for student debt relief. Will it become another legal battle? Ravi answers this and breaks down the political implications of the new proposal. Hollywood faces its first industry wide shutdown in more than 60 years now that SAG-AFTRA has joined the Writers Guild of America on strike. With AI and streaming at the center of the disputes, how could this...

The hosts break down Marc Andreessen’s op-ed “Why AI Will Save the World” and the tech billionaire’s optimistic, but potentially controversial, takes. They then parse through Sarah Silverman’s copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Meta and discuss the government’s role in regulating AI before turning to the ways artificial intelligence could revolutionize healthcare and potentially sav...

Meta kicked off the ultimate social media war with their launch of Threads. The Twitter alternative has quickly become the fastest growing social media network in history. Ravi and Rikki discuss the new platform’s extraordinary rise. They also debate what it might mean for Elon Musk. SCOTUS struck down Biden’s student-loan forgiveness program. The hosts weigh in on the ruling, Biden’s new plan, an...

Ravi sits down with Corey DeAngelis, a self-described “school choice evangelist” and one of the most controversial figures in education policy circles. Corey is a Senior Fellow at the American Federation for Children, where he writes and advocates in support of vouchers and Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).  ESAs and vouchers are among the most important policy issues in K-12 education right now,...

In this special episode, Ravi reacts to yesterday's groundbreaking decision by the Supreme Court to end affirmative action as we know it. Listen to our previous episodes on this case: A Funeral for Affirmative Action (Regressives, 10/30/22): https://thebranchmedia.org/show/regressives/a-funeral-for-affirmative-action/ The Problem With College Admissions (Regressives, 12/22/22): https://thebranchme...

Ravi is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, founder and author of the popular newsletter Tangle. Presidential hopeful RFK Jr. went on Joe Rogan’s podcast to talk through his candidacy and his years of anti-vaccine advocacy. Rogan then offered vaccine scientist Peter Hotez $100,000 to debate RFK. Should scientists debate conspiracy theorists? After the House Freedom Caucus demanded concessions from...

What should parents and educators do to curb the growing issue of phones in schools? We talk to education expert Doug Lemov about sensible choices for this complex issue. The service industry’s staffing shortages continue, and Americans are getting fed up with the lousy service. Rikki and Ravi discuss how we got here and how restaurants can use technology to deal with this challenge. Corporate Ame...

Justice Alito is the recent focus of SCOTUS ethics scandals. Is it finally time for reform? India's Prime Minister Modi is in America for a much-hyped state visit with President Biden. We dive into who Narendra Modi is, how he came to power, and American misconceptions about the leader of the world's largest democracy. Alarming new national data shows math and reading scores for 13-year-olds are t...

In breaking news, Hunter Biden pleads guilty to federal tax charges, and strikes deal on a gun charge. Ravi and Rikki, debate what happens now to the public conversation on investigations into the Biden family. A new study by the Wall Street Journal on homelessness across the country shows a sharper increase in recent years, especially in urban areas. What caused this spike? And, is “Housing First...

Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in federal court on documents and obstruction charges this week. Ravi and Rikki talk through the details of the case and predict what's likely to happen in the trial of the century. Helicopter parents are now buzzing around the workplace. From job applications and interviews to work conflicts, how should employers react when mom and dad try to take over?...

Ravi is joined by guest co-host Isaac Saul, the author of the popular newsletter Tangle. Former President Trump has been indicted on charges linked to the mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. What happens next, and will he be arrested? Ravi and Isaac dive into the details of these historic charges. On Thursday, SCOTUS upheld a decision overturning Alabama's congressional map,...

CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht is out after just over a year on the job. The firing comes after a tumultuous tenure and a recent disastrous expose from The Atlantic. Rikki goes on the campaign trail with Vivek Ramaswamy, the youngest Republican presidential candidate ever. After President Biden tripped and fell onstage at an Air Force commencement, concerns about his age have returned to center...

Apple announced its first major product since 2014: the Vision Pro headset. The company has officially entered the augmented and virtual reality race, and time will tell if customers follow. More men are getting vasectomies post-Dobbs. Is this an evolution of how Americans view birth control? Ravi and Rikki then turn to two contradictory trends: the rise of both meat consumption and vegetarianism....

The House passed the debt ceiling deal. Now that they’ve broken the gridlock, the deal will head to the Senate and then Biden’s desk. Ravi and Rikki break down the winners and the losers, and what this says about our fraught political process. A growing number of conservatives want to revisit no-fault divorce laws in this country. How serious is this effort and could it change marriage as we know...

In this special episode, Ravi talks to Tim Urban, the creator of the wildly popular blog “Wait But Why” about his new book "What's Our Problem?" – a fun and fascinating deep dive into what the hell is going on in our strange, unprecedented modern times. The two discuss why we’re polarized, the trouble with contemporary media and politics, and how we can build a better, more humane civil society. ...

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ highly anticipated presidential campaign got off to a glitchy start in his Twitter spaces conversation with Elon Musk. Will DeSantis be able to put it behind him and make a surge against Trump?  The relationship between the government and nonprofits has been an issue for a long time, from overuse and misuse to corruption. But, has the progressive movement made it wor...