Lost Debate

Boycotts usually fizzle quickly, but the great Bud Light Boycott of 2023 continues to get heat from every side. Sales are down dramatically, and everyone has an issue with the company’s response. The IRS has been busy this offseason doing some things you'll like and some you probably won't. And finally, just when you thought college admissions could not get any worse, you can now pay to make your...

Andrew Yang sits down with Rikki and Ravi to talk about why our democratic system is broken and how to fix it. He also discusses the 2024 presidential field, the dangers and opportunities of artificial intelligence, how he thinks about alternative media, and why we need more tolerance for people with different beliefs. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Show notes: h...

ChatGPT’s CEO calls for government regulation of his company and the broader AI industry. Ravi and Rikki discuss Sam Altman’s Congressional testimony and debate what government should do to regulate (but not stifle) AI’s future. Special Counsel John Durham’s findings on the FBI's Trump-Russia probe were released Monday. The hosts unpack the long-awaited report, whether it exonerates Trump, and how...

Did Twitter side with Turkey’s authoritarian leader and suppress free speech ahead of the country’s presidential election? Ravi and Rikki dive into Elon Musk’s latest controversy, question his dedication to free speech, and predict how (or if) new CEO Linda Yaccarino will impact Twitter’s bottom line. The hosts then turn to the latest on the debt ceiling negotiations. Will Speaker McCarthy break f...

Ravi and Rikki kick off today’s episode by talking about Rep. George Santos facing federal fraud charges on the same day that Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation. Then they take a deep dive into the end of Title 42, the controversial pandemic-era immigration measure. Will this lead to a massive influx of migrants, and what, if anything, can the Biden administration do? The hosts...

Ravi is joined by Tangle’s Isaac Saul and Ground News’ Harleen Kaur for a conversation about media bias and polarization. From coverage of the Kyle Rittenhouse case to the Pizzagate conspiracy, they discuss how different wings of mainstream and alternative media radicalize each other – and how each of their organizations has worked to stay as objective as possible while keeping their audiences eng...

Ravi and Rikki start today’s episode by talking about the writers strike. Picketing for better wages, AI regulation, fully-staffed writers’ rooms, and more. How long will the walkout last? We talk through all the possible outcomes. Then we turn to another story about unions causing a ruckus. Randi Weingarten, the President of the American Federation of Teachers, pushed back against conservative cr...

Ravi and Rikki start today’s episode with a healthy debate on participation trophies. Are these pointless plastic keepsakes ruining our childrens’ hopes of ever knowing what it truly means to be a winner? Three Republican state senators from North Carolina seem to think so, introducing a bill in the legislature to ban participation trophies in youth sports. Then, the duo sits down with Harvard phi...

Ravi and Rikki dive into the deep end of the programs that are meant to care for the country’s most vulnerable children: the child-welfare system. First, Ravi interviews journalist and author Dr. Christine Kenneally. Her new book "Ghosts of the Orphanage: A Story of Mysterious Deaths, a Conspiracy of Silence, and a Search for Justice” tells survivors’ traumatic stories of abuse from inside a Catho...

Ravi, Rikki, and newcomer Micky jump into #TrendyTuesday, looking at four trends shaping our world. First, the trio talk about community college enrollment, which has been plummeting over the past decade. What’s behind the drop? And should we invest in reversing it? Then the group pivots to our podcast’s most talked about generation: GenZ. Zoomers are traveling in record numbers compared to their...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe look at new reporting from the New York Times, which found that a small number of repeat offenders accounted for almost one third of all shoplifting arrests in New York City last year. How did we get here? And is this part of a larger, national issue? We talk with local bodega owners to see what they’re experiencing. Then we pivot to a discussion about the unluckiest generatio...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe talk through their updated takes on the chaos that is Twitter. From classifying National Public Radio as “state-affiliated media,” to getting into a feisty exchange with a BBC reporter during an interview last week, the trio ask the question on everyone’s mind: what’s up with this Elon guy? Then the gang jumps into a conversation about recovery High Schools, specialized educat...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe talk about the latest scandal to hit the United States Supreme Court: Associate Justice Clarence Thomas accepting lavish travel itineraries from a wealthy Republican donor (and friend) without including it on his public financial disclosures. Unethical? Or illegal? We try to get to the bottom of it. Then, just for the hell of it, the trio talk about the ACLU’s newest legal fig...

Ravi and guest host Bradley Tusk — a venture capitalist, writer, and political strategist — jump straight into the facts of the Trump indictment and whether they believe Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s charges against former President Donald Trump will hold water. Then the duo switch to the multiple interpretations and definitions of effective altruism and how humankind can build a bette...

In this special episode, Ravi jumps in to give his thoughts on the indictment of former President Donald Trump. Then, Ravi interviews Republican Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson where they discuss viable challengers in the 2024 GOP primary, DeSantis’ potential presidential run, the GOP’s appeal to younger voters, and whether education will be a focal point issue in the primary and general election...

In this special episode, Rikki interviews Greg Lukianoff, the CEO and President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Greg, a free speech advocate and author, co-wrote the 2018 book “The Coddling of the American Mind.” Greg and Rikki sit down to talk about free speech on college campuses, the partisan shift of free speech politics, and the antidote to cancel culture. You c...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe jump into #TrendyThursday, looking at five trends that are reshaping America: Americans having fewer kids, a steep decline in patriotism, wealthy men pivoting to working less hours, a dip in kids reading for fun, and declining IQ scores. [02:21] - Americans having fewer kids [14:53] - Decline in patriotism [25:58] - Work-life balance [34:02] - Kids no longer reading for fun [3...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start by diving into a tight race in Chicago to decide who will be the city’s next mayor, Paul Vallas or Brandon Johnson, after a historic loss by incumbent Lori Lightfoot. Then we head north to Minnesota, where a new bill to universalize free school meals is reigniting a national debate about student hunger and nutrition. Finally, we welcome LD researcher Aryaan on the show t...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start by stitching in their opinions on TikTok, as the social media app’s CEO Shou Chew prepares to testify in front of Congress. Then we turn to Southborough, Massachusetts, where a woman sued her local select board and won in state Supreme Court, striking down the town’s civility code as unconstitutional after getting into a spat and calling a board member “a Hitler” during...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe jump into the fray on the rumored indictment of former President Donald Trump over his reported involvement with a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Then the trio turns to the aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank’s implosion from last week, and the economic ricocheting that killed Signature Bank, cratered First Republic Bank’s stock, and forced Credit Suisse to sell to...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start by looking at the merits and consequences of school districts increasingly moving towards a 4-day school week. Then we turn to a newly reintroduced bill aiming to open up research pathways for certain psychedelics, currently barred under the country’s most stringent Schedule I drug classification. Finally, we look back to a bizarre pandemic-era showdown between Californi...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start by revisiting the wave of ChatGPT discourse and looking at some new data on how it’s affecting America’s classrooms. Then we turn to classrooms in Arkansas, where new Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is setting down an early marker on her education policy: the LEARNS Act. Finally, we look to some new reporting from the New York Times and try to answer a provocative questi...

We’ve got a special episode today to cover a wild weekend in financial news, as Silicon Valley Bank fails and regulators and investors alike brace for the aftershocks. Ravi sits down with Brad Hargreaves, the Founder and Chairman of Common, to talk about what led to SVB’s demise, whether its failure poses systemic risks, how it’s affecting the tech ecosystem in particular, and to give their predic...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start with two trends in education: universities moving away from SAT/ACT requirements, and a growing defection from the U.S. News college rankings. Then we turn to the doctor’s office and try to unravel why men aren’t seeking out preventive care. Finally, we sit down with The Atlantic’s George Packer on his recent piece about the pitfalls of equity language.  [02:42] - SAT/AC...

Ravi, Rikki, and Joe start with a major announcement from drugmaker Eli Lilly on coming price caps for its insulin products before turning to the complex web of regulatory loopholes that defines American pharmaceuticals and health care altogether. Then we turn to a new survey from FIRE, detailing self-censoring among college professors and students when it comes to academic freedom and speech. Fin...