Lost Debate
The Lost Debate is a weekly podcast from The Branch that brings you news, ideas, and arguments from around the political spectrum. We engage in the good-faith discussions that too much of our society and media miss. It's hosted by Ravi Gupta, a former Obama staffer turned school principal.
Episodes
April 25, 2024 • 52 mins
Ravi kicks off the show by tackling three of the week’s biggest breaking news stories: what TikTok’s future in the U.S. looks like after President Biden signed legislation that will ban or force a sale of the platform, the rationale behind the New York Court of Appeals’ decision to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 sex crimes conviction, and what to know about the pro-Palestine protests that have erupted on college campuses across t...
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April 23, 2024 • 30 mins
Carmen Paun, global health reporter at Politico, joins Ravi to discuss the recent rollback of Oregon's drug decriminalization law, the impact of overdose prevention centers, and what everyone should know about the use of AI in healthcare.
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April 19, 2024 • 66 mins
Ravi is joined by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a U.S. citizen from Gaza and a Middle East political analyst, for a deep dive into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ravi and Ahmed look at the historical context of the region, including the failures of previous peace attempts and the rise of Hamas, before turning to the present day, where they reflect on the past six months of war, its impact on civilians, and what a path forward could look li...
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April 16, 2024 • 62 mins
Our series on the Unbiased History of Israel/Palestine has been nominated for a Webby in the “Best Limited Series” category! - VOTE HERE
Voting is open until Thursday, April 18th
In this episode, Ravi welcomes Matt Shechtman, a Long Angle partner and private equity expert. They dive into how private equity differs from venture capital and public companies, what to make of its growing involvement in sectors like healthcare and chil...
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April 11, 2024 • 57 mins
Dr. Marshall Bolden, Chief Medical Officer at Mississippi's Vigilant Health, joins Ravi to discuss Vigilant Health’s innovative approach to revolutionizing medicine and improving patient care. They talk about why more health organizations should focus on changing patient behavior, using data for value-based healthcare, and building trust to empower patients to manage their health.
Then, Zach Iscol, New York City's Emergency Managem...
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April 9, 2024 • 59 mins
Ravi kicks off today's episode by taking a critical look at the case of Brian Dorsey, a prisoner in Missouri facing the death penalty. Missouri Governor Mike Parson denied Dorsey’s clemency request this week, despite over 70 correctional officers supporting the plea. Ravi discusses how the case highlights important questions about the country’s sentencing system, including its fairness and ability to deter crime and rehabilitate pr...
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April 4, 2024 • 52 mins
In this episode, Ravi welcomes Noah Smith from Noahpinion. They kick off the show by discussing the economic, political, and cultural challenges of today’s immigration realities, covering topics from how immigrants impact U.S. wages to whether there are ties between immigration and rising crime rates.
Will AI save us? Noah and Ravi debate the potential effects of AI on the workforce and discuss the role of comparative advantage in ...
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April 2, 2024 • 62 mins
As discourse around squatting reaches a tipping point, Stephen Kent returns to the pod to talk with Ravi about whether squatter incidents are growing, or if this is a manufactured phenomenon.
The Economist recently published a comprehensive look at why young women are now more likely to identify as liberal and young men are more likely to identify as conservative. Ravi and Stephen debate the findings and speculate over the reasons ...
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March 21, 2024 • 62 mins
Ravi is joined by Brad Hargreaves, founder of Common and Thesis Driven, to discuss the recent ruling that would transform several guidelines set by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). They also explore the rise of the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement, how interest rates have affected the real estate market, and the importance of small multifamily units and single-stair multifamilies.
Alisha L. Gordon from The Current Pro...
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March 20, 2024 • 56 mins
In this episode, Ravi speaks with Bradley Tusk, CEO and founder of Tusk Ventures, about Donald Trump’s inability to post the $454 million bond from his New York fraud case.
After overwhelmingly passing the House, the TikTok divestiture legislation faces new challenges on its journey to the President's desk after Senators from both sides of the aisle have expressed concerns about the bill. Ravi and Bradley debate the bill’s fate and...
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March 14, 2024 • 36 mins
Ravi welcomes back Dr. Dhruv Khullar, a physician and assistant professor at Cornell and contributing writer at The New Yorker, to tackle recent trends in healthcare and longevity.
They start by discussing how hospital and private equity acquisitions of physician practices have influenced healthcare costs and the quality of care, including the results of a new study by The Economist that explores how and why healthcare costs in Am...
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March 12, 2024 • 58 mins
Will Congress ban TikTok? Ravi and guest co-host Stephen Kent explore the platform’s data practices, censorship, and why its China-based parent company, ByteDance, could pose national security risks.
They then examine Google AI’s “Gemini,” and how recent critiques of the tool’s biased portrayals of historical figures exemplify the challenges tech companies face in curbing AI-driven bias and misinformation.
A comprehensive new repor...
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March 7, 2024 • 54 mins
Now that the general election is set for a Biden v. Trump rematch, Ravi kicks off the show by running through the ten most important questions that will define the race.
Then Ravi talks with Adam Harris of The Atlantic about his recent article, "Private Equity Has Its Eyes on the Child-Care Industry." They discuss why a corporate takeover of child care poses concerns and explore sensible solutions to fix the crisis.
Time Stamps:
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March 5, 2024 • 50 mins
Ravi kicks off the show with an update on the latest legal developments in Trump world, including the Supreme Court's decision to overturn a Colorado court verdict that excluded Trump from the state's Republican presidential primary ballot.
Former Congressman Carlos Curbelo then joins Ravi to discuss the evolving dynamics of Hispanic voters' allegiance, the failed push for immigration reform and stricter gun laws, and what it will ...
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March 1, 2024 • 71 mins
School choice programs have expanded dramatically over the past several years, in part due to the creation of education savings accounts (ESA). The movement for ESAs has been spearheaded predominantly by Republicans and met with widespread skepticism from Democrats.
But should Democrats support ESAs? Ravi joined Marcus Brandon, executive director of North Carolina Campaign for Achievement Now, Graig Meyer, a North Carolina state se...
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February 27, 2024 • 53 mins
A recent Gallup poll shows that immigration is now the most important issue for Americans. New York Times White House correspondent Michael Shear joins Ravi to explore the poll’s implications, including what it means for 2024 and how Biden has adjusted his policies in response to the ongoing migrant crisis. They also delve into the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza and today’s Michigan presidential primary, where grassroots groups ar...
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February 22, 2024 • 25 mins
A New York judge ruled last week that Donald Trump must pay over $350 million in penalties for business fraud and banned him from running companies in the state for three years. Ravi explains where the case went wrong, from New York Attorney General Tish James’s motives in bringing the case to issues with the judgment itself.
Is the end of the Hunter Biden scandal near? Ravi takes a closer look at the recent arrest of the FBI infor...
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February 16, 2024 • 12 mins
Russian authorities have announced that the country's most prominent opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has died while in prison. Navalny, one of Putin's most outspoken critics, had been jailed in some of Russia's most punishing prisons since 2021. Ravi reacts to the news and reflects on the legacy Navalny leaves behind.
Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show: 321-200-0570
Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bi...
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February 15, 2024 • 32 mins
Should President Biden drop out of the 2024 race? Ravi addresses the growing skepticism over Biden’s ability to hold office for four more years and what he thinks the Democrats should do about it.
Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570
Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K
Subscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/
Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagr...
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February 8, 2024 • 57 mins
Ravi interviews Benjamin Herold about his new book “Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America’s Suburbs,” an important and eye-opening exploration of the history of suburban communities in the U.S. Ravi and Ben discuss why the magical thinking that fueled suburbia’s boom was always a ticking time bomb, and what it means for today’s suburban families as they grapple with failing infrastructure and subpar schools.
...
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