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 Kevin McCarthy during the speaker election, their revolt hasn’t stopped. Ravi and Isaac discuss how...
Jun 29, 2023•50 min
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 America is jumping on the AI bandwagon. We dive into new data on how companies are starting to use AI a...
Jun 27, 2023•53 min
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 the lowest in a decade. How did we get here? And, what should we do about it? Some lawmakers want to ...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr
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”, the historically bipartisan policy, the new battleground for the right and left divide? The hosts...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 7 min
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? And finally, Gen Z is the most sex-positive generation in history, yet they're having less sex. The...
Jun 15, 2023•49 min
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, finding the recently redrawn boundaries violated the Voting Rights Act and intentionally curtailed t...
Jun 09, 2023•59 min
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 stage. Is the president too old to lead? A bombshell new report reveals urban charter schools perfor...
Jun 08, 2023•59 min
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. Finally, more people are getting away with murder than ever before. Why are so many recent killings...
Jun 06, 2023•52 min
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 it? Daniel Penny choked Jordan Neely to death on a New York City subway train on May 1. The heated d...
Jun 01, 2023•55 min
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. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Show notes: https://thebranchmedia....
May 30, 2023•51 min
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 worse? And finally, we speak to Kate Lindsay from The Atlantic about her new piece on the first-gen soci...
May 25, 2023•55 min
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 teen a “peer-reviewed” author. [00:00] - Debt Ceiling Updates [02:19] - Bud Light vs. Everybody [29:...
May 23, 2023•50 min
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: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/ Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9K S...
May 21, 2023•42 min
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 the FBI should handle investigations into political figures moving forward. Lastly, does more money...
May 18, 2023•54 min
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 from the more extreme wing of his party to make a deal, or is there a world where the Supreme Court h...
May 16, 2023•54 min
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 then turn to the debate surrounding Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s new AI technology that some believe co...
May 11, 2023•1 hr
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 engaged. They also provide tips and tools for listeners interested in broadening their media diets and ...
May 09, 2023•51 min
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 criticism on Capitol Hill last week after facing accusations that the teachers union kept schools clos...
May 04, 2023•52 min
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 philosophy professor Ned Hall to talk about the university’s new Council on Academic Freedom – an attem...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 13 min
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 Catholic orphanage in Vermont. Then, Rikki interviews Dr. Sarah Font, an Associate Professor of Sociology...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 15 min
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 peer generations, and many are swiping their credit cards to do it. Are these travel experiences wor...
Apr 25, 2023•55 min
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 generation: Millennials. But are they really so unlucky? We speak to psychology professor Jean Twenge who arg...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 7 min
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 educational facilities that help students with substance use disorders maintain sobriety while also gettin...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 1 min
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 fight to allow an After School Satan Club to meet in an East Pennsylvania school district. Finally, the...
Apr 14, 2023•55 min
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 better world. Finally, they dissect the trend of people from “Blue states” like California and New York, ...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr
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 elections. [00:38] - Thoughts on Trump indictment [12:18] - Interview with Kristen Soltis Anderson Leave us ...
Apr 06, 2023•46 min
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 can pre-order Greg and Rikki’s new book, “The Canceling of the American Mind” which hits shelves this...
Apr 04, 2023•38 min
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 [39:09] - Declining IQ scores Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Subscr...
Mar 30, 2023•47 min
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 to talk tats: the emerging health conversation, their social capital, and the extent to which a once-...
Mar 29, 2023•58 min
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 public comment. Finally, the trio talk about college degree requirements and whether Joe should regr...
Mar 23, 2023•54 min
