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Open To Debate America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Weekly debates on NPR, Substack, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Our full lineup is here! We’re back in Baltimore on October 27 to debate: Will Generative AI Enhance or Stunt College Le...
10/14/2026

Our full lineup is here! We’re back in Baltimore on October 27 to debate: Will Generative AI Enhance or Stunt College Learning?

Arguing “Enhance”: Rumman Chowdhury () and Ravi Pendse

Arguing “Stunt”: Cathy O’Neil and Gary Marcus

Join all four debaters and Moderator-in-Chief John Donvan, as they explore what generative AI means for the future of higher education.

Reserve your FREE tickets now! Link in bio.

Presented by the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and Open to Debate

10/13/2026

”What we need in American life is not fewer arguments. We just need less stupid ones.”

Eric Liu argues conflict is built into democracy, so the goal shouldn't be less of it or a rush to middle ground, but learning to disagree better.

Watch the full episode on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/12/2026

Ahead of the midterms, do we get the politicians we deserve?

Eric Liu argues politicians follow the public mood more than they lead it, so a cynical, divided culture will keep producing cynical, divisive leaders.

Watch the full episode on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/11/2026

How much of Washington is just for show?

Eric Liu argues Washington rewards the appearance of action more than real results, and says it's a game he got good at before leaving for Seattle.

Watch the full episode on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/09/2026

Was democracy working better in the 1950s?

Eric Liu argues the 1950s were less divided but left many Americans out of the conversation, and that today's casual talk of civil war is more dangerous than it sounds.

Watch the full episode on all Open to Debate platforms.

With the midterms weeks away, what does it mean to be a good citizen?Eric Liu sits down with John Donvan and argues citi...
10/09/2026

With the midterms weeks away, what does it mean to be a good citizen?

Eric Liu sits down with John Donvan and argues citizenship is more than a legal status or a vote every few years. After years in Washington, including in the Clinton White House, he came to believe lasting change starts with citizens and communities, not at the top. His new book lays out eight practices for rebuilding civic life: see, listen, feel, join, fight, change, imagine and commit.

Our guest: Eric Liu, CEO and co-founder of Citizen University and author of "Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Our Country"

Watch the full episode on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/08/2026

Did you really earn your Social Security?

Romina Boccia argues the idea of an earned benefit has always been misleading, because workers' taxes pay today's retirees rather than their own future checks.

Teresa Ghilarducci argues basing benefits on a lifetime of earnings is what lets workers keep their standard of living once they stop working.

Watch the full debate on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/07/2026

Did Israel have another option in Gaza after the October 7 attacks?

Mehdi Hasan argues Israel has shown it can target Hamas leaders precisely, so the scale of destruction in Gaza was a choice, not a necessity.

Eylon Levy counters that Hamas deliberately embedded itself among civilians and hostages, so reaching its leaders was never as simple as a single strike.

Watch the full debate on all Open to Debate platforms.

10/03/2026

Has the 401(k) failed American workers?

Teresa Ghilarducci argues saving on your own hasn't worked, leaving even well-paid workers retiring with far too little.

Romina Boccia counters that the private system is working, and lower earners would save more if Social Security took less of their pay.

Watch the full debate on all Open to Debate platforms.

Should we phase out Social Security?Social Security's retirement trust fund is projected to run out in 2032, and if Cong...
10/02/2026

Should we phase out Social Security?

Social Security's retirement trust fund is projected to run out in 2032, and if Congress does nothing, benefits get cut by 22%. A Cato Institute budget expert who wants to replace it with a simpler safety net and a labor economist who wants to expand it debate whether the program is worth saving.

Arguing Yes: Romina Boccia, Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute and co-author of "Reimagining Social Security: Global Lessons for Retirement Policy Changes"

Arguing No: Teresa Ghilarducci, Professor of Economics and Policy Analysis at The New School for Social Research and author of "Work, Retire, Repeat: The Uncertainty of Retirement in the New Economy"

John Donvan moderates.

Watch the full debate on all Open to Debate platforms.

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