

Lost Debate
The Branch
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
Mentioned books

Jun 23, 2024 • 41min
India's Dangerous Path
Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker author, discusses India's recent election, rise of Hindu nationalism, and democracy's future. Topics include voter sentiments, economic challenges, Hindu pluralism, political complexities, and societal issues needing change.

Jun 20, 2024 • 49min
Debate Expectations, Fraudulent News, Costly Daycare, State Elections
The podcast delves into the debate preparations of Biden and Trump, Russia's attempts to influence the election, the high cost of daycare in Washington, DC, counterproductive regulations, unprecedented spending in state legislative races, and the impact of recent primary elections in Texas.

Jun 18, 2024 • 56min
Double Haters, Peak Solar, Forced Treatment
Discussions on 'double haters' disliking both Biden and Trump, Biden's executive action for undocumented immigrants, turmoil in China's solar industry. Rob Wipond talks about abuses in psychiatric system, involuntary commitments targeting homeless, and infringement on due process rights.

Jun 11, 2024 • 1h 29min
An Israeli and a Gazan
Hunter Biden was convicted on all three counts in his federal gun trial this week. Ravi takes stock of the verdict and President Biden’s response before diving into the secret recordings of Supreme Court Justices Alito and Roberts, the new partnership between OpenAI and Apple, why to pay attention to foreign political interference in Canada, and what’s behind Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s increased unpopularity.Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar says civilian casualties are “necessary sacrifices” and a new op-ed in the Wall Street Journal accuses the International Criminal Court of “brazen” anti-Israel bias. Ravi shares his take on both developments before welcoming Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a U.S. citizen from Gaza, and Michael Bauer, an Israeli, to the show to discuss their perspectives about the current state of the war and the response abroad.Ravi and Ahmed discuss the potential for a ceasefire and the challenges of negotiating with Hamas, the reasons the American left can’t agree on how – or if – to criticize Hamas, and why the pro-Palestine movement would benefit from a greater diversity of thought. Michael, who lives on a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip, shares his experience on October 7 and then talks with Ravi about the potential for a short-term solution to the war and a long-term resolution to the broader conflict and how the war has impacted the political landscape in Israel.Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/The Branch channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-branch/id6483055204 Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

Jun 6, 2024 • 1h 5min
Verdict Backlash, Biden Border Plan, India and Mexico Elections
News analyst Ravi discusses the aftermath of Trump's verdict, Biden's border plan, Mexico's elections, and challenges in India. Topics include authoritarianism, lack of air conditioning in prisons, Modi's win, unemployment, corruption, and environmental degradation.

Jun 2, 2024 • 1h 6min
My MAGA Dad
Former Obama staffer and school principal, Ravi Gupta, discusses navigating political differences with his right-wing father. From traveling to India to advice on engaging with hostile individuals, he shares insights on bridging political divides within families.

May 30, 2024 • 10min
Trump Guilty. What Now?
Donald Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money criminal trial. Ravi discusses what we know about the breaking news and what could happen next.Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/The Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/The Branch channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-branch/id6483055204

May 30, 2024 • 55min
After the Verdict, How to Be Happy, Liberalism in Peril
Ravi kicks off the show with breaking news, including updates on Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial, ex-OpenAI board member Helen Toner’s tell-all interview about Sam Altman’s short-lived firing, why the Texas elections have seen a wave of pro-school voucher candidates, and the latest drama in New York City’s casino permit fight.Ravi then welcomes Adam Gopnik, legendary staff writer at The New Yorker, to talk about his book, “All That Happiness Is,” what it truly means to be happy, and the unexpected benefits that can come from learning new skills. They then turn to Adam’s latest piece in The New Yorker, "Why Liberals Struggle to Defend Liberalism,” and discuss why liberal democracy is in crisis, what we get wrong when we talk about Hitler, and the importance of pluralism in a healthy society.Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/The Branch channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-branch/id6483055204 Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

May 29, 2024 • 45min
Amanda Knox Changes Her Mind
Amanda Knox joins Ravi to discuss her riveting piece in The Atlantic, “What If He Actually Did It?” In the article, she writes about her support of Jens Söring, a man who spent 33 years in prison for a double homicide he insists he didn’t commit, and how she began to reexamine her advocacy for his innocence. Ravi and Amanda explore her emotional journey as she reflects on the friendship she developed with Jens, how the parallels between his story and her own influenced her stance, and the process it took to reevaluate her position on his case.Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/The Branch channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-branch/id6483055204 Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate

May 23, 2024 • 1h 6min
Netanyahu Warrant, City of Yes, More Alito Drama
Ravi breaks down what you need to know about the second controversial flag spotted outside one of Justice Alito's properties, the leaked OpenAI documents, and why a majority of Americans wrongly believe the U.S. is in a recession.Mayor Eric Adams wants to make New York City the “City of Yes.” Thesis Driven’s Brad Hargreaves joins Ravi to discuss the mayor’s rezoning proposal, which would roll back regulations that have long hindered housing development. Ravi and Brad also take a look at the current and future state of key influencers on the housing market, from fertility and marriage rates to immigration.Finally, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that it has applied for arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders. Oona Hathaway, Yale Law professor and international law expert, joins the pod to help explain what the ICC is and talk with Ravi about how Israel, Hamas, and the U.S. could respond.Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570Subscribe to our feed on Spotify: http://bitly.ws/zC9KSubscribe to our Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmediaFollow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebranchmediaThe Branch website: http://thebranchmedia.org/The Branch channel: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-branch/id6483055204 Lost Debate is also available on the following platforms: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vTERJNTc1ODE3Mzk3Nw iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-lost-debate-88330217/Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/752ca262-2801-466d-9654-2024de72bd1f/the-lost-debate


