Open to Debate

MOTION: The U.S. Healthcare System is Terminally BrokenCriticized by patients, providers, and politicians alike, the United States healthcare system is hardly a crowd-pleaser. Is the most expensive health care system in the world beyond repair?FORDr. Robert Pearl, former CEO of the Permanente Medical GroupShannon Brownless, author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Us Sicker and PoorerAGAINSTDr. Ezekiel Amanuel, a bioethicist and an architect of the Affordable Care ActDr. David T. Feinberg, CEO of Geisinger Health System Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special: "Unresolved" Debate FormatAgainst the backdrop of North Korea's nuclear advances and escalating regional tensions, we ask: How should the U.S. respond to its most urgent national security threats? In a wide-ranging evening of debate, General David Petraeus joins military historian Max Boot for a keynote conversation and broad look into the most pressing global challenges of the Trump era. Then, four of the world's most prominent foreign policy voices zero in on the most important strategic relationship of the twenty-first century: the United States and China. Staged with our new "Unresolved" debate format, these debaters argue for or against a number of motions including: Is Donald Trump making China great again? Is China destined for regional dominance? And can we strike a deal with Beijing to contain North Korea’s nuclear program?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yale Law professor Peter Schuck discusses his book 'One Nation Undecided' on divisive issues like poverty, immigration, and religion. Emphasizes the importance of clear thinking in civil discourse and the ability to challenge your own beliefs. Explores the impact of social media and the news cycle on critical thinking and advocates for open-mindedness in political decision-making.

Here at Intelligence Squared U.S., we love a good argument – almost as much as we love an audience willing to change its mind. So when the New York Times’ David Leonhardt challenged Americans to do just that this summer, we took notice. In an op-ed entitled, “A Summer Project to Nourish Your Political Soul,” David asked readers to, "pick an issue that you find complicated, and grapple with it." But he didn’t stop there: David then advised readers to, “consider changing your mind, at least partially."In this episode, David joins our host John Donvan to discuss the urgency of engaging with people and ideas that challenge closely held orthodoxies. He cites immigration, abortion, and education as examples of contemporary issues that defy easy answers, and says it’s ultimately the right and responsibility of every citizen in a democracy to wrestle with nuances and complexities.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mickey Edwards, former member of Congress for 16 years, and vice president and program director at the Aspen Institute, recalls a more civil time in American politics, when both Democrats and Republicans were more likely to engage in debate on Capitol Hill. In this episode, he speaks with Intelligence Squared U.S. host John Donvan about the ways in which Congressional deliberation has changed over the past 40 years, and paths to restoring open discourse in Washington.To support the show, visit http://smarturl.it/IQ2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debates on whether tech companies should assist law enforcement in accessing customer data, highlighting the challenges of balancing privacy and national security concerns. The discussion explores the ethical implications of weakened encryption and the potential risks of creating backdoors. Results of the Intelligence Squared US debate on this topic are also shared.

MOTION: Video Games Will Make Us Smarter.As video games gain prominence, some game creators are turning to global issues, such as poverty alleviation, international diplomacy, and combating climate change, for inspiration. Playing these socially minded games, they argue, allows users to build tangible skills in combating crisis and solving critical problems. But others see the multibillion-dollar gaming industry, dominated by portrayals of crime and war, as a threat that desensitizes its users to violence and encourages anti-social behavior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first 100 days of the Trump administration have been filled with a whirlwind of new policies and challenges to Washington orthodoxies, and the country is sharply divided. But if we are open to it, we might find that there are reasonable arguments being made by both sides on many issues. And those conversations can start by considering: President Trump’s “America First” policy, and what it means to different people; the administration’s impact on the health of the stock market and our economy; the team that the president has assembled; and whether it’s the media, or the president, that’s under attack. In one night we embark on a radical departure from our Oxford-style format, asking five debaters, from across the political spectrum, for their views on four key issues under the new Trump presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walmart has long been a target for critics of corporate expansion, but does the company really deserve the scrutiny? Some say that the big-box retailer devastates small communities by pushing out locally-owned businesses, mistreats its workers through low pay and restrictive work hours, and forces American companies to use cheap foreign labor to produce goods at low cost. Others point to the fact that Walmart provides countless jobs to low-skilled American workers, sells affordable goods, has increasingly become a leader in sustainability, and attracts new consumers and businesses to its neighborhoods. Has Walmart been good for America? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debating the future of Universal Basic Income as a safety net for changing job landscapes and combating poverty. Exploring the impact of UBI on incentivizing work, addressing societal uncertainty, and potential drawbacks in comparison to existing programs like Social Security.