Open to Debate
Hosted by John Donvan · Open to Debate
4.6from 2,357 ratings
- 452
- Episodes
- 114
- Transcribed
- 2,357
- Ratings
- Daily
- Cadence
- 2009
- First episode
- 22M
- YouTube views
About Open to Debate
America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Open to Debate offers an antidote to the chaos. We bring multiple perspectives together for real, nonpartisan debates. Debates that are structured, respectful, clever, provocative, and driven by the facts. Open to Debate is on a mission to restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned analysis. We examine the issues of the day with the world’s most influential thinkers spanning science, technology, politics, culture, and global affairs. It’s time to build a stronger, more united democracy with the civil exchange of ideas. Be open-minded. Be curious. Be ready to listen. Join us in being Open to Debate. (Formerly Intelligence Squared U.S.)
- Publisher
- Open to Debate
- Category
- education · news · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 30 Sept 2009
- Latest episode
- 2 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
114 of 452 episodes have a transcript.
2 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Should We Phase Out Social Security?
25 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Does the U.S.-Saudi Civil Nuclear Agreement Serve America's Interests?
18 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Is the United Nations Obsolete? (Encore)
Inside a recent episode
Should We Phase Out Social Security?
Published 2 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Prominent Republicans, for the first time, are calling to expand Social Security revenues. Tom Cole, the Republican chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, supports more funding for Social Security services. And then there's Senator Bernie, and not that Bernie. Senator Bernie Moreno, Republican from Ohio, has teamed up with Elizabeth Warren, calling for lifting the Social Security payroll tax cap to get more revenue into the system and to make the system more fair. Right now, Social Security payroll taxes do not apply to earnings above $184,500. That means even though the vast majority of us workers pay Social Security taxes throughout the whole year, the highest earners start paying taxes once they earn that cap. […]
Read the full transcript with a Pod Engine plan.
See plansWho has been a guest on Open to Debate
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Romina Boccia
- Teresa Ghilarducci
- Daniel Poneman
- Amos Hochstein
- Sharon Squassoni
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- YouTube views
- 22,146,365
- Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.6 / 5
- 2,130 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.7 / 5
- 227 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 74 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 72
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 93
- Engagement
- 100
Contact Open to Debate
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about Open to Debate
Who hosts Open to Debate?
John Donvan host the show. Published by Open to Debate.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does Open to Debate take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
114 of 452 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
Host of Open to Debate?
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