OUR GUEST
Co-Author of “Abundance”; Staff Writer at The Atlantic; Author of the “Work in Progress” Newsletter
GUEST MODERATOR
Journalist and Host of “Smart Girl Dumb Questions”
This week:
- New Episode: Derek Thompson with a slate of ideas that could reinvigorate Democrats
- A closer look at how Democrats view their own party
- Your Sunday reading list
This week, we wanted to bring you behind-the-scenes insight on our debate — a feature we’re excited to offer more frequently in the future.
At Open to Debate, we put much thought into our topic selection and sometimes when there’s a pressing question in the air, we like to step back from conventional debate and dive into the bigger shifts shaping our political and cultural landscape. In this episode, we’re doing just that — exploring the new fault lines in Democratic strategy as frustration, anger, and a desire for fresh ideas are reigniting self-reflection and a reconsideration of liberal priorities, a process that very much aligns with our “think twice” values.
We are part of the zeitgeist in exploring these questions. California Governor Gavin Newsom, long a champion of progressive policies, has been deemed conservative-curious as he seeks insights from voices like Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk on his new podcast. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders is taking a different route, re-energizing the progressive base with rallies drawing crowds larger than those of his presidential runs. The question at the heart of it all: Where do Democrats go from here?
To help unpack this moment, we turn to journalist and podcaster Derek Thompson, co-author (with The New York Times’ Ezra Klein) of “Abundance” — a book Foreign Policy hails as a “lost manifesto” for liberals and “a template for a new political and economic agenda.” What might that new agenda look like?
In a lively, thought-provoking conversation, guest moderator Nayeema Raza presses Derek on the book’s relevance to Democrats rethinking their future. Is “Abundance” a blueprint for 2029? What did he and Klein disagree on while writing it? Can progressives get out of their own way to build a blueprint for effective government?Given the time lag between submission and publication, what postlogue would he add now, after witnessing the opening months of a second Trump presidency?
This week’s episode is part of a series that looks at changed views of all kinds, across many spectrums.
Whatever your perspective and however you cast your vote, it’s a must-listen discussion about ideas that may shape the next era of political debates.
More soon,
Lia Matthow
Chief Content Officer
DEBATING THE DATA
How can Democrats regain voters’ trust?
POINT/COUNTERPOINT
Derek Thompson on encouraging Democrats to look for a new mindset
“We don’t control what people are going to take out of this book. The book is out there. It’s not for me to tell people how to interpret it. The words are there. People are going to interpret it. However… we wanted to inspire people, and we wanted to shift the way they think about politics. I think that in the last few decades, liberals just have thought about politics through this really closed process-oriented mindset, and we’re trying to get them to think of outcomes first: housing, energy, science, technology. If you put the outcomes first and you [put] reason back, what new ideas unlock?”
WEEKLY POINTS OF VIEW
The Tell-All Book That Meta Doesn’t Want You to Read
Michelle Goldberg | March 17, 2025
The New York Times
Watch Michelle’s debate on whether Biden should step aside
Decades After the ‘End of History,’ Liberal Democracy Is In Retreat
Benn Steil | March 21, 2025
Barron’s
Watch Benn’s debate on whether Ukraine should get Russia’s frozen assets
ROI in the age of generative AI
Andrew McAfee | March 19, 2025
Exponential View
Watch Andrew’s debate on whether Washington should break up Big Tech
Europe’s VAT Hurts the US? Retaliate With a VAT
Clive Cook | March 17, 2025
Bloomberg
Watch Clive’s debate on whether we should give Trump a chance
Stay Open to Finding New Solutions
Debate isn’t just about arguments — it’s about finding real solutions to our real-world issues. When voices on both sides engage in respectful debate, real progress happens. Help Open to Debate keep that momentum going. Donate today.
