Thanks to their sheer numbers, Baby Boomers have always had an outsize effect on politics and policy. When they were young and liberal, society became more liberal. As they got older and more conservative, conservatism made a comeback. 

So, given their power over the decades, how much blame do Boomers deserve for society’s current problems?

Many younger people look at the political and economic choices Boomers have made over the course of their lives, and they see a selfish generation that has taken care of itself at the expense of everyone else. 

They point to many examples: Housing policy that has increased Boomer wealth but left homes out of reach for young people; governments that opened up the coffers when Boomers were in school but now cry poor, leaving today’s students riddled with debt; and a purging of the planet's resources that has accelerated the effects of climate change.

But Boomers are fighting back against the attacks on their record. Many of them argue that their critics conveniently forget some of the challenges Boomers faced when they were young and life back then wasn’t nearly as rosy as millennials seem to think. Boomers fought hard for social and political changes that today’s youth take for granted.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Eric Lombardi. He's an opinion writer and contributor to The Hub and the Toronto Star. 

Arguing against the resolution is Sean O’Grady. He is the Associate Editor of the Independent UK, where he writes editorials and columns about politics and economics.

 

SOURCES: MSNBC,  Five-Thirty-Eight

 

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths 

Vote on who you think won this debate on our website www.munkdebates.com. 

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This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Producer: Daniel Kitts

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice dedicate the entire Friday Focus episode to the very dangerous showdown taking place between Putin and the West. In what could be the tipping point in the war in Ukraine, western powers are contemplating giving Ukraine permission to use their long range missiles to strike deep within Russia. Rudyard and Janice worry that in Zelensky's desperation he is forgetting that nuclear powers like Russia get to play by different rules to restore credible deterrence. Is the West prepared to enter into a NATO-Russia war? And why are western leaders not taking these potentially civilization-ending decisions with the seriousness they require? And finally, how did get to this dangerous precipice of history? In an era of dual use technology, we would all benefit from less hubris and more humility.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Following the execution of six Israeli hostages in Gaza, Israeli protesters are demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agree to a cease-fire deal that would guarantee the release of the remaining hostages. The deal on the table, however, would force Israel to concede to Hamas’s central demand: that the IDF withdraw from the Philadlphi Corridor which separates Gaza from Egypt. Those calling for a ceasefire argue that saving the remaining hostages should be the highest priority for Israel, which can always re-occupy the corridor in the future should it present another security risk. Others argue that Benjamin Netanyahu is right and any deal that allows Hamas to retake this essential strip – whose tunnels operate as the supply line for weapons being smuggled into Gaza – presents a major security risk that Israel cannot tolerate. Striking a deal now will allow Hamas to recapture Gaza and guarantee that this war, which has cost too many lives on both sides of the border, will soon have to be fought again.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Barak Medina, a Professor of Human Rights Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Arguing against the resolution is Gadi Taub. He’s an Israeli historian, author, political commentator, and co-host of the popular Tablet Magazine podcast, Israel Update.

 

The host of this Munk Debates podcast episode is Rudyard Griffiths

Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/

To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to [email protected].  

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, newsletter and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start off the show talking about the significant judicial reforms underway in Mexico, and why they will affect Canada and our important trade agreements. On the second half of the show they turn to Canadian politics where the NDP, under the leadership of Jagmeet Singh, have ended their supply agreement with the Liberal government which had been keeping Justin Trudeau's party in power. Is this move setting us up for a federal election? In Ukraine a reorganization of Zelensky's cabinet has caught westerners off guard and is raising eyebrows about the timing of this shuffle. Rudyard and Janice round out the show by discussing Putin's decision to change his nuclear doctrine. Will this increase the scope of the country's nuclear deterrence, thereby increasing the risk that these dangerous weapons will be used? 

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Western societies have never been more divided. As the election race heats up in the US, both parties are accusing the other of being a threat to democracy. Meanwhile, years of mass migration into Europe is giving far right parties more power than they have had in decades, and mass riots in the UK have exposed a deep-seated anger that is dividing the nation.

Our guest on this Munk Dialogue has a unique insight into these unfolding conflicts.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Somalia where, as a young girl, she grew up in a strict Islamist society that relegated women to second class citizens. At 23, she fled to the Netherlands and claimed asylum to escape a forced marriage. Once there, she worked her way up from being a janitor to earning a Master’s degree in Political Science and serving as an elected member of the Dutch Parliament, where she campaigned to raise awareness of violence against women. She has since become a fierce champion of Western values, especially on issues relating to liberty for women and free speech.

Ayaan worries that the authoritarian principles which governed the Somalia of her childhood are showing up in popular leftist movements across the US. She also blames those same leftwing movements in Europe for mass migration and what she calls “the clash of civilizations”.

 

The host of the Munk Debates podcast is Rudyard Griffiths

Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start off the show with news out of the Middle East, specifically Israel's incursion into the West Bank to thwart planned terror attacks. How will its aggressive approach to external threats further harm its relationship with western allies? Next Rudyard and Janice discuss what Kamala Harris's foreign policy agenda will look like if she were to win November's election. Without a lot of experience abroad, they are predicting something close to Obama and Biden's doctrine: American power blended with prudence. In the back half of the show Rudyard and Janice anticipate the Liberal Party's next steps as Parliament is set to resume. Will a drop in inflation and a likely interest rate cut improve their low polling numbers?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

While the war between Russia and Ukraine drags into its third year and out of the front pages of newspapers, some surprising developments in recent months are giving experts new cause for concern. The US, which has already supplied over fifty billion dollars worth of military aid and weapons to Kiev, has signaled that it is open to sending long-range cruise missiles to enhance the capabilities of Ukraine’s newly acquired F-16 fighter jets. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s army caught Russia off guard this summer with a surprise incursion into the western Russian territory of Kursk. Putin’s response so far has been more muted than expected.

Our guest on this Munk Dialogue is sounding the alarm. Dmitri Trenin, a member of Russia’s Foreign and Defense Policy Council, is warning western leaders not to confuse Putin’s silence with tolerance. On the contrary, he argues: we are on a path of direct collision between two superpowers who are unwilling to back down. Once two many Russian red lines are crossed, the use of nuclear weapons will be inevitable.

 

The host of the Munk Debates podcast is Rudyard Griffiths

Tweet your comments about this episode to @munkdebate or comment on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/munkdebates/

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

 

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Janice and Rudyard start the show by reflecting on the DNC convention and Kamala Harris's ability to speak to a generation of voters via social media. While she might be light on policy she's heavy on "vibes" - will this help her in a race that is a lot tighter than people might realize? In the second half of the show Janice and Rudyard address the ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas and why much of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's efforts over the past week have been a performative diplomatic relations exercise with the objective of getting through the DNC without any major strikes. Whether a deal is finally agreed upon will likely come down to the personal calculations of two men: Yahya Sinwar and Benjamin Netanyahu.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Israel is facing an existential crisis on all fronts. A devastating war in Gaza. Nonstop rocket attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Drone attacks from the Houthis in Yemen. And the very real possibility of a full scale war with Iran that could break out at any moment. And yet, the man who has led Israel through one of its most tumultuous periods in its 76 year existence, Benjamin Netanyahu, maintains that he alone is the person who can keep the country safe. Bibi’s supporters argue that Israel’s longest serving Prime Minister is the best leader for Israel at this moment. His political and wartime experience coupled with a diplomatic savviness gives him the tools necessary to navigate both the physical wars on Israel’s borders and the increasingly tense relationship with allies and adversaries abroad. To his detractors, Bibi’s failure in leadership created the conditions for the Hamas attack, and in his desperation to stay in office he has pandered to the extremists in his coalition, harming world opinion and undermining Israel’s security and its relationship with its most important ally, the United States. For the sake of Israel’s survival, safety, and security, they argue, Bibi must go.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Ruthie Blum. Ruthie is a columnist at Jewish News Syndicate and most recently she served as an adviser in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

Arguing against the resolution is Avraham Burg. Avraham has served in a variety of high profile public positions in Israel, including as member of the Labor Party, Speaker of the Knesset, and Chairman of the Jewish Agency.

 

The host of this Munk Debates podcast episode is Ricki Gurwitz.

Become a free member and vote on who you think won this debate at www.munkdebates.com

To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

 

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

On this week's Friday Focus, Janice and Rudyard talk about resumed negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas with pressure on both sides to finally come to an agreement, or risk an all out war in the Middle East. If a deal is reached, Iran will claim victory and use it to gain support throughout the Arab world. Why is Netanyahu going against the advice of his military leaders and the will of Israelis by continuing the war in Gaza? In the second half of the show, Janice and Rudyard discuss Russia scrambling to contain the Ukrainian military incursion into their territory. Janice believes Putin's response is more muted than we would have expected in large part because he is afraid to acknowledge this embarrassing miscalculation. There are two likely scenarios moving forward: either both sides are getting ready for negotiations, or one side will push the other too far, the consequences of which could be catastrophic.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.