Is This America’s Golden Age? A Debate.
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What is the Munk Debate and why is the motion “America’s Golden Age” being debated?
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I'm traveling for a few days, but we'll be back with a new episode next Friday. In the meantime, I wanted to share something I thought some of you might enjoy. A few weeks ago I took part in a monk debate. The monk debates are fascinating if you haven't heard of them. They've been going for 15 years. They're this Canadian nonprofit. They put out two big debates a year on these really contentious topics. If you go to their site, it's in the show notes, and you become a member. You can watch this whole video archive. There's a classic one I recommend from 2010. Is Religion a Force for Good in the World? With Tony Blair debating the late Christopher Hitchens. But this one, the one I participated in, was on the motion: quote, be it resolved, this is America's golden age.
And I was arguing against the motion, as you might imagine. I don't think this is America's golden age. And I was doing so alongside Ben Rhodes, the former senior advisor to Barack Obama and the co-host of Pod Save the World. On the other side, arguing for the motion was a president of the Heritage Foundation and the architect of Project 2025, Kevin Roberts, and Trump's former senior counselor, Kellyanne Conway. The monk debates have very kindly allowed us to share the full audio of that debate here. I hope you enjoy it.
Welcome to tonight's monk debate.
Tonight we're gonna debate the golden age of America, as the president has just proclaimed. Is it real? Is this happening before our eyes, or is something different unfolding? Is something Darker underway. What we're gonna do now is have this audience vote on tonight's resolution. So we're gonna have one vote at the beginning of the evening, another vote at the end. You're voting on our motion, be it resolved. This is America's golden age. I sense everybody's had a chance to vote. Okay, I see a few people want a moment more. Let's go for that and then we will Hopefully get that vote up on the clock. Here we go. Fifteen percent of you are in favor of the motion. Eighty five percent of you are opposed. Okay. There we go.
This debate is definitely happening in Toronto, Canada, is it not? Um now what we like to do is ask you a second question because it's important. We're all creative thinkers, our minds can be changed, we can be swayed by what these debaters say on the stage. So that's exactly the question that we want to ask you now for our our second audience vote. How much willingness Is there uh in this room to change your perceptions? Here you go. Sixty-eight percent of you could change your minds. So, debaters, this debate is a live one. Uh people are open to hearing what you all have to say. So let's get our debate underway as was agreed by all the participants in the speaking order. Kevin Roberts arguing in favor of the motion.
is up first. We'll put six minutes on the debate clock and turn the stage over to you.
What a pleasure to be with you tonight, and I come as a friend of Canada, even though I'm an American.
Actually, especially because I'm an American, and it is a real honor to be here with you to help facilitate along with my three fellow debaters the noble mission of the monk debates, which is civil discourse, a vital attribute in the shared cultural inheritance of our two countries. And of course, as I look at the debate results, I've drawn the conclusion that you're telling me there's a chance. I'm tempted to tear a few into submission. But I suspect that won't work. And so instead I've got an idea. If you cheer for Kellyanne and me, then we will give you a 10% discount code for one of those new US gold cards to become US citizens.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the Munk Debate and why is the motion “America’s Golden Age” being debated?
0:00–14:48
2
How did the audience’s initial vote reflect their perception of a golden age?
14:48–29:00
3
What arguments does Kevin Roberts present in favor of America’s golden age?
29:00–42:38
4
How does Kellyanne Conway counter the pro‑golden‑age narrative?
42:38–54:40
5
What criticisms does Ben Rhodes raise about the current economic and social conditions?
54:40–1:08:26
6
How do the debaters argue about tariffs and their impact on America’s future?
1:08:26–1:22:44
7
What proposals are made regarding national security and the “Fortress America” concept?
1:22:44–1:35:53
8
What conclusions and final votes determine whether the motion is resolved?
1:35:53–1:44:34