topic
stringlengths 3
73
| argument
stringlengths 24
222
| label
stringclasses 2
values |
---|---|---|
Breastfeeding in public
|
That breastfeeding is natural does not make it decent in public
|
CON
|
Banning vuvuzela horns at the 2010 World Cup
|
Guests at World Cup should embrace S. African vuvuzela tradition.
|
CON
|
Banning vuvuzela horns at the 2010 World Cup
|
Ear plugs can effectively limit any damage from vuvuzela.
|
CON
|
Banning vuvuzela horns at the 2010 World Cup
|
Fans can be trusted to use vuvuzelas safely.
|
CON
|
Medical marijuana dispensaries
|
That marijuana is herbal does not mean it is safe
|
CON
|
Medical marijuana dispensaries
|
Marijuana is a safer alternative to many medications
|
PRO
|
Instant replay in baseball
|
Machines shouldn't be determining calls in baseball
|
CON
|
Instant replay in baseball
|
Instant replay should not exist for sake of personal achievements
|
CON
|
Instant replay in baseball
|
Not enough important bad calls occur to justify instant replay
|
CON
|
Instant replay in baseball
|
Instant replay does not diminish human element of baseball
|
PRO
|
Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
|
Israeli raid in international waters violates i-law
|
CON
|
Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
|
Israeli use of force on flotilla was disproportionate.
|
CON
|
Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
|
Israel issued warning to Gaza flotilla, which they ignored
|
PRO
|
Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
|
Israel miscalculated on flotilla, but acted in self-defense
|
PRO
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
Unworkable to measure and define balanced budget
|
CON
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
Congress shouldn't make Amend if it can't make good fiscal leg.
|
CON
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
Balanced budget amend in states is often a bad thing.
|
CON
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
Politicians can't make hard choices; BBA necessary
|
PRO
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
General statements in favor of balanced budget amendment.
|
PRO
|
Balanced budget amendment to US Constitution
|
Balanced budget will bring fed spending in line with states'.
|
PRO
|
Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
|
Consumers can be protected w/o new financial bureaucracy
|
CON
|
Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
|
Capitalism is wonderful, but requires regulations
|
PRO
|
Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
|
Goldman Sachs fraud case highlighted need for financial reform
|
PRO
|
Greece bailout
|
Public opinion does not support the Greece bailout
|
CON
|
Greece bailout
|
Greek debt is too large for bailout to solve
|
CON
|
Greece bailout
|
Bailout addresses wrong problem: liquidity not solvency
|
CON
|
Greece bailout
|
Bailing out Greece is a necessary evil
|
PRO
|
Greece bailout
|
Bailout of Greece provides long-term solution.
|
PRO
|
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
|
Geneva Conventions regulates use of landmines; ban is excessive.
|
CON
|
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
|
Mine Ban Treaty fails to distinguish between different kinds of mines.
|
CON
|
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
|
Efforts to clear landmines should be improved, instead banning them.
|
CON
|
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
|
The usefulness of landmines is significantly over-represented
|
PRO
|
Graduated response antipiracy laws
|
Graduated response unnecessary; antipiracy laws already exist
|
CON
|
Graduated response antipiracy laws
|
Graduated response is best compromise b/w stakeholders
|
PRO
|
Network neutrality
|
Existing laws check unfair practices by broadband owners
|
CON
|
Network neutrality
|
Net Neutrality is a solution in search of a problem
|
CON
|
Network neutrality
|
ISPs have right to free speech, including right to limit access.
|
CON
|
Network neutrality
|
Net neutrality regulates service providers, not Internet
|
PRO
|
Network neutrality
|
Net neutrality has historical precedent
|
PRO
|
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
|
Not buying insurance is no transaction; no commerce clause authority
|
CON
|
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
|
There is no fundamental right to go without insurance
|
PRO
|
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
|
Health insurance mandates fall under taxation powers
|
PRO
|
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
|
Commerce clause gives power to mandate health insurance
|
PRO
|
US debt ceiling deal
|
Sweeping statements against the debt deal.
|
CON
|
US debt ceiling deal
|
Deal far less damaging than default.
|
PRO
|
US debt ceiling deal
|
Deal's cuts more modest than GOP wanted; easier on econ.
|
PRO
|
US debt ceiling deal
|
Debt ceiling helps Obama appeal to moderates.
|
PRO
|
US offshore oil drilling
|
Allowing offshore drilling is all about oil company profits
|
CON
|
US offshore oil drilling
|
Offshore oil still valuable, even if years away
|
PRO
|
US offshore oil drilling
|
Offshore drilling has a very strong environmental record
|
PRO
|
US offshore oil drilling
|
Offshore drilling rigs are resilient, withstanding even hurricanes
|
PRO
|
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
|
Google should not politicize its commerce in China
|
CON
|
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
|
Bad idea for Google to leave biggest search market
|
CON
|
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
|
Google's decision in China was mostly ethics, not business
|
PRO
|
War on Drugs
|
War on Drugs has been effective in many places
|
PRO
|
War on Drugs
|
War on Drugs is a good idea even if not winnable
|
PRO
|
War on Drugs
|
State justified in protecting individuals from own drug abuse.
|
PRO
|
Gay marriage
|
Acceptance of gay marriage should not be imposed on citizens
|
CON
|
Gay marriage
|
Marriage is mainly for reproduction; can't include gays
|
CON
|
Gay marriage
|
Gay parenting is just as good as straight parenting
|
PRO
|
Gay marriage
|
Marriage is about much more than kids; gays qualify
|
PRO
|
Gay marriage
|
Gay marriage should not be banned for tradition
|
PRO
|
Gay marriage
|
Gay marriage is a fundamental, equal right
|
PRO
|
Corporate personhood
|
Corps. not full community-members, ineligible for personhood
|
CON
|
Corporate personhood
|
Corporations are property; should have few rights
|
CON
|
Corporate personhood
|
Corps focus on profits, not eligible for rights
|
CON
|
Corporate personhood
|
Corporations have a right to defend their interests
|
PRO
|
Corporate free speech
|
Free speech does not apply equally to companies
|
CON
|
Corporate free speech
|
Wrong to fine/jail corporate citizens for speech
|
PRO
|
Corporate free speech
|
Voters can be trusted to judge corporate speech/messages
|
PRO
|
Big government
|
Government avoids pitfalls of focus on profits
|
PRO
|
College football playoffs
|
College football can evolve to include a playoff
|
PRO
|
2010 US bank tax
|
2010 bank tax is pure populism
|
CON
|
2010 US bank tax
|
Bailout benefited taxpayers; repayment unnecessary
|
CON
|
2010 US bank tax
|
Bank tax will not crimp lending to taxpayers
|
PRO
|
2010 US bank tax
|
Bank tax is not too great of a burden on banks
|
PRO
|
Full-body scanners at airports
|
Scanners do not reveal things in body cavities
|
CON
|
Full-body scanners at airports
|
There are better alternatives to body scanners at airports
|
CON
|
Full-body scanners at airports
|
Full-body scanners are very expensive.
|
CON
|
Full-body scanners at airports
|
Scanners can be modified to accommodate children.
|
PRO
|
US health care reform
|
2009 health bill rushed through for political reasons
|
CON
|
US health care reform
|
2009 health care reform bill can be improved over time
|
PRO
|
Direct democracy
|
Being part of the process is a requirement in a democracy.
|
PRO
|
Direct democracy
|
Direct democracy is relatively cheap
|
PRO
|
Affirmative action
|
Minority schools disprove perceived value of diversity
|
CON
|
Affirmative action
|
Affirm action justly asks whites to sacrifice for common good
|
PRO
|
Affirmative action
|
Diversity is supplimentary to goal of fairness.
|
PRO
|
EU elected president
|
Strong presidential state powers are unnecessary and uncalled for.
|
CON
|
EU elected president
|
EU population not involved enough to elect president
|
CON
|
EU elected president
|
Being a part of the process is an important requirement in any democracy.
|
PRO
|
Gene patents
|
Genes cannot be owned practically, are part of commons
|
CON
|
Gene patents
|
Isolated gene sequences are new, not part of nature
|
PRO
|
Gene patents
|
Gene sequencing can be useful and thus can be patented.
|
PRO
|
Gene patents
|
Little evidence exists that gene patents hurt research
|
PRO
|
Gays in the US military
|
Most members of US military support ban on gays
|
CON
|
Gays in the US military
|
Gay soldiers do not undermine unit morale and cohesion
|
PRO
|
Gays in the US military
|
Privacy issues with gays in the military can be resolved
|
PRO
|
Nuclear energy
|
Uranium is abundant and will last for hundreds of years
|
PRO
|
Nuclear energy
|
Nuclear energy economies of scale are improving
|
PRO
|
Nuclear energy
|
Nuclear waste radiation no worse than natural radiation
|
PRO
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.