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AIG bonuses
|
AIG did not file for bankruptcy; bonus contracts still valid
|
PRO
|
Earmarks
|
Earmarks cannot be fully examined during short period of exposure
|
CON
|
Earmarks
|
Earmarks are often unrelated to legislation; undemocratic.
|
CON
|
Earmarks
|
Earmarks are more transparent than other spending programs
|
PRO
|
Free public transportation
|
With the financial crisis, we can't afford to spend more money on something like this.
|
CON
|
Free public transportation
|
The Government's job is to provide services.
|
PRO
|
Education vouchers
|
Little evidence that vouchers improve academic achievement.
|
CON
|
Education vouchers
|
Public schools are being improved without vouchers
|
CON
|
Education vouchers
|
Vouchers comply with separation of church and state
|
PRO
|
No Child Left Behind Act
|
No Child Left Behind does not inspire a love of learning.
|
CON
|
No Child Left Behind Act
|
No Child Left Behind lacks non-English tests.
|
CON
|
2009 US economic stimulus
|
Economic stimulus by government intervention always fails
|
CON
|
2009 US economic stimulus
|
Stimulus is from taxes or debt; injects no new money
|
CON
|
2009 US economic stimulus
|
New Deal did little-to-nothing to end the Depression
|
CON
|
2009 US economic stimulus
|
Majority of economists believe government can stimulate economy
|
PRO
|
Legalization of adult incest
|
Homosexuality is more benign than incest on the family.
|
CON
|
Legalization of adult incest
|
Sex is for reproduction; incest cannot be only about sex.
|
CON
|
Legalization of adult incest
|
Banning adult incest is analogous to banning homosexuality.
|
PRO
|
Legalization of adult incest
|
Many things are bad for the family, but not banned like incest
|
PRO
|
Charter schools
|
New Orleans should not be experimented on with charter schools
|
CON
|
Charter schools
|
Adaptive charter schools can make necessary changes
|
PRO
|
Crime cameras
|
Crime cameras are an intrusion on individual privacy rights
|
CON
|
Crime cameras
|
Police should not waste time watching crime cameras
|
CON
|
Crime cameras
|
Crime cameras often have no one watching due to limited resources.
|
CON
|
Crime cameras
|
Crime cameras violate privacy no more than corner store cameras.
|
PRO
|
Crime cameras
|
Cameras help protect citizens' liberties against crime.
|
PRO
|
Crime cameras
|
If a person has nothing to hide, then there is no issue.
|
PRO
|
Guantanamo Bay detention center
|
Guantanamo is inconsistent with American principles of justice
|
CON
|
Guantanamo Bay detention center
|
Guantanamo detainees are not being tortured
|
PRO
|
Guantanamo Bay detention center
|
Conditions at Guantanamo are very good for detainees
|
PRO
|
Israeli military assault in Gaza
|
Israel's right to self-defense does not justify mass murder
|
CON
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Republika Srpska cannot break Dayton, which created RS
|
CON
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Republika Srpska founded on ethnic cleansing; no right to independence
|
CON
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Republika Srpska has a right to self-determination by referendum
|
PRO
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Republika Srpska has right to secede to protect right to exist
|
PRO
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Dayton/Bosnia failures give cause to Republika Srpska secession
|
PRO
|
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
Bosnian Serbs fought legitimately in Bosnian civil war
|
PRO
|
International Criminal Court
|
ICC lacks separation of powers and checks and balances
|
CON
|
International Criminal Court
|
ICC adopts an unacceptably vague definition of aggression
|
CON
|
International Criminal Court
|
UN Security Council can check/veto ICC prosecutions
|
PRO
|
International Criminal Court
|
ICC has strong controls for politicization and abuse
|
PRO
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
Government should fund residents, not rebuilding New Orleans
|
CON
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
New Orleans has been on the economic decline for decades
|
CON
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
New Orleans civilization should be maintained despite hurricane threat
|
PRO
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
City location need not be logical to justify existence
|
PRO
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
New Orleans should be rebuilt out of respect for tragedy.
|
PRO
|
Rebuilding New Orleans
|
New Orleans can be rebuilt to address its social problems
|
PRO
|
Bailout of US automakers
|
Blame for auto failures is on management, not outside factors
|
CON
|
Bailout of US automakers
|
US has successfully aided autos before; can do it again
|
PRO
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
Libya didn't attack US; President not authorized for war
|
CON
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
Obama needed to consult all of Congress, not just leaders.
|
CON
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
President's action in Libya violates his campaign pledges.
|
CON
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
Pres has authority to commit to non-war military action.
|
PRO
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
US responded to Qadhafi loss of sovereign legitimacy
|
PRO
|
US and NATO intervention in Libya
|
US action in Libya is morally legitimate
|
PRO
|
Infant male circumcision
|
Neonatal circumcision violates right to avoid inflicted pain
|
CON
|
Infant male circumcision
|
Circumcision is akin to vaccination of infants
|
PRO
|
Infant male circumcision
|
Parents have a right to circumcise their children
|
PRO
|
Fairness Doctrine
|
Balanced left/right broadcasting exist w/o Fairness Doctrine
|
CON
|
Fairness Doctrine
|
Free speech requires boundaries, such as Fairness Doctrine
|
PRO
|
Employee Free Choice Act
|
EFCA gives employees equal access to injunctive relief
|
PRO
|
Employee Free Choice Act
|
There is significant public support for EFCA.
|
PRO
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Pickens Plan requires infeasible electric grid upgrades
|
CON
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Wind energy production is inconsistent relative to demand
|
CON
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Wind energy is non-dispatchable
|
CON
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
The Pickens Plan is generally not viable.
|
CON
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Inconsistent wind energy in Pickens Plan can be accommodated
|
PRO
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Natural gas burns more cleanly than gasoline in general
|
PRO
|
Pickens US energy plan
|
Natural gas is about half as expensive as gasoline.
|
PRO
|
Wave power
|
Focus on energy conservation before wave power
|
CON
|
Wave power
|
Wave energy more about profits than environment
|
CON
|
Vehicle fuel economy standards
|
Fuel economy standards are a solution in search of a problem
|
CON
|
Algae biofuel
|
Algae fuel ponds must be expensively covered
|
CON
|
Algae biofuel
|
Algae biofuel is commercially viable on an industrial scale
|
PRO
|
Algae biofuel
|
Algae biofuel is biodegradable.
|
PRO
|
Algae biofuel
|
Algae biofuel is a renewable resource.
|
PRO
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
It is unimportant for the US to join Kyoto now
|
CON
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
Kyoto regulations on C02 emissions do not improve air-quality
|
CON
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
The Kyoto Protocol's emissions targets are unrealistic
|
CON
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
Humans are not causing global warming so Kyoto can't solve it
|
CON
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
US cities are adopting Kyoto, the federal government should too
|
PRO
|
Kyoto Protocol
|
Kyoto is an important first step in the right direction
|
PRO
|
Year-round school
|
Year-round schools, with equal vacation time, is no better for learning
|
CON
|
Year-round school
|
The studies on year-round schooling are inconclusive.
|
CON
|
Year-round school
|
Year-round schools have same overall schooling and vacation time.
|
PRO
|
Year-round school
|
Not-using schools in the summer is generally inefficient.
|
PRO
|
Year-round school
|
Tradition and year-round schools can exist side-by-side
|
PRO
|
$700 billion US economic bailout
|
$700b plan has been corruptly influenced by Wallstreet
|
CON
|
$700 billion US economic bailout
|
Government should buy stock in banks, not just bail them out
|
CON
|
$700 billion US economic bailout
|
Financial crisis requires and justifies strong executive powers.
|
PRO
|
Reforestation as a solution to global warming
|
Trees only absorb C02 during their growth
|
CON
|
Reforestation as a solution to global warming
|
Enough land for reforestation to be a viable solution
|
PRO
|
Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms
|
Algae blooms do not sequester much carbon
|
CON
|
Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms
|
Algae bloom solutions require fertilizing too much ocean area
|
CON
|
Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms
|
Best practices in iron fertilization can ensure effectiveness
|
PRO
|
Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms
|
If natural iron fertilization occurs, it is OK for humans to do it
|
PRO
|
Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms
|
Humans are already changing Earth; how can geoengineering be wrong?
|
PRO
|
Geoengineering, solar shading
|
Solar shading might cool tropics, but not high latitudes and poles
|
CON
|
Geoengineering, solar shading
|
Arguments against geoengineering are too elusive
|
PRO
|
Geoengineering, solar shading
|
Sunshield costs are reasonable in face of global warming
|
PRO
|
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