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No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind encourages parents to engage more actively
PRO
No Child Left Behind Act
Statewide standards are an improvement over major local failures:
PRO
2009 US economic stimulus
Stimulus increases debt, inflation, interest rates, harms economy
CON
2009 US economic stimulus
2009 US stimulus won't generate consumer confidence
CON
2009 US economic stimulus
Funding government projects will stimulate jobs/economy
PRO
2009 US economic stimulus
Majority of US stimulus is immediate to fight recession now.
PRO
Legalization of adult incest
Incest undermines the family and its nurturing relationships
CON
Legalization of adult incest
Sending law-abiding incestuous couples to prison looks bad.
PRO
Legalization of adult incest
Offspring of first-cousins have a low chance of defects
PRO
Charter schools
Schools are not like businesses; can't just let bad ones die
CON
Charter schools
Charter schools can destroy valuable neighborhood schools
CON
Charter schools
Charter schools do not achieve economies of scale
CON
Charter schools
Charter schools proliferated too quickly to monitor performance
CON
Charter schools
Charter schools promote teacher independence and character
PRO
Charter schools
Charter schools, free from regulation, are innovative
PRO
Charter schools
Charter schools cut through red tape, quickly opening after Katrina
PRO
Crime cameras
Crime cameras may help prosecutions, but don't reduce crime.
CON
Crime cameras
Crime cameras lead to slippery slope of Big Brother surveillance.
CON
Crime cameras
Crime cameras help restore a public sense of safety
PRO
Guantanamo Bay detention center
Guantanamo violates habeas corpus, obstructs proof of innocence
CON
Guantanamo Bay detention center
Conducting detainee trials in the US would endanger US citizens
CON
Guantanamo Bay detention center
Guantanamo bay's existence fuels terrorist causes
CON
Guantanamo Bay detention center
Conditions at Guantanamo Bay are harmful to detainee mental health
CON
Guantanamo Bay detention center
Guantanamo Bay helps disrupt terrorist groups.
PRO
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israeli attacks embolden extremists on both sides in cycle of violence
CON
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israel's use of white phosphorous in Gaza was a humanitarian crime.
CON
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israel strikes were intended to further dispirit Palestinians
CON
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israel air strikes in November, 2008 unraveled the ceasefire
CON
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Defeating Hamas is key to long-term Israeli/Palestinian solution
PRO
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israeli attacks may force Hamas to accept a more durable ceasefire
PRO
Israeli military assault in Gaza
Israeli precision strikes sought to minimize civilian deaths
PRO
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serb Republic secession could spark regional war
CON
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Russian backing of Republika Srpska ind. could spark global conflict
CON
Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Republika Srpska secession would incite Bosnian Croat secession
CON
International Criminal Court
ICC puts national servicemen abroad at risk of prosecution
CON
International Criminal Court
ICC causes tyrants to cling to power to avoid prosecution
CON
International Criminal Court
The ICC risks heavy politicization of prosecution
CON
International Criminal Court
ICC and rule of law help deter war crimes and genocide
PRO
International Criminal Court
ICC advances universal rights and international law
PRO
Rebuilding New Orleans
Global warming & stronger hurricanes will destroy new New Orleans
CON
Rebuilding New Orleans
Louisiana politicians cannot be trusted with federal funding
CON
Rebuilding New Orleans
Rebuilding New Orleans will not return it to economic vibrancy
CON
Rebuilding New Orleans
Rebuilding New Orleans is key to improving US race relations
PRO
Bailout of US automakers
Automaker bailout unfairly disadvantages competition
CON
Bailout of US automakers
Low-interest loans to automakers will not solve their problems.
CON
Bailout of US automakers
Bailout will preserve place of autos in American identity
PRO
Bailout of US automakers
Bailout allows US autos to produce needed green cars
PRO
Bailout of US automakers
Saving economy outweighs moral hazard of auto bailout
PRO
US and NATO intervention in Libya
Libya war expands imperial presidency farther than ever
CON
Infant male circumcision
Circumcision creates risk of infections in infants
CON
Infant male circumcision
Pain of circumcision is traumatizing for infants
CON
Infant male circumcision
Circumcision helps prevent phimosis
PRO
Infant male circumcision
Circumcision helps protect against chlamydia
PRO
Infant male circumcision
Circumcision reduces risk of urinary tract infections
PRO
Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine would destroy viability of conservative radio
CON
Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine would open costly political battle
CON
Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine helps advance free speech values
PRO
Fairness Doctrine
Free speech without Fairness Doctrine can harm policy-making
PRO
Fairness Doctrine
Fairness Doctrine would counter conservative domination of radio
PRO
Fairness Doctrine
The Fairness Doctrine improves the public discourse
PRO
Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act eliminates workers' right to secret ballots
CON
Employee Free Choice Act
Unions are dwindling because few workers care to join
CON
Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act would not solve alleged employer abuses
CON
Employee Free Choice Act
EFCA is biased toward punishing employers and not unions
CON
Employee Free Choice Act
EFCA strengthens workers' ability and right to unionize
PRO
Employee Free Choice Act
Employee Free Choice Act protects unionizing workers from intimidation
PRO
Pickens US energy plan
It is relatively cheap to convert existing cars to natural gas.
PRO
Wave power
Wave power systems can attract predatory fish, damaging ecosystems
CON
Wave power
Oceans corrode wave power systems, which is costly
CON
Wave power
Wave power diminishes wave quality for surfers
CON
Wave power
Wave power provides clean renewable power.
PRO
Wave power
Wave power will have a smaller impact than fossil fuel plants
PRO
Wave power
Waves pack substantial energy; few wave generators are required
PRO
Wave power
Under-water wave power systems avoid aesthetic concerns.
PRO
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel economy standards do not directly reduce emissions
CON
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel economy standards increase car manufacturing costs and prices
CON
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel standards impair individuals needing high-powered trucks
CON
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Vehicle fuel economy standards can increase vehicle deaths
CON
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel economy standards reduce emissions, fight global warming
PRO
Vehicle fuel economy standards
CAFE standards have strong history of reducing US emissions
PRO
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel economy standards do not increase the cost of making cars
PRO
Vehicle fuel economy standards
Fuel economy standards foster innovation and jobs
PRO
Algae biofuel
Algae pools can become contaminated and less efficient
CON
Algae biofuel
Industrial algae biofuel requires too many nutrients
CON
Algae biofuel
Algae biofuel is carbon neutral; only emits C02 that it absorbs.
PRO
Algae biofuel
Algae can be produced locally for food and fuel
PRO
Kyoto Protocol
Fighting climate change means cutting emissions with Kyoto Protocol
PRO
Year-round school
Many school buildings are not built for summer use.
CON
Year-round school
Changing to year-round schooling has significant costs.
CON
Year-round school
Areas that depend heavily on summer tourism will suffer economically.
CON
Year-round school
Studies find year-round schools improve student performance
PRO
$700 billion US economic bailout
$700b plan and intervention in markets worsens problems
CON
$700 billion US economic bailout
$700b plan would bail-out greedy capitalists that created crisis
CON
$700 billion US economic bailout
$700b bailout saves Wallstreet by slamming taxpayers
CON
$700 billion US economic bailout
Not passing $700b bailout risks sending economy into major recession
PRO
$700 billion US economic bailout
$700b bailout is important to stabilize volatile global markets
PRO
$700 billion US economic bailout
$700b plan may result in few losses or actually profit taxpayers
PRO
Reforestation as a solution to global warming
Reforestation can result in release of greenhouse gas Methane
CON
Reforestation as a solution to global warming
Increasing droughts impairs carbon sequestration by trees
CON
Reforestation as a solution to global warming
Reforestation can increase Earth's Albedo and global warming
CON