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Ecotourism
Ecotourism builds cultural awareness and respect.
PRO
Ecotourism
Ecotourism economically benefits local people
PRO
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is good for the human soul and social health.
PRO
Corn ethanol
Ethanol energy is a net CO2 polluter
CON
Corn ethanol
Producing corn for ethanol requires too much water
CON
Corn ethanol
Corn ethanol is less energy efficient than regular gasoline:
CON
Corn ethanol
Ethanol is a means to reducing foreign oil dependencies
PRO
Corn ethanol
Making ethanol from corn does not deprive the needy of food
PRO
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
China's 2008 Olympics will accelerate its civil society
CON
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
A boycott of the 2008 Olympics would antagonize the Chinese people
CON
Boycott of 2008 Olympics in China
Only boycotting the Olympics sufficiently protests China's abuses
PRO
Fish farming ban
Fish farming is economically beneficial
CON
Fish farming ban
Fish feel pain and should not be made to suffer
PRO
Fish farming ban
Fish farming squanders resources
PRO
Bush economic stimulus plan
Tax rebates encourage irresponsible consumer spending habits
CON
Bush economic stimulus plan
Increasing food stamp benefits will not stimulate the economy
CON
Bush economic stimulus plan
A poorly timed economic stimulus can do harm
CON
Bush economic stimulus plan
Tax rebates to the lower-middle classes quickly stimulate consumption
PRO
Bush economic stimulus plan
Tax rebates can be good for businesses in the service industry
PRO
Bush economic stimulus plan
Millions of low-income Americans face undernutrition.
PRO
Bush economic stimulus plan
The effect of the 2008 stimulus package will be immediate
PRO
700 mile US Mexico border fence
A wall would force crossers to take more deadly routes
CON
700 mile US Mexico border fence
A border fence would not be as effective as other measures
CON
Waterboarding
Water-boarding is drowning, not simulated drowning
CON
Waterboarding
Information obtained through waterboarding is unreliable
CON
Waterboarding
Waterboarding justly brings a terrorist face-to-face with death
PRO
Legalization of drugs
In the short term it might eliminate drug dealers on our streets but do any of us really think that whatever multinational corporation ends of cornering the drug market will have a problem trading with the existing cartels
CON
Legalization of drugs
Drugs can have a beneficial mind-expanding capacity
PRO
Legalization of drugs
The state can tax the sale of legalized drugs and use the revenue for treatment programs
PRO
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
Driver's licenses for illegal immigrants undermines legal immigration
CON
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
The costs of providing driver's licenses to millions of illegal immigrants would be very high.
CON
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
Illegal immigrants in America should be integrated into society
PRO
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
Driver's licenses for illegal immigrants is economically beneficial
PRO
Drivers licenses for Illegal immigrants in the US
Denying illegal immigrants driver's licenses forces DMV employees to become immigration experts.
PRO
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
Good chance Seattle tunnel will go over budget
CON
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
Tunnel will increase traffic in pioneer square.
CON
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
Deep-bore tunnel draws funds away from other infrastructure.
CON
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
Seattle's deep-bore tunnel creates jobs
PRO
Seattle deep-bore tunnel
Seattle tunnel less disruptive than other options
PRO
High-speed rail
High-speed rail allows people to see/visit new places.
PRO
High-speed rail
High speed rail is a great tourist attraction.
PRO
High-speed rail
High-speed rail decreases travel-time between cities.
PRO
High-speed rail
High-speed rail frees up existing rail for other purposes.
PRO
High-speed rail
Unlike automobiles, rail fosters a sense of community.
PRO
Mandatory military service
Conscripts never as good as professional soldiers
CON
Mandatory military service
Mandatory service fosters militarism
CON
Mandatory military service
Military service diverts young from university.
CON
Mandatory military service
National service produces valuable character traits:
PRO
Mandatory military service
National service teaches skills valuable in marketplace.
PRO
Mandatory military service
National service promotes patriotism.
PRO
Mandatory military service
Military placement exams would encourage school-work.
PRO
No-fly zone over Libya
Libyan rebels can succeed without no-fly zone.
CON
No-fly zone over Libya
No-fly zone could increase support for Gaddafi
CON
No-fly zone over Libya
No fly zone would create expectation of help elsewhere.
CON
No-fly zone over Libya
Past No-fly zones have led to further military intervention
CON
No-fly zone over Libya
No fly zone in Libya prevents a massacre
PRO
No-fly zone over Libya
Doing nothing is to be complicit with Gaddafi regime.
PRO
Military recruiting in public schools
Military recruiting wrongly makes violence appear cool.
CON
Military recruiting in public schools
Young people aren't stupid, understand risk of joining military.
PRO
Military recruiting in public schools
Recruiters raise general awareness about military.
PRO
Bullfighting
Bulls can't reason, but they can suffer; bullfighting wrong.
CON
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is too dangerous to humans to justify
CON
Bullfighting
Bulls are celebrated and honored in bullfighting.
PRO
Bullfighting
Risks of bullfighting brings out courage and bravery.
PRO
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
Deposing Saddam was not worth immense costs of war.
CON
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
War in Iraq has helped terrorist recruitment
CON
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
War not worth roughly 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed.
CON
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
Congress would have voted against Iraq War knowing costs now.
CON
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
War in Iraq kept Saddam from acquiring nuclear weapons.
PRO
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
Victory better than letting terrorists win in Iraq.
PRO
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
War has given Iraqis a young democracy to grow.
PRO
Was the War in Iraq worth it?
Iraq's democratic government is working reasonably well
PRO
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies
Ending oil subsidies is good for air quality, human health.
PRO
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies
Ending oil subsidies levels playing field for clean energy
PRO
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies
Subsidies are just generally inefficient.
PRO
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies
Oil subsidies better spent on education, health care, etc.
PRO
Castration of sex offenders
Castrating sex offenders less effective than psychotheraphy.
CON
Castration of sex offenders
Castration exposes sex offenders to side effects
CON
Castration of sex offenders
Castrating sex offenders gives false sense of security on rape.
CON
Castration of sex offenders
Castration subdues libido and psychological factors in predation.
PRO
Palestinian right of return
Right of return jeopardizes Israeli welfare, so invalid
CON
Palestinian right of return
A right of return wrongly makes Israel responsible for refugees.
CON
Compulsory voting
Forcing a vote is as bad for democracy as poor turnout.
CON
Compulsory voting
Mandatory voting would reduce polarization.
PRO
Compulsory voting
Mandatory voting would compel broader campaign messaging.
PRO
Compulsory voting
Mandatory voting compels voters to better educate themselves.
PRO
Puerto Rico statehood in America
Puerto Rico would burden US welfare system
CON
Puerto Rico statehood in America
Puerto Rico statehood is not economical for US
CON
Puerto Rico statehood in America
Independence jeopardizes Puerto Rican economic gains.
PRO
DREAM Act
DREAM Act encourages bringing kids across for citizenship
CON
DREAM Act
DREAM Act is bad for American employment.
CON
DREAM Act
DREAM Act is very expensive.
CON
DREAM Act
DREAM Act relies on shrinking US financial resources.
CON
DREAM Act
DREAM Act offers citizenship to youth already Americans.
PRO
DREAM Act
Republican opposition alienates Latino vote.
PRO
Joint JD/MBA degree
JD as credential has poor return on investment.
CON
Joint JD/MBA degree
JD/MBA unlikely to get you higher salary than JD or MBA alone.
CON
Joint JD/MBA degree
Join JD/MBA actually dilutes education in one or the other.
CON
Joint JD/MBA degree
Usually one shot at advanced degree; JD/MBA gets both done.
PRO
Joint JD/MBA degree
JD/MBA offers entrepreneurial skills and credibility.
PRO