topic
stringlengths
3
73
argument
stringlengths
24
222
label
stringclasses
2 values
Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010
Financial reform will make derivatives market transparent
PRO
Greece bailout
Greece bailout adds to debt, does more harm than good
CON
Greece bailout
Default would devastate Greek and global economies
PRO
Greece bailout
Greek bailout avoids a second global economic crisis
PRO
Greece bailout
Bailout of Greece will help prevent contagion
PRO
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
Landmines can protect peacekeepers.
CON
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
Landmines kill soldiers and limit mobility of military planting them
PRO
Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty)
Deploying smart mines encourages the use of all mines
PRO
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Graduated response could shut down public Internet hubs
CON
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Governments will use ISPs to catch more than pirates
CON
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Three strikes has hard time determining offending user
CON
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Enforcing graduated response will be very expensive
CON
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Graduated response helps avoid litigating against consumers.
PRO
Graduated response antipiracy laws
Graduated response helps maintain user privacy
PRO
Network neutrality
Network neutrality damages competition and niche suppliers
CON
Network neutrality
Net Neutrality may restrict value-added services
CON
Network neutrality
W/o Net Neutrality, price discrimination risks stifling start-ups
PRO
Network neutrality
Net neutrality may not be good for ISPs, but good overall.
PRO
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
Mandates create cartel of govt-supported insurance companies
CON
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
Enforcing mandates may intrude on Constitutional rights
CON
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
Congress can't regulate behavior indirectly impacting commerce
CON
Constitutionality of US health insurance mandates
Insurance mandates set dangerous precedent for federal power
CON
US debt ceiling deal
Debt deal doesn't cut spending enough to solve deficit
CON
US debt ceiling deal
Tax deal was win for wealthiest and their lobbyists.
CON
US debt ceiling deal
Debt deal cuts spending too early for recovery
CON
US debt ceiling deal
Debt deal avoids a disastrous default.
PRO
US debt ceiling deal
Debt deal makes needed cuts to military budgets.
PRO
US offshore oil drilling
US offshore drilling would hardly lower global oil prices
CON
US offshore oil drilling
Greater conservation is more important than offshore oil drilling
CON
US offshore oil drilling
Noise from offshore drilling can harm sea animals
CON
US offshore oil drilling
Offshore oil exploration could result in a major find
PRO
US offshore oil drilling
Offshore drilling is very valuable to the US economy
PRO
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
Google out of China reduces access to free/fair info.
CON
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
Google pressuring China on censorship emboldens hard-liners
CON
Google decision to stop censoring results in China
Google's departure from China sends message for free speech
PRO
War on Drugs
Costs of Drug War are greater than costs of legalization
CON
War on Drugs
War on Drugs worsens cartel violence
CON
War on Drugs
War on drugs keeps drug trade profitable, lures children in
CON
War on Drugs
Legalizing drugs would improve quality control
CON
War on Drugs
War on Drugs helps hold down usage
PRO
War on Drugs
The state is justified in protecting society from drug-users
PRO
Gay marriage
Gay marriage undercuts procreation at time of vulnerability
CON
Gay marriage
Gay marriage threatens cultural tradition of marriage
CON
Gay marriage
Benefits for gays are much better when in marriage
PRO
Corporate personhood
Corporate personhood favors corporate interests
CON
Corporate personhood
Corporate personhood enables multinational corporations, global stability.
PRO
Corporate personhood
With rights companies can enter into contracts, lawsuits
PRO
Corporate personhood
Corporate personhood protects businesses from discrimination
PRO
Corporate free speech
More spending in elections undermines public confidence
CON
Corporate free speech
Corp. spending limits infringe free speech in assoc.
PRO
Corporate free speech
Unlimited spending lets candidates focus on message over fundraising.
PRO
Big government
Small government encourages self-reliance
CON
Big government
Big govt impedes on and weakens local associations
CON
Big government
Govt bureaucrats pursue more power to advance careers.
CON
Big government
Big government fosters harmful entitlement culture
CON
Big government
Big government invites corporate special interests
CON
Big government
Big govt is individuals working to meet collective needs
PRO
Big government
Small government produces less healthy societies
PRO
Big government
Big government helps stimulate economic growth
PRO
Big government
European-style big governments foster more stable societies
PRO
College football playoffs
Playoffs would be unfair to some college football teams
CON
College football playoffs
Football playoffs would not make traveling fans happy
CON
College football playoffs
Football players miss fewest classes; playoffs OK
PRO
College football playoffs
Playoffs maintain importance of regular season
PRO
2010 US bank tax
2010 bank tax will raise less revenue due to evasion
CON
2010 US bank tax
Bank tax is too small to impact deficit
CON
2010 US bank tax
2010 US bank tax will kill jobs created/fostered by banks
CON
2010 US bank tax
Bank tax recoups taxpayer bailout of banks
PRO
2010 US bank tax
Bank tax compensates for damage done by banks
PRO
2010 US bank tax
Bank tax will help reduce large US deficit
PRO
Full-body scanners at airports
Full-body scanners will slow airport security check-points.
CON
Full-body scanners at airports
Body scans will make many children and parents uncomfortable.
CON
Full-body scanners at airports
Scanners help reveal hidden weapons and bombs
PRO
Full-body scanners at airports
Full-body scans more effectively reveal concealed weapons.
PRO
US health care reform
Government-approved insurers of US health care law limits competition
CON
US health care reform
2009 US health care bill does not cut costs
CON
US health care reform
Health care bill would insure 30m Americans
PRO
US health care reform
US health care law ends pre-existing conditions discrimination
PRO
Direct democracy
Direct democracy fosters emotional decision-making.
CON
Direct democracy
Direct democracy lacks accountability of decision-making
CON
Direct democracy
Direct democracy dulls politicians' sense of responsibility
CON
Direct democracy
Direct democracy creates risk of corrupt recall efforts.
CON
Direct democracy
Direct democracy avoids appointment of unaccountable officials.
PRO
Direct democracy
Direct democracy generally reduces the risks of corruption.
PRO
Affirmative action
Affirm action mismatches bad students with difficult classes
CON
Affirmative action
Affirmative action promotes mediocrity by undermining meritocracy.
CON
Affirmative action
Affirm action fills key jobs with less productive individuals.
CON
Affirmative action
Affirmative action wrongly takes from one group to give to another
CON
Affirmative action
Affirmative action is only way to level playing field
PRO
Affirmative action
Affirmative action makes race only a small plus for candidates
PRO
EU elected president
Electing a President increases the power a single individual can hold.
CON
EU elected president
An EU president cannot hold such a complicated system to account.
CON
EU elected president
Elections would force EU politicians to act as populists.
CON
EU elected president
A government controlled by a single person would increase transparency.
PRO
EU elected president
Electing an EU president directly will increase accountability.
PRO
EU elected president
An elected president would make the EU more functional.
PRO
Trying 9/11 terror suspects in NYC courts
Trying terrorists in NY requires costly security
CON
Trying 9/11 terror suspects in NYC courts
Trying terrorists in NYC grants them their wish
CON
Trying 9/11 terror suspects in NYC courts
Terrorist suspects are particularly dangerous to guards
CON
Trying 9/11 terror suspects in NYC courts
Terrorist trial in NY gives appearance of US weakness
CON