Join Debatepedia's Facebook group! | News: Next on Debate Digest: War on Drugs
See Debatepedia's resources for the Spring 2010 The People Speak Global Debates on climate change adaptation
Past Debate Digest topics
From Debatepedia
(Redirected from Past Daily Debate Digest topics)
See the most recent Debate Digest articles on the left side of the main page of Debatepedia.
- Trying 9/11 terror suspects in NYC courts - Should 9/11 suspects be tried in NY courts, as ordered by US AG Eric Holder? - November 23rd, 2009.
- Medical marijuana - Should marijuana be made legal for medical purposes? - November 19th, 2009.
- Gene patents - Are gene patents, particularly related to agricultural and biotech products, a good idea? - November 15th, 2009.
- Gays in the US military - Should gays be allowed to serve openly in the US military? Is "don't ask don't tell" bad policy? - October 19, 2009. - This article being used for the National Debate Series: Boston, on November 10th, 2009.
- Nuclear energy - Is nuclear energy justified and should it be expanded? October 15, 2009. This article is being used for the National Debate Series: Boston on November 10th, 2009.
- Mandatory health insurance - Should governments mandate that individuals own health insurance, or face penalties? - October 8, 2009.
- Escalation of the War in Afghanistan under the Obama administration - Should the Obama administration escalate the War in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010?
- Health insurance cooperatives - Should health insurance co-ops be part of US health care reform? Are they a good alternative to public insurance? - September 4th, 2009.
- Public insurance option in US health care - Should the US create a public insurance option and hybrid public-private health care system? - August 27th, 2009.
- Mandatory calorie counts on menus - Is mandating calorie counts on restaurant menus good public policy? - August 18th, 2009.
- Civil unions vs. gay marriage - Which is superior, civil unions or gay marriage?
- Manned mission to Mars - Is a manned mission to Mars a good idea, or are continued robotic missions best? - August 10th, 2009.
- Colonization of the Moon - Is colonizing the Moon with a "Moonbase" a good idea? - August 5th, 2009.
- Mission to the Moon or Mars? - Should humanity return to the Moon first, or go to Mars? - August 3rd, 2009.
- Mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods - Should governments require that genetically modified foods be labeled? - July 23rd, 2009
- Filibuster - Is the filibuster a valuable tool in government, or should it be abandoned? - July 17th, 2009.
- Criminalization of Holocaust denial - Should denial of the Holocaust be illegal? - July 12th, 2009.
- Needle exchanges - Are needle exchanges good public policy? - July 2nd, 2009.
- Election of judges - Are judicial elections a good idea? - June 26, 2009.
- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty - Is the CTBT, or any other nuclear test ban treaty, a good idea?
- Corporal punishment of children Is corporal punishment of children justifiable? - June 3rd.
- Israeli settlements Are Israeli settlements justified, or should they be halted or dismantled? - May 31st. 2009.
- Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry? - May 27th, 2009.
- Two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict - Is a two-state solution justified? Compared to a one-state solution? - May 22, 2009.
- Merit pay for teachers - Is merit-based pay for teachers good public education policy? - May 20th, 2009.
- Should governments subsidize journalism? - May 3rd, 2009
- Needle exchanges - Are needle exchanges good public policy? - July 2nd, 2009.
- Election of judges - Are judicial elections a good idea? - June 26, 2009.
- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty - Is the CTBT, or any other nuclear test ban treaty, a good idea?
- Corporal punishment of children Is corporal punishment of children justifiable? - June 3rd.
- Israeli settlements Are Israeli settlements justified, or should they be halted or dismantled? - May 31st. 2009.
- Should Catholic priests be allowed to marry? - May 27th, 2009.
- Two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict - Is a two-state solution justified? Compared to a one-state solution? - May 22, 2009.
- Merit pay for teachers - Is merit-based pay for teachers good public education policy? - May 20th, 2009.
- Should governments subsidize journalism? - May 3rd, 2009.
- Enhanced interrogation techniques - Were the "enhanced interrogation techniques" of the Bush administration justified? - April 29th, 2009.
- "Under God" in the American Pledge of Allegiance - Is "under God" in the American Pledge of Allegiance appropriate or should it be eliminated? - April 23rd, 2009.
- Is a nuclear Iran intolerable? - April 16th, 2009.
- Homosexuals in the US military - Should gays be allowed to serve openly in the US military? Is "don't ask don't tell" bad policy? - April 14, 2009.
- 2009 troop "surge" in Afghanistan - Is US President Obama's 2009 troop "surge" in Afghanistan a good idea? - April 9, 2009.
- AIG bonuses - Were AIG's $165m bonuses justified? Or, should they be reneged or taxed? - March 30, 2009.
- Earmarks - Are earmarks valuable or should they be abolished? - March 22, 2009.
- Free public transportation - Should all public transport be free and paid for by the government? - March 18, 2009.
- Developed countries have a higher obligation to combat climate change - March 5, 2009. Video from December, 2008.
- Education vouchers - Are education vouchers (or school vouchers) good public policy? - March 2, 2009.
- No Child Left Behind Act - Is the No Child Left Behind education law in America a good policy and worth continuing? - February 20th, 2009.
- 2009 US economic stimulus - Is the 2009 US economic stimulus package a good plan to end economic crisis? - February 11, 2009.
- Legalization of adult incest - Should incest between consenting adults be legal? - February 4, 2009.
- Charter schools - Are charter schools a good idea? - January 28, 2009.
- Crime cameras - Are crime cameras a good idea for cities around the world? - January 27, 2009.
- Guantanamo Bay detention center - Is the US detention center at Guantanamo Bay justified or should it be closed, as ordered by President Barack Obama on January 21st? - January 23, 2009.
- Israeli military assault in Gaza - Was Israel's 2008/2009 military bombing and invasion of Gaza justified? - January 9, 2009.
- Republika Srpska secession from Bosnia - Should Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina? - 20 Dec. 2008
- Abstinence-only vs. comprehensive sex education - Which is a better program in modernity: abstinence-only or comprehensive sex education? - 17 Dec. 2008.
- International Criminal Court - What are the pros and cons of the ICC? Should the US and other countries join? - 12 Dec. 2008.
- Rebuilding New Orleans - Should New Orleans be fully rebuilt and restored? - 9 Dec. 2008.
- Bailout of US automakers - Should the US government bailout US automakers (even with a low-interest loan)? - 2 Dec. 2008.
- Male circumcision - Is male circumcision beneficial and/or ethically sound? - 26 Nov. 2008.
- Progressive tax rate - Should there be a progressive tax system or, for example, a flat tax? - 19 Nov. 2008.
- Fairness Doctrine - Should the Fairness Doctrine in the United States be reinstated? - 14 Nov. 2008.
- Employee Free Choice Act - Should the US Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act? - 12 Nov. 2008.
- Divided government vs. one-party rule - Is divided government better than one-party rule? - 7 Nov. 2008.
- McCain vs. Obama - Who is the better candidate for the US Presidency? - 3 Nov. 2008.
- Pickens US energy plan - What are the pros and cons of T. Boone Picken's US energy plan? - 31 Oct. 2008.
- Jerusalem as the shared capital of Israel and a Palestinian state - Should Jerusalem be the shared capital of Israel and a Palestinian state? - 29 Oct. 2008.
- Wave power - What are the pros and cons of wave power? - 25 Oct. 2008.
- Vehicle fuel economy standards - Are vehicle fuel economy standards a good strategy in fighting global warming? - 22 Oct. 2008.
- Algae biofuel - What are the pros and cons of algae biofuel? - 17 Oct. 2008.
- Kyoto Protocol - Is the Kyoto Protocol a good treaty to combat global warming? Is it a model for future treaties? - 9 Oct. 2008.
- Year-round schooling - Are year-round schools a good idea? Should private and public schools adopt this model? - 6 Oct. 2008.
- $700 billion US economic bailout - Is/was the $700 billion bailout plan for the 2008 US financial crisis a good idea? - 29 Sept. 2008.
- Reforestation as a solution to global warming - Should reforestation be a central component of strategies to combat global warming? - 25 Sept. 2008.
- "Clean coal" - Should "clean coal" be a major part of plans to fight global warming? - 24 Sept. 2008.
- Geoengineering, iron fertilization of algae blooms - Should iron fertilization of algae blooms be part of plans to combat global warming? - 23 Sept. 2008.
- Geoengineering, solar shading - Should solar shading be part of plans to reverse global climate change? - 20 Sept. 2008.
- Wind energy - Should wind energy be a major component of plans to fight global warming? - 18 Sept. 2008.
- Carbon tax - Should a carbon tax be part of plans to combat global warming? Pros and cons? - Posted 15 Sept. 2008.
- Carbon emissions trading - Should government adopt emissions trading to combat global warming? Pros and cons? - September 11th, 2008.
- Natural gas vehicles - Should NGVs be prioritized in plans to fight global warming? Pros and cons? - September 8th, 2008.
- Hybrid vehicles - What are the pros and cons of hybrid vehicles for consumers and governments? - September 5th, 2008.
- Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles - Should hydrogen fuel cell vehicles be a part of strategies to fight global warming? Pros and cons? - Posted September 3rd, 2008.
- Electric vehicles - What are the pros and cons of electric vehicles for individuals and governments? - Posted September 1st, 2008.
- Tidal energy - What are the pros and cons of tidal energy? And, as a solution to global warming? - Posted August 30th, 2008.
- Natural gas - What are the pros and cons of natural gas? And, as a solution to global warming? - Posted August 27th, 2008.
- Hydroelectric dams - What are the pros and cons of dams? Should they be part of 21st century energy plans? - Posted August 23rd, 2008.*"Clean coal" - What are the pros and cons of "clean coal"? Should it be part of national energy plans? - Posted August 21st, 2008.
- Solar energy - What are the pros and cons of solar energy? Should governments prioritize it? - Posted August 18th, 2008.
- South Ossetia independence - Should South Ossetia be independent? Should states recognize it? - Posted August 15th, 2008.
- Russian vs. Georgian justifications in 2008 South Ossetia war - Were Russia or Georgia's actions in the 2008 South Ossetia war legitimate? - Posted August 13th, 2008.
- Falkland Islands, return of - Should the United Kingdom return the Falkland Islands to Argentina? - Posted August 6th, 2008.
- Obama, meeting with hostile foreign leaders without preconditions - Is Barack Obama justified in his willingness to talk to hostile leaders without preconditions? - Posted July 27th, 2008.
- EU constitution reform treaty (Lisbon Treaty) - Is the EU Constitution reform treaty a good idea? - Posted July 25th, 2008.
- US offshore oil drilling ban - Is the US offshore oil drilling ban justified, or should it be lifted? - Posted July 24th, 2008.
- Cluster bomb ban - Is an international ban on cluster bombs justified? Was the US wrong to reject it? - Posted July 23rd, 2008.
- Mine Ban Treaty (Ottawa Treaty) - Is an international ban on landmines justified? Should the USA and other non-signatories join? - Posted July 22nd, 2008.
- Wind energy - What are the pros and cons of wind energy? - Posted July 21st, 2008.
- Should Hugo Chávez focus on the private sector more than social spending? - Posted July 20th, 2008.
- Democratic peace theory - Is the democratic peace theory correct? - Posted July 18th, 2008.
- Bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Was the US bombing of the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? - Posted July 17th, 2008.
- NATO, Expansion of - Should NATO continue to expand into East Europe and possible beyond? - Posted July 16th, 2008.
- European missile defense - Is the planned US missile defense system in the Czech Republic justified? - Posted July 15th, 2008.
- European Union Expansion - What are the pros and cons of EU expansion and of EU membership itself? - July 12th, 2008.
- China "one child" policy - Is China's "one child" policy justified? - Posted July 10th, 2008.
- Banning cell phones in cars - Should all cell phone use in cars be banned? - Posted July 9th, 2008.
- Capital Punishment - Is the death penalty ever justified? - Posted July 8th, 2008.
- McCain vs. Obama - Who is the better candidate for president of the United States, John McCain or Barack Obama? - Posted July 4th, 2008.
- Nuclear Power - Is nuclear energy worth exploiting? - Posted July 1, 2008.
- Marijuana for Medical Purposes - Should marijuana be made legal for medical purposes?
- Hunting for sport - Is hunting for sport an acceptable practice? - Posted June 21st, 2008.
- Prisoners, right to vote - Should people serving prison sentences be permitted to vote in elections? - Posted June 20th, 2008.
- Lowering drinking age from 21 to 18 in the USA - Should the United States lower its drinking age from 21 to 18? - Posted June 18th, 2008.
- Laser pointers, ban on - Should governments completely ban laser pointers? - Posted June 17th, 2008.
- Adoption of Children by Same Sex Couples - Should gay couples be given the same legal rights as heterosexuals in adopting children? - Posted June 15th, 2008.
- Funding for space exploration - Should governments prioritize spending on the exploration of space? - Posted June 13th, 2008.
- Catholic Church’s Contraception policy - Is the Roman Catholic Church's contraception policy justifiable? - Posted June 12th, 2008.
- Turkey, EU membership - Should Turkey be given membership in the EU? - Posted June 10th, 2008.
- Banning Human Reproductive Cloning - Should human reproductive cloning be banned and punishments put in place against it? Posted June 8th, 2008.
- Banning Muslim head scarves - Should the wearing of Muslim head scarves be banned in schools, public buildings or society in general? - Posted June 5th, 2008.
- Assassination of a Dictator - Can the assassination of a dictator be justified? Is Israel's policy of "targeted assassinations" justified? - June 3rd, 2008.
- Health care, universal - Is single-payer (government-funded) free universal health care a good idea? - May 30th, 2008.
- Wikipedia, reliability and social utility - Is Wikipedia a reliable and socially beneficial resource? - May 28th, 2008.
- Abortion - Should abortions of any kind be permitted? - May 26th, 2008.
- Vegetarianism - Should humans stop eating animals and become vegetarians? - May 21st, 2008.
- Libertarianism - Is Libertarianism a sound political philosophy?
- Animal testing - Is it morally acceptable to experiment on animals for human purposes? May 12th, 2008.
- Capital Punishment - Is it ever justifiable to execute prisoners? May 2nd, 2008.
- Euthanasia - Should euthanasia or assisted suicide be legalized? - 4/30/08.
- Polygamy - Should polygamous marriages (to more than one person) be legal? - 4/28/08.
- Australian republic vs. monarchy - Should Australia become a republic or continue as a constitutional monarchy? - 4/23/08.
- Tibet independence - Should Tibet seek and gain independence? - 4/21/08
- Withdrawing from Iraq - Should the US Government immediately withdraw troops from Iraq? - 4/12/08
- Kangaroo Culling - Should Australia be culling their native kangaroos? 4/8/08
- Veal - Is the farming and consumption of veal acceptable or should it be banned, changed, and/or avoided? - 4/7/08
- US Second Amendment Does the Second Amendment confer an individual right to bear arms? 4/4/08
- DC handgun ban - Is the DC handgun ban justified or should it be repealed? 4/3/08
- Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy - Was the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Postent justified in publishing cartoons with images of Muhammad in 2005? Is the re-publishing of these and similar images justified? 3/30/08
- Clinton vs. Obama for 2008 US Democratic nomination - Who is the better Democratic candidate - Clinton or Obama? 3/29/08
- Rehabilitation vs Retribution Should the criminal justice system focus more on rehabilitation than retribution? 3/23/08
- Michigan and Florida delegates in 2008 US elections - Should delegates from Florida and Michigan be alloted in the 2008 US elections? 3/20/08
- "Champagne" as only French - Should Champagne, France have the exclusive right to use the name "Champagne" for its wine? 3/15/08
- Multiculturalism vs. assimilation - Is multiculturalism a better social model than assimilation? 3/10/08
- Dollarization - Should countries change their official currency to the U.S. dollar? 3/7/08
- Cuba, Dropping of US Sanctions - Should the United States drop its sanctions on Cuba? 3/6/08
- Free trade and globalization - Is free trade and economic globalization (integration) good for the world? 2/27/08.
- Superdelegates - Is the Superdelegate system justified? 2/25/08.
- Marijuana, Legalization of - Should marijuana be legalized? 2/20/08.
- Prostitution - Should prostitution be legalized? 2/18/08.
- UN Security Council Veto - Should the veto powers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council be abolished? 2/17/08.
- Nuclear Weapons, Abolition of - Should nuclear weapons be abolished? 2/12/08
- Three Gorges Dam - Is China's massive Three Gorges Dam a gain or a loss? 2/08/08
- Primaries in US Elections - Is the 'primary’ selection process for party nominees for the US Presidency sound or should it be abandoned? 2/7/08
- Electoral College (US), Abolition of - Should the US adopt a different method of electing its President? 2/6/08
- Hate Crimes - Should acts of hate be criminalized?? - 2/4/08
- Gun control, assault weapons ban in the United States - Should citizens in the United States be banned from possessing assault weapons? - 2/5/08
- Kosovo Independence - Should Kosovo be independent? - 2/1/08
- Driftnets - Should there be a worldwide ban on the use of driftnets to catch fish, including within each country’s Exclusive Economic Zone? - 1/31/08
- Ecotourism - Is ecotourism good for the environment and world? - 1/30/08
- Guantanamo Bay - Is Guantanamo Bay's existence justified, or should it be closed? - 1/29/08
- Corn ethanol - Is corn ethanol a good energy source? 1/28/08
- Nuclear energy - Is nuclear energy worth exploiting? 1/25/08
- Boycotting the 2008 Olympics in China - Should countries boycott the 2008 Olympics in China due to human rights concerns there? 1/24/08
- Fish farming, banning or severely restricting of - Should fish farming be banned or severely restricted? 1/23/08
- Bush Economic Stimulus Plan - Is President Bush's 2008 economic stimulus plan a good idea? 1/22/08
- 700 mile US Mexico border fence - Is a 700 mile fence on the US-Mexico border justified? 1/19/07
- Same sex marriage - Is same sex marriage wrong and should it be illegal? - 1/18/07
- Waterboarding as torture - Can waterboarding be defined as torture? - 1/16/08
- Electoral College (US), Abolition of - Should the US abolish its electoral college? - 1/13/08
- Catholic Church’s Contraception policy - Should the Roman Catholic Church change its current position of forbidding the use of contraception? - 1/10/08
- Kyoto Protocol - Is the Kyoto Protocol a good international environmental agreement and worth signing? - 1/9/08
- Creationism vs evolution in schools - Should public schools be allowed to teach creationism alongside evolution as part of their science curriculum? - 1/7/08
- Drugs, legalization of - Should governments legalize all drugs? - 1/4/08
- Illegal immigrants and driver's licenses in the US - Should illegal immigrants in the United States be allowed to obtain drivers licenses? - 1/3/08



