# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=152 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 153 --- ## [Assad Aiding ISIS, Now What?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assad-aiding-isis-now-what/721580)
**Author:** [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assad-aiding-isis-now-what/721580 "2016-07-19T14:06:49Z")
There have been a few threads on the ISIS situation in the Middle East but most focusing on Iraq. I want to focus and discuss Syria. The U.S now accuses Syrian President Bashar Al Assad of giving air cover to ISIS a… --- ## [Nate Silver - Gun Deaths in America](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nate-silver-gun-deaths-in-america/759827)
**Author:** [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2016, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nate-silver-gun-deaths-in-america/759827 "2016-07-19T10:49:39Z")
Nate Silver’s organization FiveThirtyEight has compiled this information about gun deaths in America for the years 2012-2014 and averaged it for the presentation of data at the top. The most surprising statistic to me i… --- ## [What should the capital gains tax be?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-capital-gains-tax-be/759967)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 130\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2016, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-the-capital-gains-tax-be/759967 "2016-07-19T10:02:06Z")
Lets say you buy a stock at say $1 a share. It goes up like crazy and 5 years later you sell it for $500 a share. Or lets say your parents bought a house in 1955 for $25,000. You sell it now for $1.2 million. In both c… --- ## [Implications of cheap gene-editing technology](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/implications-of-cheap-gene-editing-technology/760130)
**Author:** [@nate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nate)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [July 19, 2016, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/implications-of-cheap-gene-editing-technology/760130 "2016-07-19T06:35:44Z")
Assuming it’s only a matter of time before we can use something akin to CRISPR/Cas9 to edit our genes, is it going to be possible to keep the cap on the potential abuses of the tool? I think it’s inevitable that in my li… --- ## [Do democracies that more easily allow one party rule have advantages over US democracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-democracies-that-more-easily-allow-one-party-rule-have-advantages-over-us-democracy/760095)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-democracies-that-more-easily-allow-one-party-rule-have-advantages-over-us-democracy/760095 "2016-07-18T12:27:38Z")
US democracy was designed to have checks and balances between the house, senate and presidency. Not to mention procedural tools like filibusters, vetoes and veto overrides, etc that intentionally create conflict, checks/… --- ## [\#Brexit - whose next, whats next?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-whose-next-whats-next/758207)
**Author:** [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Replies:** 211\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brexit-whose-next-whats-next/758207 "2016-07-18T01:34:59Z")
(Mods - didn’t see a new thread - feel free to combine if I missed it - also - nasty typo in title since autocorrect shifted to whose) So it appears #Brexit is happening: Will France remain? How about the Scandinavi… --- ## [Coup in Turkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coup-in-turkey/760017)
**Author:** [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [July 16, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coup-in-turkey/760017 "2016-07-16T19:35:55Z")
There’s been breaking news of a coup in Turkey, which is both surprising in the specific sense and not remotely shocking in the general. Right now there are many vague and often conflicting reports. We don’t know who is… --- ## [Were the cops justified in using a robot to blow up the police killing sniper?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-cops-justified-in-using-a-robot-to-blow-up-the-police-killing-sniper/759531)
**Author:** [@Salvor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salvor)\ **Replies:** 125\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-the-cops-justified-in-using-a-robot-to-blow-up-the-police-killing-sniper/759531 "2016-07-15T09:37:11Z")
I ask because after reading several articles, and more interestingly, the comments, there seems to be a segment of the population (if not a majority) that finds the killing of the sniper immoral, or nothing more than exe… --- ## [Critique the reply my brother gave on this Economic question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critique-the-reply-my-brother-gave-on-this-economic-question/759665)
**Author:** [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [July 15, 2016, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/critique-the-reply-my-brother-gave-on-this-economic-question/759665 "2016-07-15T00:55:17Z")
I presented my brother with a link about how the Gold Standard was an irrelevant method of measuring the value of paper money. Here’s my brothers reply; --- ## [Why can't single-payer healthcare work in the USA?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-single-payer-healthcare-work-in-the-usa/758794)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 83\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-single-payer-healthcare-work-in-the-usa/758794 "2016-07-14T15:30:36Z")
It works perfectly well in most other developed nations. Many people here still seem very opposed to it despite it being widely succesful in every nation that has it. Our healthcare system is an inefficient clusterfuck,… --- ## [What actually works to get a society back on track when crime and corruption are ever-present](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actually-works-to-get-a-society-back-on-track-when-crime-and-corruption-are-ever-present/759808)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 14, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actually-works-to-get-a-society-back-on-track-when-crime-and-corruption-are-ever-present/759808 "2016-07-14T01:58:42Z")
A lot of news articles are coming out about duterte, the new president of the Philippines. He has called for citizens to kill criminals and drug users, said he wants to use the military to kill corrupt cops, he has had d… --- ## [South China Sea, Hague ruling July 12](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-china-sea-hague-ruling-july-12/759650)
**Author:** [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-china-sea-hague-ruling-july-12/759650 "2016-07-13T18:25:02Z")
Tomorrow, the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration will rule on the Philippines 2013 “argument that China’s claims over much of the sea, a strategic waterway in the western Pacific, are illegal under the United Nations C… --- ## ["Boys will be boys!"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-will-be-boys/759472)
**Author:** [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Replies:** 91\ **Last updated:** [July 13, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boys-will-be-boys/759472 "2016-07-13T16:10:27Z")
Why do some people still use this as a valid excuse for a child/teen/adult male’s behavior?! I’ve seen it used on news comments sections and other forums when they talk about classroom discipline (too strict or not enou… --- ## [Do Presidential Emergency Powers give the President the right to disarm the nation?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-presidential-emergency-powers-give-the-president-the-right-to-disarm-the-nation/759374)
**Author:** [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-presidential-emergency-powers-give-the-president-the-right-to-disarm-the-nation/759374 "2016-07-12T16:33:06Z")
Hi, In the wake of so many mass shootings in the US in recent months, what can the President do with his emergency powers? The peace is threatened. If the President does have the power to act forcefully, would this viol… --- ## [It's time to repeal the 22nd amendment.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-repeal-the-22nd-amendment/758752)
**Author:** [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Replies:** 72\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-repeal-the-22nd-amendment/758752 "2016-07-12T04:04:10Z")
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution basically limits a presidency to two terms, with certain provisions. If it weren’t for the 22nd Amendment, Clinton could have served a third term, instead of Dubya, and Obama … --- ## [Are basic instincts ignored in our approach to racisim](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-basic-instincts-ignored-in-our-approach-to-racisim/759486)
**Author:** [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [July 12, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-basic-instincts-ignored-in-our-approach-to-racisim/759486 "2016-07-12T01:09:09Z")
I am leary when I enter the great debate forum as I lack the written and english skills a lot of you have here. My thoughts are that one of the most basic instincts of any life form I can think of is to learn to recogni… --- ## [Crazy idea - Republicans should push for gun welfare](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-idea-republicans-should-push-for-gun-welfare/758795)
**Author:** [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2016, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-idea-republicans-should-push-for-gun-welfare/758795 "2016-07-11T20:12:50Z")
Use some of the gun lobby money slushing around to hand out free guns to people without criminal records who live in high crime areas, along with appropriate training and security (e.g gun safes). It shouldn’t cost too … --- ## [Can the Ekpyrotic Cyclic Universe Model replace the Standard Model?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ekpyrotic-cyclic-universe-model-replace-the-standard-model/759532)
**Author:** [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ekpyrotic-cyclic-universe-model-replace-the-standard-model/759532 "2016-07-11T17:42:26Z")
I’ve always had trouble absorbing the standard model. As a layman, I learned it from popular science literature and struggled with the theory of a Big Bang that turned nothing into everything and with the idea of an addi… --- ## [What should be Done with Nonviolent Child Molesters?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-done-with-nonviolent-child-molesters/759119)
**Author:** [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Replies:** 99\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-done-with-nonviolent-child-molesters/759119 "2016-07-11T14:06:03Z")
I’m no expert, but it seems likely to me that a sexual attraction to children is biological, and incurable. If a person is attracted to children, but never acts on that impulse, he or she can function in society like th… --- ## [Hypothetical Legal Question, Prostitution and Child Surrogacy.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-legal-question-prostitution-and-child-surrogacy/759198)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2016, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-legal-question-prostitution-and-child-surrogacy/759198 "2016-07-11T11:55:58Z")
This is actually a question I have wondered for some time, possibly since grade school, or at least high school, in any event. What if you want to have a child, as a young nubile female. But you don’t want to get marrie… --- ## [you know we have met big brother and he is us ............](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-we-have-met-big-brother-and-he-is-us/757310)
**Author:** [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [July 11, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-know-we-have-met-big-brother-and-he-is-us/757310 "2016-07-11T06:00:53Z")
I’ve realized that by the time someone comes up with a big brother type of government there wont be any resistance to it at all because by that time being monitored and watched 24/7 will be perfectly normal and well have… --- ## [Medicaid planning and universal health care](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicaid-planning-and-universal-health-care/759065)
**Author:** [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [July 10, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medicaid-planning-and-universal-health-care/759065 "2016-07-10T02:50:39Z")
This thread http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19452852&posted=1#post19452852 is about Medicaid planning. I have a question, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to turn into a debate. Why is it that so ma… --- ## [The No-Fly List and the US Constitution.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-no-fly-list-and-the-us-constitution/757947)
**Author:** [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-no-fly-list-and-the-us-constitution/757947 "2016-07-09T18:32:07Z")
I could be wrong, but it seems you can be put on the “No-Fly” list almost on a whim. Some are even put there by mistake. And certain groups, like Muslims, are more likely than others to be targeted, in any event. I gues… --- ## [Can the war on terrror be won?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-war-on-terrror-be-won/759326)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-war-on-terrror-be-won/759326 "2016-07-09T12:45:56Z")
Many comparisons were made in my drone thread to what is happening now and WW2. Of course, this war is much different, because we don’t really know who our enemies are, and they are not confined to specific nations. I … --- ## [Air power and the modern battlefield](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-power-and-the-modern-battlefield/758841)
**Author:** [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/air-power-and-the-modern-battlefield/758841 "2016-07-09T02:00:40Z")
Does the war against ISIS show the futility of fighting without air Power? How would things look without the massive air campaign? --- ## [UK's involvement in Iraq - Chilcot Inquiry reports today](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uks-involvement-in-iraq-chilcot-inquiry-reports-today/759201)
**Author:** [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [July 8, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uks-involvement-in-iraq-chilcot-inquiry-reports-today/759201 "2016-07-08T18:57:17Z")
In June 2009, Gordon Brown commissioned the Iraq Inquiry, also known as the Chilcot Inquiry after its chair, Sir John Chilcot. 7 years later, the Inquiry Report is about to be published. The terms of reference are: No… --- ## [American Exceptionalism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-exceptionalism/758853)
**Author:** [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Replies:** 226\ **Last updated:** [July 8, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-exceptionalism/758853 "2016-07-08T18:39:44Z")
On July 4, 240 years ago, a nation was founded. Some people believe America is an exceptional nation, some don’t. What’s your take? I think America is the hope of the Earth, the city on the hill, and the gem of the wor… --- ## [The 2nd Amendment solution to Tyrannical Government](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-solution-to-tyrannical-government/758244)
**Author:** [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Replies:** 93\ **Last updated:** [July 8, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2nd-amendment-solution-to-tyrannical-government/758244 "2016-07-08T17:19:58Z")
One of the reasons given for the need for the 2nd Amendment is to give us common citizens the ability to take back our government from a tyrannical regime. Taking this at face value, it would seem that a majority of tho… --- ## [Motives Behind Medina Bombing](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motives-behind-medina-bombing/759194)
**Author:** [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [July 7, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motives-behind-medina-bombing/759194 "2016-07-07T21:10:35Z")
During the month of Ramadan, there have been a spate of recent terrorist attacks, generally attributed to DAESH/ISIS/ISIL. On Monday, a suicide bomber attacked the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, the second-holiest city in I… --- ## [Which "arms" should be protected by the Second Amendment?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-arms-should-be-protected-by-the-second-amendment/749795)
**Author:** [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Replies:** 211\ **Last updated:** [July 7, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-arms-should-be-protected-by-the-second-amendment/749795 "2016-07-07T20:54:39Z")
This thread was inspired by the SCOTUS decision today overturning Massachussettes’ stun gun ban (cite, PDF, starts on page 15) The ‘great debate’ I see here is: Which “arms” should be protected by the Second Amendment? … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=151) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=153)