# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=167 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 168 --- ## [Does mass incarceration make America more culturally progressive?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-mass-incarceration-make-america-more-culturally-progressive/746365)
**Author:** [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [February 20, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-mass-incarceration-make-america-more-culturally-progressive/746365 "2016-02-20T01:31:54Z")
Two statements that I think are probably true: Putting people in prison minimizes their cultural influence. Prison inmates tend to have “regressive” cultural attitudes, at least on some important issues, relative to th… --- ## [Too big to fail](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-big-to-fail/746443)
**Author:** [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [February 19, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-big-to-fail/746443 "2016-02-19T23:17:55Z")
What are the pros of the “Too Big to Fail” banks? Besides needing to bail them out, are there other cons? What is the metric for “Too Big to Fail”? Is increasing the reserve requirement enough to prevent them requirin… --- ## [What does the discovery of Gravitational waves mean?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-discovery-of-gravitational-waves-mean/745863)
**Author:** [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [February 19, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-discovery-of-gravitational-waves-mean/745863 "2016-02-19T05:35:17Z")
Article here. So apparently we have discovered that the space-time field itself can vibrate, meaning we can not just see but also hear objects in space (in a way). What are the ramifications of this, other than being a … --- ## [Was ISIS created by the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-isis-created-by-the-us/740064)
**Author:** [@Sputnikkk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sputnikkk)\ **Replies:** 87\ **Last updated:** [February 19, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-isis-created-by-the-us/740064 "2016-02-19T02:24:39Z")
Was ISIS created by the US, or allowed to rise to power by the US? Is this a conspiracy theory or true? Truth emerges: The U.S. created ISIS! - NaturalNews.com --- ## [Obama must be allowed to nominate the next SCOTUS Justice](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-must-be-allowed-to-nominate-the-next-scotus-justice/746061)
**Author:** [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Replies:** 302\ **Last updated:** [February 19, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-must-be-allowed-to-nominate-the-next-scotus-justice/746061 "2016-02-19T01:33:05Z")
With the unfortunate passing of Justice Scalia, if the Republicans refuse to allow Barack Obama to nominate the next Supreme Court Justice, we might as well blow up this country and start all over again with a new Consti… --- ## [Are the golden years a real thing or a myth. If a myth, when are the closest thing to golden years](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-golden-years-a-real-thing-or-a-myth-if-a-myth-when-are-the-closest-thing-to-golden-years/745773)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-golden-years-a-real-thing-or-a-myth-if-a-myth-when-are-the-closest-thing-to-golden-years/745773 "2016-02-18T15:57:44Z")
Someone I know who works in healthcare says all her clients tell her the concept of golden years is a myth. Chronic pain, disability, seeing your friends and family drop like flies, etc. I’ve heard the same thing from fa… --- ## [Trusting (federal) authority: our own and views worldwide](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trusting-federal-authority-our-own-and-views-worldwide/746417)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trusting-federal-authority-our-own-and-views-worldwide/746417 "2016-02-18T14:54:42Z")
Inspired by thoughts I had about this question I asked in another thread: Yes. A couple of things occurred to me: This doesn’t seem to be a very common point of view, no matter what one’s political persuasion. … --- ## [Supreme Court \[declines to hear\] same sex marriage cases.\[plus further developments (Ed.)\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-same-sex-marriage-cases-plus-further-developments-ed/700544)
**Author:** [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Replies:** 958\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-same-sex-marriage-cases-plus-further-developments-ed/700544 "2016-02-18T14:54:14Z")
This is breaking news. Can someone break down what this means for the fight for same sex marriage. I can’t find much online about this yet. --- ## [How do originalists get around the 3/5 rule, and etc.?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-originalists-get-around-the-3-5-rule-and-etc/746218)
**Author:** [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Replies:** 113\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-originalists-get-around-the-3-5-rule-and-etc/746218 "2016-02-17T18:34:52Z")
As Scalia said once, the Constitution “ought to mean…what it meant when it was adopted.” So Article I Section 2 says that black people get 3/5 of a vote, and Indians none. Fourteenth amendment adopted in 1868 seems to … --- ## [Will no 5 Repub senators approve a non-extreme SCOTUS nominee?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-no-5-repub-senators-approve-a-non-extreme-scotus-nominee/746278)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [February 16, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-no-5-repub-senators-approve-a-non-extreme-scotus-nominee/746278 "2016-02-16T22:49:08Z")
There is a lot of discussion about whether the Senate will allow a vote on any Obama nominee. Has me wondering what folk think the actual state of party politics currently is. Of the 54 Republican senators, are there n… --- ## [Consequences of a divided court? Legal chaos? Legal Balkanization?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-a-divided-court-legal-chaos-legal-balkanization/746133)
**Author:** [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [February 16, 2016, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/consequences-of-a-divided-court-legal-chaos-legal-balkanization/746133 "2016-02-16T14:31:10Z")
Think Progress has an interesting article on what it calls “The Simply Breathtaking Consequences Of Justice Scalia’s Death”. http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/02/13/3749464/the-simply-breathtaking-consequences-of-ju… --- ## [So is it actually bad if people join the military for the bennies?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-actually-bad-if-people-join-the-military-for-the-bennies/745818)
**Author:** [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Replies:** 67\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-is-it-actually-bad-if-people-join-the-military-for-the-bennies/745818 "2016-02-15T22:43:10Z")
Inspired by this trainwreck (and please, I’d rather we discuss the actual question than the OP of that thread). Though this might do better in IMHO since it’s both a debate and a request for personal experiences. There … --- ## [Does any man's death really diminish us as individuals?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-mans-death-really-diminish-us-as-individuals/746119)
**Author:** [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Replies:** 66\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-mans-death-really-diminish-us-as-individuals/746119 "2016-02-15T21:59:18Z")
The highlighted line has been referred to repeatedly in the Pit thread about Justice Scalia’s death, but is it always true? I can see it having some vague, hippy validity when said about a child in a war-torn land star… --- ## [North Korea--What happens when Kim is assassinated?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-what-happens-when-kim-is-assassinated/745882)
**Author:** [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korea-what-happens-when-kim-is-assassinated/745882 "2016-02-15T21:56:12Z")
It’s Caligula Jr. over there. Yet another high ranking figure in North Korea has been executed. At some point, one of these guys is going to shoot first. This could happen anytime, but I predict that Kim will be assassin… --- ## [Will The UK Exit The EU in 2016?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-uk-exit-the-eu-in-2016/742414)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 109\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-uk-exit-the-eu-in-2016/742414 "2016-02-15T10:19:34Z")
I think so, the time is ripe for many reasons: -the UK should not get stuck with bailing out Greece any more -London is now the premier center of world finance-that generates huge profits for the UK, why jeopardize th… --- ## [How can we stop war and conflict?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-we-stop-war-and-conflict/743379)
**Author:** [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [February 15, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-we-stop-war-and-conflict/743379 "2016-02-15T02:59:39Z")
It almost seems impossible to avoid war with Iran and the middle eat. The clip of Iran stockpile of nukes leaked out week ago and Iran detaining of two U.S. ships!! And Iran supporting and giving money and weapons to t… --- ## [States are starting to call for a Constitutional Convention](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243)
**Author:** [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Replies:** 125\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243 "2016-02-14T16:06:23Z")
Saw thison NPR about four state legislatures already passing resolutions to call for a new Constitutional Convention. Slate reports that 27 states have called for a convention. So at this point there seems to be a little… --- ## [How and when did Democrats and Republicans switch places?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-democrats-and-republicans-switch-places/745232)
**Author:** [@Anarcho\_Liberalist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anarcho_Liberalist)\ **Replies:** 166\ **Last updated:** [February 14, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-democrats-and-republicans-switch-places/745232 "2016-02-14T04:55:01Z")
As I understand it, the Republican Party was once - around the time of the Civil War - a modernist or even progressive party, which had broad support in the cities of the northern US. In this same time frame, the Democra… --- ## [Getting a PhD is the stupidest decision of all time? (100 Reasons not to do it?)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-phd-is-the-stupidest-decision-of-all-time-100-reasons-not-to-do-it/572925)
**Author:** [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-phd-is-the-stupidest-decision-of-all-time-100-reasons-not-to-do-it/572925 "2016-02-13T22:12:05Z")
There’s a blog, 100 Reasons NOT to Go to Graduate School, which has unleashed the most negative “don’t go” reasons you could imagine. It makes me have nightmares just to think of going to graduate school. Everytime I thi… --- ## [Hillary makes bogus claim of racism in Alabama.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983)
**Author:** [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Replies:** 375\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983 "2016-02-13T16:46:42Z")
Hillary Clinton is pissed about the fact that the State of Alabama recently closed a small number of branch drivers license offices. Clinton criticized Alabama’s Republican governor, Robert Bentley, for closing drivers … --- ## [If you die before you die, you will not die when you die](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-before-you-die-you-will-not-die-when-you-die/329975)
**Author:** [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-before-you-die-you-will-not-die-when-you-die/329975 "2016-02-13T14:23:49Z")
I saw this in a Greek Orthodox monastery: “If you die before you die, you will not die when you die” What can they mean by it? One possibility: If you accept the fact that there is no personal “you”, that we are all es… --- ## [A Though Experiment on Spiritual Evolution](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-though-experiment-on-spiritual-evolution/745825)
**Author:** [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Replies:** 74\ **Last updated:** [February 13, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-though-experiment-on-spiritual-evolution/745825 "2016-02-13T13:12:58Z")
Two aquatic critters swimming in the primordial seas of Earth; one has experienced a mutation resulting in its having a rudimentary photosensitive cell or cell cluster; the other has not. They exchange greetings. The f… --- ## [Republicans Shoot Down Obama's Budget...Precedent?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-shoot-down-obamas-budget-precedent/745896)
**Author:** [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-shoot-down-obamas-budget-precedent/745896 "2016-02-12T21:24:16Z")
The Republican House of Representatives threw Obama’s proposed budget in the trash, without even opening it. Absolutely DOA. My memory is telling me that the Democratic House did this to George W. Bush at least once, m… --- ## [Jack Straw denied knighthood and peerage](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jack-straw-denied-knighthood-and-peerage/745903)
**Author:** [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jack-straw-denied-knighthood-and-peerage/745903 "2016-02-12T14:59:53Z")
The Guardian reports There seem to be several different things going on here. One, Straw was apparently engaged in influence peddling. Two, there’s some pushback against the reporters who revealed that. Three, his m… --- ## [Should false rape accusations be prosecuted seriously as actual rape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-false-rape-accusations-be-prosecuted-seriously-as-actual-rape/745356)
**Author:** [@GlowingDarkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GlowingDarkness)\ **Replies:** 168\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-false-rape-accusations-be-prosecuted-seriously-as-actual-rape/745356 "2016-02-12T02:20:24Z")
I know that people say rape crimes go unreported and few get prosecuted but rape is still viewed by society as only second to murder in nearly all places. So when someone makes an allegation that is appears to have no b… --- ## [Is there a good reason to be against designer babies?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-reason-to-be-against-designer-babies/744828)
**Author:** [@GlowingDarkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GlowingDarkness)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-reason-to-be-against-designer-babies/744828 "2016-02-10T21:02:41Z")
Designer babies are babies that are the result of genetic modification. Assuming that we could do it in the safest manner without creating new diseases would people accept it? Would you accept it? One of the few argu… --- ## ["Year of the Monkey" NBA promo t-shirts: racist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/year-of-the-monkey-nba-promo-t-shirts-racist/744960)
**Author:** [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/year-of-the-monkey-nba-promo-t-shirts-racist/744960 "2016-02-10T20:37:37Z")
Story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/02/02/demarcus-cousins-asks-kings-to-call-of-racially-insensitive-t-shirt-giveaway/ To summarize, the Sacramento Kings planned to give out promotional t-shir… --- ## [Did Richard III kill the Princes in the Tower?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-richard-iii-kill-the-princes-in-the-tower/745551)
**Author:** [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-richard-iii-kill-the-princes-in-the-tower/745551 "2016-02-10T17:51:51Z")
Almost certainly not by his own hand, but did he order their deaths, or let it be known to some obliging courtier or knight that he wouldn’t mind it? It’s a longstanding question in English history, and came up recent… --- ## [Likelihood of (Nuclear) WW3 Increasing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likelihood-of-nuclear-ww3-increasing/745236)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/likelihood-of-nuclear-ww3-increasing/745236 "2016-02-10T17:35:16Z")
From an article in Vox last Summer: How World War III became possible: A nuclear conflict with Russia is likelier than you think. Very lengthy and detailed article and worth a read IMO. The core points seem to boil down … --- ## [Why aren't Cardinals & Bishops in jail?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-cardinals-bishops-in-jail/745562)
**Author:** [@DtypeJag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DtypeJag)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [February 10, 2016, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-cardinals-bishops-in-jail/745562 "2016-02-10T13:26:51Z")
With the release of the movie, Spotlight, and the renewed attention to the priestly child molesters, I began to think of the question I had years ago when the pivotal role of the hierarchy in the cover-up became apparen… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=166) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=168)