# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=322 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 323 --- ## [What if the Dred Scott Decision had gone the other way?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dred-scott-decision-had-gone-the-other-way/626740)
**Author:** [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-dred-scott-decision-had-gone-the-other-way/626740 "2012-06-30T05:16:26Z")
I was perusing various Supreme Court topics today and reading the Dred Scott decision led me to wonder what would have happened if the Court had found in favor of Dred Scott. The Court finding that blacks were not and co… --- ## [What is the future of Egyptian-Israeli relations?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-future-of-egyptian-israeli-relations/626173)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-future-of-egyptian-israeli-relations/626173 "2012-06-30T03:16:38Z")
Mohammed Morsi (or Morsy), the Muslim Brotherhood/\[candidate, \[url=Celebration in Egypt as Morsi declared winner | News | Al Jazeera\]has won the Egyptian presidential election.\](\]Freedom and Justice Party\[/url) The MB w… --- ## [How would the ACA be against the commerce clause](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-aca-be-against-the-commerce-clause/626646)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [June 30, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-the-aca-be-against-the-commerce-clause/626646 "2012-06-30T03:09:12Z")
I don’t understand or know the law. But how does health care, being 1/6 of the economy, not be considered part of commerce? Scalia and Kennedy both upheld convictions for people growing marijuana for personal use in sta… --- ## [Why are we alive?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931)
**Author:** [@thepillar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thepillar)\ **Replies:** 203\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931 "2012-06-29T21:58:57Z")
What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die. Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it? Why did bring forth life on this planet? --- ## [Can America afford conservative privatization in "voucher socialism" form?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-america-afford-conservative-privatization-in-voucher-socialism-form/626117)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 34\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-america-afford-conservative-privatization-in-voucher-socialism-form/626117 "2012-06-29T14:30:19Z")
This article by Michael Lind in Salon argues that we can’t. In a nutshell, his argument is this: Nowadays, American conservatives (other than the really radical hard-RWs and Libertarians) mostly are arguing, not for … --- ## [How can enormously wasteful enterprises be good for an economy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-enormously-wasteful-enterprises-be-good-for-an-economy/626281)
**Author:** [@TGWATY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TGWATY)\ **Replies:** 97\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-enormously-wasteful-enterprises-be-good-for-an-economy/626281 "2012-06-29T14:18:37Z")
Came across this today. Paul Krugman says an alien invasion could help the economy. http://main.aol.com/2012/06/21/paul-krugman-alien-invasion\_n\_1616288.html the basic idea seems to me to be that if we can get people t… --- ## [Karl Rove having a gay affair?! With an Arabic-named criminal?!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-rove-having-a-gay-affair-with-an-arabic-named-criminal/626553)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-rove-having-a-gay-affair-with-an-arabic-named-criminal/626553 "2012-06-29T04:42:49Z")
No, seriously. Now, this story is not from a major media outlet, it’s from a website called Legal Schnauzer. But the story seems pretty well documented – there’s even a scanned copy of Simpson’s letter to Bauer. So I… --- ## ["Green Jobs" Cost Taxpayers $1.63 Million Each-Good Deal Or Bad?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-jobs-cost-taxpayers-1-63-million-each-good-deal-or-bad/625823)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/green-jobs-cost-taxpayers-1-63-million-each-good-deal-or-bad/625823 "2012-06-29T01:15:58Z")
According to this article, the “stimulus program” for Solar Energy has yielded jobs:http://cnsnews.com/news/article/9-billion-stimulus-solar-wind-projects-made-910-final-jobs-98-million-job....but at a rather high cost. … --- ## [Well-intentioned ideas that won't work in real life: green grocer liberalism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-intentioned-ideas-that-wont-work-in-real-life-green-grocer-liberalism/624728)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 298\ **Last updated:** [June 29, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-intentioned-ideas-that-wont-work-in-real-life-green-grocer-liberalism/624728 "2012-06-29T01:10:37Z")
If I could pick a summary line for why I am a conservative, it’s this: liberals mean well, and want to make things better, but their ideas are too often more idealistic than practical. Take obesity. It happens more ofte… --- ## [Why do we flat out reject CT's? \[Conspiracy Theories\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-flat-out-reject-cts-conspiracy-theories/623841)
**Author:** [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Replies:** 397\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-flat-out-reject-cts-conspiracy-theories/623841 "2012-06-28T22:51:35Z")
Do CT’s make people nervous, spooked, or some other feeling of insecurity that requires most (not all, obviously) to reject them out-of-hand? On this board specifically, people are shouted down at even the slightest hin… --- ## [Has the Arab Spring in Egypt turned into an Islamist nightmare?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-arab-spring-in-egypt-turned-into-an-islamist-nightmare/626419)
**Author:** [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Replies:** 108\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-the-arab-spring-in-egypt-turned-into-an-islamist-nightmare/626419 "2012-06-28T20:28:15Z")
Last year, when so many on this board were delighted with the possibility of democracy in Egypt, I pointed out that a PEW research poll of October 2011 had shown that over 80% of Egyptians favour of stoning a woman taken… --- ## ["Take a risk, start a business!" = disingenuous in practice?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-risk-start-a-business-disingenuous-in-practice/626074)
**Author:** [@FixMyIgnorance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FixMyIgnorance)\ **Replies:** 91\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-a-risk-start-a-business-disingenuous-in-practice/626074 "2012-06-28T20:17:02Z")
Disclaimer: I don’t know if this topic is particularly objective – it’s simply a question I am putting forth for the sake of feedback because I have no idea if my opinion is founded in reality or skewed by confirmation b… --- ## [Can the President Eliminate Capital Gains Taxes On His Own?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-president-eliminate-capital-gains-taxes-on-his-own/625971)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 93\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-president-eliminate-capital-gains-taxes-on-his-own/625971 "2012-06-28T17:22:30Z")
So here’s my scenario: November 2012: Romney Wins (amid much wailing and gnashing of SDMB teeth) January 20 2013, inauguration speech: “…and I intend to ask Congress to immediately eliminate the capital gains tax. Let’… --- ## [The most rational way for a believer to view God and the afterlife](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-rational-way-for-a-believer-to-view-god-and-the-afterlife/625452)
**Author:** [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Replies:** 113\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-rational-way-for-a-believer-to-view-god-and-the-afterlife/625452 "2012-06-28T13:16:45Z")
This is just something that I’ve been pondering lately. In my mind, I currently have the most rational view of God and the afterlife that a believer in such things can possibly have. Now, I realize that the Dope is ost… --- ## [Could Mitt Romney actually do anything to overturn the affordable care act](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-mitt-romney-actually-do-anything-to-overturn-the-affordable-care-act/626406)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-mitt-romney-actually-do-anything-to-overturn-the-affordable-care-act/626406 "2012-06-28T03:44:54Z")
One of the talking points he has been talking about is if he wins the presidency he will use whatever executive powers he has to overturn or limit the affordable care act. If Romney is president from 2013-2020 and never… --- ## [Longest generational string of "greatness"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-generational-string-of-greatness/611835)
**Author:** [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Replies:** 31\ **Last updated:** [June 28, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-generational-string-of-greatness/611835 "2012-06-28T02:57:24Z")
While listening to a history podcast, it struck me that three figures from early European history, Charles “The Hammer” Martel, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne, are all legitimately “great” historical figures/leaders. E… --- ## [Jon Stewart pandering to conservatives?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-pandering-to-conservatives/626296)
**Author:** [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Replies:** 52\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jon-stewart-pandering-to-conservatives/626296 "2012-06-27T21:37:52Z")
I saw that Stewart is using the Fast Furious gun walking story on his show. Is he pandering to the right? Equating Olberman with Glenn Beck, and now pointing out all this alleged hypocrisy among Democrats. Is he doing t… --- ## [Richard Strandlof, Stolen Valor, and fraud](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-strandlof-stolen-valor-and-fraud/626226)
**Author:** [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2012, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/richard-strandlof-stolen-valor-and-fraud/626226 "2012-06-27T08:58:12Z")
There’s a mention of Richard Strandlof in a current Cracked article. He was one of the people charged under the Stolen Valor Act for falsely claiming to be a veteran (in his case Strandlof claimed to a Marine named Richa… --- ## [What would be worse? If the Democratic or Republican Party had total control?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-if-the-democratic-or-republican-party-had-total-control/626321)
**Author:** [@supery00n](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supery00n)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [June 27, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-be-worse-if-the-democratic-or-republican-party-had-total-control/626321 "2012-06-27T04:48:53Z")
If the US were to become a single party state, which is of course almost impossible (I couldn’t see a way in which this happened), not in that one party would win elections so often that it became a single party state de… --- ## [Court: No more life mandatory without parole for juveniles \[edited title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-no-more-life-mandatory-without-parole-for-juveniles-edited-title/626298)
**Author:** [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/court-no-more-life-mandatory-without-parole-for-juveniles-edited-title/626298 "2012-06-26T20:03:47Z")
Court: No more life without parole for juveniles 8th Amendment Synopsis The Eighth Amendment was adopted, as part of the Bill of Rights, in 1791. It is almost identical to a provision in the English Bill of Rights of … --- ## [Why were the suspects in the satanic abuse cases convicted?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-suspects-in-the-satanic-abuse-cases-convicted/626083)
**Author:** [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-suspects-in-the-satanic-abuse-cases-convicted/626083 "2012-06-26T17:31:05Z")
Why did the justice system fail so spectacularly here? I have seen a documentary where the accused are made to appear totally innocent, and the claims made by the children and supposedly coached from them so outlandish… --- ## [When did the Britain eclipse Spain (and their respective empires also) in various aspects?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-britain-eclipse-spain-and-their-respective-empires-also-in-various-aspects/625922)
**Author:** [@supery00n](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supery00n)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-britain-eclipse-spain-and-their-respective-empires-also-in-various-aspects/625922 "2012-06-26T14:49:34Z")
When do you think the Britain and its empire became -richer -more powerful militarily -larger in territorial extent than Spain and its empire? Also, do you think England could have conquered the Aztec and Inca Empir… --- ## [Alternate History: No New World Pandemics](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-history-no-new-world-pandemics/625774)
**Author:** [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alternate-history-no-new-world-pandemics/625774 "2012-06-25T22:56:30Z")
Shortly after the Old World made contact with the New, a series of epidemics decimated the indigenous populations of the Americas. Millions died; in some areas the mortality reached 90%. As a result, the Native America… --- ## [Do gays really just hurt themselves with "blatant" advertising?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-gays-really-just-hurt-themselves-with-blatant-advertising/625660)
**Author:** [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Replies:** 138\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-gays-really-just-hurt-themselves-with-blatant-advertising/625660 "2012-06-25T17:03:13Z")
Recently, I sent this Youtube video promoting equal marriage rights in Britain to a friend who shocked me by saying that this sort of “advertising” only hurts gays by evoking the “yech” factor among members of the straig… --- ## [Why did god create Jesus?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-god-create-jesus/626040)
**Author:** [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Replies:** 36\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-god-create-jesus/626040 "2012-06-25T15:15:47Z")
My own interpretation is based off me reading the bible and various media and cultural osmosis. Jesus is some kind of trojan horse/poison apple for satan, satan has the keys or power of life and death down in hell. Sata… --- ## [Will "Mormons Building Bridges" meet the same fate as "Mormons for E.R.A"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-mormons-building-bridges-meet-the-same-fate-as-mormons-for-e-r-a/625285)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-mormons-building-bridges-meet-the-same-fate-as-mormons-for-e-r-a/625285 "2012-06-25T15:03:33Z")
In the 70s, the Mormon church came out against the Equal Rights Amendment, and excommunicated one of the leaders of “Mormons for E.R.A.,” a group dedicated to promoting the ERA both among Mormons and as a face of dissent… --- ## [Egyptian military handing over power - 3 questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egyptian-military-handing-over-power-3-questions/626197)
**Author:** [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egyptian-military-handing-over-power-3-questions/626197 "2012-06-25T14:23:55Z")
\[ol\] \[li\]If the US does decide to withhold $1.3 billion, will it have any effect?\[/li\]\[li\]Would we be the only country to take a concrete step to show our disapproval, or are any other countries making similar threats?\[… --- ## [The Eighth-day Adventist Church proposal](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eighth-day-adventist-church-proposal/589157)
**Author:** [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Replies:** 50\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-eighth-day-adventist-church-proposal/589157 "2012-06-25T11:48:28Z")
As a thought experiment, imagine a person with considerable wealth and/or vast unfettered access to professional printing services, to the point where this person can print up professionally-bound books of any desired co… --- ## [Ideological Turing Test](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ideological-turing-test/588887)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 95\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ideological-turing-test/588887 "2012-06-25T09:55:24Z")
In this blog, a strong atheist writes about her debates with her devoutly Catholic boyfriend. In keeping with those explorations, she’s decided to host an ideological Turing test: How vaild an exploratory device is thi… --- ## [Would Greece do better as a state or territory of the US?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-greece-do-better-as-a-state-or-territory-of-the-us/625966)
**Author:** [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [June 25, 2012, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-greece-do-better-as-a-state-or-territory-of-the-us/625966 "2012-06-25T07:04:54Z")
With all of Greece’s troubles, I got to thinking about the differences between the EU and the US, another federation of sorts, though without the same level of sovereignty among its members. Would Greece do better fisc… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=321) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=323)