# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=423 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 424 --- ## [How important are abortion rights?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-are-abortion-rights/560017)
**Author:** [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Replies:** 454\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-are-abortion-rights/560017 "2010-11-15T16:38:02Z")
In my country, abortion is pretty much illegal (t’s complicated); if you want an abortion, you have to fly to another country to procure one. Abortion pills are regularly seized and abortion is a crime. I’m pretty ok w… --- ## [Obamacare Waivers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735)
**Author:** [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735 "2010-11-15T14:57:20Z")
Can anybody explain what these 111 waiversare all about? Are the little guys taking it in the shorts while the big connected ones are getting a pass? --- ## [Ludicrous theory about God, spirits etc.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludicrous-theory-about-god-spirits-etc/560143)
**Author:** [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludicrous-theory-about-god-spirits-etc/560143 "2010-11-15T14:00:32Z")
OK, in another thread about the odds of life evolving, another poster said poster, who can identify himself is he wishes, said The implication being that no matter how ridiculously improbable something is, it must happ… --- ## [Why the need to deny bias that others have experienced?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-need-to-deny-bias-that-others-have-experienced/560164)
**Author:** [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Replies:** 116\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-need-to-deny-bias-that-others-have-experienced/560164 "2010-11-15T07:53:05Z")
I recently interviewed someone for a job. I was one of many conducting interviews. Among my observations was a difference in the candidate’s response to me and the male interviewer and also a reference to a group of tech… --- ## [Why does the deficit commission rough draft contain supply side tax cuts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-deficit-commission-rough-draft-contain-supply-side-tax-cuts/560624)
**Author:** [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 15, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-deficit-commission-rough-draft-contain-supply-side-tax-cuts/560624 "2010-11-15T02:03:11Z")
http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/Illustrative\_List\_11.10.2010.pdf http://www.fiscalcommission.gov/sites/fiscalcommission.gov/files/documents/CoChair\_Draft.pdf I don’t get that.… --- ## [9/11 - Pentagon hit - Where are the plane parts?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-pentagon-hit-where-are-the-plane-parts/559825)
**Author:** [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/9-11-pentagon-hit-where-are-the-plane-parts/559825 "2010-11-14T22:32:37Z")
I’ve been watching some 9/11 programs lately on the pentagon hit specifically… and there doesn’t seem to be any pictures, films, videos, or even many eyewitness accounts of a plane hitting the pentagon. Most of the anno… --- ## [What is the Republican plan to fix our economy and why will it work?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-republican-plan-to-fix-our-economy-and-why-will-it-work/559354)
**Author:** [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Replies:** 112\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-republican-plan-to-fix-our-economy-and-why-will-it-work/559354 "2010-11-14T21:33:32Z")
I know this is a very general question and Republican Governors and House members each have different issues to deal with and ideas to fix them, but for the most part it seems to be lowering taxes on people who are deeme… --- ## [Tension between "the voters can't be trusted" and "let's register lots of voters"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tension-between-the-voters-cant-be-trusted-and-lets-register-lots-of-voters/560081)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 156\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tension-between-the-voters-cant-be-trusted-and-lets-register-lots-of-voters/560081 "2010-11-14T18:15:15Z")
It should go without saying that a constant refrain of the recent ACORN debate has been the claim from vocal SDMB participants that ACORN was attacked for registering lots of new voters - mostly voters from urban areas. … --- ## [Is Bharat India?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bharat-india/560634)
**Author:** [@Abisafyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abisafyan)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bharat-india/560634 "2010-11-14T16:43:56Z")
Is Bharat India? The name: ‘India’ has nothing to do with ‘Bharat,’ ‘Hinduism’ or ‘Hindus.’ Bharati-Hindus have, like so many other symbols of our highly prestigious heritage, plagiarized and have been committing the mo… --- ## [Offshoring - the snake that is eating itself.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offshoring-the-snake-that-is-eating-itself/555912)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 434\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/offshoring-the-snake-that-is-eating-itself/555912 "2010-11-14T07:21:38Z")
As I have said in previous threads, offshoring has resulted in: Declining US wages. Skyrocketing unemployment Reduced State and Federal tax revenues as a result of 1) and 2) Increased national debt. Now th… --- ## [Bush - Torture saves lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-torture-saves-lives/560112)
**Author:** [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Replies:** 134\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-torture-saves-lives/560112 "2010-11-14T04:30:40Z")
\*“Three people were waterboarded and I believe that decision saved lives.” He denied that waterboarding, which simulates drowning, amounted to torture. \* Two things there. First - I know Bush is about as popular as a … --- ## [Is this National Debt graph accurate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-national-debt-graph-accurate/560539)
**Author:** [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-national-debt-graph-accurate/560539 "2010-11-14T01:12:38Z")
Percent of GDP towards debt. Let’s argue about the politics in another thread. How accurate is this graph? --- ## [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Facts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-non-proliferation-facts/560590)
**Author:** [@jb0t](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb0t)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [November 14, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nuclear-non-proliferation-facts/560590 "2010-11-14T00:23:41Z")
So Obama is trying to reduce our number of Nuclear weapons from 2200 to 1550. I decided to crunch some numbers (Excel style) to see just how many people could be spared by such a decrease. Methodology: I took the popu… --- ## [Basis of science's belief that extraterrestrial life is likely?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basis-of-sciences-belief-that-extraterrestrial-life-is-likely/560137)
**Author:** [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Replies:** 233\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basis-of-sciences-belief-that-extraterrestrial-life-is-likely/560137 "2010-11-13T22:31:36Z")
Continuing form this locked GQ thread. My contention is that there’s no scientific basis for claims that life exists elsewhere. We have absolutely no idea how life arose on Earth or what conditions were necessary for t… --- ## [Is reading intrinsically superior to watching movies or television?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reading-intrinsically-superior-to-watching-movies-or-television/560474)
**Author:** [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-reading-intrinsically-superior-to-watching-movies-or-television/560474 "2010-11-13T20:22:39Z")
One of the common defenses I’ve seen of lesser-regarded young adult fiction (for example, Twilight) is that “at least kids are reading, rather than watching television.” This is certainly true, but I fail to see how gett… --- ## [2010: How Democrats lost the Battle, but won the War](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-how-democrats-lost-the-battle-but-won-the-war/560085)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2010-how-democrats-lost-the-battle-but-won-the-war/560085 "2010-11-13T20:09:35Z")
A lot of people are blaming the health care law for playing a role in the Democrat’s defeat at the polls. I don’t think that it cost them the election (the public seems to be evenly divided on this issue). But even if th… --- ## [No new U.S.-South Korea free-trade agreement](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-new-u-s-south-korea-free-trade-agreement/560329)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-new-u-s-south-korea-free-trade-agreement/560329 "2010-11-13T19:11:40Z")
Obama’s bringing home a lot of goodies from his lastest trip to Asia, but not a free-trade agreement with South Korea: Issues for debate: Is this just a setback, and will an agreement be negotiated soon? Wait, wh… --- ## [Who is \ enough to benefit from Affirmative Action? Should it be based on looks?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-blank-enough-to-benefit-from-affirmative-action-should-it-be-based-on-looks/560251)
**Author:** [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-blank-enough-to-benefit-from-affirmative-action-should-it-be-based-on-looks/560251 "2010-11-13T16:06:31Z")
Apparently, there is a foofaraw in Australia about someone who wasn’t dark enough to qualify as indigenous for the purposes of getting a job: Is defining racial identity based on looks a reasonable guideline? I don’t … --- ## [Obama backs India for permanent seat on UN Security Council](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-backs-india-for-permanent-seat-on-un-security-council/559919)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 115\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-backs-india-for-permanent-seat-on-un-security-council/559919 "2010-11-13T07:03:11Z")
Story here. Makes sense to me. India is at least as important a country as China, now. And it is not even nominally Communist. Since India and China still have some border disputes, etc. – and since both clearly are it… --- ## [It's time to establish trading blocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-establish-trading-blocks/556111)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 112\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-to-establish-trading-blocks/556111 "2010-11-13T06:29:28Z")
I propose that the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe should end all trade barriers with each other and establish a Wastern block, and impose severe tariffs against (at the very least) China and India until they mee… --- ## [Pro Choice Life of the Mother Vs Live of the baby](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-choice-life-of-the-mother-vs-live-of-the-baby/560377)
**Author:** [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pro-choice-life-of-the-mother-vs-live-of-the-baby/560377 "2010-11-13T04:45:11Z")
For those who consider themselves prochoice for abortion rights I would like to ask what should be done if a pregnant women in order to deliver the baby would have to give her life in the process, though aborting would i… --- ## [The supposed improbability of life](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-supposed-improbability-of-life/560459)
**Author:** [@TGWATY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TGWATY)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [November 13, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-supposed-improbability-of-life/560459 "2010-11-13T02:32:26Z")
The existence of life in the face if its miniscule probability of arising by chance is sometimes offered as something with significant import and requiring a satisfying explainaition, whether the explanation is God, or s… --- ## [Those who question depend on those who do not question. Discuss?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-question-depend-on-those-who-do-not-question-discuss/560462)
**Author:** [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-question-depend-on-those-who-do-not-question-discuss/560462 "2010-11-12T23:32:27Z")
In the wake of Veterans Day, I will take the small risk of prodding a bit at the philosophical foundations of the idea that freedom can only be preserved by those who give up their own. Please, let’s not turn this into … --- ## [Here's what the Democrats need to do to win](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-what-the-democrats-need-to-do-to-win/560061)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heres-what-the-democrats-need-to-do-to-win/560061 "2010-11-12T20:31:15Z")
Like I said in 2005: The Dems need to embrace economic populism, downplay cultural liberalism. This election has shown that the Dems can’t win without the support of the white working class. (Yes, in terms of economic … --- ## [Should we forgive (and forget) religions' past atrocities?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-forgive-and-forget-religions-past-atrocities/558344)
**Author:** [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Replies:** 140\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-forgive-and-forget-religions-past-atrocities/558344 "2010-11-12T17:42:08Z")
Is it fair/justifiable/ethical to criticize modern religious institutions–or perhaps, religion in general as a phenomenon–for their/its past crimes and atrocities? I ask this because I really want to hear mixed views on… --- ## [Forget the Republicans. How do the Democrats change internally from here?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-the-republicans-how-do-the-democrats-change-internally-from-here/559512)
**Author:** [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Replies:** 119\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forget-the-republicans-how-do-the-democrats-change-internally-from-here/559512 "2010-11-12T16:14:23Z")
Reading the results is rather interesting. Blue dog democrats got clobbered. It seems that running to the right and voting with Republicans on many issues didn’t do jack to stop Republicans from beating the crap out of t… --- ## [How Does One Know Israeli History?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-know-israeli-history/560073)
**Author:** [@Bpelta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bpelta)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-one-know-israeli-history/560073 "2010-11-12T03:17:32Z")
\[Wasn’t sure if this was best for IMHO or here, but it is an explosive topic…\] It seems to me that all of the different groups which are interested in issues surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict attempt to base … --- ## [Publix and Unions](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publix-and-unions/32584)
**Author:** [@muffinman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muffinman)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [November 12, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/publix-and-unions/32584 "2010-11-12T02:24:21Z")
As a worker at Publix, I am curious as to the opinions of grocery shoppers out there. Do you like Publix? How does it compare to other grocery stores? My main question: is it more beneficial for a company (a grocery sto… --- ## [Is India Really Becoming a Huge Market For US Exports?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-india-really-becoming-a-huge-market-for-us-exports/560313)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [November 11, 2010, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-india-really-becoming-a-huge-market-for-us-exports/560313 "2010-11-11T23:41:40Z")
Obama’s big visit to India was pegged as a huge plus for US exporters. I can see the argument-India has over a billion people, and as it’s economy grows, it will need all kinds of stuff-jetliners, roadbuilding equipment… --- ## [In 2000 years, will we be viewed as an "ancient" society, like the Romans (for example)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-2000-years-will-we-be-viewed-as-an-ancient-society-like-the-romans-for-example/560258)
**Author:** [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [November 11, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-2000-years-will-we-be-viewed-as-an-ancient-society-like-the-romans-for-example/560258 "2010-11-11T21:37:35Z")
While there is a factual answer to this, it probably won’t be known for another few thousand years, so I’ve put this here. Anyway, I’ve been reading about Ancient Rome, etc. and started thinking about how we’d be viewed… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=422) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=424)