# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=573 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 574 --- ## [Canadian opposition seeks to topple Harper's 6-week-old government](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-opposition-seeks-to-topple-harpers-6-week-old-government/475266)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [December 2, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadian-opposition-seeks-to-topple-harpers-6-week-old-government/475266 "2008-12-02T00:11:15Z")
And form a Liberal-NDP coalition government. Story here. As I understand it this is all perfectly proper in a parliamentary system, but is it right to do this so soon after an election? And will they succeed? And how… --- ## ["Partial-Birth Abortion": morally the same as any other abortion method](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partial-birth-abortion-morally-the-same-as-any-other-abortion-method/473357)
**Author:** [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Replies:** 120\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/partial-birth-abortion-morally-the-same-as-any-other-abortion-method/473357 "2008-12-01T23:08:32Z")
How can you draw a strong moral distinction between, on the one hand, killing it first and then removing it and on the other hand, removing it first and then killing it? Even if we stipulate that abortion is a bad th… --- ## [Is an armed society a polite society?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-armed-society-a-polite-society/475090)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-an-armed-society-a-polite-society/475090 "2008-12-01T16:07:33Z")
So said Robert Heinlein in his first (and worst) published novel, Beyond This Horizon, set in a future which has revived the custom of (only) men bearing weapons in public and responding to slights with a challenge to a … --- ## [How can Bob Rubin be made to suffer for banking crisis? (Long, no-doubt-ignorant rant](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-bob-rubin-be-made-to-suffer-for-banking-crisis-long-no-doubt-ignorant-rant/474543)
**Author:** [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-bob-rubin-be-made-to-suffer-for-banking-crisis-long-no-doubt-ignorant-rant/474543 "2008-12-01T15:12:52Z")
DISCLAIMER: I have no idea what Rubin stands for or looks like. I couldn’t pick him out of a police lineup, and I know almost nothing about banking. Probably the things I think I do know about banking are wrong. But I u… --- ## [Religious Dopers – what evidence\* could make you question or reject your faith?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-dopers-what-evidence-could-make-you-question-or-reject-your-faith/475170)
**Author:** [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-dopers-what-evidence-could-make-you-question-or-reject-your-faith/475170 "2008-12-01T14:47:10Z")
If anything would? On both a personal and a collective level; what would it take to convince you that your current belief system is wrong? What landmark or exceptional act do you think could occur to disable the entire… --- ## [Science of Morality, Anyone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-of-morality-anyone/474915)
**Author:** [@coberst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coberst)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/science-of-morality-anyone/474915 "2008-12-01T14:24:28Z")
Science of Morality, Anyone? Where, in American culture, is the domain of knowledge that we would identify as morality studied and taught? I suspect that if we do not quickly develop a science of morality that will mak… --- ## [Permanent internal checkpoints, every \*@#! day.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-internal-checkpoints-every-day/474885)
**Author:** [@bubba\_jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba_jr)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/permanent-internal-checkpoints-every-day/474885 "2008-12-01T11:32:10Z")
I want to scream and swear like a little girl because I’m so mad, (BBQ pit), I want factual answers (general questions), I want people’s opinions (IMHO), but in the end I think it boils down to a debate on the merits and… --- ## [EMP attack = End of U.S.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emp-attack-end-of-u-s/474567)
**Author:** [@robz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robz)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emp-attack-end-of-u-s/474567 "2008-12-01T06:35:05Z")
From What a Single Nuclear Warhead Could Do - WSJ “An EMP attack is not one from which America could recover as we did after Pearl Harbor. Such an attack might mean the end of the United States and most likely the Free … --- ## [Political Consequences if Congress legalized marijuana?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-consequences-if-congress-legalized-marijuana/474109)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-consequences-if-congress-legalized-marijuana/474109 "2008-12-01T03:02:23Z")
Hypothetically, let’s say that on January 21, 2009 Congress grows a huge pair of balls and decides to legalize marijuana. Would there be major repercussions in 2010 for those who voted for it? Let’s assume they restrict… --- ## [Global warming "tipping point" - why I think we're inevitably gonna go over it...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/global-warming-tipping-point-why-i-think-were-inevitably-gonna-go-over-it/473079)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 105\ **Last updated:** [December 1, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/global-warming-tipping-point-why-i-think-were-inevitably-gonna-go-over-it/473079 "2008-12-01T01:45:40Z")
Not enough people care. There are still people who say “see, it’s cold; that means global warming must be a hoax!” Way too many. Plus, it’s not an immediate, visible problem, and there’s “still” ten years to go. No… --- ## [What can Obama do to purge Bush political appointees from civil-service jobs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-obama-do-to-purge-bush-political-appointees-from-civil-service-jobs/474050)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-obama-do-to-purge-bush-political-appointees-from-civil-service-jobs/474050 "2008-11-30T21:34:42Z")
In a time-honored D.C. tradition known as “burrowing,” Bush political appointees have been maneuvering their way into jobs with civil-service protection, so Obama can’t fire them. The Bush Admin has been helping enthusi… --- ## [To profile or not to profile? A retailer's dilemma.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-profile-or-not-to-profile-a-retailers-dilemma/474648)
**Author:** [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Replies:** 43\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-profile-or-not-to-profile-a-retailers-dilemma/474648 "2008-11-30T19:36:27Z")
So the video store I work in has undergone a rash of shoplifting lately. All of the shoplifters, as far as we’ve been able to determine, have been African American. The store is kind of on the fault line between two ver… --- ## [Viewing my own death through a pet fish's death](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-my-own-death-through-a-pet-fishs-death/474377)
**Author:** [@petew83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/petew83)\ **Replies:** 54\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-my-own-death-through-a-pet-fishs-death/474377 "2008-11-30T18:43:35Z")
So my betta fish died the other day, and it made me wonder. What is the difference between him dying and me dying? I didn’t get the impression of an afterlife from his dead body. Mainly it just seemed like his brain s… --- ## [Bioethical Abolitionism: Putting an end to all suffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bioethical-abolitionism-putting-an-end-to-all-suffering/474572)
**Author:** [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Replies:** 63\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bioethical-abolitionism-putting-an-end-to-all-suffering/474572 "2008-11-30T04:20:26Z")
From Wikipedia: If I were in a position of political power, I would make this the most major funding priority and try to get as many of the worlds government in on it as possible. It may take decades of research and tr… --- ## [An Uninformed solution for the American Economy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-uninformed-solution-for-the-american-economy/474980)
**Author:** [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-uninformed-solution-for-the-american-economy/474980 "2008-11-30T00:19:12Z")
I’ve been wondering. First off, I sense that there’s been a bubble in American thinking in the past as to the amount of money circulating in the economy. With the collapse of housing prices, stocks etc, suddenly there … --- ## [Is Asperger syndrome real?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-asperger-syndrome-real/474288)
**Author:** [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Replies:** 62\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-asperger-syndrome-real/474288 "2008-11-29T19:56:02Z")
If so, is it as common as some people claim? Because it seems to me that it is mostly self-diagnosed by people who want a justification for their PITA behavior. Posted here because I think it will become a debate, if n… --- ## [Are ginger kids the new oppressed minority?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ginger-kids-the-new-oppressed-minority/474155)
**Author:** [@Valteron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valteron)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [November 29, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ginger-kids-the-new-oppressed-minority/474155 "2008-11-29T17:56:57Z")
This is alarming! Look at these news stories coming out of Canada. See http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=49022ee5-66d1-46e0-a057-7707de6e140b This is NOT a joke. It really happened in Canada. Other news a… --- ## [Can we talk about Clarence Thomas and the Obama citizenship thing (again)?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-clarence-thomas-and-the-obama-citizenship-thing-again/474772)
**Author:** [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-clarence-thomas-and-the-obama-citizenship-thing-again/474772 "2008-11-28T22:58:26Z")
What is Thomas’ motivation for putting this citizenship thing forward for closed session review on Dec 5, after it’s been rejected at several levels? I thought this whole thing was old and over until it was brought up a… --- ## [National Intelligence Council predicts end of U.S. dominance](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-intelligence-council-predicts-end-of-u-s-dominance/473819)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-intelligence-council-predicts-end-of-u-s-dominance/473819 "2008-11-28T21:49:47Z")
Story here: I must say, all that sounds very . . . believable. Any reason to be skeptical? Any reason to expect neoconservatism to have any life left in it in the coming decade? If it is reliable, then, based on thi… --- ## [Hey terrorists, I'm not impressed](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-terrorists-im-not-impressed/474722)
**Author:** [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-terrorists-im-not-impressed/474722 "2008-11-28T15:17:07Z")
Have your fun in Mumbai. Give me 20 men with hateful hearts and weapons and I could really give you some carnage. Give me 20 men with hateful hearts and gas cans and matches and I could cripple a nation. Give me 20 me… --- ## [Is this rape?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rape/474040)
**Author:** [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesus_Harold_Christ)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-rape/474040 "2008-11-28T12:05:44Z")
A Brad Pitt impresonator fully decked out in Pitt get-up meets a nice innocent 18 year old girl on the town. He did this with the intnetion of tricking a woman and getting laid. He is a good impersonator and everyone is … --- ## [Obama decides Bush's tax cuts are not so bad after all](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-decides-bushs-tax-cuts-are-not-so-bad-after-all/474130)
**Author:** [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Replies:** 55\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-decides-bushs-tax-cuts-are-not-so-bad-after-all/474130 "2008-11-28T08:03:10Z")
It’s starting to look like Obama is realizing he made promises he can’t keep. Pretty much the same story we see with every other politician. --- ## [Limits on Executive Pay.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limits-on-executive-pay/471383)
**Author:** [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Replies:** 123\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/limits-on-executive-pay/471383 "2008-11-28T04:40:51Z")
Regarding the story found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27555714/ (I wish to heaven I knew how to create a link\*) the main thrust is that President Obama (I love typing that) and Congress should act to impose a cap o… --- ## [Bush is handing Obama an huge bushel of poo. What can conservatives blame Obama for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-handing-obama-an-huge-bushel-of-poo-what-can-conservatives-blame-obama-for/474509)
**Author:** [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-is-handing-obama-an-huge-bushel-of-poo-what-can-conservatives-blame-obama-for/474509 "2008-11-27T16:50:58Z")
I mean seriously. So much terrible crap to deal with is being front loaded onto his new administration what are conservatives going to point to as the specific blamable fault of the Obama administration? --- ## [Obama supporters: What do you think of how Obama has repsonded to the economy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-what-do-you-think-of-how-obama-has-repsonded-to-the-economy/474614)
**Author:** [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-what-do-you-think-of-how-obama-has-repsonded-to-the-economy/474614 "2008-11-27T10:55:26Z")
I was very happy to vote for Obama. I have no second thoughts or anything. But I must say that I haven’t been very happy with the way he has responded to the economic problems. He seems way too eager to hand out piles… --- ## [Questions for believers: Is God a person and does he communicate?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-believers-is-god-a-person-and-does-he-communicate/473760)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-believers-is-god-a-person-and-does-he-communicate/473760 "2008-11-27T09:41:26Z")
It’s my strong preference that non-believers don’t attempt to hijack this thread. There are lots of threads where non-believers can make their cases, but in this one I’d just like some feedback from believers. All reli… --- ## [Libs won't criticize Obama? See Tom Toles 11/26/08](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libs-wont-criticize-obama-see-tom-toles-11-26-08/474544)
**Author:** [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libs-wont-criticize-obama-see-tom-toles-11-26-08/474544 "2008-11-27T04:13:06Z")
Well that just took three weeks and one day - Tom Toles’ editorial cartoon in the Washington Post for 11/26/08 gives Obama a small amount of grief for his Wall Street based economic team. As an Obama voter and campaign … --- ## ["Too Big to Fail" Is Too Big. Period.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-big-to-fail-is-too-big-period/474433)
**Author:** [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/too-big-to-fail-is-too-big-period/474433 "2008-11-27T03:29:19Z")
Given the news of late, this seems to be a good time to throw this out for debate. It needs no introduction. Count me with those who long to see legal limits to corporate sprawl. The usual counterargument, along libert… --- ## [lets say Obama enacts a law that truly redistributes the weath...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-obama-enacts-a-law-that-truly-redistributes-the-weath/474168)
**Author:** [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Replies:** 61\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-obama-enacts-a-law-that-truly-redistributes-the-weath/474168 "2008-11-27T03:12:01Z")
I mean something along the lines of no person shall be permitted to have a personal fortune of more than 30 million dollars, all assets and cash over and above 50 million dollars will be put into a pool and split evenl… --- ## [How did Christianity get hijacked by bozos?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-get-hijacked-by-bozos/473774)
**Author:** [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Replies:** 101\ **Last updated:** [November 27, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-christianity-get-hijacked-by-bozos/473774 "2008-11-27T01:45:10Z")
Inspired by this thread. “Christian” has come to mean “anti-gay and pro-life.” Now homosexual acts, like building a skyscraper or not screwing your late brother’s wife, may be disparaged here and there in the Christia… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=572) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=574)