# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=598 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 599 --- ## [Biden V. Palin watch-along thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-v-palin-watch-along-thread/466253)
**Author:** [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Replies:** 585\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-v-palin-watch-along-thread/466253 "2008-10-03T04:47:14Z")
Anybody got any drinking ideas? --- ## [OK, the fun is over. McCain is done.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-the-fun-is-over-mccain-is-done/466272)
**Author:** [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-the-fun-is-over-mccain-is-done/466272 "2008-10-03T04:06:21Z")
Alright now folks, it was fun while it lasted. We’ve been nicely entertained and humored by John McCain. Sarah Palin did a good job tonight with what limited information she had, and was able to cram in such a short tim… --- ## [Can we end up with another "Jimmy Carter"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 85\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-end-up-with-another-jimmy-carter/462346 "2008-10-03T04:01:51Z")
I don’t remember the Jimmy Carter years all that well, but in reading about his term in office the impression I get is that he didn’t have a political base. Essentially, he didn’t have the right friends despite being a … --- ## [Aren't U.S. Representatives SUPPOSED to listen...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-u-s-representatives-supposed-to-listen/465938)
**Author:** [@ManiacMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ManiacMan)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-u-s-representatives-supposed-to-listen/465938 "2008-10-03T02:55:47Z")
To their constituents? Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t these people, our elected representatives SUPPOSED to do what their constituency wants them to do? If the majority of the callers are telling a rep. that th… --- ## [Question for fellow Christians](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-fellow-christians/465792)
**Author:** [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-fellow-christians/465792 "2008-10-03T00:45:07Z")
In the Roman Catholic denomination, and, I think, in most major Protestant denominations, one of the themes is how God is active in our lives. I personally believe that there is little to no divine/supernatural interact… --- ## [What if the south had seceded?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-south-had-seceded/465677)
**Author:** [@Milkman\_Dan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milkman_Dan)\ **Replies:** 57\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-south-had-seceded/465677 "2008-10-03T00:03:12Z")
I would be interested to know how things might be different today if the Confederacy had been allowed to leave the union and there was never a civil war. Would the north be better off today if it was a sovereign country … --- ## [Olmert's parting shot: Israel must withdraw from West Bank](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olmerts-parting-shot-israel-must-withdraw-from-west-bank/465891)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 53\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olmerts-parting-shot-israel-must-withdraw-from-west-bank/465891 "2008-10-02T20:03:43Z")
Story here: Is he right? (I say of course, but there are more than 275,000 Israeli settlers in the WB and 200,000 in East Jerusalem who see the matter differently.) Since he’s resigning in disgrace, how much impa… --- ## [Why is Michigan leaning so heavily blue?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091)
**Author:** [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michigan-leaning-so-heavily-blue/466091 "2008-10-02T19:24:28Z")
I know that it is a Demo-strong state, but I thought that Romney was supposed to help try to swing it for McCain. Latest polls show it as 49-43 Obama. Is Romney not doing his job to make it closer there. Is it because… --- ## [Please explain the necessity/benefit of credit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-necessity-benefit-of-credit/466168)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-the-necessity-benefit-of-credit/466168 "2008-10-02T16:18:19Z")
I was reading the paper today, and they were talking about the problems when credit got tight. The example they gave was that stores borrow in the summer to buy inventory to sell at Christmas. And consumers get credit … --- ## [McCain Supporters -- a question about Palin](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697)
**Author:** [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Replies:** 152\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-supporters-a-question-about-palin/465697 "2008-10-02T15:40:43Z")
Please, folks, don’t turn this into a Palin-bashing thread – this is an honest question! Sarah Palin spent the weekend here in Philly – actually, she spent four or five days here. Hard to be sure, because she didn’t act… --- ## [RealClearPolitics is biased towards John McCain](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realclearpolitics-is-biased-towards-john-mccain/466162)
**Author:** [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/realclearpolitics-is-biased-towards-john-mccain/466162 "2008-10-02T14:33:22Z")
Interesting post from fivethirtyeight.com this morning. http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/real-credibility-problems.html --- ## [What economic help plan can pass Congress at this point?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-economic-help-plan-can-pass-congress-at-this-point/466128)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-economic-help-plan-can-pass-congress-at-this-point/466128 "2008-10-02T13:40:19Z")
So the Senate passed the bailout plan by a rather comfortable margin. I don’t think that momentum will last. When it comes to the bailout, pressure and doomsaying from the President, individual congresspeople, and prom… --- ## [September 26 - The First Obama-McCain Debate](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357)
**Author:** [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Replies:** 749\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/september-26-the-first-obama-mccain-debate/465357 "2008-10-02T12:39:40Z")
OK, so it looks like the debate is on tonight. McCain has agreed to attend, and all systems are Go. Let’s start the commentary on the debate HERE. --- ## [Is the Right tanking election 2008?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-right-tanking-election-2008/466144)
**Author:** [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-right-tanking-election-2008/466144 "2008-10-02T11:38:44Z")
Just in the last week or so, I mean. I’ve been shocked at seeing such ideological dickweeds as George F. (for “For Chrissake no one with a middle initial ‘F’ should ever use use his middle initial!”) Will and that Parker… --- ## [What if everybody won?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everybody-won/466109)
**Author:** [@Atropa3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atropa3)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-everybody-won/466109 "2008-10-02T07:53:53Z")
What if the feds cut a check for one million dollars for every man, woman, and child in the US? It would only cost around 300 million dollars. What would happen? --- ## [FDIC coverage and banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fdic-coverage-and-banks/466059)
**Author:** [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fdic-coverage-and-banks/466059 "2008-10-02T05:09:24Z")
I read this Economist article today about the author going to his bank and asking about FDIC coverage on his account. When he saw that he had too much to be covered completely, he considered moving the excess to another… --- ## [California's new underage prostitute law.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californias-new-underage-prostitute-law/465640)
**Author:** [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Replies:** 42\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/californias-new-underage-prostitute-law/465640 "2008-10-02T04:34:40Z")
Governor Schwarzenegger is signing a law decriminalizing prostition for teenagers. Good. Maybe some of these (mostly) girls can be helped. But I wonder how much they can be helped. I’m sure their lives have been hell, … --- ## [Design an ideal government](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-an-ideal-government/465582)
**Author:** [@doubled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doubled)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/design-an-ideal-government/465582 "2008-10-02T04:25:03Z")
Suppose you had the ability to instantly change the government to fix everything that’s broken about it. You can change term limits, replace congress with an advisory panel, give some or all of the presidents powers to a… --- ## [Candidate X doesn't know Y: What's your dealbreaker?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candidate-x-doesnt-know-y-whats-your-dealbreaker/465903)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/candidate-x-doesnt-know-y-whats-your-dealbreaker/465903 "2008-10-02T02:28:28Z")
Every candidate is ignorant about something. Most of the things aren’t too important, but some are. What’s one thing your candidate had better know about to get your vote? For example, if it were revealed tomorrow tha… --- ## [House of Representatives Rejects Bailout Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-rejects-bailout-bill/465746)
**Author:** [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)\ **Replies:** 304\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-representatives-rejects-bailout-bill/465746 "2008-10-02T02:24:16Z")
I say this is what happens when the people do not trust their President. A party does not trust it’s leader. The Republican party does not trust Senator McCain nor does it trust George Bush. So then why should they vote … --- ## [Real Estate Loses Luster-Will Stock Market Revive?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-estate-loses-luster-will-stock-market-revive/466110)
**Author:** [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-estate-loses-luster-will-stock-market-revive/466110 "2008-10-02T01:06:39Z")
It occurred to me that the big run-up in stocks (which ended around 2000) was followed by everybody investing in real estate. All of a sudden, people were buying up old houses and fixing them up, building condominiums, e… --- ## [Financial armageddon vs. election: priorities and confidence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-armageddon-vs-election-priorities-and-confidence/465828)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 24\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/financial-armageddon-vs-election-priorities-and-confidence/465828 "2008-10-02T00:49:55Z")
My question will have three main focuses: politicians, Americans in general, and this board in particular. Okay, here’s what I’m wondering: with the stock market plunging and threatening to plunge more, with credit clos… --- ## [Zionism for dummies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zionism-for-dummies/466006)
**Author:** [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zionism-for-dummies/466006 "2008-10-02T00:20:53Z")
I know it’s a massively complicated subject and my knowledge about it is as minimal as you can get but I’ve got a few questions. So if I understand it correctly after WWII there was international sympathy for the Jewish… --- ## [How is the US economic meltdown going to affect Canada?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-us-economic-meltdown-going-to-affect-canada/466056)
**Author:** [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-the-us-economic-meltdown-going-to-affect-canada/466056 "2008-10-01T23:02:46Z")
At the risk of creating yet another financial doom-and-gloom thread, do we have any big brains here who have a good idea of what effect the US financial meltdown is going to have on Canada? I’m hearing two very different… --- ## [McCain's Irish joke](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-irish-joke/464681)
**Author:** [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccains-irish-joke/464681 "2008-10-01T22:59:20Z")
I stepped out for a bit and when I came back John McCain was telling an Irish joke. He prefaced it by saying, ‘The only ethnic jokes that are allowed are Irish jokes. I don’t know why, but that’s how it is.’ (Paraphra… --- ## [How does a bailout deal play presidentially?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bailout-deal-play-presidentially/465577)
**Author:** [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-bailout-deal-play-presidentially/465577 "2008-10-01T21:44:00Z")
For the sake of this discussion let us assume both that the newest claims of an imminent deal are accurate and that both Obama and McCain go on record supporting it with their duly noted regret that it was needed, etc. I… --- ## [Does a landslide win change things?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-landslide-win-change-things/466011)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-a-landslide-win-change-things/466011 "2008-10-01T21:06:50Z")
The last couple of elections have been very close, and this election might end up extremely close as well. Historically speaking, does a landslide win seem to affect the winner’s presidency? Does it affect the winning … --- ## [What are/should banks/markets do to avoid failure?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-should-banks-markets-do-to-avoid-failure/465926)
**Author:** [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-should-banks-markets-do-to-avoid-failure/465926 "2008-10-01T17:02:01Z")
Folks keep talking about this impending crisis, and the need for an immediate goernment bailout. What I’m wondering is, what exactly is it like these days in the organizations that are in trouble? Are they just continu… --- ## [Could somebody clarify the latest issues with Matt Blunt?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-somebody-clarify-the-latest-issues-with-matt-blunt/465810)
**Author:** [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-somebody-clarify-the-latest-issues-with-matt-blunt/465810 "2008-10-01T13:38:17Z")
So it seems that Team Obama has a “truth squad” in Missouri to counter attack ads from the McCain campaign. Some members of these truth squads are in the law enforcement biz and have promised to go after ads that violate… --- ## [Most & least intellectual US presidents...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-least-intellectual-us-presidents/465533)
**Author:** [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Replies:** 67\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2008, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-least-intellectual-us-presidents/465533 "2008-10-01T06:16:07Z")
I’m just curious who the most and least intellectual US presidents were. I don’t mean just in terms of their diplomas, but also their propensity to take part in debates and discussions on complex issues as well as their… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=597) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=599)