The White House is touting the benefits of Obamacare. Now that the website is less of a problem, Republicans are pointing to cancelled policies, loss of access, increased costs. How do you think these two strategies will play out in 2014?
States with Republican
governors are losing billions in federal funding by refusing to expand
Medicaid. Outside of any perceived
political advantage for not supporting Obamacare, are there any tangible
benefits to these states?
Detroit's probable bankruptcy will directly affect retiree pensions. What contributed more to this disaster--unaffordable benefits...or free trade and outsourcing? Is it fair to cut pensions, yet allow other priorities--like public sector help to build a new hockey stadium--be less affected? Is Detroit a harbinger of what could happen in Chicago?
America continues to slide, educationally, when compared to other nations. We are now 17th in reading, 21st in science, and 26th in math. Critics point to the increased child poverty rate, too great a focus on testing, and our increased diversity as important causes...and suggest we look harder at school choice, increasing standards, and better evaluation of teachers. What can we learn from other nations, as close as Canada?
Detroit's probable bankruptcy will directly affect retiree pensions. What contributed more to this disaster--unaffordable benefits...or free trade and outsourcing? Is it fair to cut pensions, yet allow other priorities--like public sector help to build a new hockey stadium--be less affected? Is Detroit a harbinger of what could happen in Chicago?
America continues to slide, educationally, when compared to other nations. We are now 17th in reading, 21st in science, and 26th in math. Critics point to the increased child poverty rate, too great a focus on testing, and our increased diversity as important causes...and suggest we look harder at school choice, increasing standards, and better evaluation of teachers. What can we learn from other nations, as close as Canada?
Economists say technology has
fostered a polarization of employment: job growth is now concentrated in both
the highest paid (abstract tasks) and lowest paid (manual tasks). Jobs in the
middle—routine-intensive tasks—are now done by computers: i.e., storing and
manipulating information, specific production steps, bookkeeping, etc. What will
be the repercussions? What can
Washington do to improve this?
What is the significance of
the jobless rate dropping to 7%, the lowest in 5 years? Does the President
deserve any credit? What about
Republicans?
13 Republicans on the House
Judiciary Committee have discussed Impeachment of President Obama. They are having trouble coming up "high crimes and misdemeanors". What is the point of this exercise?
The TPP (Trans Pacific
Partnership) is ostensibly intended to be a "high-standard" agreement aimed at
emerging trade issues in the 21st century. These ongoing negotiations have drawn
criticism and protest from the public, advocacy groups, and elected officials,
in part due to the secrecy of the negotiations, the expansive scope of the
agreement, and controversial clauses in drafts leaked to the public. What are your thoughts about TPP and Obama’s
greater involvement with Asia?
China has taken a very aggressive stance against Japan. America has ignored warnings not to have military flights over disputed islands. Why would China pretty much force America to be more involved in Asia at a time when it is trying to establish itself as THE force in this area? Is the President handling this situation correctly?
China has taken a very aggressive stance against Japan. America has ignored warnings not to have military flights over disputed islands. Why would China pretty much force America to be more involved in Asia at a time when it is trying to establish itself as THE force in this area? Is the President handling this situation correctly?
Is the bigger risk to Israel
less one of Iran's nuclear threat, but rather America's possible budding
engagement with Iran?
We generally look at
immigration reform from our own U.S. perspective. How does “liberalizing” rules
affect other countries? Might it be a brain drain to them, thus affecting their
ability to “improve”? Would an improved “poorer” country then help the U.S. by
becoming a market for our goods & services?
What should Republicans do to
support its Conservative views on immigration, while being mindful of changing
demographics?
This Holiday season, Atheists and Agnostics received permission to add a big "A" next to the Christian manger and Jewish menorah at the Daley Center...in the interests of religious inclusiveness. In America, is it now OK to have freedom FROM religion in addition to freedom OF religion? Would our Founding Fathers feel this is appropriate?
This Holiday season, Atheists and Agnostics received permission to add a big "A" next to the Christian manger and Jewish menorah at the Daley Center...in the interests of religious inclusiveness. In America, is it now OK to have freedom FROM religion in addition to freedom OF religion? Would our Founding Fathers feel this is appropriate?
How Liberal is President
Obama, compared with recent Presidents?
Should the “fist bump” replace
the handshake in the interest of better health?
Elizabeth Warren is being
touted by Progressives as a potential Democratic presidential candidate. Your
thoughts.
Democrats are pushing the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act--a bill that bans workplace discrimination on
the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. "We want to shame people
into voting for what is the right thing to do. It's a strategy that works", said
one Democrat Congressperson. Your thoughts.
What are the dynamics
underlying the horrendous "game" of KNOCKOUT, where young males bash an
unsuspecting victim from behind, just for the thrill of
it?
The meeting between Defense
Secretary Hagel and President Park Geun-hye of South Korea was something of a
shock. As reported by the NY Times, Mr. Hagel was in the region trying to
revitalize America’s faltering “pivot” to Asia and had one especially pressing
request for Ms. Park: to try to get along better with Japan. The steely Ms. Park
instead delivered a lecture about Japan’s “total absence of sincerity” over the
suffering that imperial Japan caused Korea in the last century and finished with
a request of her own: that Washington force Tokyo to behave. How might the rift
between our 2 best Asian allies, Japan & South Korea, affect our China
containment policy, if at all? What should we do?
The Women's Health Protection
Act is a pro-choice bill that would prohibit imposing strict standards for
obtaining an abortion. Your thoughts.
The Justice Department is
suing North Carolina over its restrictive voting laws. Your
thoughts.
How do you see the future of
Unions?
