Dust-Up archive
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Most weeks, the editorial page hosts an online dialogue between two prominent figures on a topic of public interest. The exchanges are updated each morning and featured prominently on latimes.com/opinion.
Below are all Dust-Up exchanges.
Without a public option, what will keep private insurance companies honest? Would having one put private insurers out of business? Are there any good alternatives? U.S. PIRG's Larry McNeely and the Cato Institute's Michael F. Cannon debate.
Does California have enough resources to fight what experts believe will be an increasing number of wildfires due to climate change? Should government restrict building in urban-wildlife interfaces? Adam B. Summers and William Stewart debate.
Will the Department of Justice's inquiry into possible abuses by agency interrogators have a chilling effect on field agents? Should the inquiry be broadened to include higher-ups in the Bush administration? David Kaye and Robert Alt debate.
Is Obama right that we'd be worse off without the stimulus, or does the fact that we're still deep in a recession prove that it's best to let the economy bottom out as quickly as possible? Has "cash for clunkers" been a success? UCLA's Edward E. Leamer and UC Berkeley's Brad DeLong debate.
Why did Gov. Schwarzenegger sign a budget that didn't include pension overhaul? Will CalPERS recover its lost value once the economy recovers? Scott Adams, an analyst with AFSCME, and California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility Vice President Marcia Fritz debate public-employee pension reform.
Is Francis Collins, a born-again Christian geneticist, fit to head the National Institutes of Health? Are religious belief and experience are wired through evolution? Francisco J. Ayala and Michael Shermer debate.
Did sending astronauts to the moon serve any practical purpose? What has NASA done right and wrong since the first lunar landing in 1969? Bill Nye "the Science Guy" and Michael Potter, director of the documentary film "Orphans of Apollo," discuss the future of space exploration.
Did the media treat Palin fairly? Who's the next star for the Republican Party? Have episodes like the recent ones with Palin and Sanford dented the GOP's image? Katherine Mangu-Ward and Glenn Reynolds triage the GOP.
Is Gov. Schwarzenegger right to say that Democrats put unions' interests ahead of the people's? Should public employee unions face tighter restrictions on political contributions? Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., and SEIU Local 721 Executive Director John Tanner debate.
Is there any way Iran's president won reelection by a 2-1 margin? Should the Obama administration adopt a policy toward Tehran more like the Bush administration's? Matthew Duss and Michael Rubin discuss what's next for Iran.
Are they a fiscal drain on traditional public schools? How much latitude do they deserve in teaching ideology to their students? Ralph E. Shaffer and Lisa Snell debate.
Was it worth it for the federal government to spend billions to prevent GM's liquidation only to steer it to Bankruptcy Court? Is GM truly too big to fail? Daniel J. Ikenson and Howard Wial debate GM's bankruptcy filing and federal efforts to keep U.S. automakers afloat.
Do ethnic and gender diversity on the Supreme Court bench matter? Is there a conflict between a judge exercising empathy in her decisions and interpreting the Constitution? Constitutional scholars Erwin Chemerinsky and Ilya Somin debate President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
Are tax increases inevitable given the failure of the budget-reform measures, or can the state shrink its way to a balanced budget? What's the future of the California GOP? UCLA's Daniel J.B. Mitchell and former Schwarzenegger financial director and U.S. representative Tom Campbell discuss fixing the state's financial mess.
Would the initiative help the state's budgeting process, or just make it work? Do Californians pay too much or too little in taxes? Jean Ross and Emily Rusch debate the centerpiece of the budget-reform package on the May 19 ballot.
James Jay Carafano and David Kaye debate what the latest memos released by President Obama reveal about the Bush administration's interrogation practices and what legal action, if any, should be taken against former administration officials.
Is the president's call for a nuclear weapon-free world naive? Are there some countries that should always maintain an arsenal of nuclear weapons? Gabriel Schoenfeld and Andrew Grotto debate the future of U.S. policy on nuclear proliferation.
The Brady Campaign's Paul Helmke and "Ricochet" author Richard Feldman discuss what effect the recent shootings in Pittsburgh and New York state may have on the future of gun control.
Did the Obama administration overreach by asking for the former GM chief's resignation? Should the White House intervene in a similar way on Wall Street? Matt Welch and Dean Baker debate.
Several formerly healthy major media companies are in bankruptcy, and two storied papers -- the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Denver's Rocky Mountain News -- have shut down this year. Are newspapers going extinct? Jeff Jarvis and Alan D. Mutter discuss the state and future of the American newspaper business.
Why is it considered so controversial for the federal government to enforce its own laws? Scott Imler and Stephen Gutwillig discuss President Obama's decision to suspend DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries.
Why is it considered so controversial for the federal government to enforce its own laws? Scott Imler and Stephen Gutwillig discuss President Obama's decision to suspend DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries.
USC professor Richard K. Green and Beacon Economics founder Christopher Thornberg debate the president's plan to spend $275 billion to decrease foreclosures.
Councilman Greig Smith and mayoral candidate Walter Moore debate Measure E, the March 3 ballot measure that would allow the city to offer incentives to businesses to locate in Los Angeles.
Sarah Leonard and Jack Humphreville debate Measure B, the March 3 Los Angeles ballot measure.
How much is the United Auto Workers at fault for Detroit's problems? With U.S. manufacturing jobs on the decline, what will labor unions look like in the future? Reason Foundation senior analyst Shikha Dalmia and the Center for American Progress' David Madland discuss the state and future of American labor unions.
All week, author, law professor and former Democratic Party operative Susan Estrich debates closing Gitmo, the GOP's future and more with law professor and nationally syndicated radio talkshow host Hugh Hewitt.
Who should Bush pardon? Has he gone too far in issuing his last-minute regulatory changes? How has he set up the Obama administration for either success for failure? Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald and American Spectator associate editor W. James Antle III debate the president's last days in office.
James Phillips and George E. Bisharat debate Israel's and Hamas' actions in the Palestinian enclave and the future relationship between the two sides.
Will Washington ever be able to pay down its ever-increasing debt load? Does it even matter that the federal government is about $1 trillion in the red this year? Authors Brian Doherty and Doug Henwood debate.
Should Barack Obama re-think our alliance with Pakistan? Under what circumstances should he send troops to war? David Rivkin and Lawrence Korb debate President-elect Obama's national security priorities.
Are the imperiled U.S. automakers getting what they deserve, or should Washington step in with taxpayer assistance? Daniel J. Ikenson and Gary Burtless debate federal assistance for Detroit and the future of the domestic auto industry.
Glenn M. Sulmasey, a U.S. Coast Guard Academy law professor and author of a forthcoming book on justice during the war on terrorism, and former State Deparment lawyer David Kaye debate Obama's promise to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
All week, Reason magazine's David Weigel and the Center for American Progress Action Fund's Scott Lilly discuss cabinet appointments and the first days of the Obama administration.
All week, Dan Schnur and Bruce E. Cain look back at the presidential race and analyze national and local elections results.
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and law professor Alex Kreit debate the California ballot measure that would expand treatment programs for drug offenders.
Lorri L. Jean and Dean R. Broyles debate the state ballot measure that would constitutionally ban same-sex couples from marrying.
Katie Short, co-author of Proposition 4, and Planned Parenthood's Miriam Gerace debate the state ballot initiative that would require parents to be notified before a minor undergoes and abortion.
The Reason Foundation's Adrian Moore and the California High-Speed Rail Authority's Dan Tempelis debate Proposition 1A, which would authorize the state to sell nearly $10 billion in bonds to go toward building high-speed rail.
All week, the Cato Institute's Daniel Mitchell and the Center for American Progress' David Abromowitz debate federal housing policy, the financial crisis and John McCain's proposal for Washington to buy up bad mortgages.
Reason magazine editor Matt Welch and USC law and political science professor Kareem Crayton debate election politics as Barack Obama and John McCain head into the final month of their campaigns.
American Prospect founder Robert Kuttner and economist J.D. Foster debate election-year economics and Washington's response to the financial crisis.
Is federal law crimping what clergy can sermonize about? All week, Barry W. Lynn and Erik Stanley discuss the friction between church and state over the issue of political speech from the pulpit.
Are we better off after the 2003 recall election? Has Schwarzenegger been able to translate his massive popularity into effectiveness? All week, Bill Bradley and Bill Boyarsky debate California under Arnold Schwarzenegger.
All week, Reason magazine associate editor Katherine Mangu-Ward debates feminism and politics in the Palin era with blogger and author Amanda Marcotte.
What was John McCain thinking in choosing Sarah Palin? What mark has Dick Cheney left on the office of vice president? All week, historians Lee Edwards and Allan J. Lichtman debate the politics and history surrounding the commander-in-chief's No. 2.
How closely does Vladimir Putin's Russia resemble the Soviet Union? Should the world prepare for an era of expanding Russia hegemony? All week, Reason magazine's Michael C. Moynihan debates post-Cold War Russia with Andrew Meier, an author and former Moscow correspondent for Time magazine.
Should the U.S. allow offshore drilling? What is the future of the personal automobile? All week, the Cato Institute's Jerry Taylor debates election-year energy policy with Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies Executive Director V. John White.
Is the area well served by its political leaders? Have relations between its residents and the police improved? How far should city leaders go to attract new businesses? All week, author and political analyst Earl Ofari Hutchinson debates Joe R. Hicks, vice president of Community Advocates Inc. and a KFI-AM (640) talk-show host.
How have Barack Obama, immigration and the free market shaped the civil rights movement? Juan Williams and Erin Aubry Kaplan debate.
David B. Rivkin and Joseph Cirincione debate the improving security situation in Iraq and what circumstances there would allow the U.S. to declare victory. They'll also discuss the military campaigns in the Balkans under Clinton, the responsibility of the U.S. to ensure global security and more.
Are Americans about to plunge into one of the worse economic crises in history? Or did Phil Gramm have a point when he called the current malaise a "mental" recession? All week, author Doug Henwood and Slate columnist Steven E. Landsburg discuss the federal government's role in reversing our economic slide.
All week, New America Foundation Senior Fellow Andres Martinez discusses Hugo Chavez, recent economic developments in South and Central America and the state of U.S. relations in the region with Angelo Rivero Santos, the deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The Los Angeles Times recently announced that it will cut 17% of its editorial staff. Given that some worry the paper's fortunes won't improve, should Southern California prepare for a future without the L.A Times? All week, Los Angeles prosecutor and blogger Patrick Frey discusses the future of the paper and the state of the larger media landscape with Marc Cooper, an LA Weekly columnist, Huffington Post senior editor and a visiting professor at USC.
Pepperdine University's Barry McDonald, a free-speech scholar and former clerk for William Rehnquist, debates government regulation of pornography and obscenity laws with adult entertainment director, producer and distributor John Stagliano.
Juvenile obesity, teen mass-pregnancy pacts, natalism what does it all mean? Kay Hymowitz and Kerry Howley debate kid-centered politics.
Is the scare over salmonella-tainted tomatoes a sign of a real problem, or something we should expect to happen more often in the future? What should be the FDA's role in preventing such outbreaks? And what kind of food should the feds ban? Freelance writer and food blogger Jacob Grier debates food policy with Paul Roberts, author of "The End of Food."
Finally, the drawn-out battle for the Democratic presidential nomination has ended and the drawn-out battle for the White House can begin. Are John McCain and Barack Obama right for their respective parties? What will be the tone of the upcoming race? Is it time to say good-bye to the Clintons and the Bushes? All week, Megan McArdle of The Atlantic discusses the McCain-Obama horserace with The American Prospect's Ezra Klein.
Authors Katha Pollitt and Amanda Marcotte discuss the status of modern feminism in presidential politics, pop culture and the non-Western world.
Propositions 98 and 99 both claim to be about eminent-domain restrictions, so which is better (or worse) for Californians? What about the race to succeed retiring L.A. County Supervisor Yvonne Burke? And what should voters expect in November? All week, California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence and Eric Bauman, chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, analyze the fine print of the June 3 ballot and the decisions facing local voters.
With the California Supreme Court's recent decision overturning the state's ban on same-sex nuptuals, Lambda Legal's Jon Davidson and the Alliance Defense Fund's Glen Lavy debate the future of gay marriage in California and the country.
This month, the Middle East's only western-style democracy celebrates its 60th anniversary. All week, UCLA's Judea Pearl and UC Hastings law professor George Bisharat look back at the last six decades of Israeli-Palestinian relations, discuss what the future holds for the region, and share their own compelling personal connections to the Holy Land.
Gas prices set new records every week, water supply is down, and food prices are skyrocketing. Is the era of plenty for the U.S. and the world over? Or will scientific innovation preserve our current way of life? UC Davis economist and author Gregory Clark debates World Watch Institute Senior Researcher Gary Gardner.
L.A. County's Metropolitan Transportation Authority recently decided on a novel approach to mitigating the area's notorious traffic congestion: charging drivers to use some carpool lanes. Is this fair? Does it signal a new era in transportation and growth planning in L.A.? And where's that "subway to the sea"? All week, the Transit Coalition's Bart Reed and USC Professor Peter Gordon debate traffic, growth and transit in Los Angeles.
Are the country's drug laws too harsh? If they were relaxed, would drug-related violence decline or surge? All week, Reason magazine's Jacob Sullum debates U.S. drug policy with former federal prosecutor and Pentagon attorney Charles "Cully" Stimson, now a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
All this week, The Skeptic's Michael Shermer and Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's Greg Lukianoff debate academic freedom.
Last fall, solving the state's water crisis was a hot political issue. Now we've had a rainy winter, and some of that interest seems to have flagged. What does that say about the political climate regarding water reform? All week, California Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow and Mindy McIntyre of the Planning and Conservation League debate state water policy.
Are politicians who call for borrower assistance badly misreading public opinion? Was the Federal Reserve right to bail out investment giant Bear Stearns? Does credit-card debt stand to experience a meltdown similar to sub-prime mortgages? All week, the Center for Responsible Lending's Paul Leonard debates the severity of the credit crunch with Beacon Economics founder Christopher Thornberg.
Does Congress sniff around too much in the military's business? What to make of Adm. Fallon -- a heroic voice of dissent in a war-mongering administration, or an errant officer who couldn't keep his own views to himself? All week, Iraq war veteran Phillip Carter and former Assistant Defense Secretary Lawrence J. Korb discuss instances in which politics and national defense collide.
Democrats and progressives are riding high going into the 2008 election does that signal Americans' embrace of liberal values, or just widespread frustration with Bush's presidency? Can Democrats campaign as the national-security party, or are their bread-and-butter issues still social welfare and economic equality? Historian and author Rick Perlstein debates the American left's evolution and future with Jasmyne Cannick, a local writer and blogger who has worked extensively with Democratic politicians.
George W. Bush's two terms have done almost as much to confound conservatives over their ideology as they have to empower them. With the president's final months in office approaching, and Republicans about to nominate an even more divisive figure on the right, the Weekly Standard's Matthew Continetti and the American Spectator's W. James Antle III debate how the following issues have affected and will impact the conservative movement: foreign interventionism, Bush's massive deficit spending, the religious right and more.
Supporters of nanotechnology predict life-saving research and abundant everyday conveniences; skeptics cite environmental and ethical implications. So who's right? What exactly is nanotechnology anyway, and how prevalent will it be? All week, NanoBusiness Vice President Aatish Salvi debates the Center for Technology Assessment's George Kimbrell.
Last year, they sliced and diced the Scooter Libby trial. With 11 months left in the president's final term, University of Minnesota political theorist Jeff Lomonaco and National Review White House correspondant Byron York reprise their March 2007 Dust-Up with a discussion on Bush's legacy, his remaining agenda, impeachment and the White House-Congress balance of power.
Does the L.A. Unified School District allow its students enough flexibility to leave failing schools? Why is the dropout rate so high? Is the expansive district breaking itself up? All week, Reason Foundation's Lisa Snell debates former L.A. Board of Education member David Tokofsky.
How should Californians concerned about immigration vote on Feb. 5? Is tougher enforcement yielding any positive results? What will the immigration debate look like a year from now? Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, and UC San Deigo professor and New America Foundation fellow Tomás Jiménez debate.
Will giving millions of Americans $600 each (or $1,200 per couple) stimulate our faltering economy back to stability? And where will deficit-spending Washington get the $140 billion? Jason Furman, a White House economic advisor during the Clinton administration, and author-economist Staven Landsburg debate the U.S. economy and the recently announced stimulus package.
Twelve years ago, the Rams and the Raiders left Los Angeles and 12 years later, L.A. still doesn't have its own NFL team. How much should local officials do (and how much taxpayer money should they spend) to bring the NFL back to L.A.? And why not fútbol instead of football? Local sportswriter Scott Olin Schmidt and Coliseum Commissioner Barry A. Sanders debate.
Is Pakistan so crucial to fighting the war on terror that it's worth it for the U.S. to support its undemocratic regime? Who was the real Benazir Bhutto? All week, Brian Katulis and Lisa Curtis discuss the United States' delicate alliance with Pakistan.
Pedal-powered transportation is good for your health no disagreement there. But should local governments and motorists accommodate it as a means of commuting equal to cars? L.A. blogger and cyclist Will Campbell and Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O'Toole (also a cyclist) debate bicycle infrastructure, planning and activism.
What exactly will Proposition 93 do to term limits in the legislature? Why would people want to place further restrictions on whom they can vote for? Can we do term limits without redistricting? Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Controller Steve Westly debate.
Who's "labor" and who's "management" in this strike? How can Ellen DeGeneres be a scab when it's her show? All week, Craig Mazin and Matt Edelman discuss the Hollywood writers strike.
What's causing academic performance by Black and Latino students to lag behind the rest of California? Can, and should, something be done about it? All this week Russlyn Ali, executive director of Education Trust-West, will debate Richard Rothstein, author of Class and Schools, on the achievement gap.
Is the good news about casualties in Iraq evidence that we've turned a corner? All this week, Brian Katulis and David Rivkin debate the post-surge future.
Were state, local and federal responses to last week's devastating fires above average, adequate or poor? Are authorities practicing responsible fire prevention, or encouraging people to court disaster? All this week, UC San Diego's Richard Carson and San Diego tax fighter Richard Rider debate the policy of fire.
Over the past 20 years, China has transformed itself into a global economic power while remaining a Communist country. So what is China a red threat, or an intriguing economic engine? Andrés Martinez, a former Times editorial page editor and currently a senior fellow at the New America Founation, debates author and WorldNetDaily.com founder and editor Joseph Farah.
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik and the start of the Cold War space race. To size up how America and Planet Earth are doing in space exploration today, Homer Hickam, former NASA designer and bestselling Rocket Boys debates Rand Simberg, former aerospace engineer, space policy commenter and proprietor of the "Transterrestrial Musings" blog.
It's fall in Hollywood, and that can only mean two things a bunch of Oscar-hunting movies with heavy political messages, and cash-cow fundraisers for presidential candidates from both parties. All week long, David Ehrenstein, blogger and author of "Open Secret: Gay Hollywood1928-2000," debates Hollywood politics with Andrew Breitbart, new media impresario and co-author of "Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon The Case Against Celebrity."
Are we eating ourselves to death? Who's to blame for our national waistline? And is government intervention, such as zoning away fast-food restaurants, part of the solution? Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, debates the University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos.
During the anniversary week of the Sept. 11 attacks, talk-show host Hugh Hewitt and columnist Doug Bandow debate the Gen. Petraeus report, counterterrorism in the U.S., the politics of war, and more.
California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence and Ventura City Manager Rick Cole debate the state's role in pushing local government to do better in planning and polluting.
Former LAUSD board member David Tokofsky and a group of Los Angeles high school students debate the future of the school district.
PetPAC founder Bill Hemby and Daniel Guss, founder of Stop Torture Abuse & Neglect of Dogs, debate California's stymied "California Healthy Pets Act," pit-bull deprogramming, muscle-dog culture and more.
Mike Reynolds and Barry Krisberg debate prisons and punishment in California.
The California Family Council's Ron Prentice and the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Lorri Jean debate same-sex marriage.
Blogger Luke Ford and KTLA reporter Eric Spillman debate ethics, credibility and high-profile snafus in the changing media environment.
California Mortgage Bankers Assn. President Robert Camerota and Center for Responsible Lending Director Paul Leonard debate the high-risk real estate market.
Former FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith and Brookings Institution fellow Thomas Mann debate the future of campaign finance reform.
Joe Hicks and Earl Ofari Hutchinson debate the fight and the endgame over the troubled medical center.
Author Robert Bruegmann and activist Gloria Ohland debate the shape of America's cities.
Publisher Kurt Hanson and attorney Jay Rosenthal debate the economics of online music.
Lawyers Kelli L. Sager and Alison Berry Wilkinson debate balancing officers' privacy against the public's right to know.
Tom Tanton of the Institute for Energy Research and Judy Dugan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights debate the politics, economics and secrets of rising energy costs.
Former U.S. attorneys Douglas W. Kmiec and Harry Litman debate the U.S. attorneys affair.
During this election week for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Pomona professors Walter P. Coombs and Ralph E. Shaffer debate the pros and cons of reform proposals with the Reason Foundation's Lisa Snell.
Instapundit.com creator Glenn Reynolds and Free Press co-founder and president Robert W. McChesney debate the future of media.
Iraq war veterans Phillip Carter and Austin Bay debate military preparedness, the state of the armed forces today, mass conscription, the surge and the leaner/meaner model of warfare.
The Independence Institute's David Kopel and The Economist's Christopher Lockwood discuss the withering and resurgence of the gun issue, the international view, treasured myths and possible solutions.
Most people seem to believe that there's some kind of housing crisis in the city of Los Angeles, particularly for lower-income residents. But that's where the agreement breaks down. Joseph Mailander and Peter Dreier debate housing policies and solutions for L.A.
John Yoo and Bruce Ackerman debate the wrangling between Congress and the president over wartime authority.
The Reason Foundation's Ted Balaker and Transit Coalition Executive Director Bart Reed debate traffic, transit and mobility in Los Angeles.
Halos Heaven proprietor Mat Gleason and New York Sun baseball writer Tim Marchman debate the issue of steroids in baseball.
Byron York and Jeff Lomonaco debate the Scooter Libby trial and the many ramifications of the leak brouhaha. York and Lomonaco take on the perjury trap, the culture of D.C. journalism, the suspect loyalty of the Bush administration and Plame/Wilson superstardom.
Anthony Wright of Health Access California and Daniel Zingale from Schwarzenegger's office debate the governor's healthcare initiative.
Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute and Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies debate immigration reform.
The 'public option' in healthcare reform
Sept. 16 - 18Without a public option, what will keep private insurance companies honest? Would having one put private insurers out of business? Are there any good alternatives? U.S. PIRG's Larry McNeely and the Cato Institute's Michael F. Cannon debate.
The politics and policies of fighting fires
Sept. 2, 3 and 4Does California have enough resources to fight what experts believe will be an increasing number of wildfires due to climate change? Should government restrict building in urban-wildlife interfaces? Adam B. Summers and William Stewart debate.
Investigating the CIA
Aug. 26, 27 and 28Will the Department of Justice's inquiry into possible abuses by agency interrogators have a chilling effect on field agents? Should the inquiry be broadened to include higher-ups in the Bush administration? David Kaye and Robert Alt debate.
Stimulus check-up
Aug. 19, 20 and 21Is Obama right that we'd be worse off without the stimulus, or does the fact that we're still deep in a recession prove that it's best to let the economy bottom out as quickly as possible? Has "cash for clunkers" been a success? UCLA's Edward E. Leamer and UC Berkeley's Brad DeLong debate.
Public pensions: headed for disaster?
Aug. 6, 7 and 10Why did Gov. Schwarzenegger sign a budget that didn't include pension overhaul? Will CalPERS recover its lost value once the economy recovers? Scott Adams, an analyst with AFSCME, and California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility Vice President Marcia Fritz debate public-employee pension reform.
God and science policy
July 29 - 31Is Francis Collins, a born-again Christian geneticist, fit to head the National Institutes of Health? Are religious belief and experience are wired through evolution? Francisco J. Ayala and Michael Shermer debate.
40 years after Apollo 11
July 22 - 24Did sending astronauts to the moon serve any practical purpose? What has NASA done right and wrong since the first lunar landing in 1969? Bill Nye "the Science Guy" and Michael Potter, director of the documentary film "Orphans of Apollo," discuss the future of space exploration.
Sarah Palin, Mark Sanford and the GOP's fortunes
July 8 - 10Did the media treat Palin fairly? Who's the next star for the Republican Party? Have episodes like the recent ones with Palin and Sanford dented the GOP's image? Katherine Mangu-Ward and Glenn Reynolds triage the GOP.
Sacramento: a union town?
June 29 - July 1Is Gov. Schwarzenegger right to say that Democrats put unions' interests ahead of the people's? Should public employee unions face tighter restrictions on political contributions? Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., and SEIU Local 721 Executive Director John Tanner debate.
What now in Iran?
June 17 - 19Is there any way Iran's president won reelection by a 2-1 margin? Should the Obama administration adopt a policy toward Tehran more like the Bush administration's? Matthew Duss and Michael Rubin discuss what's next for Iran.
The great charter school debate
June 10 - 12Are they a fiscal drain on traditional public schools? How much latitude do they deserve in teaching ideology to their students? Ralph E. Shaffer and Lisa Snell debate.
Is General Motors worth saving?
June 3 - 5Was it worth it for the federal government to spend billions to prevent GM's liquidation only to steer it to Bankruptcy Court? Is GM truly too big to fail? Daniel J. Ikenson and Howard Wial debate GM's bankruptcy filing and federal efforts to keep U.S. automakers afloat.
Obama, Sotomayor and "empathy"
May 27 - 29Do ethnic and gender diversity on the Supreme Court bench matter? Is there a conflict between a judge exercising empathy in her decisions and interpreting the Constitution? Constitutional scholars Erwin Chemerinsky and Ilya Somin debate President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
California's day of reckoning
May 20 - 22Are tax increases inevitable given the failure of the budget-reform measures, or can the state shrink its way to a balanced budget? What's the future of the California GOP? UCLA's Daniel J.B. Mitchell and former Schwarzenegger financial director and U.S. representative Tom Campbell discuss fixing the state's financial mess.
Proposition 1A and California's budget mess
May 6 - 8Would the initiative help the state's budgeting process, or just make it work? Do Californians pay too much or too little in taxes? Jean Ross and Emily Rusch debate the centerpiece of the budget-reform package on the May 19 ballot.
The 'torture memos'
April 29 - May 1James Jay Carafano and David Kaye debate what the latest memos released by President Obama reveal about the Bush administration's interrogation practices and what legal action, if any, should be taken against former administration officials.
Obama and nukes
April 22 - 24Is the president's call for a nuclear weapon-free world naive? Are there some countries that should always maintain an arsenal of nuclear weapons? Gabriel Schoenfeld and Andrew Grotto debate the future of U.S. policy on nuclear proliferation.
Violence and gun control
April 8 - 10The Brady Campaign's Paul Helmke and "Ricochet" author Richard Feldman discuss what effect the recent shootings in Pittsburgh and New York state may have on the future of gun control.
The Big Three: How far should Obama go?
April 1 - 3Did the Obama administration overreach by asking for the former GM chief's resignation? Should the White House intervene in a similar way on Wall Street? Matt Welch and Dean Baker debate.
Is there a future for newspapers?
March 18 - 20Several formerly healthy major media companies are in bankruptcy, and two storied papers -- the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Denver's Rocky Mountain News -- have shut down this year. Are newspapers going extinct? Jeff Jarvis and Alan D. Mutter discuss the state and future of the American newspaper business.
Obama nixes DEA raids
March 5, 6 and 10Why is it considered so controversial for the federal government to enforce its own laws? Scott Imler and Stephen Gutwillig discuss President Obama's decision to suspend DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries.
Obama nixes DEA raids
March 5, 6 and 10Why is it considered so controversial for the federal government to enforce its own laws? Scott Imler and Stephen Gutwillig discuss President Obama's decision to suspend DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries.
Obama's mortgage plan
February 24 - 27USC professor Richard K. Green and Beacon Economics founder Christopher Thornberg debate the president's plan to spend $275 billion to decrease foreclosures.
Stopping L.A.'s corporate flight
February 18 - 21Councilman Greig Smith and mayoral candidate Walter Moore debate Measure E, the March 3 ballot measure that would allow the city to offer incentives to businesses to locate in Los Angeles.
Shady politics or L.A.'s solar savior?
February 10 - 12 and 16Sarah Leonard and Jack Humphreville debate Measure B, the March 3 Los Angeles ballot measure.
The great union debate
February 3 - 6How much is the United Auto Workers at fault for Detroit's problems? With U.S. manufacturing jobs on the decline, what will labor unions look like in the future? Reason Foundation senior analyst Shikha Dalmia and the Center for American Progress' David Madland discuss the state and future of American labor unions.
Obama's first days
January 26 - 30All week, author, law professor and former Democratic Party operative Susan Estrich debates closing Gitmo, the GOP's future and more with law professor and nationally syndicated radio talkshow host Hugh Hewitt.
Bush's 11th hour
January 14 - 16Who should Bush pardon? Has he gone too far in issuing his last-minute regulatory changes? How has he set up the Obama administration for either success for failure? Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald and American Spectator associate editor W. James Antle III debate the president's last days in office.
Crisis in the Gaza Strip
January 7 - 9James Phillips and George E. Bisharat debate Israel's and Hamas' actions in the Palestinian enclave and the future relationship between the two sides.
Will deficits destroy us?
December 17 - 19Will Washington ever be able to pay down its ever-increasing debt load? Does it even matter that the federal government is about $1 trillion in the red this year? Authors Brian Doherty and Doug Henwood debate.
De-fense
December 10 - 12Should Barack Obama re-think our alliance with Pakistan? Under what circumstances should he send troops to war? David Rivkin and Lawrence Korb debate President-elect Obama's national security priorities.
Bailing out the Big Three
December 2 - 5Are the imperiled U.S. automakers getting what they deserve, or should Washington step in with taxpayer assistance? Daniel J. Ikenson and Gary Burtless debate federal assistance for Detroit and the future of the domestic auto industry.
Closing Gitmo
November 19 - 21Glenn M. Sulmasey, a U.S. Coast Guard Academy law professor and author of a forthcoming book on justice during the war on terrorism, and former State Deparment lawyer David Kaye debate Obama's promise to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Obama's transition to power
November 10 - 14All week, Reason magazine's David Weigel and the Center for American Progress Action Fund's Scott Lilly discuss cabinet appointments and the first days of the Obama administration.
Election week '08
November 3 - 7All week, Dan Schnur and Bruce E. Cain look back at the presidential race and analyze national and local elections results.
Prop. 5: Drug treatment and criminal justice
October 30 - 31Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and law professor Alex Kreit debate the California ballot measure that would expand treatment programs for drug offenders.
Proposition 8: Gay marriage in California
October 27 - 29Lorri L. Jean and Dean R. Broyles debate the state ballot measure that would constitutionally ban same-sex couples from marrying.
Proposition 4: minors and abortion
October 22 - 24Katie Short, co-author of Proposition 4, and Planned Parenthood's Miriam Gerace debate the state ballot initiative that would require parents to be notified before a minor undergoes and abortion.
Is California ready for high-speed rail?
October 20 - 21The Reason Foundation's Adrian Moore and the California High-Speed Rail Authority's Dan Tempelis debate Proposition 1A, which would authorize the state to sell nearly $10 billion in bonds to go toward building high-speed rail.
Wall Street and the American Dream
October 13 - 17All week, the Cato Institute's Daniel Mitchell and the Center for American Progress' David Abromowitz debate federal housing policy, the financial crisis and John McCain's proposal for Washington to buy up bad mortgages.
The final campaign stretch
October 6 - 10Reason magazine editor Matt Welch and USC law and political science professor Kareem Crayton debate election politics as Barack Obama and John McCain head into the final month of their campaigns.
Bailout brawl
September 29 - October 3American Prospect founder Robert Kuttner and economist J.D. Foster debate election-year economics and Washington's response to the financial crisis.
Pulpit politics
September 22 - 26Is federal law crimping what clergy can sermonize about? All week, Barry W. Lynn and Erik Stanley discuss the friction between church and state over the issue of political speech from the pulpit.
Schwarzenegger's California
September 15 19Are we better off after the 2003 recall election? Has Schwarzenegger been able to translate his massive popularity into effectiveness? All week, Bill Bradley and Bill Boyarsky debate California under Arnold Schwarzenegger.
What Sarah Palin means for women and politics
September 8 - 12All week, Reason magazine associate editor Katherine Mangu-Ward debates feminism and politics in the Palin era with blogger and author Amanda Marcotte.
Vice presidential politics
September 2 - 5What was John McCain thinking in choosing Sarah Palin? What mark has Dick Cheney left on the office of vice president? All week, historians Lee Edwards and Allan J. Lichtman debate the politics and history surrounding the commander-in-chief's No. 2.
The rise of Russia
August 25 - 29How closely does Vladimir Putin's Russia resemble the Soviet Union? Should the world prepare for an era of expanding Russia hegemony? All week, Reason magazine's Michael C. Moynihan debates post-Cold War Russia with Andrew Meier, an author and former Moscow correspondent for Time magazine.
Energy's future
August 18 - 22Should the U.S. allow offshore drilling? What is the future of the personal automobile? All week, the Cato Institute's Jerry Taylor debates election-year energy policy with Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies Executive Director V. John White.
The problems and potential of South Los Angeles
August 11 - 15Is the area well served by its political leaders? Have relations between its residents and the police improved? How far should city leaders go to attract new businesses? All week, author and political analyst Earl Ofari Hutchinson debates Joe R. Hicks, vice president of Community Advocates Inc. and a KFI-AM (640) talk-show host.
The modern civil rights movement
August 4 - 9How have Barack Obama, immigration and the free market shaped the civil rights movement? Juan Williams and Erin Aubry Kaplan debate.
Are we winning in Iraq?
July 28 - August 1David B. Rivkin and Joseph Cirincione debate the improving security situation in Iraq and what circumstances there would allow the U.S. to declare victory. They'll also discuss the military campaigns in the Balkans under Clinton, the responsibility of the U.S. to ensure global security and more.
Economic angst
July 21 - 25Are Americans about to plunge into one of the worse economic crises in history? Or did Phil Gramm have a point when he called the current malaise a "mental" recession? All week, author Doug Henwood and Slate columnist Steven E. Landsburg discuss the federal government's role in reversing our economic slide.
U.S. policy toward Colombia, Venezuela and Latin America
July 14 - 18All week, New America Foundation Senior Fellow Andres Martinez discusses Hugo Chavez, recent economic developments in South and Central America and the state of U.S. relations in the region with Angelo Rivero Santos, the deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
From Chandler to Tribune: the state of the L.A. Times
July 7 - 11The Los Angeles Times recently announced that it will cut 17% of its editorial staff. Given that some worry the paper's fortunes won't improve, should Southern California prepare for a future without the L.A Times? All week, Los Angeles prosecutor and blogger Patrick Frey discusses the future of the paper and the state of the larger media landscape with Marc Cooper, an LA Weekly columnist, Huffington Post senior editor and a visiting professor at USC.
Obscenity and the 1st Amendment
June 30 - July 3Pepperdine University's Barry McDonald, a free-speech scholar and former clerk for William Rehnquist, debates government regulation of pornography and obscenity laws with adult entertainment director, producer and distributor John Stagliano.
Kids' stuff
June 16 - 20Juvenile obesity, teen mass-pregnancy pacts, natalism what does it all mean? Kay Hymowitz and Kerry Howley debate kid-centered politics.
Food scares, scarcity and regulation
June 16 - 20Is the scare over salmonella-tainted tomatoes a sign of a real problem, or something we should expect to happen more often in the future? What should be the FDA's role in preventing such outbreaks? And what kind of food should the feds ban? Freelance writer and food blogger Jacob Grier debates food policy with Paul Roberts, author of "The End of Food."
Handicapping Obamacain
June 9 - 13Finally, the drawn-out battle for the Democratic presidential nomination has ended and the drawn-out battle for the White House can begin. Are John McCain and Barack Obama right for their respective parties? What will be the tone of the upcoming race? Is it time to say good-bye to the Clintons and the Bushes? All week, Megan McArdle of The Atlantic discusses the McCain-Obama horserace with The American Prospect's Ezra Klein.
Feminism in the time of Hillary
June 2 - 6Authors Katha Pollitt and Amanda Marcotte discuss the status of modern feminism in presidential politics, pop culture and the non-Western world.
The June 3 ballot, left and right
May 27 - 30Propositions 98 and 99 both claim to be about eminent-domain restrictions, so which is better (or worse) for Californians? What about the race to succeed retiring L.A. County Supervisor Yvonne Burke? And what should voters expect in November? All week, California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence and Eric Bauman, chairman of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, analyze the fine print of the June 3 ballot and the decisions facing local voters.
Gay marriage: What now?
May 19 - 23With the California Supreme Court's recent decision overturning the state's ban on same-sex nuptuals, Lambda Legal's Jon Davidson and the Alliance Defense Fund's Glen Lavy debate the future of gay marriage in California and the country.
Israel at 60
May 12 - 16This month, the Middle East's only western-style democracy celebrates its 60th anniversary. All week, UCLA's Judea Pearl and UC Hastings law professor George Bisharat look back at the last six decades of Israeli-Palestinian relations, discuss what the future holds for the region, and share their own compelling personal connections to the Holy Land.
The new scarcity
May 5 - 9Gas prices set new records every week, water supply is down, and food prices are skyrocketing. Is the era of plenty for the U.S. and the world over? Or will scientific innovation preserve our current way of life? UC Davis economist and author Gregory Clark debates World Watch Institute Senior Researcher Gary Gardner.
Death, taxes and traffic
April 28 - May 2L.A. County's Metropolitan Transportation Authority recently decided on a novel approach to mitigating the area's notorious traffic congestion: charging drivers to use some carpool lanes. Is this fair? Does it signal a new era in transportation and growth planning in L.A.? And where's that "subway to the sea"? All week, the Transit Coalition's Bart Reed and USC Professor Peter Gordon debate traffic, growth and transit in Los Angeles.
America on drugs
April 21 - 25Are the country's drug laws too harsh? If they were relaxed, would drug-related violence decline or surge? All week, Reason magazine's Jacob Sullum debates U.S. drug policy with former federal prosecutor and Pentagon attorney Charles "Cully" Stimson, now a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
Free speech in schools
April 14 - 18All this week, The Skeptic's Michael Shermer and Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's Greg Lukianoff debate academic freedom.
Project H2O
April 7 - 11Last fall, solving the state's water crisis was a hot political issue. Now we've had a rainy winter, and some of that interest seems to have flagged. What does that say about the political climate regarding water reform? All week, California Department of Water Resources Director Lester Snow and Mindy McIntyre of the Planning and Conservation League debate state water policy.
Credit crunch: crisis or crock?
March 24 - 28Are politicians who call for borrower assistance badly misreading public opinion? Was the Federal Reserve right to bail out investment giant Bear Stearns? Does credit-card debt stand to experience a meltdown similar to sub-prime mortgages? All week, the Center for Responsible Lending's Paul Leonard debates the severity of the credit crunch with Beacon Economics founder Christopher Thornberg.
The politics of national defense
March 17 - 21Does Congress sniff around too much in the military's business? What to make of Adm. Fallon -- a heroic voice of dissent in a war-mongering administration, or an errant officer who couldn't keep his own views to himself? All week, Iraq war veteran Phillip Carter and former Assistant Defense Secretary Lawrence J. Korb discuss instances in which politics and national defense collide.
Election-year liberalism
March 10 - 14Democrats and progressives are riding high going into the 2008 election does that signal Americans' embrace of liberal values, or just widespread frustration with Bush's presidency? Can Democrats campaign as the national-security party, or are their bread-and-butter issues still social welfare and economic equality? Historian and author Rick Perlstein debates the American left's evolution and future with Jasmyne Cannick, a local writer and blogger who has worked extensively with Democratic politicians.
Conservatism's heart and soul
March 3 - 7George W. Bush's two terms have done almost as much to confound conservatives over their ideology as they have to empower them. With the president's final months in office approaching, and Republicans about to nominate an even more divisive figure on the right, the Weekly Standard's Matthew Continetti and the American Spectator's W. James Antle III debate how the following issues have affected and will impact the conservative movement: foreign interventionism, Bush's massive deficit spending, the religious right and more.
Nanotech: Yay or nay?
February 25 - 29Supporters of nanotechnology predict life-saving research and abundant everyday conveniences; skeptics cite environmental and ethical implications. So who's right? What exactly is nanotechnology anyway, and how prevalent will it be? All week, NanoBusiness Vice President Aatish Salvi debates the Center for Technology Assessment's George Kimbrell.
Re-match: York and Lomonaco on Bush's final year
February 19 - 22Last year, they sliced and diced the Scooter Libby trial. With 11 months left in the president's final term, University of Minnesota political theorist Jeff Lomonaco and National Review White House correspondant Byron York reprise their March 2007 Dust-Up with a discussion on Bush's legacy, his remaining agenda, impeachment and the White House-Congress balance of power.
L.A. schools revisited
February 11 - 15Does the L.A. Unified School District allow its students enough flexibility to leave failing schools? Why is the dropout rate so high? Is the expansive district breaking itself up? All week, Reason Foundation's Lisa Snell debates former L.A. Board of Education member David Tokofsky.
Immigration '08
February 4 - 8How should Californians concerned about immigration vote on Feb. 5? Is tougher enforcement yielding any positive results? What will the immigration debate look like a year from now? Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, and UC San Deigo professor and New America Foundation fellow Tomás Jiménez debate.
It's the stupid economy
January 28 - February 1Will giving millions of Americans $600 each (or $1,200 per couple) stimulate our faltering economy back to stability? And where will deficit-spending Washington get the $140 billion? Jason Furman, a White House economic advisor during the Clinton administration, and author-economist Staven Landsburg debate the U.S. economy and the recently announced stimulus package.
NFL in L.A.
January 22 - 25Twelve years ago, the Rams and the Raiders left Los Angeles and 12 years later, L.A. still doesn't have its own NFL team. How much should local officials do (and how much taxpayer money should they spend) to bring the NFL back to L.A.? And why not fútbol instead of football? Local sportswriter Scott Olin Schmidt and Coliseum Commissioner Barry A. Sanders debate.
Our ally in Islamabad
January 14 - 18Is Pakistan so crucial to fighting the war on terror that it's worth it for the U.S. to support its undemocratic regime? Who was the real Benazir Bhutto? All week, Brian Katulis and Lisa Curtis discuss the United States' delicate alliance with Pakistan.
Bicycle brawl
January 7 - 11Pedal-powered transportation is good for your health no disagreement there. But should local governments and motorists accommodate it as a means of commuting equal to cars? L.A. blogger and cyclist Will Campbell and Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O'Toole (also a cyclist) debate bicycle infrastructure, planning and activism.
Term limit turmoil
December 17 - 21What exactly will Proposition 93 do to term limits in the legislature? Why would people want to place further restrictions on whom they can vote for? Can we do term limits without redistricting? Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Controller Steve Westly debate.
Pens down, pickets up
December 10 - 14Who's "labor" and who's "management" in this strike? How can Ellen DeGeneres be a scab when it's her show? All week, Craig Mazin and Matt Edelman discuss the Hollywood writers strike.
Mind the (achievement) gap
November 26 - 30What's causing academic performance by Black and Latino students to lag behind the rest of California? Can, and should, something be done about it? All this week Russlyn Ali, executive director of Education Trust-West, will debate Richard Rothstein, author of Class and Schools, on the achievement gap.
Back to Baghdad
November 12 - 16Is the good news about casualties in Iraq evidence that we've turned a corner? All this week, Brian Katulis and David Rivkin debate the post-surge future.
Fire politics
October 29 - November 2Were state, local and federal responses to last week's devastating fires above average, adequate or poor? Are authorities practicing responsible fire prevention, or encouraging people to court disaster? All this week, UC San Diego's Richard Carson and San Diego tax fighter Richard Rider debate the policy of fire.
China: red menace or green machine?
October 8 - 12Over the past 20 years, China has transformed itself into a global economic power while remaining a Communist country. So what is China a red threat, or an intriguing economic engine? Andrés Martinez, a former Times editorial page editor and currently a senior fellow at the New America Founation, debates author and WorldNetDaily.com founder and editor Joseph Farah.
50 years of space
October 1 - 5This week marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik and the start of the Cold War space race. To size up how America and Planet Earth are doing in space exploration today, Homer Hickam, former NASA designer and bestselling Rocket Boys debates Rand Simberg, former aerospace engineer, space policy commenter and proprietor of the "Transterrestrial Musings" blog.
Hollywood political values
September 24 - 28It's fall in Hollywood, and that can only mean two things a bunch of Oscar-hunting movies with heavy political messages, and cash-cow fundraisers for presidential candidates from both parties. All week long, David Ehrenstein, blogger and author of "Open Secret: Gay Hollywood1928-2000," debates Hollywood politics with Andrew Breitbart, new media impresario and co-author of "Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon The Case Against Celebrity."
The great fat debate
September 17 - 21Are we eating ourselves to death? Who's to blame for our national waistline? And is government intervention, such as zoning away fast-food restaurants, part of the solution? Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, debates the University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos.
The 'surge' and 9/11
September 10 - 14During the anniversary week of the Sept. 11 attacks, talk-show host Hugh Hewitt and columnist Doug Bandow debate the Gen. Petraeus report, counterterrorism in the U.S., the politics of war, and more.
Jerry Brown vs. cities and counties
August 27 - 31 California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence and Ventura City Manager Rick Cole debate the state's role in pushing local government to do better in planning and polluting.
Kids, grownups in school showdown
August 20 - 24 Former LAUSD board member David Tokofsky and a group of Los Angeles high school students debate the future of the school district.
Dog advocates unleashed
August 13 - 17 PetPAC founder Bill Hemby and Daniel Guss, founder of Stop Torture Abuse & Neglect of Dogs, debate California's stymied "California Healthy Pets Act," pit-bull deprogramming, muscle-dog culture and more.
Prisons break
August 6 - 10 Mike Reynolds and Barry Krisberg debate prisons and punishment in California.
Golden state, gay marriage
July 30 - August 6The California Family Council's Ron Prentice and the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's Lorri Jean debate same-sex marriage.
Rumor romp
July 23 - 27Blogger Luke Ford and KTLA reporter Eric Spillman debate ethics, credibility and high-profile snafus in the changing media environment.
Subprime players
July 16 - 20California Mortgage Bankers Assn. President Robert Camerota and Center for Responsible Lending Director Paul Leonard debate the high-risk real estate market.
Campaign finance reloaded
July 9 - 13Former FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith and Brookings Institution fellow Thomas Mann debate the future of campaign finance reform.
Is bad medicine better than none?
June 27 - 29Joe Hicks and Earl Ofari Hutchinson debate the fight and the endgame over the troubled medical center.
Brawl over sprawl
June 18 - 22Author Robert Bruegmann and activist Gloria Ohland debate the shape of America's cities.
Webcasters vs. the music industry
June 11 - 15Publisher Kurt Hanson and attorney Jay Rosenthal debate the economics of online music.
Police confidentiality
June 4 - 8Lawyers Kelli L. Sager and Alison Berry Wilkinson debate balancing officers' privacy against the public's right to know.
Gas prices
May 30 - June 1Tom Tanton of the Institute for Energy Research and Judy Dugan of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights debate the politics, economics and secrets of rising energy costs.
Should Gonzales go?
May 23 - 25Former U.S. attorneys Douglas W. Kmiec and Harry Litman debate the U.S. attorneys affair.
LAUSD reform
May 8 - 14During this election week for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Pomona professors Walter P. Coombs and Ralph E. Shaffer debate the pros and cons of reform proposals with the Reason Foundation's Lisa Snell.
Media blitzed
May 7 - 11Instapundit.com creator Glenn Reynolds and Free Press co-founder and president Robert W. McChesney debate the future of media.
America's military power
April 30 - May 4Iraq war veterans Phillip Carter and Austin Bay debate military preparedness, the state of the armed forces today, mass conscription, the surge and the leaner/meaner model of warfare.
Gun control
April 23 - 27The Independence Institute's David Kopel and The Economist's Christopher Lockwood discuss the withering and resurgence of the gun issue, the international view, treasured myths and possible solutions.
L.A.'s housing crisis
April 9 - 13Most people seem to believe that there's some kind of housing crisis in the city of Los Angeles, particularly for lower-income residents. But that's where the agreement breaks down. Joseph Mailander and Peter Dreier debate housing policies and solutions for L.A.
Congress at war
April 2 - 6John Yoo and Bruce Ackerman debate the wrangling between Congress and the president over wartime authority.
Traffic snarl
March 19 - 23The Reason Foundation's Ted Balaker and Transit Coalition Executive Director Bart Reed debate traffic, transit and mobility in Los Angeles.
The great steroids debate
March 12 - 16Halos Heaven proprietor Mat Gleason and New York Sun baseball writer Tim Marchman debate the issue of steroids in baseball.
Scooter Libby trial
March 5 - 9Byron York and Jeff Lomonaco debate the Scooter Libby trial and the many ramifications of the leak brouhaha. York and Lomonaco take on the perjury trap, the culture of D.C. journalism, the suspect loyalty of the Bush administration and Plame/Wilson superstardom.
Schwarzenegger's healthcare reform
February 26 - March 2Anthony Wright of Health Access California and Daniel Zingale from Schwarzenegger's office debate the governor's healthcare initiative.
The late, great immigration debate
February 19 - 23Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute and Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies debate immigration reform.
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