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Debate Desk
The arguments conservatives meet most, answered: the claim as its defenders put it, the reply in three points, the numbers and the usual comebacks.
Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished in the United States? Conservatives divide on capital punishment; the case for it rests on justice for the worst crimes, the case against on error, cost and the limits of the state. Should the Electoral College Be Abolished in Favor of a Popular Vote? The Electoral College forces candidates to build broad coalitions across states, protects smaller states, and confines disputes to a handful of states. Should Immigration and Customs Enforcement Be Abolished? Abolishing ICE would not end immigration law, only the agency that enforces it; reforming conduct and clarifying rules is the better answer. Should the Senate Filibuster Be Abolished to Let the Majority Govern? The 60-vote rule forces compromise and protects the minority, and the party that ends it will regret it; reforms like a talking filibuster are options. Is the Administrative State Needed Because Congress Cannot Write Every Detail? Agencies fill in details, and the Constitution gives lawmaking to Congress; the line is drawn by the nondelegation doctrine and by the major questions rule. Should Every American Election Be Conducted Entirely by Mail? Mail voting is convenient and fits some states, but it loosens chain of custody and the secret ballot; choices should stay with the states and voters. Must America Cut Emissions First Because It Is the Biggest Polluter? America is not the largest annual emitter, and its emissions per dollar of output have fallen; global emissions turn on Asia and the developing world. Is Amnesty for Everyone Here Illegally the Answer to Immigration? The 1986 amnesty promised enforcement that never followed; a broad legalization without it invites repeat of the problem it meant to solve. Would an Assault Weapons Ban Cut Gun Deaths in America? Rifles of every type account for a small share of murders, and the Justice Department's own review of the 1994 ban found no clear effect. Should Anyone Who Claims Asylum Be Admitted While Waiting for a Hearing? Asylum protects those facing persecution, but a low screening bar and release into the country invite claims that fail, and the backlog harms real refugees. Should America Copy Australia's Gun Buyback After 1996? Australia's rules came after a mass shooting in a country with far fewer guns; the evidence that they were what lowered violence is weaker than it seems. Is Ballot Harvesting Harmless Help for Voters Who Cannot Get to the Polls? Letting third parties collect and return other people's ballots removes the chain of custody; many states limit it to protect voters. Should Gas-Powered Cars Be Banned and Electric Vehicles Mandated? Electric cars suit many drivers, but a mandate takes away a choice, depends on foreign minerals, and presumes a charging network that does not yet exist. Is Bigger Government the Best Way to Help Poor Americans Move Up? Aid relieves hardship, but programs with steep benefit cliffs can trap people; growth, work and marriage lift most families out of poverty. Is Birthright Citizenship for Every Child Born Here Settled Law? The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to those born here and subject to its jurisdiction; what that means for illegal entrants is argued. Does a Border Wall Not Work Against Illegal Crossings at All? Barriers work as part of a system with agents, technology and consequences; where they were built and manned, crossings fell and agents gained time. Should Big Tech Be Broken Up, and Why Do Conservatives Disagree? Conservatives share concern about the power of a few tech giants but split on antitrust breakups versus transparency and competition. Should Campuses Bar Speakers Whose Views Offend Students? A university exists to test ideas; shouting down or barring speakers teaches students to avoid argument, and public campuses are bound by the First Amendment. Should Washington Cancel Student Loan Debt for Millions of Borrowers? Canceling loans shifts the bill to taxpayers who did not borrow, rewards rising tuition, and the Supreme Court ruled against the 2022 plan. Is Cash Bail Unjust, and Did Ending It Make Communities Safer? Bail should depend on risk, not wealth alone; but systems that release dangerous defendants without a hearing put victims and witnesses at risk. Do Certificate-of-Need Laws Protect Patients From Wasteful Care? Certificate-of-need laws make new hospitals and clinics ask rivals for permission, which protects incumbents more than patients. Do Charter Schools Cherry-Pick Students and Do Worse Than District Schools? Charters admit by lottery when oversubscribed, and lottery studies find strong gains for urban students; results vary and bad charters should close. Is an Expanded Child Tax Credit Just Welfare, and Why Are Conservatives Divided? Conservatives split over whether a larger credit supports families and work or becomes a no-work benefit; design details such as work requirements decide it. Is China Just a Trade Partner and Not a Threat to the United States? China is both a trading partner and a rival; its military buildup, theft of technology and pressure on Taiwan make it the main strategic challenge. Should Churches Lose Their Tax Exemption in the United States? Exemption for houses of worship is as old as the republic and was upheld 7 to 1 in 1970; taxing churches would give the state leverage over what is preached. Did Citizens United Let Big Money Buy American Elections? The 2010 decision protected independent political speech by groups of citizens; it did not allow contributions to candidates beyond the legal limits. Do Federal Civil Servants Need Ironclad Protection From Being Fired? Merit protection ended the spoils system, but rules that make removal of poor performers nearly impossible leave voters unable to direct the executive branch. Does a Coach's or Teacher's Public Prayer Violate the Establishment Clause? Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022) held that a coach's personal prayer is protected speech and religious exercise, not an establishment of religion. Should College Be Free for Every American Who Wants to Attend? Free tuition would be paid by all taxpayers and mostly benefits families who can pay; apprenticeships and shorter routes serve more people. Should Congress Hand New Fields Like AI to Expert Agencies to Regulate? A new technology needs rules, and who writes them matters: Congress should set the principles and leave agencies the details, not the reverse. Are Conservatives Anti-Science Because They Question Climate Policy? Questioning a policy is not denying a fact; the science describes what is happening, and the choice of response is a matter of costs, values and judgment. Do Conservatives Oppose All Immigration to the United States? Conservatives broadly welcome legal immigration that serves the country; the objection is to illegal entry and to a system that ignores skills and assimilation. Did Corporate Greed Cause the Price Spike of 2021 to 2023? Companies were no greedier in 2021 than in 2019; prices rose because too much money chased too few goods, and supply could not keep pace. Is Crime Falling, So Does America Have No Crime Problem? Crime fell from its recent peak, but crime statistics miss unreported offenses, and public safety depends on citizens' confidence as much as on numbers. Is Cutting Federal Agencies Reckless and Dangerous to the Public? Reorganizing and trimming agencies is a normal act of self-government; the GAO has flagged duplicative programs for decades, and Congress can do it carefully. Should Washington, D.C. Become the Fifty-First State of the Union? The Constitution created a federal district under Congress's control; statehood would need careful constitutional steps, and retrocession offers another path. Was the National Debt Caused by Tax Cuts Rather Than Spending? Tax cuts add to deficits, but spending has grown faster than revenue for decades; the gap is mostly a spending problem with a revenue side. Do Deficits Not Matter Because We Owe the Debt to Ourselves? Much of the debt is held by foreign buyers, and even the domestic share must be repaid with interest out of taxes that people would otherwise keep. Is the Defense Budget Bloated and Ready to Be Cut Sharply? Defense takes a smaller share of the economy than in the Cold War; real waste, such as failed audits, should be cut without weakening deterrence. Should Cities Defund the Police and Send Social Workers Instead? Cities that cut police budgets in 2020 mostly reversed course; social workers have a role, but they cannot replace officers when violence is under way. Is the U.S. Department of Education Essential to American Schools? Washington supplies a small share of school funding and no classrooms; the department grew from a 1979 political bargain and its record does not show gains. Is Deportation Cruel and Un-American, or Part of Any Lawful System? Every country removes those who have no right to stay; the question is doing it fairly, with due process, and applying the same rules to everyone. Did Dobbs Take Away a Constitutional Right From American Women? Dobbs held the Constitution does not mention abortion and returned the question to elected representatives; the debate continues state by state. Should Drugs Be Decriminalized, and Why Do Conservatives Disagree? Some conservatives want to end drug prohibition on liberty grounds, others want enforcement; Oregon's 2020 experiment and its 2024 reversal shape the debate. Are Earmarks and Pork-Barrel Spending Harmless to the Federal Budget? Earmarks are a small share of spending and a large source of influence; the Bridge to Nowhere shows how they work, and conservatives differ. Does the American Economy Depend on Illegal Immigration for Labor? Illegal labor holds down wages and rewards lawbreaking employers; a legal system with enough visas serves farms and families better. Must Fossil Fuels Be Eliminated Quickly to Save the Planet? Accepting that the climate is warming still leaves the policy question of cost, speed and reliability; a rapid ban on oil and gas would hit families hardest. Did Ending Chevron Hand Too Much Power to Unelected Judges? Loper Bright (2024) returned the job of interpreting the law to courts rather than agencies; Congress keeps the power to write clearer statutes. Should Medicare and Social Security Never Change at All? Both programs face funding gaps under current law; changing them for younger workers while keeping promises to retirees is the responsible path. Is the Estate Tax a Fair Tax on Inherited Privilege in America? The estate tax hits assets already taxed once, often falls on farms and family firms, and raises little; the fairness case is weaker than it sounds. Should Every State Expand Medicaid to Cover More Adults? Expansion covers more people with a large federal match, but it pays more for new adults than for the disabled and poor children the program was built for. Should Congress Expand the Supreme Court to Add More Justices? The Court has had nine justices since 1869; a plan to add seats whenever a party loses a ruling would end its independence, as FDR's 1937 failed plan showed. Do the Rich Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes in America Today? The top earners already pay most of the federal income tax; the real question is what share counts as fair, not whether they pay. Are Falling Birth Rates Nothing to Worry About for America's Future? A birth rate below replacement strains pensions and workforces; the causes are cultural and economic, and policy can help families who want more children. Does Family Structure Not Matter for How Children Do in Life? Children flourish in many kinds of homes, but on average, growing up with both parents helps, and policy should not pretend otherwise. Do Farm Subsidies Really Help Family Farmers, or Do Conservatives Disagree? Farm programs flow mostly to large operations and raise land prices; some conservatives defend a safety net for farmers and others favor ending the subsidies. Is the Federal Government Too Small to Meet Today's Challenges? Federal spending is among the largest in history; the issue is focus and results, and a government that tries to do everything does little well. Should Washington Take Over How the States Run Elections? The Constitution gives states the primary role in running elections; one federal system would be a larger target and ignore local conditions. Are Cartels and Fentanyl a Public Health Problem, Not a Border Problem? Fentanyl is both: demand drives the market, but the supply is made by cartels and moved across a border that must be defended. Should Medical Professionals Be Forced to Act Against Their Conscience? American law has protected conscience in medicine since the Church Amendments of 1973; accommodating it harms few and honors a founding freedom. Is Foreign Aid a Waste of Money, and Do Conservatives Agree on It? Foreign aid is about one percent of the federal budget; some programs serve American interests and save lives, and others fail, so each deserves scrutiny. Was America Founded as a Secular Nation by Deists Who Rejected Religion? The founders disagreed about religion, and they wrote no state church; but they publicly relied on a Creator and on religion as a support of morality. Does Fracking Poison Water and Deserve a Nationwide Ban? A federal study found no widespread systemic harm to drinking water, and shale gas has lowered emissions and prices; local risks call for rules, not a ban. Is Fraud and Improper Spending in Government Programs Too Small to Matter? The GAO reports roughly $162 billion in improper payments for fiscal 2024; much of it is error, and recovering it is worth far more than most savings. Should America Fund Ukraine Indefinitely? Why Conservatives Differ? Conservatives split on Ukraine aid between deterring Russia and limiting open-ended commitments; clear goals and burden-sharing are common ground. Is Gerrymandering Only a Republican Problem in American Politics? Both parties draw maps for advantage; the Supreme Court held in 2019 that federal courts cannot decide partisan cases, so fair maps need state reform. Is It Not Censorship When Government Asks Platforms to Remove Posts? A request from an official comes with power behind it; the Court has held that government may not coerce private parties to suppress speech. Should the Government Set the Prices of Prescription Drugs? Price controls lower what patients pay today and reduce the new medicines that arrive tomorrow; targeted reforms to middlemen and patents work better. Should Government Fight Misinformation by Policing What People Say? Misinformation is not a legal category; government officials have been wrong about contested claims, and the remedy for error is open debate. Is the Green New Deal Affordable for American Families and Taxpayers? The 2019 resolution called for remaking the whole economy in ten years with guaranteed jobs and benefits; its authors never showed how it would be paid for. Can America's Electric Grid Run on Wind and Solar Alone? A grid must match supply to demand every second; wind and solar vary with weather, and today's storage cannot cover long lulls without firm power. Is Hate Speech Not Protected by the First Amendment in America? The Supreme Court holds that speech cannot be banned for being offensive; the line is incitement and true threats, and it protects everyone. Do Health Savings Accounts Only Help the Rich Save on Taxes? HSAs give families control over health dollars and an incentive to shop for price; they work best for those who can save, and the design can be widened. Is Homeschooling Bad for Children's Education and Social Skills? Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, homeschooled students score at or above their peers, and the socialization worry has little evidence behind it. Do Immigrants Commit Less Crime, So Is Enforcement Pointless? Immigrants as a group may commit less crime, but that is no reason to ignore criminals among them or to leave the border without rules. Should Independent Agencies Be Shielded From Presidential Control? Article II vests the executive power in the President; Humphrey's Executor of 1935 carved out an exception that critics say created a fourth branch. Are Health Care Costs High Only Because of Insurers' Greed? Insurers are one cost among many; third-party payment, tax rules, hospital consolidation and hidden prices push up spending far more than their margins do. Can Iran Be Contained With Deals and Sanctions Relief Alone? Agreements that delay but do not end enrichment, while funding proxies, have not changed Iran's course; conservatives favor pressure and deterrence. Does the Alliance With Israel Work Against American Interests? Israel is a democratic ally that shares intelligence and technology; the aid is set by a defined agreement that Congress reviews. Is the Constitution a Living Document That Judges Should Update? The Constitution already has a way to change, Article V; a text that means what judges want today does not bind them or protect us. Is Marriage Just a Piece of Paper That Changes Nothing for a Family? Marriage is associated with lower poverty, more stable homes and better outcomes for children; research does not support the idea it changes nothing. Is Mass Incarceration America's Real Crime Problem, Not Crime Itself? America imprisons many people, but most state prisoners are serving time for violent offenses; reform should target nonviolent cases, not violence. Is Health Care a Right, and Does America Therefore Need Medicare for All? Everyone should have access to care, but a government-run single plan would end private coverage for most Americans and cost tens of trillions over a decade. Is Medicare Fine as It Is and Free of Any Need for Reform? Medicare is loved and under strain; its hospital trust fund faces depletion in the 2030s, and choice-based reforms like Medicare Advantage can protect it. Does the Military Need DEI Programs to Be Effective at Its Mission? The armed forces recruit best by holding all to equal standards and rewarding merit; ideological programs distract from readiness. Would a $15 Federal Minimum Wage Really Help Low-Wage Workers? A $15 floor would raise pay for many workers while pricing some out of jobs, and the right wage differs between a small town and a big city. Is Missile Defense Destabilizing and a Plan America Should Abandon? Defense against limited attack protects cities from rogue states and accidents, and no treaty can protect a city from a missile aimed at it. Can a Country That Prints Its Own Currency Never Go Broke? A government that prints can always pay in nominal dollars, but the bill arrives as inflation, as 2022 showed; the limit is real resources. Do More Guns in Private Hands Always Mean More Crime in America? Gun ownership has risen for decades while violent crime fell from its early-1990s peak; the link between guns and crime is weaker than slogans claim. Does Being a Nation of Immigrants Mean America Should Have Open Borders? America welcomed immigrants through laws, inspections and limits from the first Congress on; being a nation of immigrants is half the sentence. Are Nationwide Injunctions by a Single Judge a Needed Check on Presidents? Universal injunctions barely existed before the 1960s; the Supreme Court limited them in 2025, and class actions and appeals remain available for broad relief. Is NATO Obsolete in the Twenty-First Century, and Do Conservatives Agree? NATO deters Russia at modest cost to America, but burden-sharing has lagged; conservatives differ on its scope and on what allies owe. Should Noncitizens Be Allowed to Vote in Local Elections? Voting is the central act of citizenship; allowing noncitizens to vote in local races dilutes it and blurs the line federal law draws. Does Socialism Work Better Than Capitalism in the Nordic Countries? The Nordic countries run market economies with high taxes and open trade; their own leaders reject the label socialist. Is Modernizing America's Nuclear Arsenal a Waste of Money? The land, sea and air systems were built decades ago and must be replaced to keep deterrence credible; the cost is a small share of the defense budget. Is Nuclear Power Too Dangerous to Rely On for America's Electricity? Per unit of electricity, nuclear has one of the best safety records of any source, and it is the largest source of carbon-free power in America. Did Obamacare Lower Health Care Costs and Fix the System? The Affordable Care Act expanded coverage, but premiums and deductibles rose and its promises about keeping plans and doctors did not hold. Is Originalism Just a Cover for Conservative Outcomes in Court? Originalist judges have ruled against conservative preferences, and the method binds the judge to the text as it was understood when it was adopted. Is a Federal Paid-Leave Mandate the Best Way to Help American Families? A national mandate raises costs for small employers and can hurt hiring; state programs, tax credits and flexible options help families with fewer trade-offs. Should Parents Leave Curriculum Decisions to the Education Professionals? Schools act for parents, not instead of them; parents have a constitutional liberty to direct their children's upbringing and a right to know what is taught. Should America Bind Itself to the Paris Climate Agreement? The Paris pledges are voluntary for others and never went to the Senate; binding the United States would cede control of energy policy for little effect. Is Peace Through Strength Just Another Name for Warmongering? Strength deters because aggressors weigh costs; history from the 1930s to the Cold War shows weakness invites war, and strength keeps the peace. Are Social Media Platforms Private Companies With No Free-Speech Concerns? Private firms can set rules, but when they act at the government's urging or hold the main public forum, free expression is at stake and the law is unsettled. Does the President Set the Price of Gas at the Pump for American Drivers? Crude oil is priced on a world market; presidents influence it at the margins through policy on supply and permits, but they do not set it. Does Price Transparency in Health Care Not Matter to Patients? Patients cannot shop for care when no one will tell them the price; hospitals have resisted the federal rule, and posted prices expose wide differences. Do Government Programs Do More for the Needy Than Private Charity? Government has scale; private charity has knowledge and accountability; a free society needs both, and churches reach where programs cannot. Are Progressive Prosecutors Reformers Who Make Justice Fairer? Prosecutors have wide discretion, and some who refuse whole categories of cases have faced recalls; discretion is not the same as ignoring the law. Would a Government Public Option Create Fair Competition in Insurance? A public plan that sets its own prices and has taxpayer backing is not a fair competitor; it tends to crowd out private plans and become a single payer. Do Public-Sector Unions Always Serve the Public Interest? A government union bargains with officials it helps elect, and even Franklin Roosevelt doubted it could work; Janus ended compulsory fees for public workers. Is Qualified Immunity a License for Police Abuse of Citizens? Qualified immunity shields officers only when no clearly established right was violated, but its critics have a point and conservatives disagree on reform. Do Colleges Still Need Race-Conscious Admissions to Be Fair? The Supreme Court held in 2023 that racial preferences in admissions violate equal protection; the law and the principle call for colorblind treatment. Do Red Flag Laws Protect People Without Violating Their Rights? Conservatives are divided: the goal is sound, but a gun-removal order without a prior hearing raises serious due process problems. Do Government Regulations Cost the Economy Nothing While Protecting Us? Rules protect people and also carry compliance costs that fall hardest on small firms; counting them is the first step toward good regulation. Is Religious Liberty Just a License to Discriminate Against Others? Religious liberty is a first freedom with a long record of protecting minority faiths; courts balance it against other rights case by case. Should Religious Schools Be Excluded From Public Programs Like Vouchers? The Court has held that states may not exclude religious schools from neutral aid programs; the old Blaine amendments were born of anti-Catholic bias. Does Rent Control Make Housing Affordable for the Families Who Need It? Rent control helps current tenants and hurts everyone else: it shrinks supply and quality, and cities that tried it saw the same pattern over decades. Are Riots the Voice of the Unheard, and Should They Be Tolerated? Peaceful protest is a constitutional right; riots destroy the businesses and neighborhoods of the people they claim to speak for. Do Sanctuary Cities Make Communities Safer for Everyone Living There? Sanctuary policies bar local jails from honoring federal detainers; the result is that some released offenders are not handed over for removal. Does School Choice Drain Money From Public Schools and Hurt Students? Funding follows the child, not the building; choice serves families who want alternatives, with modest gains and no harm to those who stay. Do America's Schools Fail Mainly Because They Lack Enough Money? Real spending per pupil has more than doubled since 1970 while test scores stayed flat; how money is spent matters more than how much. May Schools Keep a Student's Social Transition a Secret From Parents? Parents have the primary role in raising their children; school staff should not withhold what bears on a child's well-being. Does the Second Amendment Protect Only Militias, Not Individuals? The Supreme Court held in Heller (2008) that the right belongs to individuals, and the amendment's text and history support that reading. Should Section 230 Stay Exactly as It Is, or Are Conservatives Divided? Section 230 shields platforms from most liability for user posts; conservatives disagree on whether to reform it, repeal it, or leave it alone. Does Separation of Church and State Mean Keeping Faith Out of Public Life? The First Amendment bars an established church and protects free exercise; it does not require a naked public square or silence believers. Should Shoplifting Be Treated as a Minor Offense Below Felony Levels? High felony thresholds invited theft by telling thieves where the line was; California's voters walked back part of the change in 2024. Does Single-Payer Care Work in Canada and Britain, So Why Not Here? Single-payer systems control cost by limiting supply and price, and their patients wait; Americans should weigh that trade-off before copying them. Is Social Security Fine and Does It Add Nothing to the Federal Debt? Social Security's trust fund runs short in the 2030s, and benefits would fall by about a fifth without changes; reform now is gentler than reform later. Is Government Spending What Drives Economic Growth in America? Spending moves money from one pocket to another; growth comes from investment, work and innovation, and the stimulus record shows the limits of the idea. Are Standardized Tests Biased and Should Colleges Drop Them? Tests predict college success better than grades alone and help find talented students from poor schools; MIT and other schools brought them back. Should America Stop Being the World's Policeman? Why Conservatives Differ? Conservatives divide between restraint and strength abroad; the question is which commitments serve American interests and which drain them. Should Supreme Court Justices Face Term Limits Instead of Life Tenure? Life tenure was meant to protect independence; term limits have some conservative backers, and an amendment is the safer route than a statute. Do Tariffs Protect American Workers, and Why Do Conservatives Disagree? Conservatives split on tariffs: some see leverage and protection for key industries, others see a tax on consumers; both sides can cite real history. Were the 2017 Tax Cuts Just a Giveaway to Corporations and the Rich? The 2017 law cut taxes across the income range and made the corporate rate competitive; the top rate fell less than the lower ones in percentage terms. Can Taxing the Rich Alone Close the Federal Budget Deficit? The arithmetic does not work: even very high rates on top earners raise a fraction of a trillion-dollar deficit, and the base moves when rates climb. Do Teachers Unions Always Put Students First in Their Policies? Teachers deserve respect and fair pay, but contracts that protect seniority over performance and slowed 2020 reopenings put adult interests first. Does Trickle-Down Economics Never Work for Ordinary Americans? Nobody serious argues for a policy called trickle-down; the real argument is that lower rates and fewer rules raise investment, jobs and wages. Did Unions Build the Middle Class, and Should Washington Favor Them? Unions won real gains in particular industries, but a federal thumb on the scale ignores workers' choice and the cost to the jobs they bargain over. Are Universal Background Checks Simply Common Sense for Gun Sales? A check on every sale sounds simple, but it cannot be enforced without a registry, and it would not have reached the criminals who get guns outside the law. Should a Universal Basic Income Replace Work-Based Welfare Programs? A basic income would cost trillions and weaken the link between work and reward; conservatives who like the idea want it to replace programs. Should Washington Provide Universal Child Care for All American Families? Government-run child care costs more than it promises, crowds out family and faith-based options, and the evidence on early programs is mixed. Are America's Veterans Well Served by the VA as It Is Today? The VA has dedicated staff and real strengths and also had a wait-list scandal; letting veterans choose private care when it falls short is sound. Is Requiring Voter ID a Form of Voter Suppression in America? Most democracies require ID to vote, courts have upheld ID laws with safeguards, and free IDs plus an accessible process answer the access concern. Is Cleaning Up Voter Rolls Just a Voter Purge Meant to Silence People? Federal law requires states to maintain accurate rolls, and removing people who have died or moved, by a lawful process, protects every voter's ballot. Should Washington Handle the Issues the States Now Handle? Federalism lets states try different policies and keeps government close to the people; the Tenth Amendment reserves most powers to the states. Is a Wealth Tax on Billionaires the Fix for Inequality in America? A wealth tax has failed in Europe, raises constitutional questions here, and would not come close to covering what Washington spends. Are Wind and Solar Already Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels for Families? A solar panel can make cheap power at noon; a grid that must run at night and in calm weather needs backup, and that cost does not appear in the headline price. Are Work Requirements for Welfare Benefits Cruel to the Poor? The 1996 reform paired work requirements with support and employment rose; work is a path out of poverty, and exemptions protect those who cannot work.