Updated Articles and Resources

From Deborah White, Former About.com Guide since 2005

Profile of Eric Cantor Video Created: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
What do you know about House Majority Leader Eric Cantor? Watch this About.com video to test your knowledge of this Republican.
Pros & Cons of Gun Ownership & Use Laws for Individuals Created: Thursday, April 24, 2008 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
This article presents an overview of the pros/cons and the politics of U.S. gun ownership and use laws. About 80 million Americans, representing half of U.S. homes, own more than 223 million guns.
Pros & Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Created: Monday, May 23, 2005 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Embryonic stem cell research is not illegal in the US. President Bush banned the use of federal funds to advance such research, but not private and state funding. Most scientists believe that embry...
Pros & Cons of Legalizing Marijuana Created: Sunday, April 19, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Presents pros and cons of legalization of marijuana, both for medicinal purposes and for recreational use.
Pros & Cons of Partial Birth Abortion Created: Sunday, April 09, 2006 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Partial-birth abortion is a non-medical term used to describe an abortion procedure which is performed after the first trimester of pregnancy, with the goal of delivering a fetus that is not alive....
Pros & Cons of Government Healthcare Created: Sunday, June 21, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
"Government healthcare" in the U.S. refers to government funding of healthcare services via direct payments to doctors, hospitals and other providers. Gives succinct pros and cons for government-fu...
Profile of the DREAM Act Created: Sunday, August 01, 2010 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Profile of the DREAM Act, which is aimed at providing legal residency for illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as minors, who graduate from a U.S. high school and who meet certain condit...
Pros & Cons of the No Child Left Behind Act Created: Thursday, February 08, 2007 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 was initially legislated for 5 years, and has since been temporarily extended, but not reauthorized by Congress. In early 2010, President Obama stated that he w...
Pros & Cons of the Death Penalty Created: Monday, December 12, 2005 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Capital punishment (the death penalty) is the pre-meditated taking of a human life by a government in response to a crime committed by that legally convicted person. This article sums the arguments...
Illegal Immigration Explained - Profits & Poverty, Social Security & Starvation Created: Thursday, October 06, 2005 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Illegal immigration into the U.S. is highly profitable for both employers and the federal government. The purpose of this article is to explain why the federal government can't afford and doesn't p...
Iraq War Facts, Results & Statistics at January 31, 2012 Created: Monday, April 11, 2005 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Quick-reading statistics about the Iraq War, including spending, casualties, seriously wounded and more. Data is at January 31, 2012, except as indicated.
Should the DREAM Act Be Passed by Congress for Illegal Immigrant Minors? Should the DREAM Act Be Passed by Congress for Illegal Minors? Created: Thursday, November 18, 2010 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share thoughts on whether or not the DREAM Act should be passed by Congress. The DREAM Act provides legal residency for illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as minors, who gradua...
Should Government Healthcare Be Offered for All Americans? Created: Monday, June 22, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts as to whether or not government-funded healthcare be offered as one of many coverage options, or as the only healthcare option, to all Americans.
Should Illegal Immigrants Have a Path to U.S. Citizenship? Should Illegal immigrants Be Allowed U.S. Citizenship? Created: Sunday, June 14, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts about whether or not illegal immigrants who have been working and living in the U.S. and paying U.S. taxes for at least three years should be offered a path to U.S. cit...
Does Pro-Life Mean Preserving Existing Life or a Human Egg? Pro-Life to Preserve Existing Life? Created: Saturday, June 13, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts about whether or not embryonic stem cell therapy pro-life because it preserves and significantly improves life for millions of Americans.
Should the U.S. Withdraw from Iraq Immediately, or Wait? Should the U.S. Withdraw from Iraq Immediately? Created: Saturday, June 13, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts about whether or not U.S. troops should withdraw from Iraq immediately, or wait to withdraw until the Iraqi government stabilizes and Iraqis are able to defend their ow...
Should "No Child Left Behind" Be Junked? Is "No Child Left Behind" Salvageable? Readers Share Their Thoughts. Created: Thursday, June 04, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts about whether or not the "No Child Left Behind" Act should be junked, or whether it's salvageable to measure and encourage public education progress.
Why Should Partial Birth Abortion Be Banned? Should Partial Birth Abortion Be Legal? Readers Share Their Thoughts. Created: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts as to why partial birth abortion should be banned, or continue to be legal and permitted in the U.S.
How Should U.S. Gun Control Laws Be Changed? Why, How Should U.S. Gun Ownership, Use Laws Be changed? Reader Share Thoughts. Change Gun Control Laws? Created: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts about why and how existing U.S. gun control laws should be changed.
Why Should the U.S. Abolish the Death Penalty? Should the U.S. Abolish the Death Penalty? Readers Share their Thoughts. Created: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts as to why or why not the U.S. should join the vast majority of the world community in abolishing the death penalty.
Why Marijuana Should, or Shouldn't, Be Legalized? Should Marijuana Sale and Possession Be Legalized? Share Your Thoughts on Marijuana. Created: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share thoughts on whether or not marijuana sale and possession should be legalized.
Are "Race to the Top" Reforms Good or Bad for Public Education? Agree or Disagree with "Race to the Top" Reform Mandates? Created: Thursday, February 11, 2010 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share thoughts as to whether reforms required by "Race to the Top" initiative are good or bad for public education. Readers also share thoughts about which reforms they most agree or disagr...
Should Stanley "Tookie" Williams have been executed by the state of California? Created: Thursday, October 29, 2009 Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Readers share their thoughts as to whether or not Stanley "Tookie" Williams, author five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and rehabilitated, convicted murderer and violent gang founder, should have b...
Profile of Jerry Brown, California Governor Created: Thursday, September 09, 2010 Updated: Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Profile and background of Jerry Brown, elected California governor on November 2, 2010, and former California governor from 1975 to 1983.
Profile of Sen Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota Created: Sunday, November 11, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Profile and background of Sen Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012.
Profile of Sen Tim Johnson of South Dakota Created: Tuesday, September 18, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Profile and background of Sen Tim Johnson of South Dakota.
Profile of Sen Daniel Inouye of Hawaii Created: Sunday, August 26, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Profile and background of Sen Daniel Inouye of Hawaii
Profile of Sen Joe Manchin of West Virginia Created: Sunday, August 19, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Profile and background of Sen Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012.
Profile of Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware Created: Monday, June 11, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Tom Carper was elected in 2000 and reelected in 2006 and 2012 as U.S. senator from Delaware.
Profile of Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey Created: Monday, June 11, 2012 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Bob Menendez was first elected in 2006 as U.S. senator from New Jersey, and reelected in 2012.
Profile of Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California Created: Monday, May 02, 2005 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, first elected as senator in 1992, is Chair of the powerful Senate Select Committee in Intelligence. Sen. Feinstein, who catapulted to prominence when San Francisco Mayor Mosc...
Profile of Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan Created: Sunday, May 29, 2005 Updated: Monday, November 12, 2012
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan was first elected senator in 2000, and was reelected in 2006 and 2012. Sen. Stabenow is a skilled legislator, tenacious advocate for her causes, and was one of 23 senato...