The Chess Clock Debates

Ed Whelan vs. Simon Lazarus: "How Should the Senate Respond to the Nomination of Neil Gorsuch

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 06:10:38 +0000

A conservative and a progressive debate how the Senate handle President Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorusch to the Supreme Court.

Alice Rivlin vs. Joe Antos: "How Should Obamacare be Replaced and Repaired?"

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 21:45:07 +0000

Two moderates who think compromise on healthcare is desirable debate whether Obamacare has failed, what really needs to be fixed, and how Republicans can reach agreement with themselves, their base, and Democrats.

David Luban vs. Daniel Byman: Is There a Duty to Serve In Trump's America?

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 12:07:20 +0000

Georgetown Law professor David Luban takes on Middle East scholar Daniel Byman over whether the call to service includes service in a Trump administration. Luban argues that decent people should stay away. Byman argues that there are still contributions to make, even under Trump.

Quinta Jurecic v. Rishabh Bhandari: "Is the Student Left a Big Problem on College Campuses and Beyond?"

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 19:19:50 +0000

Two recent college graduates debate the new student activism.

Philip Wallach vs. Romina Boccia: "Should Congress Junk the Debt Ceiling?"

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:43:14 +0000

Two fiscal conservatives take on the question of the debt ceiling: Junk it, says Philip Wallach of the Brookings Institution. Keep it and use it as an instrument to force fiscal discipline, responds the Heritage Foundation's Romina Boccia.

Jonathan Rauch vs. Norm Eisen: "Political Machines Should Be Stronger and Government Should be Less Transparent"

Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:46:50 +0000

Jonathan Rauch, author of a new Brookings ebook on "Pollitical Realism," takes on Norm Eisen, former White House official and ambassador to the Czech Republic, on whether we've gone too far with political reform. Roll it back, says Rauch, while Eisen argues we've done well and could do even better with more transparency.

Kori Schake v. Ryan Evans: "Should the United States Arm Ukraine?"

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:35:39 +0000

Should the United States arm Ukraine in its fight against Vladimir Putin's Russia? Kori Schake--former National Security Council, Defense Department, and State Department staffer and a fellow at the Hoover Institution--argues that we should. Ryan Evans, founder of the War on the Rocks web site, says no.

Natan Sachs vs. David Hazony: "Is the U.S.-Israel Mess Obama's Fault or Netanyahu's?"

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 16:13:08 +0000

This week, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu spoke before the U.S. Congress against the will of the White House and to objection of many Democrats. Whose fault is the faltering relationship between the United States and its closest Middle Eastern ally? Natan Sachs of the Brookings Institution argues that Bibi is to blame. David Hazony of the Israel Project puts the blame on Barack Obama.

Suzanne v. Doran on Iran: "Does Obama Have a Secret Iran Strategy?"

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 05:31:51 +0000

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Suzanne Maloney takes on Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Doran over Doran's recent article in Mosaic magazine, "Obama's Secret Iran Strategy."

Shane Harris v. James Kirchick: "Should Reporters Have to Testify About Their Anonymous Sources?"

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 23:19:14 +0000

Two Daily Beast journalists duke it out over whether journalists should have a privilege against testifying about their confidential sources. Shane Harris argues that they should. James Kirchick says they should not.

Can Marriage Be Saved: Jonathan Rauch vs. Isabel Sawhill

Wed, 11 Feb 2015 18:20:32 +0000

Brookings Institution scholars Jonathan Rauch and Isabel Sawhill debate the question: "Can Marriage Be Saved?" Rauch, a noted journalist and same-sex marriage advocate, takes the affirmative view, and Sawhill, an economist and scholar of domestic poverty and family policy, takes a dimmer view.

Welcome to the Chess Clock Debates