Hypothetical Democratic Primary Debate Questions

ENVIRONMENT

"The UN IPCC report suggests that we need to keep mean global temperature increase under 1.5C to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Do you think we can do that in the kind of market economy we currently see in the United States?"

"What, if anything, should we do about the Gulf Dead Zone"

"Are you worried about the eventual drawdown of the Ogalala Aquifer, and if so, what should we do about it?"

“Does the United States bear responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions or other pollution emitted in developing countries in response to demand from US consumers?”

“How should we avoid situations where improvements to the efficiency of natural resource consumption increase, rather than decrease, total consumption of those resources?”

“Should fossil-fuel executives be prosecuted for their activities contributing to climate change, and their attempts to disguise the scope of the problem?”

“Throughout the entirety of human history, economic growth has gone hand in hand with increased natural resource consumption. Do you see this trend reversing itself in the near future?”

FOREIGN POLICY

"What major US military intervention in a foreign nation in the last 50 years ended up with the least disastrous result in the long run, and what should we learn from that intervention?"

“How should the United States prepare itself for the point in time when it is no longer a global hegemon?”

“Does the United States have a moral responsibility to accept refugees whose refugee status was caused in whole or in part by US actions?”

“Should the United States allow itself to be subject to the International Criminal Court?”

ECONOMY

"Author David Graeber has described the phenomenon of 'bullshit jobs'--jobs that even those holding the jobs feel should not or do not need to exist. What does the existence or proliferation of these jobs say about the present state and likely future of American employment?"

"Is profit possible without paying your employees less than the value they add to a product?"

"When was the last time you personally struggled financially for an extended period? What was that like?"

"Politicians often talk about policies that will help the middle class. How do you define 'middle class' in dollar-amount terms?"

“Should there be a maximum wage? If so, what and how should it be enforced?”

“Should people working in financial services face prison time for defrauding workers and investors? If so, why do you think they have not so far?”

“When an executive makes, for example, 300 times more than a worker at their corporation, are they doing work that is 300 times as important?”

“Is gentrification a bad thing, and if so what can government do to stop it?”

“Can the economy keep growing forever? If not, how should we prepare for when it can’t grow any more?”

CULTURE

"Some have described an 'epidemic of loneliness' among Americans. What, if anything, can the government do to help tackle this problem?"

PRINCIPLES

“When, if ever, is it appropriate for the government to make large sacrifices to the current well-being of its citizens in pursuit of some goal that may not be realized for decades or generations?”

“If you had to summarize the core values driving your policy beliefs in one sentence, what would that sentence be?”

"Many candidates have supported Medicare for All and/or a Green New Deal. What makes your support for these different from the other candidates'?"

“How can we incentivize politicians to think on decade-plus time scales when the next election is a year or two away?”

“How should public officials manage conflicts of interest with companies that might offer them lucrative positions after their time in office?”

“What is one piece of art or media that you believe was instrumental in shaping your political worldview, and in what way did it shape your worldview?”

“If we were to call up your first boss right now, what are three concrete things would they would say you could have done better? What about your most recent boss?”

“Of all the people who currently hold the equivalent of your political office/station, describe someone who faced a challenge / solved a problem better than you did. What was the situation? What did you learn? What about your actions/solution didn't work?”

“Describe a time when you noticed yourself making conceptual or systemic errors or assumptions in your reasoning process. How did you come to realize what you were doing?”

HEALTHCARE

How do you plan to allow for career transitions for people working in the insurance industry right now as the US moves towards a single-payer system?

JUSTICE

"Many have argued that the 13th amendment allows for slavery in the form of prison labor. Do you agree? Why or why not?"

"Imagine that I am a reasonable person who is completely unfamiliar with the US legal system. Explain, in simple terms, the purpose of putting people in prison."

OTHER

“Currently, the population ratio of the largest to smallest House districts is almost 2:1. What, in your opinion, is an unacceptable level of disproportionate representation in the House of Representatives?”

“Who is the first person from the Obama administration that your administration would prosecute for war crimes?”

“Has the US government done enough to honor its signed treaty obligations to native tribes?”

“If elected, would you commit to putting somebody from a native background in charge of the department of the interior (and thus the BIA)?”

“Are ‘Ag-Gag’ laws a good idea? Why or why not?”