Get Ready for Thanksgiving Political Debates with Science!
November 22, 2022
Thanksgiving means lots and lots of family time. While this is wonderful and all, it also inevitably means heated political discussions are bound to occur.
Consensus was created to give people a way to quickly learn what the research says about their questions. Why not use it to bring some evidence to the family dinner table?
What are effects of immigration on the US economy?
Takeaway: Most studies suggest that immigration generally benefits the US economy through net gains in human capital, expanded export sales, and reduced prices, but also has some negative effects such as fiscal costs at state and local levels and labor market competition.
Does legalized abortion reduce crime?
Takeaway: The research is really broken into two schools of thought:
The contention of yes has received slightly more support (Francois), but the jury is still out.
Do vaccines cause autism?
Takeaway: These studies suggest that vaccines, including MMR and thimerosal-containing vaccines, do not cause autism or autism spectrum disorders.
Does raising the minimum wage increase unemployment?
Takeaway: The majority of research seems to suggest that raising the minimum wage marginally increases unemployment. The question of whether this risk outweighs other benefits remains an interesting debate.
Is there an increase in political polarization in the US?
Takeaway: Something everyone at the table can agree on! Most research says “yes” with one notable objection.
BONUS heated question: Does the Covid vaccine cause myocarditis?
Takeaway: While more research on causation is needed, in rare cases, there is an observed association between vaccination status and myocarditis in young males. But most papers conclude the benefits still heavily outweigh the risks.
