Arguing health care covers a wide range of areas from insurance to actual patient care, and the topics make good arguments thanks to the wealth of government data available for people to interpret. By arguing the merits of a government run system, people can argue how it will improve life expectancy, lower long-term costs and cover the uninsured. To the contrary, people can also argue how much it will cost, the toll it will take on the overall system and the declining care it will bring for those already covered. Topics also include arguing the benefits of losing weight, quitting smoking and beginning and maintaining an exercise program.
Politics always make great arguments when it deals with foreign policy put in place by the federal government. Argumentative topics include America policing the rest of the world, spreading capitalism into parts of the world where the U.S. is not wanted and sending money to poorer countries. To the contrary, people can also argue that policing the world is in the best interest of the U.S., spreading capitalism benefits the U.S. economy and financing poorer countries is morally ethical. To argue these points, those writing the argument should examine past policy and how it changes with each presidential administration.
Argumentative educational topics range from funding to classroom instruction. Topics about funding issues consist of how much money the government budgets for education, what school systems pay teachers and how to fund the entire school system. Topics relating to the curriculum include the benefits of charter schools, homeschooling and online instruction. Those arguing against those topics can discuss the benefits of public education and how homeschooling and online learning limit a students' social interaction with other children. Other topics include academic dishonesty and the benefits and disadvantages of athletic scholarships.
Social issues become controversial because they often overlap into religion, politics and ethics. Capital punishment, abortion, the war on drugs, poverty and unemployment all make for great arguments mainly because of the way the government funds programs, institutes legislation and makes policy. These topics typically present themselves in just about every election cycle. In some cases, using a personal story to detail the struggles and triumphs of overcoming a social problem puts a human face on the issue and helps to make a stronger argument. A wide variety of government data allows those making an argument to analyze years of research that can either make their point or help tear down an opponent.