Society & everyday decisions
Public life, ethics, work, money and the communities people share.
Should Leaders Face a Five-Year Term Limit?
A qualified argument against imposing one five-year limit on leaders across business, politics, education, and government. The essay distinguishes continuity from entrenchment and argues for role-specific accountability.
What Counts as a Housing Shortage?
A housing shortage cannot be measured by counting empty homes alone. Vacancy, affordability, and suitability answer different questions, so a useful assessment must consider all three.
GRE Practice: Do Demands Create Leaders?
An argumentative essay examines whether demanding circumstances create leadership, using the documented decisions and public actions of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Franklin D. Roosevelt to distinguish a crisis’s revealing force from the preparation, judgment, and character leaders bring to it.
Why Rent-Burden Statistics Need Both Income and Housing Costs
A developed explanation of what rent-burden statistics measure, what their 30% threshold can reveal, and what it leaves out.
GRE Practice: Political Secrecy and the Public’s Right to Know
An argumentative essay weighing limited, temporary secrecy against democratic accountability, using Jefferson’s 1803 exploration proposal and the Truman Doctrine as historical examples.
Why National Housing Averages Can Hide Local Problems
National vacancy and affordability statistics are useful indicators, but they cannot show every community’s housing conditions. Local costs, household differences, and access to practical solutions matter.
Appealing Images Versus Truth in Contemporary Society: GRE Issue Essay
An argumentative essay arguing that contemporary society often rewards compelling images, but that presentation is valuable when it clarifies reality rather than substituting for it.
Why Housing Affordability Is Also a Community Problem
An explanatory essay showing how housing costs can affect community stability and participation, while distinguishing documented evidence from reasonable interpretation and acknowledging limits.
Fear-Based Persuasion: When Scaring People Backfires
An evidence-based argument that fear can prompt attention but often provokes resentment when it overwhelms agency, credibility, or shared purpose. Warnings are more effective when they identify a real risk and offer constructive action.
GRE Argument: Should Children with Special Talents Receive Early Training?
A qualified argument for offering early, focused training to children who show particular interests or abilities, provided identification remains flexible and opportunity is broadly accessible.
Public Opinion and the Judgment of Government Officials
An argument that elected officials should listen and answer to constituents while using independent judgment to test public demands against evidence, constitutional duties, and long-term consequences.
Five-Year Leadership Limits: Does New Leadership Ensure Success?
An argumentative essay weighing leadership renewal against continuity and experience, using evidence from the presidencies of George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower.