Steamboat Institute, in partnership with the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization and in association with CU’s Conference on World Affairs, is proud to present a compelling debate on the following resolution: Be it resolved, the United States is in the process of committing superpower suicide. Arguing the affirmative is Susan Rice, Domestic Policy Advisor (2021-2023); U.S. National Security Advisor (2013-2017); U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2009-2013). Arguing the negative is John Bolton, Author, The Room Where It Happened; National Security Advisor (2018-2019); U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2005-2006). Moderator is Carine Hajjar, Opinion Journalist for The Washington Post and Steamboat Institute Fellow for Public Policy and American Exceptionalism.

The debate resolution is: Be it resolved, the failure of civic education in schools is the primary cause of ideological partisanship in society today. Arguing the affirmative is Josh Dunn, Ph.D., Professor and Executive Director of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Arguing the negative is Timothy Messer-Kruse, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Cultural and Critical Studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Moderator is Kaylee McGhee White, Editor-in-Chief for Independent Women Features; Tony Blankley Fellow, Steamboat Institute.

AFFIRMATIVE: TYLER J. THOMPSON, Attorney
specializing in Data Privacy and AI Regulation – Reed
Smith LLP

NEGATIVE: JOHN YOO, Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law,
UC-Berkeley; Distinguished Visiting Scholar, School of
Civic Leadership, University of Texas at Austin

A debate on AI policy at our 2026 Winter Policy Summit: America 250 in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.