Normally when a foreign-policy issue involves 20,000 U.S. troops, a $4 billion price tag and an open-ended mission it has all the makings of a great election-year debate.

In the election-year debate over the Federal deficit, many investors may have sharpened their attention to the advantages of tax-free bonds.

The conflicting studies have appeared in the midst of a bareknuckled election-year debate over who won - and who lost - from Reaganomics.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry rekindled a contentious election-year debate today, saying that he believes that beer begins at fermentation.

But even if nothing is resolved this year, the election-year debate seems likely to pave the way for fundamental changes in the health-care system in the next Administration, regardless of who is elected President.

The disclosures bear on the election-year debate over whether the Bush Administration did all it could to deter the Iraqis from invading Kuwait.

The Senate began a boisterous election-year debate on prescription drugs today as Democrats and Republicans unveiled competing proposals to add drug benefits to Medicare and to rein in pharmaceutical costs.

No matter how the new surplus numbers are qualified, they are big and will effectively expand the parameters of an election-year debate over how best to use the bounty of the nation's prosperity.

The new data on the growing concentration of wealth are likely to provide yet more ammunition to the election-year debate over how best to restart economic growth and distribute the gains.

The suppression of professional military dissent helped to create the disaster in Iraq; now it is depriving American voters of an election-year debate about the defense issues that matter most.