Extemp Questions

This is the starting list of extemp questions that I have. Starts in Jan 2007.

• Will Syria begin to stop the flood of Iraqi immigrants trying to escape violence?
• Is enough being done internationally to combat AIDS?
• What has been the most dangerous geopolitical development of the 21’st century?
• What does the development of Iran as a regional superpower mean for the future of the Middle East?
• Can Democrats create effective bipartisanship in Congress?
• Will the Democrats in Congress face serious hurdles maintaining party unity?
• Will Nancy Pelosi make a good Speaker of the House?
• What should be the priorities for the new Congress?
• What changes will Robert Gates make as the new Secretary of Defense?
• Will America Adopt a new plan for the war in Iraq?
• Should the military draft be reinstated?
• Should compulsive shopping be added to the list of recognized mental health disorders?
• What can be done to improve the quality of political discourse in the US?
• Is America primed for a resurgence of centrist politics?
• Will a Democrat controlled Congress force more accountability of the Bush Administration?
• Is a minimum wage increase necessary?
• Should Congress end all earmark spending?
• Can Congress effectively police its own ethics problems?
• Should the US consider the development of new nuclear power plants?
• What healthcare reforms can we expect from the new Congress?
• What will happen to Cuba after Castro?
• Is Iraq descending into anarchy?
• How soon can American troop levels in Iraq be drawn down?
• Can the new Congress pass substantive ethics reforms?
• What should the direction be for the new course in Iraq?
• What more should the military do to assist the families of US soldiers deployed oversees?
• Is the Registered Traveler program a good idea?
• Is the TSA doing a good job?
• What issues will define the 2008 elections?
• Can the US military gain control of Baghdad?
• Can Iraqi democracy succeed?
• Can consolidation save the US airline industry?
• Is the Internet killing the music industry?
• What can he US do to improve conditions in sub-Saharan Africa?
• Should the UN take more active steps to aid the development of sub-Saharan Africa?
• Should the federal government push for more development of renewable energy resources?
• Is the US prepared for the next major natural disaster?.
• Is it time to end the trade embargo against Cuba?
• Will Bob Gates be able to effectively re-shape the military?
• What can the government do to slow the skyrocketing costs of higher education?
• Is tort reform necessary to cut the high costs of healthcare?
• Should the Fed lower interest rates?
• Will inflation compel the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in ’07?
• Is a guest worker program a viable solution to illegal immigration?
• How can the US decrease its massive trade deficit?
• Will the Japanese economy continue to grow at a steady pace?
• Will the US economy pick up in 2007?
• Has No Child Left Behind worked as planned?
• Will the new Congress repeal Bush’s tax cuts?
• What kind of reform is needed for the US tax code?
• Will small businesses be harmed by a federal minimum wage increase?
• Will globalization kill off what’s left of America’s manufacturing industry?
• Should the US impose import tariffs on Chinese made products?
• Did the 2006 midterm elections signal a break in the unity of the Republican party?
• With the elections over can the Democrats balance different interests to maintain party unity?
• Is a bi-partisan Congress really too much to ask for?
• When will American truly be able to consider third party politicians?
• Is the tech sector riding on anther economic bubble that’s about to pop?
• Can the major US airlines continue to operate without major government intervention?
• Is Internet file sharing still a big problem?
• Should more attention be paid to security at America’s seaports?
• Should the Department of Homeland security restructure how it doles out funds to state and local governments?
• Is the US real estate market headed for a major crash?
• Since Enron, has the government done enough to prevent white collar crime?
• Should the federal government reevaluate the legal status of Marijuana?
• Should the federal government push for more widespread recycling programs?
• Can universal healthcare work in the US?
• Should the federal government regulate pricing for new pharmaceutical drugs?
• Should the debt poor African nations be forgiven?
• How long will China’s economy continue to grow at its staggering pace?
• Is the US Patent and Trademark Office broken?
• Who will be America’s next Ambassador to the UN?
• Will globalization kill America’s high tech economy?
• Can electronic medical records cut the high costs of healthcare?
• What more does the US need to do to stabilize Afghanistan?
• Should the US do more to in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions?
• Is France ready for a female President?
• Should the FDA block over the counter sales of emergency contraceptives?
• Should the US be more active in resolving the dispute between Lebanon and Israel?
• Should Israel continue to press its attack against Hezbollah?
• Are radical changes necessary to improve the US public school system?
• Will the aging population pose a significant liability for the US economy?
• Should the new Congress push hard for Social Security reform?
• Have recent Medicare reforms helped America’s seniors?
• Do Americans donate enough to international charities?
• How can America best combat poverty in sub-Saharan Africa?
• Are America’s gas prices too low?
• Has Thailand’s military coup helped the country?
• Can America continue to support its surging population growth?
• Can America support its aging population?
• Do micro-loan programs really help reduce third world poverty?
• Will the execution of Saddam Hussein cause more chaos in Iraq?
• What does the execution of Saddam Hussein signal about the development of Iraqi democracy?

Updated 1/15/2007
• What can be done to curb the growing epidemic of methamphetamine use in the US?
• How can we begin to narrow the income gap between Americas rich and poor?
• How can the global community prevent child soldiers from being conscripted into African armies?
• Is the international criminal court a useful judicial body?
• How can Bush bring his job approval ratings back up?
• Is education in America too competitive?
• Should the US push for more international trade liberalization deals?
• Do farm subsidies actually hurt the US economy?
• Should the US push India to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty?
• What should the US do to improve its relationship with President Hugo Chavez?
• Should Presidential signing statements be subject to judicial oversight?
• Is the gap between developed and developing nations shrinking?
• Should the US focus more energy on removing Hassan Nazrallah as the head of Hezbollah?
• What can be done to fix Iraq?
• Is there a way out of Iraq that will not leave the nation in crisis?
• Should Congress set specific goals for what success in Iraq means?
• What is still needed to build a capable Iraqi government?
• Is sectarian violence still the biggest threat to a successful future in Iraq?
• What will it take to develop and Iraqi military not dependant on US forces?
• Will adjustable rate loans cause massive forclousures in the US real estate market?
• How can the US reduce its dependence on foreign oil?
• Have John Negroponte’s plans to make America’s intelligence agencies more effective worked?
• How can the US combat the growing epidemic of obesity?
• Should Arab nations put pressure on Hezbollah to disarm?
• What more can the US do to persuade Hezbollah to disarm?
• What will it take to get China to reform its human rights abuses?
• Is Iranian development of nuclear weapons inevitable?
• Can the proliferation of nuclear weapons across the globe be prevented with diplomacy?
• Is religion in America growing?
• Is homegrown terrorism a significant threat to US national security?
• What areas of US intelligence services need to be fixed the most?
• Can oil money be used to stabilize Iraq?
• Can the Tories move their politics to the center?
• Who will replace John Negroponte as America’s intelligence chief?
• What is the state of religion in the US?
• Can religion be a force for unity in the US?
• Will there finally be a lasting peace in Uganda?
• Why do US attempts at public diplomacy abroad seem so feeble?
• Is continuing to pursue the Iraq war the best way to win Arab hearts and minds?
• What is needed to enact real, lasting ethics reforms in Congress?
• Can Apple be unseated as the king of the online music market?
• Can electronic medical records significantly reduce burgeoning health care costs?
• Does Iran exert too much regional influence in the Middle East?
• Could an oil embargo be leveraged to stop Iran’s nuclear development programs?
• A year later, is New Orleans on the right track to recovery?
• How are the destructive hurricanes of the past few years related to the trend of global warming?
• Should Congress block additional troops and funding for Iraq?
• Would a temporary surge in troop levels be enough to stabilize Iraq?
• Has the rapid execution of Saddam Hussein caused even more violence?
• Will Iraq’s Kurds push for their own independent nation?
• Is the US economy facing serious stagflation?
• Does America face a serious shortage of skilled labor?
• How will China’s growing demand for energy reshape America’s interests in Central Asia?
• How can China’s massive energy needs best be met?
• Will the petroleum reserves in Central Asia spark the next Cold War scenario?
• Should the H1-B visa program be expanded to allow more skilled foreign workers into the US?
• Should the UN be scrapped?
• Does the UN effective promote US security interests abroad?
• Do global organizations like the IMG and World Bank still serve a useful purpose?
• How should the US approach the issue of third world debt?
• How should organizations like the World Bank tackle issues like third world poverty?
• Is merit pay a strong enough incentive to motivate new teachers and retain current ones?
• Can Gordon Brown revitalize the Labour Party?
• Should enemy combatants captures in the war on terror be afforded the protections of the Geneva Convention?
• Do social network Internet sites like MySpace pose a risk for young adults?
• Should the Bush Administration push for strict pollution control legislation?
• Is the debate about global warming near the tipping point where real action should be taken?
• Can the Iraqi government rein in the Shiite militias?
• Is waning support for the Labour Party pushing British politics to the center?
• Why has American wage growth been so slow?
• Should American auto makers focus more energy on hybrid and electric vehicle technologies?
• What has been the political impact of North Korea’s nuclear tests?
• Should the US hold direct bilateral talks with Pyongyang to stop nuclear development programs?
• Should the use of force be off the table when dealing with North Korea?
• Is Russia headed for another major political uprising?
• Will the Congress support President Bush’s new plans for Iraq?
• When will Iraqi forces be able to take over security duties across Iraq?
• Can/How can the Iraqi government quell the ongoing sectarian violence
• Does the new plan for Iraq stand any better chance of success?
• Iraq: should we just nuke it and come back in ten thousand years?
• Will the problems in Iraq carry over to the next President of the US?
• Will more American troops be able to fix the problems in Iraq?
• How can the US remove the influence Iran has over the Iraqi insurgency?
• Should the US be removing forces from Afghanistan?
• Is the President’s credibility on Iraq permanently ruined?
• Does the military have a plan to withdraw from Iraq?
• Should Iraqi oil revenues be primarily directed towards building national infrastructure?
• Is the new plan for Iraq truly a last chance for success?
• Will an increase in the federal minimum wage really help working Americans living in poverty?
• What more should the federal government do to help the homeless?
• Should the US send troops to Darfur?
• Can Prime Minister al-Maliki unite the Iraqi people?
• Will the new Congress govern in a new way?
• Is there room for compromise in the new Congress?
• Can American automakers regain their strength?
• Are tech stocks headed for another big drop?
• What can the new Congress do to help reduce rising education costs?
• Will low oil prices continue to keep the US economy going?
• Do the costs of No Child Left Behind outweigh the benefits?
• Should Gordon Brown take over control of the Labour Party sooner rather than later?
• What can be done to unify the people of Iraq?
• Has Karl Rove lost his touch?
• Will Robert Gates be an effective Secretary of Defense?
• What can be done to stop Iraq’s Shiite militias?
• What can be done to stop Iraq’s Sunni insurgents?
• Can the Bush Administration find a real way to fix Iraq?
• Is it time to end farm subsidies?
• Should the Real ID act be repealed?
• How can Los Angeles clean up it’s massive homelessness problem?
• Do cap-and-trade programs make a significant impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions?
• Will the Democratic Congress push the Bush Administration to join the Kyoto Treaty?
• How should the US push China to end its currency devaluation?
• What is the biggest challenge for the new Congress to face?
• Can President Assad offer a real peace between Syria and Israel?
• Does the popularity of Barak Obama represent a great call for change in American politics?
• Should the federal government pay more attention to security at commercial shipping ports?
• Is there still a large rift between native Danish people and Muslim immigrants?
• How would a troop surge impact the situation on the ground in Iraq?
• What will solve the political problems in Iraq?
• What should be the focus of the new Congress?
• Will Democrats in Congress push for a funding cut to the war in Iraq?
• Can America afford to remain committed to a volunteer only army?
• What is needed to establish a lasting peace in Somalia?
• What will Ban Ki Moon push for as the new UN Secretary General?
• What legacy will Kofi Anan leave behind as UN Secretary General?
• Did the Republican Party’s close ties to the Christian right play a role in the November election outcome?
• What big changes will the Democrats push through the Congress?
• Can moderate Democrats in Congress maintain party unity?
• Do rising national crime rates signal the beginning of a new epidemic of violence across America?
• Is turning over security to Iraqi forces a good idea?
• Will the US dollar continue to slide in value against the Euro?
• Does the US need to focus more energy on combating state sponsors of terrorism?
• Is Europe’s opinion of the US improving?
• Does the AIDS epidemic in Africa represent a looming security threat for the US?
• Is Pakistan an ally or adversary of the US?
• What type of government will Pakistan have after Pervez Musharaf?

Updated 11 Feb. 2007
• Should the US put more forces into Afghanistan?
• What is the political solution to the problems in Iraq?
• Can Syria aid the US in calming the violence in Iraq?
• What the Democrats 100 hour agenda a success?
• Should Congress pass legislation to enact the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations?
• How is globalization affecting America’s wages and income?
• Is the Euro a threat to the dollar as the world’s dominant currency?
• How can the US shrink the trade deficit?
• Can Americans boost the national savings rate?
• Is politics limiting the growth and development of India?
• Will initiatives in states like California and Vermont push Congress to create a universal health care program?
• Will Daniel Ortega move to align himself with the US or towards Venezuela?
• How can the EU break its dependency on Russian energy resources?
• Is a troop surge in Iraq too late to work?
• Is the US military capable of fighting an urban war?
• How can the US military meet its troop enlistment goals?
• Is there a military solution to the problems in Iraq?
• Should China’s growing military power be seen as a threat to the US?
• Is China’s growing economic strength good for the global economy?
• Should the US end MFN trade status to China?
• Should the US impose tariffs on goods imported from China?
• Who are the most likely frontrunners for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2008?
• Should Congress cut funding for the war in Iraq?
• Can the US still compete economically on the global market?
• Is the US facing another wave of crime?
• Should the federal government enact stricter anti-spam legislation?
• What kind of country will the US leave behind in Iraq?
• When will the Iraqis be able to secure their own nation?
• Will the Congress oppose the Bush Administration’s plans for a troop surge in Iraq?
• Has the Bush Administration interfered with scientific research related to global climate change?
• What should the federal government do to combat global warming?
• What more should Congress do to make higher education more affordable?
• Can Syria’s President Assad negotiate a peace with the Iraqi insurgents?

Update 4 Mar. 2007
• Will Syria begin to turn away Iraqi refugees?
• How much will things actually change because of the new ethics rules governing gifts, meals and travel to members of Congress?
• What kind of victory is still achievable in Iraq?
• What should the fallback plan be if a troop surge in Iraq is not successful?
• Should the US announce a date for troop withdrawal?
• Should Congress have more direct oversight of the VA?
• How should the US assist military personnel wounded in the war in Iraq?
• Should No Child Left Behind be tossed out?
• Is ethanol really the solution to America’s oil independence?
• Should Congress end ethanol subsidies to oil companies?
• Should federal minimum fuel efficiency requirements be raised for new cars?
• What the hell kind of name for a grown man is Scooter Libby?
• Has the US run out of time in Iraq?
• Does Mitt Romney have a good chance at getting the Republican Presidential nomination for 2008?
• Will the new Congress make the White House more accountable for the missteps in the War on Terror?
• Can the US remain competitive with Asia on the global markets?
• Is the US ready to deal with North Korea?
• Will sectarian violence in Lebanon continue?
• Can Brazil protect the Amazon rainforest and continue to use it for economic development?
• How can the federal government increase volunteerism among younger Americans?
• Should the House pass a resolution to cut funding for the war in Iraq?
• Have recent campaign finance reforms been effective at curbing the influence of Washington Lobbyists?
• Has No Child Left Behind failed to help America’s schoolchildren?
• Are race relations still a major problem for American society?
• Is increased foreign debt a problem for America’s long term stability?

Updated 20 Mar. 2007
• Can the Bush administration bring the US back to a balanced budget?
• Should the Democratic Congress push for a balanced budget amendment?
• Should Medicare premiums be increased for higher income participants?
• Should Iraq bear more of the costs for reconstruction and ongoing military operations?
• Is consolidation the next step for America's airline industry?
• Will e-voting improve in the 2008 elections?
• How can we improve the process for picking Presidential candidates?
• Should America put more effort into the war effort in Afghanistan?
• Will Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith kill his chances at getting the Evangelical Christian vote in GOP primaries?
• What should the US do to curb Iranian support of the continued violence in Iraq?
• Will the new agreements with North Korea end nuclear development in that country?
• Can John Edwards gain the support of core left-wing Democrats
• What will the legacy of George W. Bush’s Presidency be?
• Is the conflict in Iraq leading to a head on collision between the US and Iran?
• Are America’s seaports secure?
• Is America in danger of being unseated as the financial center of the world?
• Will Alberto Gonzalez survive as Attorney General?
• Should Congress have more oversight of civilian contractors in Iraq?
• Should Scooter Libby be given a pardon?
• Is there a chance for a third party candidate in the 2008 Presidential election?
• Will the Republican Party have a hard time coalescing their base around a single candidate in the 2008 Presidential election?
• Is there still hope for a diplomatic solution to the war in Iraq?
• What impact does the conviction of Scooter Libby have on the influence of Vice President Cheney in the Administration?
• Should the military surge in Iraq put more emphasis on civil affairs?
• Should America open bilateral talks with Iran about the issue of nuclear development?
• Do the American people have the patience for open-ended involvement in Iraq?
• Would an American withdrawal from Iraq cause a regional civil war?
• Does the Alberto Gonzalez have the standing to continue as the Attorney General?

July 2007
• Has the troop surge brought us closer to the goal of securing Baghdad?
• How can America best deal with the population of illegal immigrants?
• Will President Bush’s commutation of Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s sentence help or harm is popularity?
• How can the Bush Administration improve its poor approval rating?
• Should Fred Thompson make a run at the Republican nomination for President in 2008?
• Will 2008 be a good opportunity for a third party candidate for President?
• Is the US troop surge in Iraq working?
• Is increased security in Baghdad the key to stability in Iraq?
• Can the Republican party solidify it’s base for the 2008 election?
• What will the domestic legacy of President Bush’s second term be?
• Does America’s involvement in Iraq disrupt chances for diplomatic success in the Middle East?
• Will Congressional subpoenas of the White House lead to a Constitutional crisis?
• Is the Republican Party losing support Among Hispanic voters?
• Would Hillary Clinton be seen as an acceptable candidate by moderate voters?
• Are primary elections coming too early?
• How can America increase turnout among younger voters?
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