Extemp Questions, updated 19 Feb. 2008

Updated: 19 Feb 2008

• How should the US approach the current situation in the Palestinian territories?
• Should private equity firms face greater degrees of governmental scrutiny than other businesses?
• Is statehood the destiny of Palestine?
• Should the Kurds in Iraq have their own independent state?
• Does the strong support received by Dr. Ron Paul show a disappointment within the Republican Party’s base?
• Will the ideas of change that Obama represents win over the hearts of Democratic voters in the 2008 primaries?
• Is there a realistic fear among Afghani’s that they will be abandoned by the United States?
• Should the US increase the number of combat troops in Afghanistan?
• How can the US best develop political stability in Afghanistan?
• Is government corruption in Afghanistan an insurmountable obstacle?
• What role should the federal government play in American public education?
• How will history regard Karl Rove?
• Can the legacy of the George W. Bush presidency still be saved?
• Are American goals in the Middle East too ambitious?
• Should the US consider moving its currency back to a gold standard?
• How uncoordinated do you have to be to get an injury from playing the Wii?
• What can be done to make South Africa safer?
• Will South Africa be ready for the 2010 Olympics?
• What more is necessary for South Africa’s blacks and women to achieve socioeconomic equality?
• How should the US cope with the impending retirement of the baby boomers?
• How can the US retain its economic dominance against the rise of China and India?
• Will the Republican Party fare better when President Bush’s second term is over?
• Is Karl Rove a misunderstood political genius or a dark political mastermind?
• Are online predators a significant threat for American youth?
• Has consolidation of power under the Executive Branch peaked with the Bush Presidency?
• How can the governments of the world better control the flow of illegal weapons?
• Where is Iraq heading?
• Has the prison at Guantanamo helped or hurt the US in the global war on terror?
• What should happen to the remaining detainees in Guantanamo?
• Does the cost of free trade outweigh the benefits for developing nations?
• Should the US embrace free trade with South America?
• What will it take for the world to effectively combat global warming?
• How has American media shaped the Democratic race for the Presidential nomination?
• How can the US improve governmental transparency?
• Can Clinton’s experience win out over Obama’s movement for change?
• Is John McCain a strong enough conservative to rally Republican voters?
• Which Presidential candidates does the issue of the economy help the most?
• Would Hillary Clinton’s nomination rally Republican voters to turn out against her?
• Is America’s military readiness faltering?
• Can the US achieve effective immigration reform without causing harm to the national economy?
• Should the federal government impose more regulations on stop predatory lending practices?
• Do mortgage-interest tax breaks on real estate harm the US economy?
• Will a shaky global economy curb consumer spending?
• Would a national public health system harm the quality of US healthcare?
• Is a national ID card a violation of American’s rights?
• Can NGO’s solve Africa’s economic development problems?
• Should the US leave open the option of pre-emptive military action against Iran to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons?
• Is the WHO devoting adequate resources to combating disease in Africa?
• How does the development of commercial space travel benefit global society?
• How can the federal government promote the development of alternative energy sources?
• When will the US end its dependence on foreign oil?
• Can ethanol and biodiesel take a big chunk out of America’s foreign oil dependence?
• When will third party candidates be viable in national elections?
• Should all electronic voting machines be taken out of US elections?
• Should the federal government focus more resources on early childhood education?
• Has the Head Start program improved the global competitiveness of America’s students?
• Should there be a cap on the damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits?
• Will the burst in the US housing market cause a significant drop in US consumer spending?
• Should the federal government create a national standard for primary elections?
• Can the tech sector keep the US stock market afloat?
• Can Electronic Medical Records significantly reduce the cost of health care in the US?
• What is the cause of the bitter tone common in American political campaigns?
• Do American income disparities deepen political polarization?
• What does the future hold for the Evangelical movement with regards to US politics?
• How can the EU develop closer ties with the US?
• How has the global war on terror changed Europe’s relationship with the US?
• Can Iraq’s President Ahmadinejad afford to continue his saber rattling tactics?
• Can the International Criminal Court be an effective body of justice for the world’s worst crimes?
• What will it take to end Robert Mugabe’s iron grip on power in Zimbabwe?.
• Is democracy across the globe stronger now than it was at the beginning of the war on terror?
• Why is Russia so complacent with Putin’s authoritarian rule?
• Should African leaders be more outspoken against President Robert Mugabe?
• Is America able to effectively promote liberal democracy throughout the world?
• What reforms are needed to end government corruption in Nigeria?

Oratory/Etc. - Isabel Allende on TED.com

Another good TED talk. A great example of something that would work well as an oratory or an expos piece.

URL: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/204