Sunday, February 10, 2013

Extemp Questions - Nov., Dec., Jan.

From Nov/Dec. 2012

  • Can Obama’s second term bring bring cooperation with Republicans in Congress?
  • Can the President and Congress find a workable compromise to avoid the fiscal cliff?
  • Can the Republican Party maintain loyalty among it’s members on tax policies?
  • Can the Democrats unify around a set of entitlement and spending cuts to compromise with Republicans in Congress?
  • What is the near term outlook for the American economy?
  • What effects would the American economy face if Congress can’t reach a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff?
  • Is closing tax loopholes enough of a reform to get a compromise between Republicans and Democrats in Congress?
  • What should President Obama’s priorities be for his second term?
  • Is Egypt’s President Morsi an ally of the US or a problem for the US?
  • Should the US be more engaged in the Middle East?
  • Can President Obama convince Congress to pass effective gun control legislation?
  • Should America put armed guard or police in public schools?
  • Can the NRA be a part of the solution to the problems of American gun violence?
  • Wll America fall off the fiscal cliff?
  • How difficult will it be for Obama’s cabinet changes to be confirmed by Congress?
  • Can the President and Congress reach a long term fiscal compromise?
  • What is the economic outlook for America in 2013?
  • Will President Obama win the political fight with Speaker Boehner over the budget?
  • What should the Obama Administration’s priorities be for the second term?
  • Should entitlement reforms be a high priority for Obama’s second term?
  • Does the pro-gun lobby still have significant influence in Washington?
  • Is comprehensive immigration reform a realistic goal for Obama’s second term?
  • How bad of a shot are you that you need a thirty round clip to kill a deer or hunt a quail?
  • Will Congress face a significant fight over rasng the debt ceiling?

Jan 2013
  • Will Congressional Republicans hold the debt ceiling vote hostage for further spending cuts?
  • Is President Obama dealing effectively with increases in American government spending and debt?
  • Does America face another downgrade of it’s credit rating because of the debate over federal spending?
  • Will the President’s second term agenda be held hostage by Congressional Republicans over the spending debate?
  • What key reforms are necessary to bring Medicare to long term fiscal solvency?
  • Is there a significant division within the Republican Party over how ot engage with the Obama Administration?
  • Is the US dollar at risk of being demoted as the global reserve currency?
  • What is the global economic outlook for 2013?
  • What role will China play in international negotiations aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions?
  • What can the Obama Administration do to bridge the partisan divide in Congress?
  • Should Congress re-enact Glass-Steagall?
  • Will Sen. Chuck Hagel be confirmed as Secretary of Defense?
  • Should cuts be made to the US defense budget to counter fiscal deficit concerns?
  • Are universal background checks an integral part of the solution to gun violence?
  • Will the single European currency survive in the long term?
  • What does the LDP’s return to power in Japan mean for the Japanese economy in the near term?
  • Can President Obama and Congress agree on a deal that solves America’s long term fiscal problems?
  • Should NATO countries draw down their troop presence in Afghanistan ahead of schedule?
  • is the long term political stability of Afghanistan secure?
  • How can Greece successfully restructure its debt?
  • Has the government of Sri Lanka been successful in reconciliation with the Tamil Tigers?
  • Will Palestinian refugees be granted a right of return?
  • Has the Bank of japan done enough to grow the Japanese economy?
  • Should Britain leave the EU?
  • Is maximizing shareholder value still a valid metric for successful businesses?