Monday, November 5, 2018

Extemp Questions 2018 Oct


  • How much damage would a ‘no-deal’ Brexit do to the UK economy?
  • Does the compromise deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency mean that Russia can be trusted to police its own athletics on the international stage?
  • Have Russian athletes paid enough for doping scandals in the recent past?
  • Will the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh erode the public’s trust in the US Supreme Court?
  • Should the Fed be raising interest rates more rapidly?
  • Is the federal government adequately prepared to deal with nation-state level cybersecurity threats?
  • Can the Trump Administration keep tensions between the US and China from rising?
  • Is the Trump Administration undermining the US dollar’s position as the global reserve currency?
  • Can Mark Zuckerberg fix Facebook?
  • Are renewable energy sources transforming Europe’s energy sector?
  • Is the political engagement around the 2018 midterms a permanent change or a passing fad?
  • Are President Trump’s economic policies succeeding?
  • Is America facing an imminent debt crisis?
  • Will the US trade war with China stymie global economic growth?
  • How will Kavanaugh’s confirmation change the Supreme Court?
  • Does ISIS still pose a significant international threat?
  • What should the international community do to restore security and stability in Libya?
  • Can the international community find a way to clean up plastic pollution?
  • Can a new President take a serious bite out of government corruption in Brazil?
  • Will Bosnia move towards closer integration with the EU?
  • What implications will Kavanaugh’s confirmation have for the midterm elections?
  • Should the Chinese government be doing more to counter the demographic effects its one-child policy has had on the population?
  • Will an aging population drag down China’s economic growth?
  • What does the new USMCA deal mea for global trade?
  • Has President Trump been good for America’s trade deficit?
  • Is there a way to move beyond partisan tribalism in the US Senate?
  • Should the international community be doing more to help Indonesia recover and rebuild?
  • Will Brazil elect Jair Bolsonaro as President?
  • Can the IMF bring Zimbabwe’s currency crisis under control?
  • Will Zimbabwe’s efforts to get the currency crisis under control be successful?
  • Will Bibi Netanyahu be indicted?
  • Should Congress impose sanctions against Saudi Arabia?
  • Can the international community build the political will to effectively combat climate change?
  • Should Congress raise the federal minimum wage?
  • Are trade tensions with China undermining US efforts towards North Korean denuclearization?
  • Should the US continue to support Saudi Arabia?
  • Will the Trump Administration’s difficulty in staffing key positions have a lasting impact on the federal government?
  • Will Imran Khan be able to make the economic reforms necessary for an IMF bailout of Pakistan to succeed?
  • Will Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal result in real and lasting anti-corruption reforms?
  • Can Europe save the Iran nuclear deal?
  • Does a conviction in the case of Jason Van Dyke signal that a change in police accountability is on the horizon?
  • What can be done to build more transparency into the use of lethal force by law enforcement?
  • Can Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy?
  • Can tech companies find a way to stop the weaponization of social media?
  • Is America’s economic growth overly dependent on low interest rates from the Fed?
  • Will the second round of US sanctions be enough to bring Iran back to the table to negotiate a new deal?
  • What steps should the EU take to strengthen the European Monetary Union?
  • Should Congress expand the funding for space exploration?
  • Can a universal basic income boost America’s economy?
  • How much are US politics in the age of Trump reshaping the future of the EU?
  • Will Brexit create an existential threat to the Good Friday Agreement in Ireland?
  • Is Marine Le Pen’s National Rally Party making a political comeback in France?
  • Will Nikki Haley’s resignation impede Trump Administration efforts on the international stage?
  • Can South Africa’s ANC avoid the mistakes that Zimbabwe made in enacting lang reforms?
  • Is a formal end to the Korean War finally within sight?
  • Are women voters abandoning the Republican Party?
  • Is America entering a new Cold War with China?
  • Will the gender gap be a deciding factor in the midterm elections?
  • Should America cut back arms sales to Saudi Arabia?
  • Can China clean up the air around its cities without causing economic calamity?
  • Has Saudi Arabia’s human rights record been overlooked b America for too long?
  • Are human rights violators around the globe being emboldened by President Trump?
  • Will the Saudi King continue to stand behind MBS?
  • What consequences will the Khashoggi case have on US-Saudi relations?
  • Is Congress too politically polarized to address climate change?
  • Do state and local governments have the ability to reshape how America deals with climate change?
  • Should the federal government be doing more to mitigate the risk of flooding around America’s coastal cities?
  • Does Saudi Arabia still make a good strategic partner for the United States?
  • Has the Trump Administration abdicated America’s role in global leadership?
  • Will Bolsonaro win Brazil’s Presidency?
  • Will America’s handling of the Khashoggi case reopen the rift between the US and Turkey?
  • Is the influence of the far-right on German politics growing?
  • Should the federal government more tightly restrict the civilian use of drone aircraft?
  • What does Canada’s legalization of recreational marijuana mean for the US?
  • Will Canada’s decriminalization of marijuana create more problems than it solves?
  • Do traditional conservatives still have a place within the Republican Party?
  • Can AMLO reshape Mexico’s relationship with the US?
  • Is President Trump’s trade war with China eating away at America’s economic growth?
  • Is Jared Kushner a political liability for the Trump White House?
  • Is a Brexit deal still achievable?
  • Can MBS still be an effective leader for Saudi Arabia on the global stage?
  • Is it time for the US to implement a carbon tax?
  • Has the security situation in Afghanistan begun to backslide?
  • Can Theresa May’s government survive Brexit negotiations with the EU?
  • Will Mohammed Bin Salman be pushed out as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia?
  • Has the Trump Administration taken the necessary steps to protect America’s elections from foreign interference?