- Why does the Catholic Church continue to fail on its handling of sexual abuse cases?
- Will the Greens continue to gain political strength across Europe?
- Can traditional center-left and center-right parties regain their political strength in Europe?
- Will Israel’s second election delay a full rollout of the Trump Administration’s Middle East peace plan?
- Will the threat of escalating trade tariffs be enough to get Mexico to stem the tide of Central American migrants flowing to the US border?
- Will Iran’s growing economic crisis incite a regime change?
- Can the NSA stop hackers and foreign governments from copying its cyber-weapons?
- Is international support for ousting Venezuela’s President Maduro falling away?
- Should Congress pass strict genetic privacy protections?
- Should Washington DC be a State?
- Will Israel’s snap election kill Jared Kushner’s Middle East peace plan?
- What does the future hold for the UK’s Tory Party?
- Does the Trump administration still have a path forward for nuclear talks with North Korea?
- Can the Trump White House build an international consensus against Iran?
- What can be done to de-escalate growing tensions between the US and Iran?
- Can civil disobedience force the military leadership of Sudan to cede power to a civilian government?
- Has the Colombian government abandoned the peace process with the FARC?
- What does Mohamed Morsi’s death signal about the political future of Egypt?
- What can be done to get Trump and Kim back to the negotiating table?
- Which of the Democratic candidates is best able to challenge President Trump in 2020?
- What effect are US sanctions having on internal Iranian politics?
- Has the Trump Administration given up on removing Maduro from power in Venezuela?
- Can “one country, two systems” survive in Hong Kong?
- Will Boris Johnson secure the British Premiership?
- What will be Theresa May’s legacy?
- Should the Trump Administration do more to stop attacks against civilians in Idlib Province?
- How real is the threat of armed conflict between the US and Iran?
- Will Hong Kong’s Chief Executive be forced to resign?
- Is there any viable alternative to Assad in Syria?
- Has the Trump Administration’s policy towards Syria been a failure?
- Can Bolsonaro rein in the growing problem of Brazil’s militias?
- Is it too late for President Trump and Congressional Democrats to make a deal on any major issues?
- Can President Trump win over independent voters again in 2020?
- Is federal legislation necessary for telecom companies to get control of robocalls?
- Should solitary confinement be abolished in the American prison system?
- Is Britain’s special relationship with the US still healthy?
- Will Sarah Sanders find her political future damaged by her time in the Trump White House?
- When will Sudan get to have real democratic elections?
- What should the Canadian government do to reduce the number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
- Should the Sudanese public be optimistic about their political future?
- Can Mexico meet President Trump’s expectations for reducing the number of migrants at the US southern border?
- How much will emergency funding from Congress reduce the humanitarian crisis at the southern border?
- Can Thailand’s new Prime Minister find a way to unite a divided Parliament?
- Should Western nations cut their aid and support to Egypt?
- Is China creating a new generation of militant Islamic extremists?
- Is a political agreement with the Taliban possible for the Afghan government?
- Will President Trump’s use of tariffs for non-trade diplomacy damage America’s international influence in the long run?
- Is social media a threat to American democracy?
- What will Sarah Sanders’ departure mean for the relationship between the Trump White House and the press?
- Should Congress be doing more to prevent foreign interference in the 2020 elections?
- Is the Trump Administration driving America towards armed conflict with Iran?
- Are House Democrats drawing closer to impeachment proceedings against President Trump?
- Is US military assistance to Saudi Arabia making the humanitarian crisis in Yemen worse?
- Should America’s big tech companies be broken up?
- Are more active measures necessary to desegregate America’s public schools?
- Can Japan still rely on the US for military defense?
- Is President Trump’s unpredictability good for American interests on the global stage?
- Has President Trump permanently changed the norms of the American Presidency?
- Has the Trump Administration lost the opportunity for a nuclear deal with North Korea?
- Is the international community losing faith in America’s global leadership?
- Are conditions for LGBT people in Africa improving?
- Are international sanctions against Vladimir Putin working?
- Will the treatment of migrant children at the US border help or hurt President Trump’s reelection bid in 2020?
- What steps should the federal government take to improve rural Americans’ access to quality healthcare?
- Is partisan politics undermining public trust in the US Supreme Court?
- Is the Democatic Party leaving behind moderate, centrist voters?
- Do traditional conservatives still have a home in Donald Trump’s Republican Party?
- Should the press have greater access to the facilities holding detained migrants from the US southern border?
- Is the humanitarian crisis at the US southern border improving?
- How likely is a no-deal Brexit?
- Will Brexit lead to a resurgence for Britain's Labour Party?
- When will Japan legalize same-sex marriage?
- Is Erdogan’s time in power in Turkey coming to an end?
- Will Netanyahu survive a second Israeli election?
- Can a new official currency stabilize Zimbabwe’s economy?
- What can be done to prevent Ethiopia from spiralling into chaos?
- Will scandals over sexual assault in South Korea lead to real and lasting changes?
- Is a peaceful solution to the political crisis in Venezuela still possible?
- What steps should Congress take to lower the costs of prescription medications?
- Will the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure campaign bring Iran back to the negotiating table?
- Can the Trump Administration pull off a peace deal for Afghanistan?
- Will Jared Kushner’s peace plan win over any Palestinian support?
- Would Donald Trump’s reelection be better for South Korea than a new American President in 2021?
- How much do the Presidential debates still matter in American elections?
- Who should be held responsible for the treatment of migrants detained at the US border?
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Extemp Questions 2019 June
Happy 4'th of July - just remember, if you blow your fingers off with fireworks, you can't unlock your phone anymore. Here's the June list.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Extemp Questions 2019 May
About a week and a half late. What can I say? I've been busy
- Can Boeing recover from the scandal over the 737 MAX 8?
- Does President Trump’s use of Twitter help or hurt his re-election chances?
- Will the abdication of Emperor Akihito bring major changes for Japanese society?
- Will NASA be supplanted by private space travel?
- Is the US economy strong enough to secure a second term for President Trump?
- Will financial mismanagement bring down the NRA?
- Are Congressional impeachment proceedings against President Trump inevitable?
- Will Trump White House claims of executive privilege over the Mueller Report hold up in the courts?
- Should the US become less engaged in global affairs?
- How will the influx of oil money change Guyana?
- Will increased sanctions bring Iran back to the negotiating table?
- Can the Japanese government successfully increase the participation of women in the workforce?
- Will escalation of the trade war result in a more favorable deal with China?
- What more can the U.N. do to solve the issue of economic migration?
- Should the US more tightly control remittances sent by immigrants to family members abroad?
- Can the US achieve regime change in Iran without major military intervention?
- Will the JCPOA deal with Iran survive the Trump Presidency?
- Can Congressional Republicans develop a plan to replace the ACA ahead of the 2020 elections?
- Is traditional US diplomacy dead and gone?
- Is his Presidency damaging the Trump brand?
- Will Facebook’s pivot towards privacy restore its brand reputation?
- Does increased US military presence in the gulf make armed conflict with Iran significantly more likely?
- How much farther will the trade war between the US and China go?
- Will the Trump Administration’s tough stance bring about behavior change in the Iranian regime?
- Is Huawei poised to win the fight for 5G networks despite US objections?
- Will Taiwan’s legalization of same-sex marriage bring a political backlash in President Tsai Ing-wen’s re-election bud?
- What steps should the UK take to move forward on the issue of Brexit?
- Will Austria’s snap elections push the country further towards the nationalist right?
- What does Australia’s election signal about the global community’s willingness to take on climate change?
- What will Theresa May’s resignation mean for Brexit?
- Who will succeed Theresa May as Britain’s Prime Minister?
- Will Britain crash out of the EU?
- Has President Trump permanently damaged public discourse in America?
- Does Facebook act responsibly in its handling of misinformation online?
- Can the new President improve Ukraine’s relationship with Vladimir Putin?
- Should India’s election be viewed as a referendum on Modi’s first term?
- Will America’s economy help or hinder President Trump’s reelection chances in 2020?
- How long can Nancy Pelosi continue to stave off calls for impeachment from Congressional Democrats?
- Is the Democratic base moving farther to the left?
- Are America’s colleges and universities capable of dealing with the rise in mental health issues that they’re seeing?
- What steps should South Africa’s ANC take to address systemic unemployment?
- Can Congress still act with bipartisanship when it needs to?
- What does Spain’s political turmoil signal about the state of the populist movement in Western Europe?
- Is the Mueller report leading America down the path towards a constitutional crisis?
- Can the ANC regain the trust of the South African public?
- Will the new conservative majority on the US Supreme Court take steps to severely restrict abortion?
- Should private universities be bound to the same First Amendment free speech protections as public ones?
- Has violence become normalized in France’s yellow-vest movement?
- Is public support for France’s Gilet Jaunes movement losing steam?
- Is Africa becomng the next hotspot for international jihadist violence?
- What steps should the international community do to bring security and stability to the Sahel?
- Is the Trump Administration provoking a conflict with Iran?
- What role should monarchies play in modern society?
- Can the Trump Administration still make progress on getting a trade deal with China?
- How quickly will all the children separated from their parents under the Trump Administration’s family separation policy be reunited?
- Will the US be willing to use military force to remove Maduro from power in Venezuela?
- Will Iran drop out of compliance with the JCPOA?
- Are social media companies putting conservative commentators at an unfair disadvantage?
- Have America’s giant tech companies gotten too big?
- Can social media companies be trusted to regulate their own platforms?
- Is President Trump’s escalation of the trade war with China having the desired effect?
- Is President Trump’s unilateralism good for America in the long run?
- How much will the US-China trade war hurt the global economy?
- Does increased aggression with Iran damage US credibility on the international stage?
- Is Sudan making real progress towards having a civilian-controlled government?
- Should the SEC more tightly regulate stock trading in dark pools?
- Does the UK need a written constitution?
- Will Brexit renew calls for Scotish independence?
- Is India’s caste system holding it back?
- Will threats of new tariffs against Mexico by President Trump derail the USMCA?
- Is the gig economy good for American workers?
- Is the socialist label still politically fatal in US politics?
- Should any future nuclear talks between the US and North Korea include discussions about human rights?
- Will the scandal around Boeing change how air travel safety is regulated around the world?
- What more should the Japanese government do to address the falling national birthrate?
- Will the ongoing trade war hurt China more than the US?
- Would escalating the tariff on Chinese goods backfire on the US economy?
- Can President Trump still work out a trade deal with China?
- Will the White House stonewalling of Congressional investigations backfire on President Trump’s re-election campaign?
- Should American public schools move to a four-day school week?
- Will President Trump blink first in the escalating trade war with china?
- Will new state laws restricting abortion lead to the Supreme Court overturning the Roe v Wade decision?
- Can Cyril Ramaphosa restore the credibility of South Africa's ANC?
- What should the ANC do to increase foreign investment in South Africa?
- Will the Stockholm Agreement change the tide of the humanitarian disaster in Yemen?
- Is the Trump Administration underestimating Iran’s political resolve?
- Is a denuclearized North Korea a lost cause?
- Should the US adopt a nationwide universal basic income?
- Can the US still be an honest broker for Mideast Peace?
- What steps should Congress take to relieve the growing issue of student debt?
- Has the growth of student debt become a crisis for the US?
- Should for-profit colleges and universities be more tightly regulated by the federal government?
- Will the nationalist right be strengthened in the EU parliamentary elections?
- Are its citizens losing faith in the EU?
- Has the time come for the US to pass paid family leave?
- Has South Africa’s ANC lived up to the legacy of Nelson Mandela?
- What will it take for climate change to become a bipartisan issue in America?
- Does the outbreak of African swine flu in China offer an opportunity for a breakthrough in the trade war with the US?
- Should the Trump Administration be more outspoken over President Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism in Turkey?
- Will the addition of an adversity score on the SATs improve America’s college admissions?
- What does the electoral surge by the Greens mean for the future of the EU?
- Should the US significantly cut back arms sales to Saudi Arabia?
- Can France’s Macron hold the line against the right-wing nationalists?
- Is Turkey still a democracy?
- Has the US given up on improving human rights in China?
- Can Netanyahu build a new electoral coalition?
- Is the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran working?
- Will Attorney General Barr’s new declassification powers widen the rift between the Trump Administration and the US intelligency community?
- What more should the international community be doing to combat Ebola in the Congo?
- Has William Barr’s tenure as Attorney General damaged his reputation?
- Is identity politics tearing apart American society?
- Should illegal immigrants already in the US be provided a path to citizenship?
- What steps should the federal government take to prevent American employers from hiring undocumented workers?
- Is the Netanyahu era in Israel nearing an end?
- Will Congressional Republicans stand against President Trump’s threats of new tariffs against Mexico?
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Extemp Questions 2019 April
- Can Syria move past ISIS?
- Does Turkey’s purchase of Russian weapons systems pose a threat to the NATO alliance?
- Can the US still be an honest broker for peace in the Middle East?
- Will the scandal over the 737 MAX prove to be fatal for Boeing?
- Will Israel move to annex the West Bank?
- Is it in NATO’s interest to provide military support to Ukraine?
- Has the digital revolution killed off personal privacy?
- Can Theresa May workout a viable Brexit deal with the Labour Party?
- Do purges in senior DHS staff pose an unnecessary risk to America’s national security interests?
- Will the US declaration of Iran’s IRGC as a terrorist organization increase the risk to US forces in the Middle East?
- Will Israel move to annex part of the West Bank?
- What does Israel’s election signal about Bibi Netanyahu’s future?
- What does the future hold for international arms control agreements?
- Will Congress force the Trump Administration to withdrawal military support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen?
- What steps can the US take to defeat the threat of ISIS as an insurgent force?
- Will more violence follow the overthrow and arrest of Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir
- How much more turnover and turmoil can the Trump cabinet sustain?
- Is Britain’s political system broken?
- Will cutting US foreign aid to Latin America prove counterproductive to President Trump’s immigration objectives?
- Can Congressional Democrats still work out a DACA deal with President Trump?
- Has it become impossible to get comprehensive immigration reform through Congress?
- Is the rhetoric of the Trump Administration making the migration crisis worse?
- Does the federal government have the tools necessary to adequately deal with the cyber security threat posed by China?
- How will the release of the Mueller report shape the 2020 Democratic primary?
- Will the Supreme Court allow a citizenship question on the 2020 US census?
- Is Donald Trump destroying the Republican Party?
- Can Joe Biden win over Democratic voters in the 2020 primary?
- What steps should be taken to reduce political partisanship in the US Supreme Court?
- What will the Mueller Report mean for the 2020 elections?
- What does the end of the Mueller investigation mean for the future of the Trump Presidency?
- Is the federal government adequately prepared to protect the 2020 elections from foreign interference?
- What impact has the Trump Administration had on international climate change agreements?
- Should global use of palm oil be reduced?
- Do Trump Administration efforts towards deregulation pose a significant threat to public health and safety?
- Can anything be done to overcome partisanship in Congress?
- What action should Congress take to rebuild America’s middle class?
- Is the Afghan government ready for a peace deal with the Taliban?
- Should the Republican Party re-nominate Donald Trump for President in 2020?
- How much will the ban on bump stocks reduce American deaths due to gun violence?
- Is a no-deal Brexit inevitable?
- Can Congressional Republicans come up with a viable healthcare plan to replace the ACA?
- What will the resignation of President Bouteflika mean for the future of Algeria?
- Has the Trump Administration been irresponsible with its handling of classified materials?
- Will Jared Kushner’s Middle East plan be a real chance for peace?
- Will President Trump pay a political price for intervening on security clearances for his family and staff?
- Does the large number of interim appointments in the Trump Administration undermine the credibility of key government institutions?
- Has the International Criminal Court lived up to the expectations of the global community?
- Is the peace deal between the Colombian government and the FARC at risk of collapsing?
- Has President Trump’s political inexperience been detrimental to America’s national security interests?
- Does President Trump have the credibility to negotiate effectively with Congress?
- Is the growing concentration of wealth a threat to democracy around the world?
- Will the new President take steps to move Ukraine closer to the EU?
- Will the rise in hate crimes across the US bring an increase in gun ownership by minorities?
- Will Congress take up changes to America’s asylum process sought by the Trump Administration?
- Is the fight over Brexit creating more anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK?
- Is the Middle East facing a second Arab Spring?
- Can Russia successfully expand its regional influence in the Middle East?
- Have the Palestinians lost the support of the rest of the Arab states in getting a favorable peace deal?
- What more should Congress do to reduce the number of missing and murdered Native American women?
- Is NATO still relevant today?
- Is the global economy headed towards a downturn?
- Should the Fed lower interest rates again?
- Has Turkey’s President Erdogan lost his political support base?
- What will electoral wins by the opposition mean for Turkey’s political future?
- What can be done to stabilize Turkey's economy?
- How much credit does President Trump deserve for America’s economic health?
- Will President Trump hold the support of Evangelical voters in 2020?
- Should the Indian government be doing more to stop the practice of honor killings?
- Should the federal minimum wage be raised?
- Will the legacy of the Trump Administration’s family separation policy follow Kristjen Nielsen into her future?
- Does Netanyahu’s reelection effectively kill the changes for a two-state solution?
- Will Netanyahu’s close relationship with President Trump be a liability for Israel in the long run?
- Is the Trump Administration gearing up for military action against Iran?
- Is the Trump Administration preparing for military intervention in Venezuela?
- Can Joe Biden reconcile his political record with the modern Democratic Party?
- Can protesters in Sudan sustain their momentum to get the reforms they’re demanding?
- Will the removal of Omar al-Bashir bring real reform to Sudan?
- Does the release of the Mueller report mark a real turning point for the Trump White House?
- Can a new generation of activists bring real action on climate change?
- Can the new Ukrainian President end the war in Eastern Ukraine?
- Can Ukraine’s new President rely on the US for support against Russia?
- Should Congressional Democrats move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump?
- Is Israel’s drift towards the political right irreversible?
- Is Jair Bolsonaro’s leadership of Brazil off to a weak start?
- Does Volodymyr Zelenskiy have the political power necessary to find real solutions to Ukraine’s problems?
- Are the prospects for the Rohingya refugees being able to return home soon improving?
- Should the international community be doing more to support Bangladesh’s refugee relief programs?
- Has Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal brough real anti-corruption measures throughout government?
- Is Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro making real progress rooting out government corruption?
- What will happen to Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir?
- What steps should the international community take to condemn Saudi Arabia’s treatment of women’s rights activists?
- Is a nuclear deal with North Korea an impossible dream for the Trump Administration?
- Has Attorney General Barr’s handling of the Mueller Report damaged his credibility and reputation?
- Will the issue of the Irish border cost Theresa May her Prime Ministership?
- What steps should Congress take to stem growing white supremacist violence in the US?
- Is social media still a net positive for democracy around the world?
- Is the secular state losing ground in Indonesia?
- What steps should the international community take to help the UN-backed government bring stability to Libya?
- What role should social media companies play in countering online radicalization?
- Can protesters in North Africa bring about real democratic reforms?
- Should Sarah Sanders resign?
- Will federal lawsuits against pharmaceutical distributors lead to real progress in combating the opioid epidemic?
- What more should Congress be doing to protect the 2020 elections?
- Is Joe Biden too old for today’s Democratic Party?
- What steps should the international community take to stave off the threat from antibiotic resistant diseases?
- Is the endgame near for the Maduro regime in Venezuela?
- Will President Trump and Congressional Democrats strike an infrastructure deal?
- Is the political influence of NRA dwindling?
- What’s next for Venezuela’s Juan Guaido?
- Will the NRA lose its tax-exempt status?
- Will a delay until October give the UK enough time to work out a solution for Brexit?
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Extemp Questions 2019 March
- Can President Trump still deliver on North Korean denuclearization?
- What effect will ongoing tensions with Pakistan have on India’s upcoming elections?
- What should the international community do to deal with child soldiers as conflits end?
- Is the denuclearization of North Korea still a realistic goal?
- Is the sanctions regime against North Korea fraying?
- What does AMLO’s anti-poverty overhaul mean for the future of Mexico?
- What role should America play in Venezuela?
- What effect will President Trump’s border wall have on the humanitarian crisis on the US border?
- Will American intervention in Venezuela make the flood of migrants to the US border worse?
- How much does the America’s history in Latin America undercut efforts to remove Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela?
- Was President Trump’s second summit with Kim Jong-un a diplomatic failure?
- Was the collapse of the second Trump-Kim summit a de facto acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear power?
- What will the collapse of the second summit mean for the future of North Korean denuclearization?
- Does the US still have the leverage necessary to get a denuclearization deal with North Korea?
- What effect will the indictment of Bibi Netanyahu have on the upcoming Israeli elections?
- Will indictment sink Netanyahu’s chances for re-election?
- Can Netanyahu pull off another election win?
- What steps can the federal government take to ensure that American copies are adequately dealing with cybersecurity threats?
- How should Western countries deal with foreign-born ISIS brides and their families?
- Does additional delay make a No-Deal Brexit more likely?
- How much is the Trump Administration willing to sacrifice to strike a deal with the Afghan Taliban?
- Has Africa become too dangerous for aid workers fighting Ebola?
- What will Netanyahu’s indictment mean for the prospects of a Mideast peace plan?
- Is Jared Kushner a liability for the Trump Administration?
- How much leverage does the US still have in Venezuela?
- Is Algeria ready for new political leadership?
- Is China’s Belt and Road program a long-term blunder?
- Does Brexit still pose an existential risk to the European Union?
- Does the US need to develop a national strategy around artificial intelligence and machine learning?
- Can Speaker Pelosi keep the new class of House Democrats in line?
- Has the WTO outlived its usefulness?
- Can Facebook rebuild its reputation?
- Should expansion be a priority for NATO?
- Will the EU use Brexit as an impetus for a new round of expansion?
- Will the UK crash out of the EU without a deal?
- Will Brexit bring the troubles back to Ireland?
- How will Ireland change after Brexit?
- Will populism destroy the EU?
- What reforms will the FAA make to safety certification processes?
- Has the FAA lost the ability to remain objective and independent?
- What can be done to make the college admissions process for fair?
- Should the college admissions process and the criteria it uses face more government oversight?
- Should the DOJ put more focus on prosecuting white collar crimes?
- Is the yellow-vest movement in France losing momentum?
- What role should human rights play in trade discussions with China?
- What role should human rights play in future negotiations with North Korea?
- What’s next for nuclear talks between the US and North Korea?
- Can the Democrats avoid making the same mistakes in the 2020 election?
- What’s next for Venezuela?
- Should China’s slowing economic growth be seen as a serious risk for the global economy?
- Should the international community do more to pressure Saudi Arabia over its treatment of women’s rights activists?
- Will foreign born ISIS brides and their children be left stateless?
- Can Justin Trudeau still win re-election?
- Are fair elections in Thailand possible?
- Is China’s economy nearing its peak?
- Is the momentum behind the American economy starting to slow?
- Will President Trump’s proposed budget lead to another government shutdown over wall funding?
- Can the Ghandis wrest control from Modi in India’s upcoming election?
- Can real political reform be accomplished in Algeria?
- What does President Bouteflika’s decision not to run for re-election mean for the future of Algeria?
- Can anything be done to bring security and stability to Libya?
- Is the temporary appointment of many acting senior officials damaging the Trump Administration’s ability to govern effectively?
- Can the international community do more to control the applications for and use of CRISPR technology?
- Has the SNC-Lavalin scandal dealt a political deathblow to Canada’s Justin Trudeau?
- What will Britain’s relationship with the EU look like after Brexit?
- Has Theresa May’s brinkmanship over Brexit politically damaged the Conservative Party?
- Does anti-vaccine sentiment pose a serious threat to American public health?
- Has federal law enforcement overlooked the threat posed by far-right extremists?
- Is America adequately prepared for a real Cyberwar?
- What can be done to mitigate the risk of social media as a tool for radicalization?
- Will student protests over climate change result in any real environmental policy action?
- What will Netanyahu’s indictment mean for America’s relationship with Israel?
- Will the 2020 election see a generational changeover in the leadership of the Democratic Party?
- What steps should be taken to reform America’s system of privatized prisons?
- How long can Syria’s Assad dodge international accountability for his actions?
- Will the Varsity Blues scandal result in changes to college admissions processes?
- Will the transition of power in Kazakhstan result in societal instability?
- Is Afghanistan ready to look after its own security?
- What does the use of commercial genetic testing services by law enforcement to solve cold cases mean for the future of personal privacy?
- What should be done to clean up waste and human remains from Mount Everest?
- Is democracy in Israel on decline?
- Is America’s foreign policy in the Horn of Africa failing?
- Is China’s Belt and Road program a threat to Africa’s future?
- Are the nations in sub-Saharan Africa getting better at holding free and fair elections?
- Has anti-muslim sentiment become normalized in Australia?
- How big of a threat does ISIS still pose?
- Has the end of the Mueller investigation vindicated President Trump?
- Has America become irreconcilably divided along partisan political lines?
- Will President Trump’s renewed focus on repealing the ACA strengthen Democrats chances in 2020?
- What should the EU learn from Brexit?
- Should America’s top marginal tax rates be raised?
- Are cryptocurrencies poised to make a comeback?
- Is Macron the right person to lead Europe towards a more stable future?
- What’s next for Venezuela?
- Does his relationship with the Trump Administration damage Juan Guaido’s legitimacy with the Venezuelan public?
- Does Turkey face an imminent crisis with foreign debt?
- Will President Trump close the US border with Mexico?
- Does the Mueller Report open new opportunities to improve the relationship between the US and Russia?
- Has Donald Trump permanently changed the norms of the American presidency?
Thursday, March 21, 2019
NSDA 2019 March/April Topic— "Resolved: The illegal use of drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice."
I was going to post the whole outline here, but I started it in Word and it's 9 pages and I don't feel like correcting the errors from the copy / paste, so here's the link to the PDF version:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19jvaERUAJjScm2FJYwACWgXoT_jqbGlW/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19jvaERUAJjScm2FJYwACWgXoT_jqbGlW/view?usp=sharing
Monday, March 18, 2019
NSDA 2019 April PFD Topic —"Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council."
As it happens, I was expecting to spend my entire day yesterday judging Congress and ended up spending on half a day there. So this left me with an unexpected half day free. Below is an outline / notes for the April Public Forum resolution. Time permitting, I'll do a similar set for the LD resolution in the next few days. The PDF document version of this can be found on Google Drive here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jwwXyp9z2LInqEIO1STi-2Mfki8_BIcn/view?usp=sharing
PUBLIC FORUM DEBATE (BEGINNING AND ADVANCED): NSDA 2019 April PFD Topic —"Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council."
General Questions:
1. When was India last a member of the Security Council?
a. Jan. 2011 to Jan 2013 was the most recent
b. Has been elected to the UNSC a total of seven times
2. How many and who are the current members of the Security Council?
a. 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members who have two-year terms
b. Belgium, Ivory Coast, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Indonesia, Kuwait, Peru, Poland, South Africa and the 5 permanent members
3. How many and who are the current permanent members of the Security Council?
a. Five permanent members – China, France, Russia, UK, US
4. Are there UN member states who have never been part of the Security Council
a. “More than 60 United Nations Member States have never been Members of the Security Council.
5. When can UN members not on the Council get involved in issues that the UNSC take up?
a. “A State which is a Member of the United Nations but not of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in its discussions when the Council considers that country's interests are affected. Both Members and non-members of the United Nations, if they are parties to a dispute being considered by the Council, may be invited to take part, without a vote, in the Council's discussions; the Council sets the conditions for participation by a non-member State.”
6. What would it take to make a change like the resolution to the membership of the UNSC?
a. Would require and amendment to the UN charter
b. “Any reform of the Security Council would require the agreement of at least two-thirds of UN member states in a vote in the General Assembly, and must be ratified by two thirds of Member States. All of the permanent members of the UNSC (which have veto rights) must also agree.”
7. What new obligations and rights would be gained by a member state if it became a permanent member?
a. No real answer here, it depends on the details of how the charter would be amended. It could be that a new permanent member gets veto power, but maybe not. The charter itself doesn’t talk about “rights” of permanent or temporary UNSC members. While it describes certain powers (e.g. veto) to permanent members, the language of the charter deals more with “responsibilities"
c. See also Chapter 6 Article 33, 34, etc. - http://www.un.org/en/sections/un-charter/chapter-vi/index.html
d. See also Chapter 7, Article 39, etc. - http://www.un.org/en/sections/un-charter/chapter-vii/index.html
8. On what basis were the current permanent members granted that status?
a. They were the major powers and allied victors at the end of WWII and were involved in pushing for the adoption of the UN charter. There wasn’t any set of objective criteria used for their selection.
9. How are the non-permanent members of the UNSC selected?
a. Vote in the general assembly quotas by geographical region
Aff/Pro
1. The G4 (Brazil, Germany, Japan, India) are all seeking permanent membership on the UNSC as part of more comprehensive reforms of the UN
a. The G4 proposal would actually expand the UNSC to 25 permanent members
b. Currently, no South Asian nations are represented as permanent members of the UNSC (for that matter, neither is Africa or South America or the Middle East)
2. India’s claims to justify permanent status
a. Second largest population
b. Largest (by population) liberal democracy
c. Seventh largest economy
d. Third-largest contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping missions
e.
3. Expansion of the UNSC would better allow the UN to meet new and emerging challenges to international peace and security
4. The only significant reforms to the UNSC since it was chartered was in 1965 – to expand non-permanent seats from six to ten.
5. Five members do not adequately address the world. Particularly when the full 15 member set are often not representative of areas of concern around the globe.
6. Member states support expansion
a. The problem lies in coming up with a unified text of the necessary charter amendment in order to being negotiation.
7. The idea of expanding the UNSC to include the G4 as permanent members is supported by the UK, France, US and Russia
8. India’s position on expansion of the UNSC (as of 2011 statement)
a. The UNSC should have representation by members closer to the areas of its attention. “in the months of January and February 2011, more than 70% of the Council's meetings were on African issues and in terms of the amount of time spent, more than 90% of the Council’s attention was focused on African issues. And yet there is no single permanent member from Africa!”
b. Representation on the UNSC is limited and too restricted. “in the instance of the Latin American region, all slots have been filled up for the Council’s elected seats till 2034 and so there are no further opportunities.”
c. “For the record, let me also reiterate that the overwhelming majority of UN member-states have expressed their clear preference for expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories.”
9. Failing to address necessary reforms will weaken the UN in the face of modern challenges
a. India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj at the UN: "Step by slow step, the importance, influence, respect and value of this institution is beginning to ebb... The United Nations must accept that it needs fundamental reform. Reform cannot be cosmetic. We need to change the institution's head and heart to make both compatible to contemporary reality. Reform must begin today; tomorrow could be too late. If the UN is ineffective, the whole concept of multilateralism will collapse. India does not believe that the United Nations should become the instrument of a few at the cost the many."
10. China is using its permanent status as a way to keep India under thumb and assert its superiority in the region.
11. Under the current structure the UNSC has lost the ability to act in a timely manner, which harms its effectiveness, which damages its credibility and legitimacy.
a. As recently as the week of Mar. 10, the UN has reported on killings in the DR Congo from the previous December and warned that “new waves” of killings may be forthcoming. There is a weak call for state intervention, but no plan to force any such intervention or to do anything beyond monitoring and probing the killings.
12. India has been elected to the UNSC seven times, most recently with a significant number of votes. Permanent membership would formalize its status. It might also make sense to add all of the G4 countries
a. https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/india-wins-unsc-seat-with-highest-votes-in-5-yrs_661197.html
b. “As of 2013, the current P5 members of the Security Council, along with the G4, account for eight of the world's ten largest defense budgets, according to SIPRI. They also account for 9 of the 10 largest economies by both nominal GDP and Purchasing Power Parity GDP.”
13. Need to put a deadline on current open-ended discussions to get an actual decision instead of just the de facto “no” of constant delays and talks with no progress
a. “Daniel Drezner (professor at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and blogger): Right after the US moves its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: it has been promised for decades by presidential candidates but never comes to fruition. Ten years would be a really optimistic estimate.”
b. Plus, we just moved the embassy to Jerusalem, so I guess, it’s time?
14. Chapter I, Article 1 of the UN Charter says that the first primary purpose of the UN is “To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace”
a. Would affirmation of the resolution do this? Yes. It expands representation, giving the UNSC more legitimacy, it provides a venue to address areas of concern in a more timely manner and it recognizes the growing importance of India as well as the growing interdependence of nations around the world. Both in terms of economic interests as well as security and peace interests. So should we affirm? Yes.
15. Some questions to ask the aff
a. If the UNSC is broken, what about it is broken and how would adding India as a permanent member fix it?
b. Are there any objective criteria that we could use to determine who should have membership and permanent membership on the UNSC? Would GDP be a measure? Population? Contributions to the UN? Should it include nations with nuclear weapons? Or some combination of these criteria? Or no objective criteria at all?
i. And if there’s no objective criteria, I nominate Tahiti as the only permanent member because they have nice beaches.
c. Do the reforms to the UNSC need to include more than just adding India? More than just adding the G4? More regional representation in Africa and the Middle East? What about revisions to who has veto power?
d. Would affirmation make the conflict over Kashmir worse? If not, how would the Pakistani’s be placated?
e. If India contributes significantly to UN efforts including peacekeeping, what would be the real consequences of NOT giving them a permanent seat on the UNSC?
f. How important is membership (not necessarily permanent membership) on the UNS for the purposes of maintaining international peace and security? For example, Switzerland didn’t even join the UN until 2002 but they’re not out starting wars. If more than 60 UN member states have never been part of the UNSC, let alone a permanent member, how critical is permanent membership to being able to maintain peace?
g. Why is expansion of the USNC better than other alternatives, for example, heavier reliance on regional arrangements/organizations under Article 52 of the UN Charter (e.g. reliance on the African Union to resolve disputes in Africa)?
Neg / con
1. TLDR – if it an’t broke, don’t fix it.
a. The composition of the UNSC was set in 1945 and has changed very little while the overall geopolitical landscape has changed significantly. Still the UNSC remains the top body for international peace and conflict resolution.
2. No text for the necessary amendment exists which is necessary to even being negotiations about expansion of the UNSC. Members don’t yet have anything near a consensus about the terms of such an amendment – how many permanent seats to add, who to add, what other reforms (e.g. ending the veto power of permanent members) should be included.
a. It might be possible to push forward on smaller, more limited change like just adding the G4 countries, but then you could easily lose the support of other UN members that would be left out.
c. There’s no large-scale consensus on the details of reforms to the UNSC.
3. China opposes reforms to the UNSC. Sometimes publicly, though more often they publicly express neutrality and negligence rather than opposition.
a. More specifically, China’s position is that they don’t want to “rush” a vote on any such changes / reforms. They say it will damage the interests of developing countries,
b. Expansion and reforms should wait until a significant consensus on the details can be reached.
c. China calls for UNSC reforms to increase the representation of developing countries because they make up more than two-thirds of UN member states
4. If we go with expansion of the UNSC to include all G4 countries there is historical mistrust – Germany in Europe, Japan in Asia, corruption in Brazil, conflict between India and Pakistan, that make it difficult to gain regional support and global consensus.
5. Even India has effectively given up on its demands in more recent times. India’s demands to be included as a permanent member of the UNSC have largely been ignored with no real consequences (e.g. removing Indian peacekeeping forces)
6. Too much diplomatic effort to change the charter
a. Negroponte: I think we should keep the number of seats at 15 but have more permanent members. But it would take a significant amount of diplomatic effort to modify the charter.
c. It’s way too difficult to find a consensus on who to add and what to change
i. Drezner: Brazil and Japan, and the EU should have one seat. No African or Mid-East country is a really obvious candidate -- no one state or supranational organization possesses the requisite power.
ii. Graham Allison (Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School): If you are trying to make the Security Council reflective of the world we live in today, it should include at least India, but also a state from Africa (Nigeria or South Africa), and one from South America, most likely Brazil.
iii. Andrew Bacevich ( Professor of International Relations and History, Boston University): Who should? India, Germany, Japan, Brazil. Who will? None of them.
7. The UNSC is becoming less relevant anyway. While reforms and expansion might help stave that off, that’s not a sure thing and could just as easily lead to gridlock within the UNSC and General Assembly and make it less relevant
a. Drezner: I'm not sure about its [overall effectiveness] going forward. It can move along well on issues like terrorism but will underwhelm on issues that infringe on national sovereignty: separatist movements, democracy promotion, etc.
b. Bacevich: The UNSC matters -- it just doesn't matter all that much.
c. Thomas Pickering (Chairman, Board of Directors, American Academy of Diplomacy, and former U.S. Ambassador): The danger is that the Council becomes too large and irrelevant that way.
8. Let’s assume the UNSC is broken, then we need larger scale reforms than just adding India (or even adding the G4) as permanent members.
a. These should include the following five reforms
i. membership categories,
ii. veto powers of the five permanent members,
iii. regional representation,
iv. the size of an enlarged UNSC and it’s working methods
v. the relationship between the General Assembly and the UNSC.
9. Under Chapter 8 (e.g. Article 52) and other portions of the UN Charter, there are provisions to rely on regional organizations to resolve conflicts which are better suited to deal with conflicts than the larger UN body. These groups inherently have a stronger interest in peaceful resolution of conflicts within their region than would an expanded UNSC, and are better positioned to respond in a timely and effective manner. While the UN should reserve the power and responsibility to step in should need arise, the resolution asks us to take preemptive steps to expand the UNSC in order to address the mere possibility of ineffective regional organizations. Such steps are unwarranted.
10. Adding India to the Security Council would give it international cover for human rights abuses against minorities (such as Muslims) much in the same way that China’s status on the UNSC gives it international cover for its human right abuses against minorities (e.g. Muslims, Uyghurs)
a. China is “in a league of its own” for human rights violations
b. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/mar/13/china-human-rights-violations-mike-pompeo
d. While the US says that it ‘may’ use sanctions against China and leaders it believes are responsible for human rights violations, it hasn’t done so yet. And (see below) Secretary of State Pompeo’s statement is to the effect that the US will ignore human rights if it’s in the interests of the US.
f. So what does the US actually do about it? Mike Pompeo complains, but it’s not a significant part of trade negotiations, there are no UN or US sanctions. Basically the US just ‘calls them out’ on it. In part because of trade and in part because China has a permanent seat on the UNSC. In fact, Pompeo says the US (or Trump Administration at least) will work with anybody regardless of their human rights records as long as it’s in America’s interest. Putting India on the UNSC would put India in the same position as China – able to violate human rights with no real consequence on the international stage.
h. Indeed, as recently as the week of March 10, China is delaying UN sanctions that India wants against militant groups and their leaders. China is cracking down on it’s own Muslim population while giving cover to Pakistani-based terrorists.
k. And they can get away with it because they have a permanent seat on the UNSC – and the veto that comes with it. Giving India similar leverage will provide India with international cover to violate human rights. Something they’re already doing.
q. So if you want to give India cover for more human rights violations in Kashmir, then yeah, go ahead and affirm the resolution
11. Questions to ask the negative
a. What is the primary objective of the UNSC?
i. The UN was chartered with four major objectives
1. Maintain international peace and security
2. Develop friendly relations among nations
3. Cooperate on solving international problems
4. Be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations
ii. The UNSC was chartered to address the first of these
b. Yemen, Venezuela, Kashmir, Syria, Central Africa, Gaza and the West Bank. How effective has the UNSC been recently at maintaining international peace and security?
c. Why does it make sense for the more active areas of conflict around the world not to have representation on the premier body for maintaining international peace and security?
i. E.g. Middle East, Central Africa, Kashmir, Latin America
d. The five current permanent members (US, UK, France, China, Russia) are all nuclear powers. Doesn’t it make sense that membership be expanded to include the newer nuclear powers in order to minimize the risk of a conflict escalating towards nuclear deployment?
Change Log
rpalmeira 2019.03.17 v1a – minor corrections to spelling and grammar
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Extemp Questions 2019 Feb
- Will the way the government shutdown ended eat away at President Trump’s political base?
- Are protesters a real threat to the rule of Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir?
- What are the chances for a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela?
- Can growing international pressure achieve regime change in Venezuela?
- Can the Congress Party win back power from the BJP in India?
- Is the anti-vaccine movement a significant public health threat to America?
- Can Congress find a compromise solution for border security?
- Does America have the clout to act as an honest broker in Venezuela?
- Should Theresa May move to delay Brexit?
- Is the UK headed for a no-deal Brexit?
- Can Theresa May build enough support to get her Brexit deal passed?
- Can the President and Congressional Democrats learn to compromise with each other?
- Is Jared Kushner a liability for the Trump White House?
- Would a third-party run by Howard Schultz help or hurt President’s Trump’s re-election bid in 2020?
- Is it time for Congress to review and revise the 2001 AUMF?
- Is American withdrawal from the INF treaty a mistake?
- Has the Trump Administration been successful at bringing manufacturing jobs back to America?
- Can coal still make a comeback?
- Does the US walking away from the INF treaty make the world less safe?
- Are deradicalization programs an effective tool to use against Nigeria’s Boko Haram militants?
- Is the gap between the American intelligence community and the Trump White House a serious threat to national security?
- Can Juan Guaido win over the support of Venezuela’s military leaders?
- Will US lawsuits against Huawei make a trade deal with China impossible?
- Can regime change bring an end to economic hyperinflation in Venezuela?
- Is the UK ready to leave the EU?
- Is Donald Trump permanently changing the American Presidency?
- What does the trial of El Chapo signal about the status of America’s war on drugs?
- Is it too late for President Trump to build bipartisan cooperation in Congress?
- Is US policy towards North Korea headed in the right direction?
- Will President Trump get a good deal from his second North Korea summit?
- What role should America play in the Northern Triangle region?
- Will threats from the President stave off further investigations into the Trump and his allies in Congress?
- Does the US military rely too heavily on Special Forces soldiers?
- What does American withdrawal from the INF mean for the future of international arms control?
- What can Theresa May do to break through the deadlock over Brexit?
- Will Brexit incite a new call for independence in Scotland?
- Will the Democrats’ Green New Deal get real consideration in Congress?
- Will the Trump Administration be able to strike a good deal with China?
- What consequences will Purdue Pharma face for the role of OxyContin in the opioid epidemic?
- Should the Trump Administration hold off on plans to lift regulations on the payday loan industry?
- Has the American public become immune to lies from President Trump?
- Is the BDS movement gaining ground in Congress?
- Will US pressure keep Europe from sidestepping sanctions against Iran?
- Has the hollowing out of the State Department under Rex Tillerson started to turn around?
- What can be done to calm the rising tensions between India and Pakistan?
- Will the issue of the Irish backstop force a No-Deal Brexit?
- How much damage will Brexit do to the Irish peace process?
- Will the issue of Catalan independence bring snap elections in Spain?
- Can a minimum basic income work in America?
- Can Europe keep the JCPOA deal with Iran alive?
- What is needed to break through the stalemate over Venezuela’s Presidency?
- How much of Robert Mueller’s final report should be made public?
- Is consumer debt a looming crisis for the American economy?
- Is support for Israel becoming a partisan issue in American politics?
- Should America do more to counter growing anti-semitism around the world?
- Will the JCPOA deal with Iran outlast the Trump Administration?
- Is the denuclearization of North Korea still a feasible goal?
- Will President Trump face a serious primary election challenge in 2020?
- Will the Senate vote to cancel the President’s emergency declaration?
- How much worse off will the UK be because of Brexit?
- Is the US selling out the Afghan government to the Taliban?
- Will declaring a national emergency add delay to actual construction of President Trump’s border wall?
- Are House Democrats pushing the national party too far to the left?
- Has the American public become desensitized to mass shootings?
- Is Australia’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru improving?
- Is declaring a national emergency a sign of political weakness from President Trump?
- How much have investigations into sexual misconduct by clergy damaged the standing of churches in America?
- How much have sexual abuse scandals damaged the Catholic church around the world?
- Will Virginia’s Gov. Northam be forced to resign?
- Should NASA’s funding be expanded?
- Has the movement started in the wake of the Parkland shooting managed to sustain the moment it originally had?
- Has the Arab Spring made conditions across the Middle East worse?
- Has the US Congress reached its limit with Saudi Arabia?
- Has the leadership of MBS been bad for Saudi Arabia?
- Has the Trump Administration pushed Iran closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon?
- What consequences will the death of the INF treaty have for the rest of the world?
- Does Canada’s Justin Trudeau face real political problems ahead of upcoming elections?
- What does the conviction of El Chapo mean for America’s war on drugs?
- Can Mexico’s President Lopez-Obrador find a way to fight the war on drugs more successfully?
- What can be done to counter the growing trend of crackdowns on press freedoms around the world?
- Can new violence in Kashmir be prevented from spiraling out of control?
- Is there a rising antisemitism among the new left?
- What should America’s role be in Venezuela?
- What’s next for Haiti?
- Is a new humanitarian crisis brewing in Haiti?
- Should Temporary Protected Status be extended for Haitians in the US?
- Have sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church reached a major turning point?
- Can President Trump get a real agreement towards denuclearization out of Kim Jong-un?
- Has the President overstepped in declaring a national emergency to build a border wall?
- Can President Trump rely on the economy to keep up his political base of support through the 2020 election?
- Will court battles over wall funding help President Trump keep the support of his base?
- What effects would a No-Deal Brexit have on the global economy?
- Should foreign-born ISIS brides be allowed to return to their countries of origin?
- How long will the effects of the government shutdown linger on the American economy?
- Can Imran Khan do more to stop Pakistani terrorism in Kashmir?
- Can Bernie Sanders win the Democratic nomination for 2020?
- What steps should Congress take to crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers?
- Does China’s military build-up in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to international stability and security?
- Can the Catholic Church be trusted to reform itself?
- What should the US be willing to give up for a real denuclearization deal with North Korea?
- Is international acceptance of North Korea as a nuclear power inevitable?
- Should federal law enforcement dedicate more resources to combating right-wing extremism?
- Can anything be done to curb public corruption in Iraq?
- Should the US treat climate change as a national security threat?
- How long can Maduro hold onto power in Venezuela?
- Is there still room for negotiation between Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido?
- Should the west cut ties with Saudi Arabia?
- What does the surge of public school teacher strikes signal about the future of public education in America?
- Can William Barr as Attorney General maintain the DOJ’s independence from the White House?
- Will the expansion of Executive Power under President Trump last beyond his tenure in office?
- Should the DOD be doing more to remove white supremacists and far-right extremists from active military ranks?
- How much worse will the crisis in Venezuela get?
- Will the second summit with Kim Jong-un do anything of substance to advance the denuclearization of North Korea?
- What will it take to get Venezuela’s military leaders to flip on Nicolas Maduro?
- Will the end of the INF treaty lead to a modernization of international arms control?
- How big of a factor will Huawei be in a US-China trade deal?
- Can diplomatic pressure from the international community force Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir to step down?
- What will public protests against Omar al-Bashir in Sudan realistically accomplish?
- Can a new currency stabilize Zimbabwe’s economy?
- Has the Islamic States ideology gained a solid foothold in Africa?
- Is Africa poised to become the next major front in the fight against Islamic extremism?
- Should foreign ISIS fighters be allowed to return to their home countries?
- Will the territorial defeat of ISIS mean a return to insurgent terrorist strategies?
- Is Germany still a force for stability across Europe?
- Has real progress been made in resolving the trade conflict between the US and China?
- What further steps should Congress take to resolve problems if redlining in America’s housing markets?
- Will sex abuse scandals define the tenure of Pope Francis?
- Is Netanyahu pushing Israeli politics too far to the right?
- Is American wage growth getting back on track?
- Is America’s labor market starting to lose steam?
- What steps should the Modi government take to improve the long-term economic growth prospects for India?
- What role should the US play in Kashmir?
- What can the international community do to calm tensions between India and Pakistan?
- Should Congress take action to reform the US patent system for pharmaceuticals?
- Will Congress do more to hold Trump Administration officials for the family separation policy at the border?
- What actions should Congress take to reduce prescription drug prices?
- Should the Trump Administration do more to counteract Russian interference in European elections?
- What should be done to better prepare the American economy for increases in automation technology?
- Will the rise of populism be good for Europe in the long run?
- Is Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party becoming populist?
- Can the UK’s Labour Party force a second Brexit referendum?
- Should the non-medical use of antibiotics be restricted?
- Will commercial space travel reinvigorate NASA?
- What should be done to counter rising antisemitism in Europe?
- Will President Trump deliver on his campaign promise to drain the swamp?
- Will corruption and conflicts of interest by senior administration officials damage President Trump’s re-election bid in 2020?
- How much does successful North Korean denuclearization depend on US-China trade talks?
- Is the US running out of options for how to deal with Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro?
- Has America’s recognition of Juan Guaido made the situation in Venezuela worse?
- How far is the US willing to go to remove Nicolas Maduro from power?
- Does North Korea still pose a nuclear threat?
- Are tensions between India and Pakistan spiraling out of control?
- Will the resignation of Iran’s Foreign Minister lead to the end of the JCPOA deal?
- What steps should elite American universities take to better address the needs of students from low-income backgrounds?
- Does China’s growing movie industry pose a threat to America’s cultural influence around the world?
- Should Brexit be delayed?
- Has Michael Cohen’s testimony before Congress exposed the President to new areas of liability?
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