Extemp Questions June 2015

June

• What should the federal government do to encourage Americans to save more of their income?
•  Is infrastructure development the key to successful economic development in sub-Saharan Africa? 
• What social consequences will the UK face with ongoing austerity measures? 
• Does the world need to strengthen efforts into the development of nuclear power? 
• How can China reduce its carbon emissions and maintain its economic growth?
•  Should US energy policy focus more on the development of green energy production? 
• Is America’s economy overly dependent on Middle East oil? 
• What will slower growth for the Chinese economy mean for global markets? 
• Is the Chinese economy on the brink of collapse? 
• Will race relations be a key voting issues for the 2016 Presidential race?
•  Does China have an effective strategy for using soft power in their foreign policy? 
• Will Sepp Blatter’s resignation from FIFA help resolve the organization’s corruption? 
• What does President Obama’s shift in focus towards the Pacific rim mean for US foreign policy in the next decade? 
• Should the international community do more to protect global fisheries? 
• Can the Greek debt problems bring down the Euro? 
• Are nuclear talks with Iran still a viable solution? 
• Will the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges have immediate social side-effects? 
• Will the Affordable Care Act continue to face legal challenges from Republicans? 
• Does China’s island-building activity pose a risk to regional stability? 
• Is Russia on the brink of economic collapse? 
• What does the outlook hold for the Russian economy? 
• When will America see wages rise? How healthy is the American labor market? 
• Does China face a social crisis over marriage?

Extemp Questions April / May 2015

April

• Can united action against the Houthi rebels in Yemen help the US forge new alliances in the Middle East?
• Can the Euro survive a Greek debt default?
• Should the federal government provide funding for state and local police officers to wear body cameras?
• Should the EU create a real Federal political system?
• Should the UK join the Euro?
• Are microloan programs effective at large scale poverty reduction in developing  nations?
• Does poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa depend on agricultural development?
• Can EU immigration systems handle the influx of people crossing the Mediterranean?
• What reforms are needed to the European immigration system?
• Are much needed political reforms for on the horizon for Pakistan?
• Will race relations in law enforcement play a pivotal role in the 2016 Presidential election?
• What role will the US Supreme Court play for the future of same-sex marriage?
• Does America’s use of military drone strikes have significant negative consequences for American foreign policy around the world?
• Should the US curtail drone strikes?

May

• Should the UK leave the European Union?
• Is Iran truly an existential threat to Israel>
• Is the US doing enough to promote stability in Somalia?
• Does the US still have a strategic role to play in the Middle East>
• How can the Republican Party win over Hispanic voters?
• What does the Conservative Party’s win mean for the UK’s relationsip with the EU?
• Will Scotland press for another independence vote?
• How can the US win the social media fight against international terrorism?
• Is the US tech sector poised to boom again?
• Is the Trans-Pacific Partnership a good deal for the US economy?
• Does the TPP trade agreement pose a long-term risk to US economic growth?
• Should Congress pay more attention to America’s aging transportation infrastructure?
• Should the Patriot Act be renewed?
• What should Putin do to help the Russian economy rebound?
• What role should Britain play in the EU?
• Is an end to the violence in Yemen on the horizon?
• Will Congress allow the surveillance portions of the PATRIOT Act to expire?
• Should the international community do more to combat human trafficking around the world?
• What can be done to end the corruption in FIFA?
• Is a nuclear deal with Iran a liability for Israel?
• Will Bernie Sanders’ campaign push Hillary Clinton to move her positions to the left.
• Should President Obama push for a national moratorium on the death penalty?

Extemp Questions March 2015

• Will Netanyahu retain leadership of Israel? 
• Will continued brinkmanship over Ukraine escalate? 
• Has the War on Drugs already been lost? 
• Would a nuclear deal with Iran improve stability in the Middle East? 
• Can Republican effective court Hispanic voters in 2016? 
• Can the Democratic Party field a viable competitor for Hillary Clinton in 2016? 
• Does the Euro pose a risk to the stability of the EU? 
• Should Britain leave the EU? 
• Is a nuclear deal with Iran necessary for regional stability? 
• Should developed nations change their immigration rules for asylum seekers and refugees? 
• What effect will security concerns have on Nigeria’s election? 
• What steps can be taken to end the fighting in Yemen? 
• Will rebel forces in Yemen effect a lasting revolution? 
• Does the continued violence in Yemen create the threat of a larger scale regional conflict? 
• Is Iran’s regional influence growing too large? 
• Does American intellectual property law need major reform to deal with the modern digital age? 
• Are America privacy laws able to properly cope with current technology? 
• Is there a viable alternative to the Assad regime in Syria? 
• Does Netanyahu’s win change Israel’s relationship with the US? 
• Will the Republican controlled Congress continue to block confirmation of Obama appointees? 
• Should the American economy be worried about inflation? 
• Is there a real possibility of reforming the Greek economy? 
• Will Greece fall out of the Euro? 
• Will Nigeria slip into instability and violence? 
• Is a weak nuclear deal with Iran worse than no nuclear deal at all? 
• What impact will Hispanic voters have on the 2016 election? 
• Have Western economic sanctions against Russia had the desired effect? 
• What effect will continued economic strain have on Vladimir Putin’s leadership? 
• How can China develop a sustainable economy? 
• Does the government of China still have significant corruption problems? 
• What role should the US play amidst regional tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia? 
• Can a strong Iran and a strong Saudi Arabia coexist peacefully in the Middle East?

Extemp Questions Feb. 2015

Mean to put these up here like three weeks ago. Oh well. I'll have March stuff up in about a week. 

• Should the US arm Ukrainian forces? 
• Will the South Sudan peace deal hold? 
• Are American military forces on the ground necessary to defeat ISIS? 
• Can diplomacy win out in the Ukraine? 
• Will mounting economic problems in Russia force Putin into a diplomatic solution for the Ukraine? 
• Should the international community do more to combat illegal fishing? 
• Should the US government require certain types of childhood vaccinations? 
• Will Europe pass some form of Net Neutrality legislation? 
• Will new leadership bring reforms to Saudi Arabia? 
• Will oil prices remain low for 2015? 
• What does the future hold for Jacob Zuma and the ANC? 
• Will President Obama veto Keystone Pipeline legislation? 
• Will the Ukraine conflict spill over into the rest of Eastern Europe? 
• Are the US and its allies winning the fight against ISIS? 
• Is a real nuclear deal with Iran likely to happen this year? 
• Does the expansion of the ISIS ‘brand’ pose a serious risk for the international community?

Extemp Questions Jan. 2015

January

• Will Keystone pipeline legislation get a veto-proof supermajority in the new Congress?
• Will a second term for Brazil’s President Rousseff bring serious economic reform
• Is the US military’s cyberwarfare capability too weak?
• What doe the future hold for leadership in Saudi Arabia?
• What will a change in Saudi leadership mean for US policy in the Middle East?
• Does the Republican Party still have issue with racial minorities?
• Is America prepared for a long-term commitment to military engagement in the Middle East?
• What can be done to combat the roots of ISIS?
• Is the US military prepared to fight a long-term war on terror?
• Will the US economic recovery continue through 2015?
• Is homegrown Islamic terrorism less of a threat in the US than it is in Europe?
• Should more international effort be put into combating Boko Haram militants?
• Does the recent thaw in US-Cuba relations signal a permanent shift?
• What change will new leadership bring to Saudi Arabia?
• Should America do more to actively combat Boko Haram?
• Will the Paris Treaty on climate change result in any substantial reforms?
• Should American whistleblowers receive greater legal protection?
• Will Greece leave the Euro?
• When will American wages begin to rise?
• Can Obama make substantial progress on climate change legislation in the remainder of his term?
• Should the US be more actively involved in Libya?
• Can America contain the chaos in Syria?
• What reforms are necessary to boost Japan’s long-term economic growth?
• Will Greece spark another Euro crisis?
• Does the Taliban still pose a major risk to security and stability in Afghanistan?

Extemp Questions - Nov / Dec. 2014

November

• How well is Germany coping with the influx of immigrants? 
• Should Congress pass “right to die” protections for terminally ill patients? 
• Should the international community provide more food aid to South Sudan? 
• Who will be the new leader in Burkina Faso? 
• Has the US military failed to properly address the issue of sexual assault? 
• Should the EU do more to discourage Russian intervention in the Ukraine? 
• Should banks that are “too big to fail” face additional regulatory scrutiny? 
• What will Republican control of congress mean for the remainder of Obama’s presidency?
•  Can President Obama and the Republican congressional majority work together? 
• What is needed to push back the Islamic State militants? 
• What does the fighting in Kobane represent in the fight against ISIS? 
• Is Modi on track to be an effective leader for India? 
• Will the new Republican majority in Congress be able to push forward legislation on the Keystone pipeline? 
• Should the US be more actively engaged in Syria? 
• Should the African Union take a more active role in the fight against Boko Haram forces? 
• Does the defeat of ISIS require the agreement of Sunni leadership? 
• What impact will demographic changes to America have on the future of the Republican Party? 
• Is there a bright future for global economic growth? 
• Will Catalan gain more autonomy from the central Spanish government? 
• Is a nuclear deal with Iran still attainable? 

December

• Has America underestimated the threat that ISIS poses? 
• Will additional US ground troops be necessary to beat back Islamic State forces in Iraq? 
• What does the future hold for the leadership if the Democratic Party? 
• Is the justices stem failing African Americans? 
• Would greater whistleblower protections be in the best interest of the American public? 
• Is Japan's corporate culture holding back its economy? 
• Why has the Colombian government aight with FARC guerrilla lasted so long? 
• Will the Obama Administration's use of executive action on immigration have negative u it ended consequences? 
• What can the EU do to solve problems with illegal immigration? 
• What effect will the changing demographics of age have on the US economy in re next decade? 
• What impact will falling oil prices have in the global economy? 
• What role should the Army play in Thailand's politics? Will Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution lead to any real reforms? 
• Should the African Union employ greater military force in the fight against Boko Haram? 
• Do rebel forces in Syria pose a real threat to the Assad regime? 
• Is federal financial regulation of a Wall Street too weak? 
• Will President Obama face political fallout for his foreign policy changes towards Cuba? 
• What effect will US foreign policy changes towards Cuba have on the future of the Castro regime? 
• Does the falling value of the ruble pose a serious economic risk for Russia? 
• What effect will normalized relations with Cuba have on the American political landscape for 2016? 
• Will Japan’s national elections result in significant structural reforms to the Japanese economy? 
• Should the federal government do more to improve public cybersecurity? 
• Should businesses do more to protect the cybersecurity of their employees, clients and customers? 
• Does American intellectual property law need significant reform? 
• How should the American government respond to North Korean cyberattack against Sony? 
• Is the US government doing enough to combat cyberterrorism? 
• Will America’s change in diplomatic status achieve any real political change in Cuba? 
• Should America increase sanctions against Venezuela? 
• Does Greece’s debt still threaten Europe’s economy?

Extemp Questions Oct 2014

October

• Could the Hong Kong protests turn into another Tiananmen Square?
• Has the international response to the Ebola crisis been too slow?
• Does Argentina have a way out of its current debt crisis?
• How well are Afghan security forces coping with the resurgent Taliban?
• What is the best way forward to end the conflict in South Sudan?
• Can allied forces overcome other disagreements to effectively combat ISIS?
• Has the WHO’s response to Ebola been deficient?
• Can Turkish and Kurdish force maintain an alliance?
• What role should Kurdish forces play in combating ISIS?
• Should Pakistan recognize Diwali as a national holiday?
• Has Chile been able to move beyond the legacy of Augusto Pinochet?
• What steps can the French government take to bring the economy back on track?
• What future will President Dilma Rousseff bring to Brazil?
• Will escalating violence in Iraq lead to greater US involvement?
• Will the GOP gain control of the Senate?