Friday, April 3, 2015

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?

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

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?

Saturday, January 31, 2015

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?

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

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?

Friday, November 7, 2014

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?

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Extemp Questions Aug / Sept 2014

August
  • What’s needed to establish a functioning democracy in Thailand?
  • Should the US threaten to pull military support for Israel?
  • Should America provide additional aid to Syrian rebel forces?
  • Can a new government bring stability to Iraq?
  • Should NATO use force to block Russian intervention into eastern Ukraine?
  • Can continued attacks by Islamic State militants in Iraq be curtailed by American military force?
  • What more should be done to halt the spread of Ebola in west Africa?
  • Should NATO send military arms to Kurdish forces to combat Islamic State militants?
  • Are Islamic State militants a significant threat to the US?
  • Should NATO forces seek to join with Syrian President Assad’s forces to combat Islamic State militants?
  • What does the future hold for the Eurozone economies?
  • Can airstrikes meet US objectives for combating Islamic State militants?

Sept

  • What can be done to hold back Russia from encroachment in the Ukraine?
  • Are further sanctions needed against Russia?
  • Is public support from Arab nations necessary to fight back effectively against Islamic State militants?
  • What long term effects will the Ebola outbreak have on Africa economies?
  • Can rival nations in the Middle East find common ground in combatting the Islamic State militants?
  • Do sanctions against Russia help or hurt the Ukraine peace process?
  • What long term effects would Scottish Independence have on tthe United Kingdom?
  • Should the EU do more to help bolster Eurozone economies?
  • Can UN peacekeeping forces stabilize the crisis in the Central African Republic?
  • How much has quantitative easing helped the US economy?
  • Can Syrian rebels backed by America be an effective force against Islamic State militants?
  • Is active US military support needed in the Ukraine?
  • Is it time for the US to change federal laws against marijuana?
  • Should the European Central Bank provide more quantitative easing?
  • Should the Fed raise interest rates?
  • Has the militarization of America’s police forces gone too far?
  • Will new leadership bring much needed stability to Afghanistan?
  • Will ongoing clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists create an energy crisis for Europe?
  • Have European austerity measures gone too far?
  • Are the goals of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong achievable?

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Extemp Questions June / July 2014

June
  • Can new Egyptian leadership bring about needed reforms?
  • What long term effects will Edward Snowden’s information leaks have on US national security?
  • What can be done to curb the rising costs of higher education?
  • What can the Iraqi government do to ensure security?
  • Does the ISIS terrorist group pose a serious risk to US interests in the Middle East?
  • Is the terrorist group ISIS a clear and present danger to the security of the United States?
  • Will the Tea Party faction hold sway over the GOP in the midterm primaries?
  • Should the federal government do more to curb the costs of higher education?


July

  • What does the future hold for the Kurdish region of Iraq?
  • Should the US push Israel to pull back on the recent Gaza occupation?
  • Could Russia be held liable for the downing of Flight 17?
  • Should the US take a more active role in the conflict between the Ukraine and Russia?
  • Will the escalating casualties in Syria be enough to get the international community to intervene?
  • What does the long-term US economic outlook suggest about America’s economic influence internationally?
  • Has the US real estate market rebounded?
  • Should immigration reform be a higher priority for Congress?
  • How well cna the Russian economy weather international sanctions?
  • Can the UN provide enough international pressure to force a Gaza cease-fire?
  • What effects will Argentina’s debt default have on the long term health of that nation’s economy?