Extemporaneum: Speech & Debate Resources

Novice Questions will return in June. In the meantime, enjoy 10 mixed varsity questions in both categories every week!

Varsity DX: >Should the US send Fethullah G ü len back to Turkey? >What key trade issues need to be addressed between the US and Canada? >How should the GOP's healthcare strategy adapt following the failure of the AHCA? >Is the US likely to bolster trade with African economies in the next few years? >What challenges does the Keystone XL pipeline still face following executive approval? >Should there be concern about Chinese investment in US military technology startups? >Is social media to blame for political polarization in the US? >Who will be the loser in post-TPP trade talks between the US and Japan? >Is community non-compliance with immigration law a sustainable solution to border controversies? >How will EPA budget cuts affect low-income rural and urban communities? Have a great week!

Varsity IX: >Does Sadiq Khan need to make a significant change to London security policy? >How should Uber adjust its business strategy to compete in Asian markets? >How would a referendum to pursue EU membership affect Turkey's foreign interests? >What's at stake in the French presidential election? >Why does Rodrigo Duterte want to pursue an alliance with China? >How should Japanese society address its demographic woes? >Is Russia an asset or liability in the global effort to mitigate the North Korean nuclear threat? >How can the South American energy industry compete with OPEC? >Does its border with Guatemala pose a significant security threat to Mexico? >What challenges does Nigeria face in getting its high-tech sector off the ground? Have a great week!

Novice DX: -Can US citizens looks forward a good relationship with Germany in the coming years? -How will the wiretapping allegations affect Trump's public approval? -Can Senate Democrats hold out for a Supreme Court nominee better than Gorsuch? -Is the American Healthcare Act a good replacement for the Affordable Care Act? -Should electric grid modernization be a priority for future infrastructure spending? Varsity DX: -How can Uber restore investor confidence? -How could Colorado leverage recent economic growth to address environmental issues in the state? -Should healthy people have to pay for chronic illnesses? -How will the American Healthcare Act change the American healthcare market? -How should the US respond to increasingly modernized Chinese and Russian armed forces? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -Will Theresa May be able to negotiate a satisfactory "hard Brexit"? -Is there a path to resolution in the Yemen conflict after two years? -Is China's "New Silk Road" going to benefit peace efforts across East Asia? -Can Russia live without the West? -How can the UN aid the South Sudanese refugee crisis in Uganda? Varsity IX: - What does a strengthening relationship with Russia mean for political and economic reform in South Africa? -Is Iceland effectively recovering from its economic malaise? -Will Mexico's new crime bill benefit Mexican society? -How can Japan aid efforts to achieve peace in Myanmar? -How has the EU-Turkey migrant deal affected the migrant crisis a year later? Have a great week!

No questions this week, they'll resume next Sunday. Have a great week!

Novice DX: -How should California approach Mexico's sewage dump on American soil?  -Should Senate Democrats oppose Neil Gorsuch? -Will Trump's demand for reforms halt US-Cuba rapprochement? -Would enforcing current laws be enough to satisfy Republican immigration goals? - Is it in the US's best interest to keep nuclear energy costs high? Varsity DX: -Who should civil rights advocates support in the upcoming Peckingham v. North Carolina SCOTUS ruling?  -How can Congress find compromise on a national infrastructure plan?  - Is Tennessee proof of Obamacare's failure?  - Do Trump's wire-tapping allegations signal a federal shift regarding FISA reform? -How can the mobile industry reassure consumers and regulators of an industry-wide commitment to security? Have a great week!

Novice IX: - Should North Korea fear an American preemptive strike?  -Is Nepal's democracy stable?  -Can Latin America benefit from Donald Trump’s "America-first" approach to the global economy? -Is Greece's economy turning the corner? -Can Russia maintain the Syria truce? Varsity IX: -Can Israel's high tech sector "Make America Great Again"?  -Should the African Union be more worried about South Africa-Nigeria relations? -How can the West promote gender equality unobtrusively in developing nations?  -What are the future policy implications of the Israeli marijuana decriminalization? -How should India and Japan collude to counterbalance Chinese influence in Southeast Asia?   Have a great week!

Novice DX: -What was the primary economic lesson to learn from the Day Without Immigrants protests? -Should Paul Ryan continue fighting Donald Trump on the national budget? -What does US pledge to boost anti-ISIS resolve mean for NATO? -Should Trump raise the retirement age to alleviate Social Security funding woes? -Are US-China military relations more of the same under Trump? Varsity DX: -Will the NYPD's curtailment of stop-and-frisk policies lead other cities to follow suit? -Is there a US diplomacy vacuum at the UN in Geneva? -How can the US pursue environmental progress in Greenland, Iceland, and Northern Canada? -How should on-campus gun reform be best approached in the current political climate? -What will Trump's dismissal of civil asset forfeiture laws affect state reform campaigns? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -Is Colombia successfully transitioning to a state of peace? -Is BRICS still a good partnership for Brazil? -Should the UN sanction Syria? -Does Canada need NAFTA? -Are   anti-ISIS coalition efforts to recapture  Mosul faltering? Varsity IX: -Will Russian engagement with Libya benefit efforts to form a unified Libyan government? -How will the IMF's adoption of the renminbi affect Chinese economic influence worldwide? -Should Israel pursue deeper ties with Vietnam?  -Will China take advantage of South Sudan's famine?  -What do Turkish political rallies in Germany mean for future EU-Turkey relations? Have a great week!

Novice DX: -Will the US ever leave Iraq? -How will the Trump Administration affect the higher education market? -Should the US lift sanctions on Iran? -Is there a downside to expanding US-Canadian trade? -Will blazing a low-carbon path pay off for California? Varsity DX: -Does the US's role as a top international arms dealer help or hinder its current foreign policy in the Middle East? -How should David Shulkin approach VA reform? -How will Trump's immigration order affect Detroit? -Is there an impending war between mainstream and alternative media? -Where can Republicans and Democrats find common ground with Scott Pruitt heading the EPA? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -What two candidates will most likely face each other in the French runoff election? -Is Mexico in a good position to make trade demands of the US? -Does Sweden need to re-calibrate its immigration policy? -Is Iran accomplishing its foreign policy goals in aligning with Russia in Syria? -Are Nigeria-South Africa relations on the decline?  Varsity IX: -How could the Chinese public and private sector tackle China's growing trash and pollution problem? -How will the arrest of Samsung's Lee Jae-yong affect the South Korean economy? -Can Turkey's sociopolitical fall from grace be reversed with Recep Erdo ğ an still in power? -What does New Zealand's High Court ruling on Kim Dotcom mean for international digital trade law? -Can Malaysia tip the balance in ongoing North Korea-South Korea tensions? Have a great week!

Novice DX: -What do Trump's recent meetings with foreign leaders signal about US foreign policy going forward? -Is it in corporate America's best interest to fight income inequality? -Does Californian infrastructure need an overhaul? -Will the music industry benefit from prospective Trump economic policy? -Should Judge James Robart's block on the immigration ban be lifted? Varsity DX: -How could the US improve relations with Taiwan while maintaining a "One China" policy? -What should D.C.-area legislators do to combat unemployment resulting from impending federal workforce downsizing ? -Is growing support for "sanctuary states" and "sanctuary cities" a good route for immigration reform? -How can the Trump administration bolster NATO effectiveness in Afghanistan? -Do low natural gas prices ensure a stagnant renewable market for the foreseeable future? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -Is West African sex trafficking being  sufficiently  addressed by national and supranational actors? -Is China's relationship with North Korea sustainable? -Should Scandinavian countries pursue single Nordic citizenship? -What is Turkey's goal in Syria? -Can Justin Trudeau take advantage of immigration woes in the US? Varsity IX: -How can the European Union effectively dissuade the French from a "Frexit"? -What international organization can best engender meaningful reform to turmoil between India and Pakistan? -How will Kem Sokha's appointment as CNRP president affect the Cambodian elections? -How can both Russia and Iran ensure that their current alliance remains mutually beneficial? -What social trend in Argentina stands to affect bordering nations the most?    Have a great week!

Novice DX: -Does Australia still hold strategic significance for the US? -Is Democratic opposition to Neil Gorsuch worth the effort? -Should antifa and black bloc groups be labeled as terrorist organizations? -Are US-Iran relations planted on a solid foundation? -Is Planned Parenthood "too big to fail"? Varsity DX: -How will Jim Mattis affect the Asian Pivot? -What can Snap, Inc. learn from other social media companies to ensure post-IPO success? -How should Ajit Pai pursue bipartisan reform to net neutrality policy? -What will proposed visa reform do to the American economy? -How can the Trump administration tackle underlying problems with the healthcare market? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -Is India pursuing the right path to technological modernization, nationwide?  -What can Ireland look forward to from a Trump presidency? -Does a NAFTA collapse threaten the world economy? -Are conditions right for a sustainable peace in Colombia? -Is Chinese internet access becoming more open or more controlled? Varsity IX: -Are outlets like the Independent right to call Angela Merkel the new "leader of the free world"? -What international issue should Antonio Guterres tackle first as he enters office? -Does pursuing stronger ties with China make sense for the Nigerian economy? -What does Morocco's burqa ban mean for Islamic politics in the Mediterranean region? -Will repealing Romania's controversial graft law restore trust in the government? Have a great week!

Novice DX: -Should the US Embassy in Tel Aviv be moved to Jerusalem? -How will the temporary immigration ban affect US diplomatic efforts in the Middle East? -Will Donald Trump's emphasis on voter fraud help or hinder the Republican foothold in the 2018 midterms? -Does the US need NAFTA? -Should Congress lower the corporate tax rate? Varsity DX: -How should the foreign aid halted by Trump's new gag rule be reallocated to continue addressing women's issues internationally? -How can American corporations better combat online piracy? -How can Trump get Mexico to pay for his new border wall? -What is the future of US-Canadian relations on the subject of immigration and refugees? -How can Elon Musk leverage his influence with the Trump administration to pursue his long-term climate goals? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -How can the international community respond to Russia's new domestic violence laws? -Do sour Nicaraguan-Costa Rica relations threaten economic stability in the region? -Will the end of the USA's wet foot, dry foot prove beneficial for the Cuban people? -Should UN peacekeepers be deployed to Myanmar? -Is Europe collectively meeting its COP21 goals two years later? Varsity IX: -What foreign agreements does Libya need to ensure economic and political stability in the future? -What role does Kazakhstan have the potential to play in Afro-Eurasian relations? -How will Trump's rejection of the TPP affect China's influence in South East Asia? -What hope is there for change surrounding women's rights in Saudi Arabia? -Is Nicaragua's developing attractiveness to foreign investment and tourism a mirage? Have a great week!

I think there's a real need for easy-to-use repositories of diverse, expert perspectives on a wide range of issues. Bookmark these regardless of if you're an extemper, debater, or a casual reader who just wants to understand the different sides of global issues that affect us all. Project Syndicate - Database of short articles written by some of the world's most influential policymakers, advisers, and businessmen. Updated daily. The Conversation - Publishing source for countless academics writing easy-to-grasp articles on any issue you can think of. Updated daily. Harvard Think-tank Search - A Google Custom Search hooked up to the websites of the world's most respected institutions and think-tanks.  NYT's Room for Debate - A database of diverse opinion columnsists, organized by debate topics in the form of questions. Updated somewhat frequently. Foreign Affairs' Brain Trust - Brain Trust articles feature a definitive foreign policy question, followed b...

Novice DX: -Does an Affordable Care Act repeal threaten the long-term stability of American healthcare? -Where is the Silicon Valley tech sector headed in 2017?  -What environmental policy can find support in a Republican Congress? -What's at stake for US-Iran relations during this transitional period?  -Should infrastructure development remain a policy priority for President Trump? Varsity DX: -What national tax reform would most benefit small businesses and consumers alike? -What does James Mattis' appointment likely mean for US involvement in Syria?  -Should there be a federal response to increasingly violent anti-conservative protests on college campuses? -Does American pop culture promote or hinder individual economic growth?  -W hat one policy could be removed in order to weaken border drug cartels? Have a great week!

Novice IX: -Were detractors right about short-term harms of Brexit?  -What will be the immediate effects of the Trump inauguration in continental Europe?  -What steps should the UN take to solidify progress for women's rights across Asia? -What is India's most promising bilateral relationship with another nation for economic growth? -Where in the world does  global environmental policy intersect with  global health issues? Varsity IX: -What country loses the most from a failing Egypt-Saudi relationship?  -What Latin American country is best positioned to turn the tide on continental drug crime?  -Can and should the European Single Market be preserved over the coming decades?  -Would an accelerated renewable energy agenda in Mexico curtail drug cartel influence? -How can the Philippines government ensure a peaceful and satisfactory outcome for itself in the South China Sea?  Have a great week!