Month: January 2013

Here are your extemp questions for the week of January 21, 2013:

United States

Have recent events caused permanent damage to the NRA’s influence over America’s gun control debate?

What should Republicans do to have a chance at retaking the Senate in 2014?

Will the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline be approved in 2013?

Who will benefit most from the coming fight over sequestration spending cuts: Republicans or Democrats?

Will the recent bipartisan Senate immigration proposal bring about a major immigration overhaul for the US?

What impact would a reversal of the Boy Scouts’ policy excluding gays have on the campaign for gay marriage in the US?

How will Obama’s 2nd term foreign policy be different under Kerry and Hagel?

Will Texas tax breaks for violating the ACA necessitate federal intervention to force the issue?

Will the tax changes of the fiscal cliff undermine support for a comprehensive overall of the US tax system?

After Roe v Wade’s 40th anniversary, has the US reached a stalemate on abortion policy?

International

Will Japanese efforts to combat deflation spark a currency war?

How would the legalization of gay marriage in France affect similar efforts in other European countries?

What can David Cameron do to ensure that Britons vote to remain in the EU in 2017?

Will France’s intervention in Mali deal a fatal blow to Boko Haram?

Will Netanyahu’s disappointing election performance result in a meeker ruling coalition for Israel?

Should Angela Merkel place her hopes for re-election on the success of the Free Democratic Party?

Will Chavez’s prolonged absence permanently undermine his authority in Venezuela?

Will Thein Sein’s reforms go far enough to allow Aang San Suu Kyi to win the presidency?

What can China do to prevent rising labor costs from disrupt China’s economic growth?

Is the Egyptian government in danger of experiencing a 2nd “Arab Spring?”

United States

Has California finally gotten its perennial budget problems under control?

Will the Biden proposal bring about a meaningful change in US gun control policy?

Is the US likely to secure immunity for its troops in Afghanistan by 2014?

Should the US pursue legal action against Wal-Mart over allegations of bribery in Mexico?

Should Michelle Bachmann be removed from the House Intelligence Committee?

Will the death of Aaron Schwartz lead to restrictions on prosecutorial authority as it pertains to intellectual property law?

What impact will the Seventh Circuit’s decision in Moore v. Madigan have on gun control policy?

Should the Federal Reserve take a monetary policy which more aggressively targets unemployment figures?

Do influenza-related public health emergencies in New York and Boston reflect a need for stronger vaccine subsidies?

Will Obama’s latest high-profile argument with Netanyahu affect Chuck Hagel’s viability as a Defense Secretary candidate?

International

Will recent murders in France unravel hopes for peace talks between Turkey and the PKK?

How would a complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan alter the domestic political balance of Pakistan?

Will Russia’s ban on American adoptions have any lasting consequences for US-Russo relations?

What does Julian Assange stand to gain from his run for Australian public office?

Will French intervention in Mali speed up the deployment of an African force to the country?

What should the UK government do to quell growing protests in Belfast?

How can the international community disrupt Iran’s attempts to circumvent economic sanctions?

Does the Abe government have the right plan to put Japan on the path to economic prosperity?

Are Tunisian economic woes to blame for the nation’s continued trouble in building a stable government?

Do recent environmental complaints in China present more of an opportunity, or a threat, to the stability of China’s central government?

Here are your questions for the week of January 7, 2013.

United States

Has the US done enough to secure itself against cybersecurity threats?

Will “Americans for Responsible Solutions” prove an effective counterweight to the NRA?

Can Boehner rally House Republicans to present a united front in the debt ceiling negotiations?

Will Obama come to regret his decision to tap Chuck Hagel for Defense Secretary?

Will the record-breaking heat of 2012 mark the turning point in US efforts to combat climate change?

Can AIG win its potential lawsuit against the US over the terms of its bailout?

Should Obama use the threat of a trillion dollar coin in the clash over the debt ceiling?

After publicly attacking Speaker Boehner, does Chris Christie still have a shot at winning the Republican presidential nomination in 2016?

Will state-level foot dragging delay the implementation of the Affordable Care Act?

What should the US do to cut down on offshore tax evasion?

International

Can China loosen its control over the Internet without losing its control over the country?

If the Brotherhood’s power in Egypt collapsed, who would be best-positioned to take power: secularists or Salafists?

Will the private American delegation visiting North Korea do more harm than good?

What does Chavez’s ill health portend for the future of Venezuela?

What steps must India take to combat its epidemic of violence against women?

Are international sanctions against Sudan needed to address the humanitarian crisis in South Kordofan?

Should NATO commit to joining the AU’s mission in northern Mali?

Does Japan’s plan to revise its defense policy raise the odds of military conflict in East Asia?

Will new reports of environmental damage put a stop to Canada’s bituminous sands oil boom?

Will the reforms spurred by the Euro crisis drive britain out of the EU?