Month: March 2018

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Our newly updated qualification board for the week of March 27 includes qualifiers from the Coastal California (IX only), Central Texas (USX only), Hudson Valley (NY), Magnolia (MS), Pittsburgh (PA), and Puget Sound (WA) districts.  Thank you to all readers who provided these names.

To check out the qual boards, click on “Quals 18” at the top of this page.  If you hover your cursor about the “Quals 18” category you will see a drop down menu to select the IX and USX qualification boards.  You can also click “IX” and “USX” in this message to access the qualification boards.

We hope to receive more contributions and results in the weeks ahead.  If you know the qualifiers from your NSDA District, please e-mail the following information to [email protected]:

• The name of the NSDA District and the state that is located in
• The names of those who will be ATTENDING nationals in IX and USX. Please do not send us the names of those who technically qualified, but opted to go in another event. We only want the names of those who will be going in the categories to avoid confusion.
• The schools those competitors attend.
• IF your district has an automatic qualifier from last year’s NSDA Tournament (a competitor that reached finals or semi-finals in IX and USX) and that person will be going back to NSDA in that event, please let us know. If you are an automatic qualifier and want to give this information to us yourself, fantastic!

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1. Is Trump violating the emoluments clause?
2. What adjustments does the U.S. need to make to its defense doctrine concerning cyberwarfare?
3. How can the media regain its credibility with the American people?
4. Are “red flag” laws constitutional?
5. Is John Bolton the National Security Advisor that Trump needs?
6. Should Trump fear a trade war with China?
7. Did the recent spending bill deserve a Trump veto?
8. Should Democrats be bullish about their prospects for 2018’s gubernatorial elections?
9. Will the #deleteFacebook movement do significant damage to Facebook’s future fiscal prospects?
10. Has the American housing market rebounded from the 2008 crash?

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1. Does Greece need a standby line of credit after its third bailout expires this summer?
2. Will the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) produce sizable economic benefits for the African continent?
3. Should Turkey prioritize its fighting against the Kurds at the expense of its ties to the United States?
4. Would the impeachment of Maria Lourdes Sereno do sizable damage to Filipino democracy?
5. Is Mauricio Macri significantly changing Argentina’s political culture?
6. Would more robust anti-corruption efforts significantly reduce armed conflict in African states?
7. Can Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit rejuvenate Thai democracy?
8. Has Sisi become Egypt’s new Mubarak?
9. Is “illiberal hegemony” on the rise?
10. Should nations boycott the 2018 World Cup?

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1. Should democratic activists in Russia boycott the country’s upcoming presidential election?
2. Is violence between Fatah and Hamas creating significant complications for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
3. Were the PyeongChang Olympics a boon for South Korea?
4. Is climate change at the root of growing conflicts on the African continent?
5. Can the petro solve Venezuela’s economic problems?
6. Is the internal community doing enough to save endangered species?
7. What should Kim Jong-un demand in direct talks with Donald Trump?
8. How can LGBT activists in Africa succeed in their quest for equal rights and equality?
9. What will Italy’s next government look like?
10. Should Lebanon agree to an arms deal with Russia?

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1. Will a rollback of Dodd-Frank provisions on community banks set America up for another financial crisis?
2. Are U.S. forces still needed in Iraq?
3. How should America’s public schools grapple with student activism?
4. Are new U.S. sanctions on Russia simply symbolic?
5. What steps should states take to reduce their prison populations?
6. Will the Supreme Court deal a blow to pro-choice forces in National Institute of Family and Life Advocaes v. Becerra?
7. How can urban areas better fight the problem of homelessness?
8. Should the Senate confirm Gina Haspel?
9. Does Rex Tillerson’s departure from the State Department signal a shift to a more militant foreign policy from the Trump administration?
10. Was Andrew McCabe’s firing justified?

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Our newly updated qualification board for the week of March 18 includes qualifiers from the Central Minnesota, Greater Illinois, Kentucky (USX only), and Southern Minnesota districts.  Thank you to all readers who provided these names.

To check out the qual boards, click on “Quals 18” at the top of this page.  If you hover your cursor about the “Quals 18” category you will see a drop down menu to select the IX and USX qualification boards.  You can also click “IX” and “USX” in this message to access the qualification boards.

We hope to receive more contributions and results in the weeks ahead.  If you know the qualifiers from your NSDA District, please e-mail the following information to [email protected]:

• The name of the NSDA District and the state that is located in
• The names of those who will be ATTENDING nationals in IX and USX. Please do not send us the names of those who technically qualified, but opted to go in another event. We only want the names of those who will be going in the categories to avoid confusion.
• The schools those competitors attend.
• IF your district has an automatic qualifier from last year’s NSDA Tournament (a competitor that reached finals or semi-finals in IX and USX) and that person will be going back to NSDA in that event, please let us know. If you are an automatic qualifier and want to give this information to us yourself, fantastic!

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1. Should the U.S. abolish presidential term limits?
2. What lessons can the GOP learn from Pennsylvania’s special election?
3. Should ICE be abolished?
4. How can the U.S. best combat China’s growing influence in Africa?
5. Are states doing enough to prevent housing discrimination?
6. Will the Justice Department’s lawsuit against California succeed?
7. Is Texas turning blue?
8. Should the U.S. adopt a national standard for dayling savings time?
9. Will “gun politics” play a big role in the 2018 midterm elections?
10. Should American voters care about the Donald Trump-Stormy Daniels affair?

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1. What can Sebastian Pinera do to solidify the continuation of the Chilean model?
2. Will China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” bolster its influence over Eurasian affairs?
3. How can free trade advocates better fight rising trade protectionist impulses throughout the globe?
4. Will Australia and East Timor’s latest agreement pave the way for economic growth for both nations?
5. Does Germany’s proposed social media law go too far?
6. Will the Kenyatta-Odinga announcement calm political tensions in Kenya?
7. Can geothermal energy successfully aid Japan’s shift away from nuclear power?
8. Is the UN failing to protect civilians in conflict zones?
9. Does Canada need to do more regarding pay equity?
10. Why does Vladimir Putin have strong support among young people in Russia?

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The first qualification board for the 2018 NSDA National Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has been released.  The qual board includes the names of those who have punched their ticket from the Deep South (AL), Eastern Ohio, Heart of Texas, Long Island (IX only), Manatee (FL), New England, Northeast Indiana, and West Oklahoma districts.  Thank you to all readers who provided these names.

To check out the qual boards, click on “Quals 18” at the top of this page.  If you hover your cursor about the “Quals 18” category you will see a drop down menu to select the IX and USX qualification boards.  You can also click “IX” and “USX” in this message to access the qualification boards.

We hope to receive more contributions and results in the weeks ahead.  If you know the qualifiers from your NSDA District, please e-mail the following information to [email protected]:

• The name of the NSDA District and the state that is located in
• The names of those who will be ATTENDING nationals in IX and USX. Please do not send us the names of those who technically qualified, but opted to go in another event. We only want the names of those who will be going in the categories to avoid confusion.
• The schools those competitors attend.
• IF your district has an automatic qualifier from last year’s NSDA Tournament (a competitor that reached finals or semi-finals in IX and USX) and that person will be going back to NSDA in that event, please let us know. If you are an automatic qualifier and want to give this information to us yourself, fantastic!

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1. Will China come to regret abolishing presidential term limits?
2. Is Turkey becoming the next Pakistan?
3. To what extent should the European public have a say in European Union efforts to create a more integrated economic policy?
4. Will the result of the Italian elections create greater economic instability?
5. Has the Western world’s gamble on China failed?
6. Is Iran the greatest threat to Middle Eastern stability?
7. Can the Catholic Church bring about significant political change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
8. Is the international community doing enough to crack down on the illegal ivory trade?
9. Despite the scandals, is Benjamin Netanyahu still the best choice to lead Israel?
10. Is the global economy headed for a bear market?

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1. Will Trump’s tariff plan hurt U.S. workers?
2. Should the U.S. engage in direct talks with North Korea over its nuclear program?
3. Will Hope Hicks departure do significant damage to the Trump White House?
4. Are government subsidies in healthcare and education driving inflation?
5. Will the West Virginia teacher walkout provide lessons to teachers in other states over pay and pension disputes?
6. If Israel engages in a war with Hezbollah, how should the U.S. respond?
7. Are social media outlets unfairly targeting conservatives?
8. Should public schools return to more zero tolerance policies to better prevent mass shootings?
9. Is the federal government responsible for the opiod crisis?
10. Will Roger Wicker win Mississippi’s Republican Senate primary?