Month: September 2018

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 24-30, 2018

HOTtopics1. Should Japan consider building a nuclear arsenal?
2. Is the Maldives young democracy faltering?
3. Was the recent Vatican-China accord a victory for the Catholic Church?
4. How should the Iranian government respond to the recent military parade attack?
5. What recommendations should international financial institutions make to countries battling hyperinflation?
6. Would a failed Brexit create greater polarization in British politics?
7. Does the UN need to make significant changes in its distribution of humanitarian aid?
8. Is it too late for the international community to take action on climate change?
9. Should Colombia make a FARC-like deal with the ELN?
10. Would continental family planning efforts prove to be a boon for Africa’s economy?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of September 24-30, 2018

HOTtopics1. If Kavanaugh is not confirmed by the midterm elections, how might that affect the race to control the Senate?
2. Should Trump fire Rosenstein?
3. If the U.S. federal government were to lead an anti-trust effort against big tech, is President Trump the person to best lead that effort?
4. Should the U.S. enact immigration controls that attempt to deter newcomers that use public benefits?
5. Could a more aggressive tariff policy help reduce the budget deficit?
6. Should Black Lives Matter become more of a political movement?
7. Which country in the world would most imperil American hegemony?
8. Should airlines enact more restrictions on “emotional-support animals”?
9. What is the best way for the U.S. to protect its national security interests in space?
10. Does the Senate Judiciary Committee need a protocol for sexual assault allegations?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of September 17-23, 2018

l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of September 17-23, 2018.

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of September 17-23, 2018

HOTtopics1. Has the United States done enough to prevent a 2008-style financial crisis?
2. Is the U.S. using sanctions too aggressively?
3. Will President Trump’s comments about Hurricane Maria negatively affect Rick Scott’s Senate hopes in Florida?
4. Could President Obama’s return to the campaign trail block the “blue wave”?
5. Is it time for American to end the war in Afghanistan?
6. Who will be the next mayor of Chicago?
7. Is the FDA’s assault on vaping misguided?
8. Why has Google avoided some of the same public scorn as Facebook and Twitter?
9. Will Feinstein’s late attack derail Kavanaugh’s confirmation?
10. Was the Manafort deal a big win for Mueller?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 17-23, 2018

HOTtopics1. Are Israeli settlements the greatest obstacle to peace with the Palestinians?
2. How can Europe’s center-right parties fend off populist challenges?
3. Will Venezuela’s ills be corrected with violence or votes?
4. Could a global tariff war trigger a 2008-like global economic meltdown?
5. Will Abiy’s reforms fix Ethiopia’s political and economic ills?
6. Would it be in the interest of Middle Eastern governments to form closer ties to China?
7. Are the BJP’s policies costing India influence abroad?
8. Should Guatemala continue its anti-corruption campaign?
9. Has the Myanmar military co-opted Aung San Suu Kyi?
10. Will Steve Bannon be an effective organizer of Europe’s far-right populists?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of September 10-16, 2018

l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of September 10-16, 2018.

Note: We would like to get the top six placings from the UK Season Opener as the tab sheet shows several ties on tabroom. If you have the top six placings, please send them to [email protected] so we can do some National Points Race calculations!

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 10-16, 2018

HOTtopics1. Is another Chinese Revolution brewing?
2. Does the West still have a deterrent to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe?
3. Will there soon be a spike in global oil prices?
4. Should the EU be aiding autocrats to deal with the migrant crisis?
5. How will the stabbing of Jair Bolsonaro impact the Brazilian presidential election?
6. Is the new NAFTA deal better or worse than the previous one?
7. Should Japan be concerned about the state of its relationship with the United States?
8. Will bad economic news force South Africa to change course on its proposed land reforms?
9. Has the UN’s effort to regulate global arms traffic failed?
10. Should Serbians receive autonomy within Kosovo?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of September 10-16, 2018

HOTtopics1. Are colleges doing enough to help students mental health conditions?
2. Will Nike’s embrace of Colin Kaepernick prove beneficial to its bottom line?
3. Who will win the Florida gubernatorial election?
4. Will recent wage growth in the U.S. economy continue?
5. Did Trump overreact to the New York Times “insider” op-ed?
6. What fixes should be made to Supreme Court confirmation hearings?
7. To what extent is Roe v. Wade “settled law”?
8. Will Trump do a cabinet shakeup if the GOP loses its control of Congress in the midterm elections?
9. Is there a place for foreign interventionism in the Democratic Party’s foreign policy agenda?
10. What role should Africa play in U.S. foreign policy?

R&D from Prepd: Weekly Roundup for the Week of September 3-9, 2018

l_2Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

Here is our weekly survey of news stories to round out the week of September 3-9, 2018.

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of September 3-9, 2018

HOTtopics1. Does the federal government need to regulate airline prices?
2. Should federal employees get a pay raise in 2019?
3. Why is the state of the economy not bolstering President Trump’s approval ratings?
4. How might the proposed Title IX reforms affect future sexual assault investigations on college campuses?
5. What reforms need to be made to the National Flood Insurance Program?
6. Can John Cox win the California gubernatorial election?
7. Should Congress have a role in NAFTA renegotiations?
8. How should Democrats use President Obama in the 2018 midterms?
9. Was John McCain’s funeral too politicized?
10. If Ted Cruz loses in Texas, would it be the sign of a midterm aberration or a sign that Texas is gradually turning blue over the long-term?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 3-9, 2018

HOTtopics1. Have Lebanon’s political problems wrecked its economy?
2. Are global cryptocurrencies useless?
3. Can Russia end the war in Afghanistan?
4. Should Japan invest in a robust missile defense system?
5. Will it take a severe economic recession to change China’s political status quo?
6. How can the EU to carve out an economic policy that is more independent from the United States?
7. Should the international community levy sanctions against Uganda over its treatment of political dissidents?
8. Have the rise of Islamist parties in North Africa benefitted the region?
9. Should Syria’s Kurds make a deal with Assad?
10. How will the Argentina and Turkish currency crises affect emerging markets?

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