Month: May 2021

For the first time in two years, the National Catholic Forensic League (NCFL) was able to host its annual national tournament. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was held virtually from May 28-30.

Ananth Veluvali of Edina High School (MN) was crowned national champion, defeating TOC Champion Mukta Dhamapurikar of Durham Academy (NC) by seven composite ranks. Veluvali is the first Minnesota extemper to win the NCFL National Championship since Dylan Slinger of Lakeville South High School won back-to-back championships in 2010 and 2011.

Another Minnesotan, Faye Zhang of Eastview High School (MN), finished in sixth place.

The final round was diverse, featuring competitors from five different states. In addition to the finishes above, Cade Savoy of Teurlings Catholic High School (LA) finished third, Rushikesh Kulkarni of Upper St. Clair High School (PA) finished fourth, and Karam Weigert of Woodrow Wilson High School (DC) finished fifth.

Several notable names fell just short of reaching the final round.  These included Harvard Champion Daniel Kind of Lake Highland Preparatory (FL) and MBA Round Robin Champion Kay Rollins of the Potomac School (VA).

The unorthodox 2020-2021 extemp season will come to a close in two weeks when the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament takes place online. The tournament kicks off on Monday, June 14 and will conclude on Saturday, June 19.

Here are the results of the 2021 National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament (Click here for tab sheet):

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1. Would the resumption of protectionist trade policies do significant damage to the U.S. economy?
2. Are closer ties between Iran and Venezuela a threat to American national security?
3. Does the U.S. have a role to play in reducing corruption in Latin American countries?
4. Are America’s police forces facing a recruiting crisis?
5. Should the U.S. federal government pay citizens to get vaccinated?
6. How can fiscal conservatives regain their political credibility?
7. Does the Biden military budget err by increasing funding for nuclear weapons programs?
8. What does Amazon’s purchase of MGM signal about the future of its business model?
9. Should President Biden create a presidential January 6 commission?
10. What constitutional reforms does America need?

1. Are European sanctions on Belarus going far enough?
2. What is the biggest challenge that China faces in the next decade?
3. Will a change in Israeli political leadership rejuvenate the Middle East peace process?
4. How can the UN prevent a resurgence of violence in Darfur?
5. Are the world’s democracies using too much appeasement with the world’s autocrats?
6. What will Germany look like after Merkel?
7. From its isolated position, what ally should North Korea seek most in the world?
8. Is Eritrea becoming Africa’s biggest security threat?
9. Will Myanmar’s economy continue to suffer under military rule?
10. Have Australian lockdown efforts become too draconian?

1. Has Vladimir Putin effectively sidelined Alexei Navalny?
2. Should Israel worry about the prospect of a Jewish-Arab civil war inside its borders?
3. Why has Nigeria failed to wipe out Boko Haram?
4. Can the WTO’s vaccine patent waiver resolve the impacts of COVID on the developing world?
5. Is the dream of Turkey ever joining the EU dead?
6. Should Saudi Arabia support the Iranian nuclear deal?
7. Is Henrique Cardoso’s backing of Lula’s 2022 presidential bid a major blow to Bolsonaro’s re-election hopes?
8. How strong is Italy’s populist right?
9. Is a rebound in global oil prices a blessing or a curse for the developing world?
10. Will the use of Nazi symbols and anti-Semitic chants at Palestinian protests undermine Western sympathy for the Palestinian cause?

1. Would a U.S. employer mandate on COVID-19 vaccines be constitutional?
2. Is there a sexual counterrevolution underway in America?
3. Should Congress approve President Biden’s proposed increases to America’s bureaucracy?
4. Does the 1619 Project have a place in America’s schools?
5. How might Asian American voters affect the 2022 midterm elections?
6. Could U.S. support for the WTO’s vaccine patent waiver make the U.S. more vulnerable to the next pandemic?
7. Did American schools err by not strictly enforcing truancy laws during this pandemic affected school year?
8. Should the U.S. impose climate tariffs on China?
9. Does the Republican Party need former President Trump’s backing to win the 2022 midterms?
10. How would the creation of free community college affect the structure of high school education in America?

1. Is the CDC’s revision of national masking rules driven more by science or politics?
2. In the wake of recent mergers, should Congress look to pass greater media regulations?
3. Should Matthew McConaughey run for the Texas governorship?
4. What action should the Republican Party take against Matt Gaetz?
5. Should all American schools return to full, in-person instruction next school year?
6. Can Republican moderates build an effective third party?
7. Should states expand legalized gambling to fix their budgetary woes?
8. How can the U.S. get greater Russian cooperation to stop cyberattacks?
9. Is the U.S. education system in need of significant, structural reform at all levels?
10. Does Liz Cheney have a political future?

1. Is Egypt the best actor to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the recent outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas?
2. What role should Japan play in reducing political tensions in Myanmar?
3. Will the recent unrest in Gaza resolve Israel’s deadlocked political situation?
4. Does the EU lack a common vision?
5. Will reduced population growth in China create a long-term inflation problem in the global economy?
6. Should the WTO issue a waiver of patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines?
7. Is one party governance hurting South Africa?
8. What should the international community do about space junk?
9. Is South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party on the ropes?
10. What should be the priorities of Chile’s constitutional drafting process?

1. Is Nigeria becoming more stable?
2. Are India’s COVID-19 struggles becoming a security threat to other South Asian nations?
3. Is Afghanistan’s military ready to fight on its own?
4. Will Germany’s next governing coalition have to involve at least three parties?
5. Should Egypt normalize relations with Turkey?
6. How should Ivan Duque respond to growing protests in Colombia?
7. Should Scotland be allowed to hold a second independence referendum?
8. What is wrong with the British Labour Party?
9. How can the AU work to strengthen the medical infrastructures of member states?
10. Is democracy under assault in El Salvador?

1. Should states continue to open their economies even if there are high levels of COVID vaccine hesitancy in their areas?
2. Can growing grocery prices become a political headache for the Biden administration?
3. Would it be a mistake for House Republicans to ditch Liz Cheney?
4. Should critical race theory be taught in American schools?
5. Does Tim Ryan have a good chance of capturing Ohio’s Senate seat next year?
6. What steps does the U.S. need to take to better protect infrastructure from cyberterror attacks?
7. Was President Trump’s steel tariff policy a disaster?
8. Are federal unemployment benefits discouraging employment levels?
9. Will mRNA vaccines change the future of American medicine?
10. What reforms need to be made to American immigration courts?

1. If Stephen Breyer retires after this term, who should President Biden appoint to replace him?
2. Do Republicans need to create a better alternative to President Biden’s infrastructure bill?
3. Was the pause in administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine justified?
4. Will the Biden administration play as active a role in the Middle East process as the Trump administration did?
5. Should there be greater regulations in the horse racing industry?
6. Are American politics going through a significant re-alignment?
7. What does an FBI raid of Rudy Giuliani mean for former President Trump’s legal future?
8. Can Caitlin Jenner win the California governorship?
9. If President Trump is indicted for crimes, should President Biden pardon him?
10. How will cryptocurrency’s change the future of American business?

1. Should Twitter be cooperating with the Indian government’s requests to take down content about COVID?
2. Is Boris Johnson’s political future on the ropes?
3. Does Israel need electoral reform?
4. Should Australia form a military alliance with Taiwan?
5. If the Taliban were to recapture the Afghan government, how would that affect Pakistan?
6. Does Colombia need to pass the Sustainable Solidarity Law?
7. Should Turkey continue to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia?
8. Has the Venezuelan government lost control over much of its sovereign territory?
9. Should Japan carve a middle course between the United States and China?
10. Will a pivot by the lower house of the Somali parliament for indirect presidential and parliamentary elections reduce the chances of significant armed conflict in the country?