International Extemp Archives - Page 53 of 56

1. Is John McCain’s surge in the polls sustainable?

2. Are bilateral trade deals more beneficial than multilateral ones?

3. Was the government’s takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac necessary?

4. How would North Korea be different without Kim Jong Il?

5. Should California change its budget-making process?

6. Was the recent EU-brokered Georgia-Russia peace deal a farce?

7. Is the state of US-Libyan relations one of President Bush’s top foreign policy achievements?

8. Should the world do more to assist improverished countries prepare for natural disasters?

9. Should Gordon Brown have endorsed Barack Obama?

10. Is Mexico making progress in its fight against corruption?

Extemp Questions for the Week of September 2nd-8th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On September 2, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Is Palin the right VP choice for McCain?

2. Were the GOP’s convention changes appropriate?

3. Should the U.S. be concerned about China’s space program?

4. What does the next generation of Libyan politics look like?

5. Who will be the next Japanese prime minister?

6. Is South Ossetia like Kosovo?

7. What has caused the recent outbreak of political violence in Thailand?

8. Is Europe too indecisive on Russia?

9. Has the U.S. begun to forget about Iraq?

10. What political fallout, if any, will come from the handling of Hurricane Gustav?

Extemp Questions for the Week of August 26th-September 1st, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On August 26, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

questions 1. Was Joe Biden the right vice-presidential pick for Obama?

2. What is the future of traditional news outlets?

3. Is Russia serious in its threats to use military force to deter a U.S. missile defense shield in Europe?

4. Will disaffected Hillary voters give John McCain the 2008 election?

5. Were the Chinese Olympics a success?

6. Why have Cristina Kirchner’s poll ratings nosedived?

7. What can Southeast Asian nations do to deter sex tourism?

8. Should the West fear sovereign wealth funds?

9. Will Russia’s actions in Georgia change the political equation in Ukraine?

10. Will the U.S. leave Iraq during the next presidential administration?

Extemp Questions for the Week of August 19th-25th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On August 19, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Which presidential candidate gained more in their meeting with Rick Warren?

2. With Musharraf out of the picture, is Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal safe?

3. Can McCain afford to pick a pro-choice running mate?

4. Is a military strike the only way to stop Iran’s nuclear program?

5. Has the National League for Democracy lost its influence in Myanmar?

6. Should Kwame Kilpatrick resign?

7. Will Evo Morales’ win of a recall referendum allow him to break the constitutional deadlock in Bolivia?

8. Can a power sharing agreement work in Zimbabwe?

9. Should the U.S. be more aggressive in the war against cancer?

10. Why is the dollar on the rebound?

Extemp Questions for the Week of August 12th-18th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On August 12, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. What are Russia’s war aims in Georgia?

2. Are the media biased for Obama?

3. How will Graham Greene govern Paraguay?

4. Has energy become the #1 issue of the 2008 election?

5. Is the ANC on the verge of a split?

6. Was the Filipino Supreme Court order to a halt a government-MILF peace deal unwise?

7. Are the Chinese Olympics reminescent of 1936 or 1988?

8. Is Italy’s use of troops to combat a recent crime wave too extreme?

9. Why is the Iraqi government open to a timetable for a U.S. withdrawal?

10. Is the U.S. prepared for a cyber war attack?

Extemp Questions for the Week of August 5th-11th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On August 5, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Is John McCain’s campaign guilty of using race to its advantage?

2. Will the decline in American gas prices continue?

3. Are border fences an effective immigration policy?

4. Will the recent ruling by Turkey’s constitutional court in regards to the AK Party bring a measure of stability to Turkey’s political system?

5. Should there be a nationwide ban on plastic bags?

6. Will the GOP’s unofficial floor sessions to protest Congress’ recent vacation curry favor with voters?

7. Does U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East need a more realist focus?

8. Will Bolivian voters recall Morales?

9. What will be the biggest problem confronting the next Israeli prime minister?

10. Is Berlusconi going back to his old ways to the detriment of Italy?

Extemp Questions for the Week of July 29th-August 4th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On July 29, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Was Obama’s trip abroad politically successful?

2. Will the housing bailout legislation get the housing industry back on track?

3. Has al-Qaeda been defeated?

4. Should the U.S. open up more land for offshore oil drilling?

5. Will the ICC’s actions against Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir lead to more violence in Darfur?

6. Is Mitt Romney the only viable vice-presidential choice for John McCain?

7. Why has there been a change in tone in South Korea’s foreign policy towards North Korea?

8. Are recent charges against Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim politically motivated?

9. Can “Club Med” live up to the hype?

10. Why is Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s presidency in peril?

Extemp Questions for the Week of June 17th-23rd, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On June 17, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Are Musharraf’s days as Pakistani president numbered?

2. Is McCain running for George Bush’s third term?

3. Who will shape the new world order?

4. Will the recently brokered Somali peace deal bring stabiity to the country?

5. Is a windfall profits tax a good idea?

6. How can Lee Myung-bak best counter protests against his imperiled government?

7. Should there be a national ban on bilingual education?

8. Is Daniel Ortega undermining democracy in Nicaragua?

9. Should online gambling be legalized?

10. Did Hillary Clinton lose the Democratic nomination or did Barack Obama win it?

Topic Brief: Oil

By geniao44446

On June 12, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief, U.S. Extemp

Overview

So, with it being NFL time and all that, we here at Extemp HOTtopics decided to revisit the topic of oil. Now I’m sure you are all saying: “We’ve already talked about OPEC and how monetary policy affects oil prices.” While that is true, this briefing is going to be a little different. Specifically, since it is so late in the season, this briefing is going to focus a little less on facts and a little more on strategy. Thus, while we will cover some new issues regarding oil (mainly the windfall profits tax) this briefing is more about explaining how oil as an issue can be the save all “I need another point” saving grace of extempers. Therefore, this brief will go over some basic oil things that everyone should know, then examine how you can use oil to add a new level of analysis to all your rounds (including domestic social), and finial pose some non oil questions and give you an idea of how oil can be used to make your analysis more slick… Get it? Get it?

Extemp Questions for the Week of June 10th-16th, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On June 10, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. How much influence does the Dalai Llama have over Tibet?

2. Should Olmert resign?

3. Why is consumer confidence in the U.S. economy falling?

4. Has Africa become the new “great game” for the major world powers?

5. Should OPEC be happy about the current price of oil?

6. Has the EU expanded too quickly?

7. Will the 2008 electoral map be drenched in purple?

8. Is Scott McClellan right about President Bush?

9. Will stricter visa rules make the U.S. safer from terrorism?

10. Would a Obama-Clinton ticket sacrifice governability for electability?

Topic Brief: The State of Afghanistan

By geniao44446

On June 3, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

While the politicians talk about war in Iraq, there is that other country that we invaded and stuff is still happening there. Since 200,1 the Taliban has regained some influence in the south of the country – although the marines recently won a major victory. Further, opium production has been unchecked by anything but market forces and the government seems no more organized or in charge as it did years ago. Since tens of thousands of US troops are still fighting to stabilize a nation and this war – for some reason – is much more popular than the Iraq war (despite the fact it too may be worthy of the moniker “quagmire”), this brief is going to reexamine what is going on in Afghanistan and what that means for that country, the region and the US.

Extemp Questions for the Week of May 28th-June 2nd, 2008

By Logan Scisco

On May 28, 2008

In International Extemp, U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Did China respond effectively to its recent earthquake?

2. Would Bobby Jindal be a good vice-presidential pick for McCain?

3. Should Venezuela be labeled as a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. State Department?

4. Why are India-Pakistan negotations over Kashmir getting nowhere?

5. Will the California Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage help the Republican Party in the 2008 elections?

6. Why has violence against immigrants increased in South Africa?

7. Would a new Afghan government increase the chances of stability in the country?

8. What grade does the recent U.S. farm bill deserve?

9. Should race and culture be used in evaluating adoptions?

10. Who won the most from the recent political agreement in Lebanon?

Topic Brief: Iranian Nuclear Controversy

By geniao44446

On May 27, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

Since the dropping of two nuclear weapons on Japan, and the subsequent Soviet push to develop nuclear weapon, the countries who have nuclear capabilities has been one of the foremost concerns of the international community. So when Iran started enriching uranium, the international community got a little bit worried. When Iran refused to cooperate with the IAEA – they got a little bit angry. However, three UN sanctions later, little has changed with the IAEA condemning the lack of Iranian cooperation on March 27^th of this year. Since a country (Iran) that has promised to destroy another that already has nuclear weapons (Israel) may or may not be developing nuclear weapon is kind of a big deal. Oh, and because confirmation of such a nuclear program could justify Israeli/US attacks on Iran, let’s take a look at what is going on and what that means for the world.