Category: International Extemp Page 54 of 56

Topic Brief: Bolivian Autonomy

By

On May 13, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

While it has long been famous for having two capital cites (La Paz and Sucre) or being partial home to Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable body of water in the world – Bolivia has recently decided that it needed to spice things up a bit.  The country named after the leader of independence movements throughout Latin America elected a strong socialist leader – who is a long time advocate of the production of coca.  However, it seems that Evo Morales’ pro-socialist and indigenous brand of politics has angered many of the wealthy elite.  Four provinces – mostly populated by wealthy Bolivians of European descent – have planned votes to demand greater regional autonomy.  When the first vote, in Santa Cruz, was a resounding victory for the pro-autonomy movement, Morales responded by pushing for a national recall vote of him and the governors of all nine provides (departments) to prove how beloved he is, and how much the average people love local government.  Further complicating things is the fact that Morales is the number one disciple of Hugo Chavez, placing Bolivia in the middle of an international spat between the Latin left and the US.  Since we have a series of elections that could rip a country apart, remove a democratically elected president, and alter the ideological balance of the western hemisphere, let’s take a look at Bolivia.

Read More

Extemp Questions for the Week of May 7th-13th, 2008

By

On May 7, 2008

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

1. Is a new new-facist movement being built in Europe?

2. Have the worst parts of the credit crisis passed by?

3. Should Brazil be given a permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

4. Is the peace accord between northern and southern Sudan unraveling?

5. If you were John McCain’s campaign manager, what would be your election strategy while the Democrats are still engaging in their nomination battle?

6. Will Santa Cruz’s vote for more autonomy weaken Morales?

7. Should Tsvangirai agree to a run off?

8. Will the Supreme Court’s upholding of Indiana’s voter ID law hurt the Democratic Party in November?

9. What can be done to help Indian Ocean countries deal with natural disasters?

10. Has America won the “war on meth”?

Topic Brief: China’s Economic Growth

By

On May 6, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

With over 30 years of solid economic growth, China is an anomaly in the economic world.  However, it seems that the odd mixture of communism and free markets that has resulted from the Great Leap Forward may have finally come to fruition as China’s economy is making the transition from producer of cheep goods to all around economic superpower.  As China moves into cars, electronics and coercive economic foreign policy, it has become clear that China’s economic clout is something for the world–and especially the US–to watch.  As such, this brief will examine the fourth largest economy in the world, and look at some of the impacts of this rising power.

Read More

Extemp Questions for the Week of April 30th-May 6th, 2008

By

On April 30, 2008

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

1. Is Felipe Calderon doing too little to resolve the illegal immigration issue with the U.S.?

2. Should the U.S. government suspend gas taxes?

3. Has Indiana become the tiebreaker state in the Democratic primary?

4. Is it time for John Edwards to make an endorsement in the Democratic primary?

5. Should Israel accept Hamas’s offer of a ten year truce?

6. Is the EU being too lax in its membership requirements?

7. Should Yudhoyono be doing more to decrease religious tensions in Indonesia?

8. Why is Chicago experiencing a massive crime wave?

9. Is Afghanistan becoming more like Iraq?

10. Was the acquittal of the police officers involved in the Sean Bell shooting justified?

Extemp Questions for the Week of April 23rd-29th, 2008

By

On April 23, 2008

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

1. What was the impact of the Pennsylvania primary on the Democratic presidential race?

2. Who should be the first permanent European Council president?

3. What should be the future of Kirkuk?

4. Why is the U.S. budget deficit at a record high?

5. Should DNA evidence be required for a death sentence?

6. How can the U.S. improve its nation building operations?

7. Should one year of college education be mandated for all U.S. students?

8. Are we on the brink of a worldwide famine?

9. Why is Spain’s economy slumping?

10. Was John McCain’s appeal to black voters in Selma successful?

Topic Brief: Pope Benedict XVI’s Visit to America

By

On April 22, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

The Pope was touring America past week.  In his first visit to the US, Pope Benedict XVI went on a five day tour of New York City and Washington D.C.  During the tour he met with President Bush, held mass at Yankee stadium, visited Ground Zero and blessed countless passersby.   The trip was toured as an attempt to connect with an American population that was losing trust in Catholicism and especially the new Pope.  However, since it’s not every day that the leader of a major world religion comes to town, let’s talk about what it means for the US, for the Catholic Church, and for the Benedict himself.

Read More

Extemp Questions for the Week of April 16th-22nd, 2008

By

On April 16, 2008

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

1. Can the Libertarian Party get five percent of the vote in the presidential election this November

2. Is Jimmy Carter’s planned meeting with Kaled Meshaal appropriate?

3. Why are food costs rising?

4. Should the U.S. sign a free trade deal with Colombia?

5. Can Silvio Berlusconi now reform Italy after a decisive election win?

6. Should India cut off foreign aid to Nepal if Maoists win control of its parliament?

7. Is the world being too silent about the loss of democracy in Africa?

8. What can be done to stop the brain drain of medical professionals from developing countries

9. Should judges be elected

10. Will the Democrats establish a veto proof majority in Congress after the 2008 elections?

Topic Brief: Columbian Free Trade Agreement

By

On April 15, 2008

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

Overview

This week President Bush tried to fast track a free trade agreement (FTA) with Columbia through Congress.  However, the House has already undone the mechanism that would have forced them to vote on it today and has promised to stop the agreement from passing.  What is peculiar about this move is that the same Congress approved a nearly identical FTA with Peru last year.  Many analysts believe that the rejection of this current bill, as well as the promise to interfere with a similar South Korean FTA, has more to do with election season posturing then it does with genuine policy concerns.  Therefore, this brief will outline some of the details of the FTA and what the different sides are saying before assessing the political and economic ramifications of the little FTA that is causing a whole lot of ruckus.

Read More

Extemp Questions for the Week of April 9th-15th, 2008

By

On April 9, 2008

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

1. Should the Federal Reserve be given more power over the U.S. economy?

2. Is Israel’s political system dysfunctional?

3. Why are John McCain’s poll numbers rising?

4. Why are North Korea-South Korea relations worsening?

5. Should the DNC force Hillary to drop out?

6. Would another Berlusconi government be bad for Italy?

7. Is legalized gambling the answer for state budget woes?

8. Would Condoleeza Rice be a good vice-presidential candidate?

9. Should the Olympic torch relay be cancelled?

10. Would a EU military be a benefit or a death blow to NATO?

Topic Brief: Turkey Banning the AK Party

By

On April 8, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

Seeking EU membership, Turkey has been trying to keep its politics on the up and up for quite a few years now.  As things start to smooth out on Cyprus and human rights abuses against the Kurds seem less common, it seemed that Turkey had achieved a level of stability that would hurry it ascension to the EU.  However, that momentum seems to be quashed as the high court is considering outlawing the AK party – the current ruling party of the nation.  Turkey has multiple provisions that are intended to ensure that the government remains secular, and has banned parties with Islamist leanings before;, however, this would represent the first time that the president, PM and majority of parliament would all be a part of the banned party.  As such, the potential ruling of the court will not only immediately threaten the stability of Turkey, but also may hamper the long-term ambitions of the nation’s leaders.

Read More

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

By

On April 2, 2008

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

1. What does the rising number of Americans on food stamps signal about the state of the U.S. economy?

2. How can Australia resolve its water problem?

3. Will its refusal to accept an independent Kosovo doom Serbia’s chances at becoming an EU member?

4. What is the state of e-commerce?

5. Is Argentina being careless with its economy?

6. How will the political changes in Pakistan affect US-Pakistani relations?

7. Is Hezbollah still a threat to Israel?

8. Would a Olympic boycott produce change in Chinese policy making?

9. Is our military getting the support it deserves?

10. Should Hillary drop out?

Topic Brief: 2008 Zimbabwean Elections

By

On April 1, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Overview

Because the big news of the weekend was the elections in Zimbabwe, and the fact that they could bring an end to the twenty-eight-year-rule of Robert Mugabe, we thought it would be a good subject for a briefing.  However, April Fools on us, because the results haven’t come in yet, so we will give you a rundown of what has happened so far, and what victory means for either side.

Read More

Extemp Questions for the Week of March 26th-April 1st, 2008

By

On March 26, 2008

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

1. Has the Jeremiah Wright controversy doomed Barack Obama’s campaign?

2. Why have Islamic parties lost ground in Pakistan?

3. Is Mugabe losing his grip on power?

4. Should the U.S. government put a cap on gasoline prices?

5. Why is there a growing rift between the U.S. and Belarus?

6. How can John McCain seize control of the economic agenda?

7. Is Washington D.C.’s handgun ban unconstitutional?

8. Are riots in Tibet only a glimpse at what is to come?

9. Would a Democratic ticket led by Al Gore diffuse the divisions in the Democratic Party?

10. Should the NCAA men’s basketball tournament be expanded?

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

By

On March 19, 2008

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

1. Will Spitzer’s resignation reflect poorly on Democratic candidates in November?

2. Is China’s growing power threatening international stability?

3. Should the U.S. be concerned about recent job loss numbers?

4. Has Sarkozy’s opportunity to reform France passed by?

5. Should the world be more vocal about China’s response to recent protests in Tibet?

6. Is the UMNO’s setback in recent Malaysian elections good for the country?

7. Should the Georgia-Tennessee border be redawn?

8. How effective has Brazil’s AIDS program been?

9. Is Keny’a political peace afford falling apart?

10. Should the GOP be concerned about Dennis Hastert’s congressional district’s recent change to blue?

Topic Brief: Tibet Protests

By

On March 18, 2008

In International Extemp, Topic Brief

Protestors: Free Tibet! Free Tibet!

Peter Griffin: I’ll take it!

[He runs to a nearby phone booth]

Peter Griffin: Hello, China? I have something you may want. But it’s gonna cost ya. That’s right. All the tea.

Overview

While hardly a new issue, a week of violently suppressed protests has brought Tibet back to the political forefront.  Specifically, Tibetan monks started non violent protests in the city of Lhasa on March 14th.  As the protests grew in size and intensity, the government response got increasingly heavy handed. This issue is especially timely considering its proximity to the Olympics and Taiwanese elections.  Ever since Chinese Communists occupied the independent nation of Tibet in the 1950’s there has been struggle between the Chinese government and Tibetan separatists.  Tactics that have been used to quell separatism have ranged from the outlawing to Buddhism and closing of regional boarders (both now discontinued), to the violent suppression of all dissent and cultural imperialism. Further the responses from international governments tend to be inconsistent and ineffective.

Read More

Page 54 of 56

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén