Category: U.S. Extemp Page 8 of 55

R&D from Prepd: Vice President Kamala Harris

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On January 7, 2022

In R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’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.

This week’s R&D covers Vice President Kamala Harris.  The last few months have been turbulent ones for America’s first female vice president as Harris has seen staffing departures, rumors that she is upset at the lack of a defined role in the Biden administration, and concerns about her electability if President Joe Biden does not run for re-election in 2024.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of January 3-9, 2022

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On January 3, 2022

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Have new quarantine guidelines damaged the CDC’s credibility with the American people?
2. What grade does President Biden deserve after his first year in office?
3. Should race be used as a factor in distributing life-saving healthcare resources?
4. Is the U.S. headed for another housing crisis?
5. If progressives were to primary President Biden in 2024, who should they nominate?
6. Is the “defend the police” movement dead?
7. At what age should universal public education begin in the United States?
8. Are U.S. sanctions policies against Russia an ineffective strategy?
9. Should President Biden attempt to impose the “Build Back Better” bill via executive action?
10. Will American schools struggle to assemble enough staff to operate in 2022-2023?

R&D from Prepd: Abortion Rights

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On December 17, 2021

In R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’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.

This week’s R&D covers abortion rights.  The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments for the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that questions the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi state law that bans most abortion after fifteen weeks of pregnancy.  In addition, the Supreme Court sent a lawsuit over Texas’ controversial abortion law, that bans most abortions after six weeks, back to the appellate level yesterday and has left the law intact at the moment.  Pro-choice advocates warn that the Supreme Court is on the verge of overturning the landmark 1973 case of Roe v. Wade that constitutionalized the right to abortion, and if that happens, more than twenty states would immediately ban the procedure.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of December 13-19, 2021

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On December 13, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

Note that these will be the last questions of the first semester.  Extemp Central will resume posting new, original content on Monday, January 3.

1. Will Donald Trump’s intervention in the Georgia governor’s race produce an Abrams victory?
2. Is Biden’s term turning into Jimmy Carter 2.0?
3. Will “The Great Resignation” continue into 2022?
4. Should the GOP abandon its position on keeping taxes low for business owners?
5. Would private school tax credit programs undermine public education?
6. Is there a “missile gap” forming between the U.S. and China?
7. Should Democrats cease using the term “Latinx”?
8. Is an arms embargo on Cambodia necessary?
9. How could Mike Pence defeat Donald Trump in a Republican presidential primary?
10. What steps do American cities need to take to curb rising homicide rates?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of December 6-12, 2021

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On December 6, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. To what extent should the United States defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity?
2. Is President Biden responsible for Vice President Harris’ poor poll numbers?
3. Are existing discipline guidelines making America’s schools less safe?
4. Will the omicron variant doom Democratic efforts to keep control of Congress in 2022?
5. What should the Biden administration do if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade?
6. Will Major League Baseball’s owners reach a new labor agreement with the players’ union by spring training?
7. Can Dr. Oz win Pennsylvania’s Senate seat?
8. Will a reduction of the Fed’s quantitative-easing program substantially lower inflationary pressures in the U.S. economy?
9. What role should the U.S. federal government play in fixing lead pipes throughout the country?
10. Will Stacey Abrams win Georgia’s governorship next year?

R&D from Prepd: The Omicron Variant

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On December 3, 2021

In International Extemp, R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’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.

This week’s R&D covers the omicron variant of COVID-19.  First discovered in South Africa, the variant is still under study and as of the time of this R&D’s creation, a handful of cases have been identified in the United States.  There are fears that the new variant might infected vaccinated individuals and be more contagious than the delta variant from India.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 29-December 5, 2021

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On November 29, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Will the omicron variant cause a new wave of COVID lockdowns in the U.S.?
2. How can the Biden administration convince Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema to vote for the Build Back Better Act?
3. What explains the decline of college enrollment in the U.S.?
4. Are equity policies doing greater harm or good to the groups they are intending to help?
5. Does the U.S. still have a role to play in Afghanistan?
6. Has the Biden administration done enough to help organized labor?
7. Will the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve lower gasoline prices over the long-term?
8. How can California cities best prevent “smash-and-grab” thefts?
9. Does the U.S. need to do more to weaken kleptocracies across Latin America?
10. How can Glenn Youngkin position himself for higher office after his term ends in 2025?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 22-28, 2021

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On November 22, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Have the Biden administration’s energy policies made gas prices higher?
2. Will the recently passed infrastructure bill make Pete Buttigieg a more powerful player in Democratic circles than Vice President Kamala Harris?
3. Did prosecutors botch the Rittenhouse case?
4. Has corporate consolidation made America’s inflation woes worse?
5. Should the U.S. abolish the TSA?
6. What steps can the U.S. take to strengthen democratic governments in Africa?
7. Would passage of President Biden’s social infrastructure bill help or hinder Democratic chances in the 2022 midterms?
8. What role, if any, should the Federal Reserve take in the fight against climate change?
9. Is a U.S. diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics an empty gesture?
10. Are electric vehicles the future of American transport?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 15-21, 2021

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On November 15, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Will the Supreme Court eventually find that the Biden administration’s vaccine requirement is constitutional?
2. Should all U.S. schools adopt a “mask optional” policy?
3. What can Democrats do to stop a “red wave” in 2022?
4. Will the recently passed infrastructure bill help the U.S. economy?
5. Is Chris Christie a “dark horse” presidential candidate?
6. If Russia invades Ukraine, how should the U.S. respond?
7. What should the Biden administration to do reduce migrant flows at the Mexican border?
8. Should the U.S. invest more in nuclear power?
9. Will the embrace of equity policies by schools further increase the achievement gap?
10. How would the rise of a “metaverse” affect American society?

R&D from Prepd: Inflation in the U.S. Economy

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On November 12, 2021

In R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’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.

This week’s R&D covers inflation in the U.S. economy.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported this week that consumer prices rose by 6.2% in October and inflation is standing at its fastest increase since 1991.  Shortages of consumer goods due to supply chain issues, all of which exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, are making the problem worse and are wiping out some recent wage gains made by American workers.  The inflation issue is also becoming a political problem for President Joe Biden, who is seeing his approval ratings crash near the end of his first year in office.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 8-14, 2021

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On November 8, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Will the results of the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections cause the Democrats to back off of President Biden’s social infrastructure plan?
2. Is Eric Adams the future of the Democratic Party?
3. Does the Democratic Party have a messaging problem?
4. Will the Supreme Court strike down New York’s concealed carry restrictions?
5. Does the U.S. need to get more involved in the Tigray War?
6. Is Europe’s new COVID-19 wave a warning sign for the U.S. this winter?
7. Do states need to do more to make juries racially equitable?
8. Are American commitments going far enough at COP26?
9. Will the Minneapolis question 2 vote destroy ongoing progressive efforts to defund police?
10. Should states require high school students to pass an ethnic studies course?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of November 1-7, 2021

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On November 1, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Should the Biden administration retreat from its support of vaccine mandates?
2. What steps does Portland need to take to rein in destructive protests?
3. Is inflationary pressure in the U.S. economy here to stay?
4. How should states spend the money they are receiving from opioid pharmacy settlements?
5. Does Congress need better ethics rules to prevent insider trading?
6. How will FDA approval for COVID-19 vaccinations for children affect school operations across the country?
7. Should U.S. states decriminalize prostitution?
8. How will criminal charges against Andrew Cuomo affect the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial primary next year?
9. Does President Biden have enough political capital to pass his adjusted social infrastructure bill?
10. What should Eric Adams prioritize when he becomes New York City’s next mayor?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of October 25-31, 2021

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On October 25, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. Can the Forward Party turn America into a three-party system?
2. Should Senator Joe Manchin switch parties?
3. Is President Biden doing enough to solve America’s supply chain crisis?
4. Does the U.S. education system need to have more national or local control?
5. Should U.S. foreign policy accept Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear device?
6. Will President Biden’s Supreme Court commission produce anything meaningful?
7. Should the Federal Reserve change its interest rate outlook?
8. Will the restoration of the “Remain in Mexico” policy hurt the Biden administration’s standing with progressives?
9. What lessons should U.S. policymakers learn from Western Europe’s energy crunch?
10. Would price controls for prescription drugs have negative consequences for the American healthcare system?

HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of October 18-24, 2021

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On October 18, 2021

In U.S. Extemp, Weekly Questions

1. With a few weeks to go, what are the odds of Republicans winning the Virginia governorship?
2. What adjustments should President Biden make to his social infrastructure bill to assure passage?
3. Will former President Trump be more of an asset or liability for Republican candidates in 2022?
4. What powers does the IRS need to effectively limit tax avoidance?
5. Why are America’s schools facing severe staffing shortages?
6. Will a new wave of strikes re-energize the American labor movement ?
7. Has the COVID-19 pandemic made Americans more or less trusting of government?
8. What should America’s climate policy look like?
9. Will the FDA’s new salt guidelines help reduce America’s obesity rate?
10. Why has momentum for new campaign finance restriction died?

R&D from Prepd: COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

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On October 15, 2021

In R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’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.

This week’s R&D covers COVID-19 vaccine mandates.  While 57% of the U.S. population has received one variation of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Biden administration believes that the number can be higher with employer mandates.  States like California have issued a mandate for schoolchildren when vaccines become available for them, while other states like Kentucky and Texas are moving to pass legislation prohibiting vaccine mandates.  Mandates are becoming problematic as pilots, healthcare workers, teachers, and others are refusing to get vaccinated, creating spillover effects in essential institutions.

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