HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of May 13-19, 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Logan Scisco

Note:  We need a .pdf or listing of all outrounds results at the recent Extemp TOC at Northwestern so that we can calculate new National Points Race standings.  If you have that information, send it to logan.scisco@topper.wku.edu.

1. Should Donald Trump lose his Secret Service protection if he is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence?
2. Will TikTok’s lawsuit against the U.S. government eventually reach the Supreme Court?
3. Should media organizations be given greater protection from lawsuits?
4. Does the U.S. need to rethink its approach toward autocratic states?
5. Is President Biden focusing too much of his re-election effort on shoring up his base?
6. Would the collapse of the liberal international order do significant damage to U.S. national security?
7. Does Donald Trump need to select a moderate vice presidential candidate?
8. Should the TSA be abolished?
9. Does the IRS need more funding?
10. Should the U.S. reverse its position on Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 13-19, 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Logan Scisco

1. Do more open migration policies by Western governments make it easier for totalitarian states to hold onto power?
2. Are the fates of Ukraine and Taiwan interconnected?
3. How significant is the global competition for semiconductors?
4. Should Israel have been allowed to compete at Eurovision?
5. How will East Asia’s demographic crunch affect global politics?
6. Has the Israel-Hamas war proved that Hamas is incapable of governing?
7. What does a warming global climate mean for global health outcomes?
8. Would it be a mistake for the Democratic Alliance to coalition with the ANC after the next South African election?
9. Is China winning its “cold war” with the West?
10. Will the result of the Panamanian presidential election produce positive economic results?

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of May 6-12, 2024

Posted on May 8, 2024 by Logan Scisco

Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of May 6-12, 2024

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Logan Scisco

1. Should Ukraine lower its mobilization age further?
2. Is “lawfare” having a detrimental impact on Spain’s politics?
3. Has the Scottish nationalist movement collapsed?
4. Should the Japanese government stop defending the yen?
5. Is an anti-Iran alliance emerging in the Middle East?
6. How will Colombia’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Israel affect its economy?
7. What is the biggest challenge that will face the next Mexican president?
8. How would a non-junta government in Myanmar affect its neighbors?
9. Has Venezuela scrapped plans to invade Guyana?
10. Does Japan need to reform its immigration policies?

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of May 6-12, 2024

Posted on May 6, 2024 by Logan Scisco

1. Is the “American dream” disappearing?
2. Should marijuana be removed from the controlled-substances list?
3. Will the Supreme Court find South Carolina’s congressional redistricting plan unconstitutional?
4. How would a major terror attack in the United States affect the dynamics of the 2024 presidential election?
5. Have university presidents poorly reacted to growing pro-Palestinian protests?
6. How can the U.S. prevent the growth of artificial intelligence systems from becoming a major threat to national security?
7. Are climate risks in the home insurance market becoming a threat to U.S. economic health?
8. How can the U.S. build a reliable rare-earths supply chain?
9. Are campus protests a preview of what could happen after a close result in the 2024 presidential election?
10. Will the strength of fiscal conservatives in the Republican Party grow after 2024?

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Extemp Central News Quiz for the Week of April 29-May 5, 2024

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Logan Scisco

Here is this week’s Extemp Central news quiz.  Good luck!

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2023-2024 Extemp Central National Points Race: New Standings After the UK TOC Are Posted!

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Logan Scisco

Updated standings for the 2023-2024 Extemp Central National Points Race have been released.  Check them out by clicking here or the “Natl Points Race” tab above.

The new standings reflect the result of last weekend’s University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC).  Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL) was the winner of that competition and earned 100 points.

This weekend features the other prominent Tournament of Champions (TOC) event on the calendar when Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois hosts its annual TOC of Extemporaneous Speaking.  The season’s second major is another third tier event and the winner will receive 100 points.  All competitors who reach the quarter-final round will also receive points.

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HotTopics: United States Extemp Questions for the Week of April 29-May 5, 2024

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Logan Scisco

1. If Donald Trump is convicted of a felony before the Republican National Convention, should the GOP nominate a different candidate?
2. Are growing campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza becoming a major headache for President Biden’s re-election effort?
3. How can Elon Musk reverse the decline of Tesla’s stock price?
4. Does President Biden have a problem with Hispanic voters?
5. Will the Supreme Court crack down on ghost guns in Garland v. VanDerStok?
6. Has the Affordable Care Act failed to make healthcare more affordable?
7. Should colleges reclassify athletes as employees of their respective institutions?
8. How should the Supreme Court rule on former President Donald Trump’s immunity claims?
9. Should the Federal Reserve increase its inflation target to 3%?
10. Is the U.S. stock market in a precarious position?

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HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of April 29-May 5, 2024

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Logan Scisco

1. Could anger over Israeli operations in Gaza produce a new “Arab Spring”?
2. What is the biggest obstacle for India becoming a great power?
3. Can a pro-Russian electoral bloc in Moldova keep the country out of the European Union?
4. Could the Philippines, instead of Taiwan, serve as the starting point for a military clash between China and the United States in the Pacific?
5. Will favorable views of Russia and China in the Sahel last?
6. Is anything working when it comes to global climate policy?
7. Should the “Global South” reject the current international system?
8. Is the British NHS falling apart?
9. Should the level of France’s public debt be a cause of concern?
10. What should be the first priority of Haiti’s transitional council?

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2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions: Reitman Wins Second National Points Event of the Year; Haider Takes Second

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Logan Scisco

The national circuit resumed after taking a two-month pause for state championship competitions. 89 competitors attended this year’s University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (TOC), kicking off the post-season phase of the National Points Race.

#17 Charlotte Reitman of NSU University School (FL) won her second National Points Race tournament of the season, winning the final round over #4 Waleed Haider of Hendrickson High School (TX) by two ranks. Nick Pienkos of Marquette University School (WI) finished third, one rank behind Haider and three back of Reitman.

Reitman is the first Florida extemper to win the UK TOC since Justin Graham of Trinity Preparatory School, who won in 2016.

The final round was close as five extempers each received a first place rank. What clinched the title for Reitman was receiving two second place ranks while other competitors received a worse mixture of ranks from the panel.

#15 Tyler Crivella of Seven Lakes High School (TX) finished fourth and #19 Ellie Sohn of Flintidge Preparatory School (CA) took fifth. Crivella was appearing in his third National Points Race final round of the year while Sohn was appearing in her fourth.

Arya Goyal of Scarsdale High School (NY) finished sixth.

Several other extempers in the top 25 made the trip to Lexington for last weekend’s event. #9 Abhijay Rana of Bellarmine College Preparatory (CA) dropped in semi-finals while #2 Brandon Cheng of Flintridge Preparatory, #12 Taylor Burris of the Potomac School (VA), and #16 Austin Bauman of Bellarmine College Preparatory made it to the quarter-final round.

Since the UK TOC was a third tier event, Reitman will receive 100 points for winning and all competitors who reached elimination rounds will earn National Points Race points. The next National Points Race competition will take place next weekend in Evanston, Illinois when Northwestern University hosts the Tournament of Champions of Extemporaneous Speaking, the season’s second major championship.

Here are the results of the 2024 University of Kentucky Tournament of Champions (Click here for tab sheet):

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