NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

February 2020

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Did President Trump choose the right legal team for his impeachment defense?

2. In retrospect, did Nancy Pelosi employ the right strategy in the presidential impeachment
process?

3. Is the federal government consistently neglecting aid to Puerto Rico?

4. Will President Trump face future criminal charges for his business dealings?

5. Is the US government winning its war against Huawei?

6. Are Democratic primary debates doing enough to explore candidates’ strengths in
foreign policy?

7. Are gifted education programs in the US unintentionally worsening the nation’s racial
divisions?

8. What did the standoff with Iran teach us about the Trump administration’s capacity to
manage international crises?

9. Does Pete Buttigieg have a path to the Democratic nomination?

10. Is it time for the United States to withdraw from Iraq, as their parliament has asked?

11. Is NASA ready to launch its own astronauts into orbit?

12. Will the Trump administration’s policy to combat vaping succeed?

13. Does Michael Bloomberg have a decent chance of winning the Democratic presidential nomination?

Open-Ended

1. When the President’s impeachment trial has ended what will be the state of the American presidency?

2. When the President’s impeachment trial has concluded how will it have impacted the reputation of the US Senate?

3. How will the outcome of the Iowa caucuses change the landscape of the Democratic primary race?

4. What explains the Trump administration’s willingness to encourage the entry of legal guest workers from Mexico?

5. How confident are consumers in the health of the American economy?

6. What explains the lack of diversity in the remaining Democratic presidential nomination field?

7. What is the significance of the expansion of America’s mid-range ballistic missile arsenal for America’s defense?

8. What might America lose by curtailing refugee resettlement?

9. How will the apparent rift between Warren and Sanders impact the progressive cause in the Democratic presidential primaries?

10. What does Senator Susan Collins need to do to secure reelection in Maine?

11. Based on America’s various laws, when should we consider Americans to be adults?

12. How will the Secret Service’s repositioning to the Treasury Department impact Homeland Security?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will the mysterious viral pneumonia (coronavirus) in China become a new global health threat?

2. Is the UK government prepared to implement Brexit?

3. Can world powers bring about a cease fire in Libya?

4. What will be the impact on African security if the United States follows through on its plans to reduce its troop presence there?

5. Can Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó succeed in his efforts to gain support for his opposition to Maduro abroad?

6. Is the Indian government mimicking China’s suppression of dissidents in its dealings in Kashmir?

7. Are prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan improving?

8. Can European nations save the Iran nuclear deal?

9. Can the new Sultan of Oman keep his country out of regional conflicts?

10. Can the Ethiopian government’s approach to poverty succeed?

11. Can the new Spanish government hold on to power for very long?

12. Will the leftward move of Germany’s Social Democrats help their electoral prospects?

13. Is the NATO alliance more or less stable than it was at the start of Donald Trump’s presidency?

Open-Ended

1. How will the decision of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to live more private lives impact the British monarchy?

2. What steps can Central American nations take to relieve the migrant crisis building at the Mexico-Guatemala border?

3. How will the downing of a Ukrainian jet by Iran impact the Iranian government’s grip on power?

4. What can the government of Lebanon do to calm increasing unrest there?

5. What will be the impact of China’s declining birthrate?

6. What accounts for al Shabab’s continued resiliency?

7. What must President Zelensky do to curtail corruption in Ukraine?

8. What will be the impact of Putin’s proposed constitutional reforms?

9. How will Brexit impact the European tourism industry?

10. What is Turkey’s interest in sending troops to Libya?

11. What steps can the Iraqi government take to strengthen its own security?

12. How will President’s Tsai’s reelection in Taiwan impact China-Taiwan relations?