Extemp Topics

Rules

Students should record two videos; one each for prelims and elims. Videos should be appropriately labeled and placed in a google folder, or links posted in a google doc that is submitted to tabroom.com.

Use the following lists for prelims and elims, the numbers do not matter.

Ideally, coaches will administer draw fairly. (30 minutes of prep for a 7-minute speech with no do-overs and no notes). But that is impossible to enforce, so do as you will, just think that we would prefer students attempt to be as close to the norm as possible.

Domestic Extemp

Prelims

1. Does the Democratic Party deserve the continued support of its loyal African American voters?

2. Do GOP policies mean economic gains for African Americans?

3. Has race-based affirmative action succeeded?

4. What is the best way to counter hate speech on social media?

5. Is America making progress against racially discriminatory policing practices?

6. How can the criminal justice system be reformed to lessen the impact of racial bias?

7. How should the education system be reformed to offer every child a high-quality K-12 experience?

8. How can the same nation elect Barack Obama and Donald Trump four years apart?

9. Does frequent talk of racial discrimination disempower young Black people?

10. What are the root causes of higher than average rates of dysfunction in Black families?

11. What impact does Hollywood have on perceptions of race in the United States?

12. Should the United States government pursue reparations for the descendants of slavery?

13. Should Americans be concerned about the current status of residential racial segregation?

14. What should be done to increase teacher diversity?

15. Did the presidency of Barack Obama change race relations in the United States?

16. Are the NFL national anthem protests an effective tool for bringing change?

17. Does professional football exploit poor Black men?

18. Is “Black History Month” a good approach to raising awareness?

19. Should school discuss the concept of “White privilege” as part of their social studies curriculum?

20. How has the #BlackLivesMatter movement shaped conversations about race?

21. What should be done to prevent the disproportional death of Black mothers during childbirth?

22. How can health care professionals address unconscious bias?

23. How can the U.S. government address environmental racism?

Elims

1. How should the Biden administration address fossil fuel industries in the next four years?

2. Do big tech firms have too much control over political discourse in the United States?

3. Has “cancel culture” gone too far in the U.S.?

4. How will Donald Trump’s stormy departure from office affect the GOP in the years ahead?

5. How will history remember January 6, 2021?

6. How worried should we be about new variants of COVID-19?

7. Should Congress vote for more economic stimulus payments to American families?

8. What permanent changes will the COVID-19 pandemic bring to the US economy?

9. Does a second Donald Trump impeachment trial serve the public good?

10. Will the election of Kamala Harris pave the way for more women of color to assume the highest political offices?

International Extemp

Prelims

1.    Has FARC’s new political party been successful?

2.    What changes should Mexico make to its policy of deporting migrants back to Central America now that Biden has assumed office?

3.    Has Cuba’s recent constitutional changes been enough to ensure a democratic transition?

4. Do China’s economic policies create an unbalanced playing field for trade? 

5. Can the UK retain its international economic power with the finalized UK-EU trade deal? 

6. Will the US-China trade talks in the Biden administration yield successful results? 

7. Has the African Continental Free Trade Area significantly accelerate member states’ economic development? 

8. Who is winning the US-China ‘Trade War’?

9. How will China’s Belt and Road Initiative help them win favor across Latin America?

10. Should Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó give up?

Elims

 1. Will China further accelerate military action toward Taiwan? 

2. Will Kim Jong Un ever consider denuclearization? 

3. Should the international community take action against Yoweri Museveni of Uganda? 

4. Is Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny truly a threat to Vladimir Putin’s power? 

5. Is Scotland heading toward independence from the UK? 

6. What does Sadyr Japarov’s election mean for the future of Kyrgyzstan?

 7. Is the restoration of democratic rule essential to Latin America’s future? 

8. How should the international community respond as Iran nears nuclear status? 

9. Should Narendra Modi change agricultural reforms following protests from farmers? 

10. Why is Europe uniquely struggling to contain COVID-19?