Last Year's Topics/Motions

For schools that are new to the tournament (or perhaps US tournaments in general), it may be helpful to see last year's motions. The members of the topic committee will be similar this year, although we did not have any international members in 2022.

2022 Topics:

OPEN FINALS

1 This House, as China, would abandon all claims on the Senkaku Islands.

2 You have a machine that allows you to know when you will die. This House would use the machine.

3 This House would require the consent of local communities for the construction of regional, national, or transnational infrastructure placed through them.

ELIM 3

1 This House prefers a nonaligned Ukraine to a Ukraine that has NATO membership.

2 Liberal media outlets ought to prioritize sensational reporting (e.g., Daily Kos, Young Turks) over neutral journalism (e.g., CNN, New York Times).

3 This House regrets the overwhelming narrative of good triumphing over evil in children’s entertainment.

ELIM 2

1 This House prefers an economy with less union power and more government regulation to an economy with more union power and less government regulation.

2.This House regrets the invention of the automobile.

3 Neoliberalism has done more harm than good.

ELIM 1: Criminal Justice

1 The wishes of victims and their families ought to affect the sentence imposed on a criminal.

2 This House would not impose life sentences for any crimes.

3 This House regrets the narrative that people convicted of crimes owe a debt to society that is repaid by prison time.

ROUND 5

1 This House supports BRICS* countries creating alternatives to the current international economic institutions (i.e. the IMF, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization) * Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.

2 This House regrets the narrative that young people can grow up to be anything they want to be.

3 This house believes that Batman should abandon his no-killing rule.

ROUND 4: Love

This House regrets the narrative that family love should be unconditional.

This House would legalize multi-partner (>2) marriages.

This House would prefer a spouse who likes to cook to a spouse who likes to clean.

ROUND 3
1. This House would deny tax-exempt status to religious institutions that refuse to appoint female leaders.

2. The US federal government should make farming subsidies contingent on the adoption of Green farming practices.

3. NATO should expel members who do not meet the organization's defense spending targets.

ROUND 2

1. This House would ban micro transactions in all video games.

2. This House would allow individuals to use violent force to defend their homes.

3. The US federal government should require health insurance companies to offer terminally ill patients the option of a lump sum payment to forgo expensive life-extending treatments.

Round 1 topics:

1. This House would abolish permanent alimony.

2. This House, as a progressive candidate for public office, would heavily prioritize economic policy over social policy

3. Central Asian states should significantly disassociate from Russian cultural influence (e.g. language, the arts, media, history etc.).