NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

September 2022

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Will the Biden Administration’s forgiveness of sizable amounts of student loan debt have a positive impact on the economy?

2. Are the Biden Administration strategies responsible for the recent decline in gasoline prices?

3. Has the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago helped or hurt President Trump’s chance of securing the 2024 Republican presidential nomination?

4. Will Charlie Crist pose a serious threat to Ron Desantis in the Florida Governor’s race?

5. Will Peiter Zatko’s whistleblowing about Twitter’s security weaken the company?

6. With primaries largely concluded, how effective was a Donald Trump endorsement at helping candidates prevail in contested Republican races?

7. Can the Biden administration succeed in securing the public’s support for another round of COVID-19 booster shots?

8. Are other states likely to follow the lead of Kansas voters and move to protect abortion rights?

9. Will the expansion of clean energy loans provide a significant boost to the renewable energy industry?

10. Should United States political leaders curtail their visits to Taiwan?

11. Will job reductions at Ford Motor Company better position the firm to manage its transition to electric vehicles?

12. Will Democratic support of extreme right candidates in Republican primaries backfire in November?

13. Will the conviction of men who plotted the kidnapping of Michigan’s governor serve as a deterrent to future attempts against government officials?

Open-Ended

1. What is the likelihood that former President Trump will face criminal charges over his keeping secret documents at Mar-a-Lago?

2. What strategies must the Republican Party employ if it wishes to “flip the Senate” in November?

3. What strategies can public health leaders take to slow the spread of Monkeypox?

4. What steps should leaders in the Democratic Party take to bridge ideological divides within the party?

5. What will Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s post-Congressional political future look like?

6. What reforms would be required to limit the influence of “dark money” in US politics?

7. What is the primary driver for the marked increase in psychedelic drug use among American adults?

8. What should the federal government do to curb rising food insecurity in the United States?

9. After the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, what steps must the Biden administration take to meet climate reduction targets?

10. What will be the impacts of lower-than-expected economic growth in the United States?

11. How will Anthony Fauci’s decision to step back from his public health positions impact the fight against infectious diseases in the United States?

12. What must Dr. Rochelle Walensky do to restore the credibility of the Centers for Disease Control?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will Iran agree to western countries’ terms for a new nuclear deal?

2. Can Greenland become a major producer of rare earth minerals?

3. Is Singapore’s decision to decriminalize homosexual relations a first step toward
broadened LGBT rights in Southeast Asia?

4. Will anti-terrorism charges against Pakistan’s Imran Kahn stick?

5. Will disagreement over the winner of Kenya’s presidential election destabilize the country?

6. Should New Zealand change its name?

7. Will Australia’s recent efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions help it catch up to other nations in the fight against climate change?

8. Will Mexico’s continued support of the fossil fuel industry limit the growth of renewable energy there?

9. Is a rising Shiite rebellion in Afghanistan’s north a serious threat to Taliban rule?

10. In the interest of increased stability in the Taiwan Strait, should the United States and Taiwan suspend planning trade talks this fall?

11. Are Ukraine and Russia in a stalemate in their conflict?

12. Should Western nations recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan?

Open-Ended

1. With the court decision to uphold Najib Razak’s graft conviction, what will be the impact on Malaysia’s political landscape?

2. What can the international community do to minimize the threat posed by combat around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant?

3. What steps can Latin American nations take to challenge limitations on civil liberties in Nicaragua?

4. What should the young government in Somalia do to undermine the activities of the al Shabab organization?

5. How will France’s military departure from Mali impact the struggle of the government there against jihadist forces?

6. What must the United States do to reassure its Asian allies of its continued security cooperation in the region?

7. What impact are Ukrainian successes on the battlefield having on Russian morale at home?

8. What must Viktor Orban do if he wishes to bring inflation under control in Hungary?

9. What steps must Olaf Schultz take to regain the respect of the German political establishment?

10. What steps must the UN take to meet the global need for humanitarian aid?

11. What must Tunisia’s political parties do to restore democracy in the country?

12. How will Israel and Turkey benefit from the restoration of diplomatic relations?

13. What must Iraqi leaders do to calm tensions between political factions there?