NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

October 2022

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Is the Fed’s war on inflation bringing the American economy down with it?

2. Are public health officials finally getting the upper hand in the fight against monkeypox?

3. Will the appointment of a Special Master over documents seized at Mar-a-Lago derail the Department of Justice investigation?

4. Will Republican efforts to unite around a nationwide set of abortion restrictions help or hurt their prospects in the midterm elections?

5. Is insider trading among members of Congress a problem?

6. Will the introduction of a new COVID vaccine booster to fight the Omicron variant finally bring the pandemic under control?

7. Are municipal guaranteed income programs the solution to urban poverty?

8. Should the United States refurbish or decommission its aging ICBMs?

9. Will the Inflation Reduction Act succeed in spurring more use of renewable technologies?

10. Will Republican opponents of student loan debt relief prevail in lawsuits to block implementation of President Biden’s plan?

11. Has Sarah Palin’s political career hit a dead end?

12. Should the United States invest more in prisoner education programs?

13. Will the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, spur other municipalities to take a closer look at their water infrastructure?

Open-Ended

1. What steps can the United States government take to free Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan from Russian captivity?

2. What steps can the federal government take to help curtail surging food prices?

3. With wildfires growing more pronounced each year, what steps can the federal government take to address the threat?

4. What are the prospects for Democrats retaining control of both houses of Congress after the November elections?

5. With poverty reduced with pandemic economic aid, what must the federal government do to maintain lower poverty rates going forward?

6. With the Boston Marathon adding an option for gender non-binary runners in 2023, will other major athletic events follow?

7. What accounts for the continued shortage of baby formula in the United States?

8. What steps can US hospitals take to better prepare themselves for future pandemics?

9. What must the United States do to decrease its dependence on overseas microchip manufacturers?

10. How will the President Biden’s choice to call-out “MAGA Republicans” directly in his Philadelphia speech impact the tone of the fall election?

11. How can the United States reduce heat-related deaths?

12. Flush with cash from pandemic aid, what should states do with their extra money?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will Ukraine’s battlefield gains prompt a Russian withdrawal?

2. Has Russia’s investment in influencing foreign elections paid it any dividends?
3. With William Ruto’s victory in the Kenyan presidential election confirmed by the Supreme Court, will opposition parties drop their opposition to the election results?

4. Given his previous outspoken stances on the environment, can King Charles remain apolitical on the issue now?

5. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, will more Commonwealth countries seek to become republics?

6. Should Mexico increase its openness toward foreign investment in its industries?

7. After Chile’s rejection of its proposed left-leaning constitution, will leaders try for another revision?

8. Do Chinese drones buzzing Taiwan risk an accidental shooting war?

9. Will China and India’s pullback in the Himalayas reduce tensions on the border?

10. Is North Korea’s change in its “nuclear doctrine” a meaningful change in policy?

11. Will China’s continued “Zero COVID” policy lead to a political backlash among its people?

12. Can the G7 succeed in capping Russia’s oil prices?

13. Is Russia suppressing the independence of the Orthodox Church?

Open-Ended

1. As he begins his reign as King, what can King Charles III do to restore the faith of UK citizens in the monarchy?

2. What will be the enduring legacy of Queen Elizabeth II’s long reign as the monarch of the UK and its Commonwealth?

3. What compromises will be required to achieve a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Tigrayan rebels?

4. What must South Africa do to conquer its widespread power outage problem?

5. What steps can the United Nations take to respond to famine conditions in Somalia?

6. How is Norway’s profiting from the war in Ukraine endangering its image in Europe?

7. How will hard right politicians in Italy change policy priorities there?

8. What must Ireland do to become a net exporter of wind power?

9. What must be done to stem the global decline in the rule of law?

10. What must Iran hear from western negotiators to conclude a nuclear deal?

11. What must Mozambique do to suppress the insurgency in the country’s north?

12. What must Egypt do if it wishes to expand its solar energy industry?