NFHS Extemporaneous Speaking Topics
November 2024

These questions were originally written before the results of the 2024 election were known.  The content below remains unchanged in this publication. 

The domestic questions below are split into categories based on the (potential) results of the November 2024 election.  There are questions written for a possible (1) Trump victory, (2) Harris victory, or (3) undecided result.  Questions from the third section (Undecided Result) may be used before the election takes place. 

Section 1 – Trump Wins

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. With his election to the presidency, will Donald Trump use the Justice Department to enact revenge on his political enemies?
2. Has Donald Trump’s team done sufficient work to prepare for the transition of administrations?
3. Will Donald Trump succeed in quickly mediating an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
4. Given the composition of the new Congress, will Donald Trump be able to successfully advance his legislative agenda?
5. Will a Harris administration be able to curtail the federal budget deficit?
6. Did Trump’s selection of JD Vance help or hurt his candidacy?
7. Has the Republican Party emerged from the 2024 elections stronger than it was?
8. Who bears more responsibility for the nation’s housing crisis: the federal government or the states?
9. Should insurance companies be allowed to deny coverage to homeowners in hurricane-prone areas?
10. Will the Federal Appeals Court uphold protections under DACA?
11. Should colleges and universities adapt their investment strategies in response to student demands?
12. Should the United States get rid of the Electoral College?
13. Should the Biden Administration’s ban on “ghost guns” be upheld by the courts?

Open-Ended

1. Who will President-Elect Trump choose to be his Secretary of State?
2. With Donald Trump’s election, what will become of the criminal charges against him?
3. What are the implications of President Trump’s election for the US taxation system?
4. What should be the top priority of the Trump administration in its first 100 days?
5. How will Donald Trump’s interest in the genetics of behavior shape his social policies?
6. What does Robert F. Kennedy’s political future look like with Donald Trump’s election?
7. How will Donald Trump’s election change how the news media covers the presidency?
8. What steps can Congress take to better support the government’s response to natural disasters, such as recent hurricanes.
9. What steps can the government take to counter the rise in anti-Jewish threats in the United States?
10. How should future televised presidential debates be changed?
11. How significant was foreign influence on US elections?
12. How will criminal charges against Sean Combs impact the larger music industry?

Section 2 – Harris Wins

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. With her election to the presidency, will Kamala Harris use the Justice Department to continue the prosecution of Donald Trump?
2. Has Kamala Harris’ team done sufficient work to prepare for the transition of administrations?
3. Will the election of Kamala Harris help or hinder resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
4. Given the composition of the new Congress, will Kamala Harris be able to successfully advance her legislative agenda?
5. Has the Democratic Party emerged from the 2024 elections stronger than it was?
6. Did President Biden’s presence on the campaign trail help or hurt Kamala Harris?
7. Will a Harris administration be able to curtail the federal budget deficit?
8. Who bears more responsibility for the nation’s housing crisis: the federal government or the states?
9. Should insurance companies be allowed to deny coverage to homeowners in hurricane-prone areas?
10. Will the Federal Appeals Court uphold protections under DACA?
11. Should colleges and universities adapt their investment strategies in response to student demands?
12. Should the United States get rid of the Electoral College?
13. Should the Biden Administration’s ban on “ghost guns” be upheld by the courts?

Open-Ended

1. Who will President-Elect Harris choose to be her Secretary of State?
2. With Kamala Harris’ election, what will become of the state level criminal charges against Donald Trump?
3. What are the implications of Kamala Harris’ election for the US stock market?
4. What should be the top priority of the Harris administration in its first 100 days?
5. To what degree will Kamala Harris deviate from positions held by the Biden administration?
6. What does Robert F. Kennedy’s political future look like with Donald Trump’s defeat?
7. How will Kamala Harris’ election impact the White House’s relationship with the press?
8. What steps can Congress take to better support the government’s response to natural disasters, such as recent hurricanes.
9. What steps can the government take to counter the rise in anti-Jewish threats in the United States?
10. How should future televised presidential debates be changed?
11. How significant was foreign influence on US elections?
12. How will criminal charges against Sean Combs impact the larger music industry?

Section 3 – Undecided Result or Prior to Election

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Who bears more responsibility for the nation’s housing crisis: the federal government or the states?
2. Should insurance companies be allowed to deny coverage to homeowners in hurricane-prone areas?
3. Will the Federal Appeals Court uphold protections under DACA?
4. Should colleges and universities adapt their investment strategies in response to student demands?
5. Should the United States get rid of the Electoral College?
6. Should the Biden Administration’s ban on “ghost guns” be upheld by the courts?
7. Should “legacy admissions” to colleges and universities be prohibited by law?
8. Will the suspension of a strike by dock workers continue?
9. Will New York Mayor Eric Adams be able to mount a successful defense against corruption charges?
10. Can TikTok successfully defend itself against charges by several states that it is harming children?
11. Will US interest rates continue to decline in the near future?
12. Is a bachelor’s degree still the key to middle class jobs?
13. Can American cities meet the 10-year deadline to remove lead pipes proposed by the Biden administration?

Open-Ended

1. How will the outcome of the election impact the White House’s relationship with the press?
2. What steps can Congress take to better support the government’s response to natural disasters, such as recent hurricanes.
3. What steps can the government take to counter the rise in anti-Jewish threats in the United States?
4. How should future televised presidential debates be changed?
5. How significant was foreign influence on US elections?
6. How will criminal charges against Sean Combs impact the larger music industry?
7. What impact will Hurricane Milton have on the recovery of Florida’s orange economy?
8. With temperatures rising, what steps can government take to curtail the rise in electricity costs?
9. What steps can government take to help increase available workers for US industries?
10. How will the outcome of the presidential election impact the lives of trans Americans?
11. What are the future prospects for federal student loan forgiveness plans?
12. How big a role should the federal government play in regulating artificial intelligence?                                                                                                                                                                                   

Foreign

Closed-Ended

1. Does the United States possess the ability to restrain Israel’s responses to attacks by its neighbors?
2. With its proxies significantly damaged, has Iran lost its capacity to significantly harm Israel?
3. Will Israel’s wars push Saudi Arabia and Iran closer together?
4. Will the Zelensky government’s proposed new taxes be sufficient to sustain the country’s war efforts?
5. Will the decision by Mexico’s Senate, to give the military control over the civilian National Guard lead to abuses of power?
6. Has Venezuela’s political opposition been crushed?
7. Will China’s efforts to increase the birth rate in their country succeed?
8. Does China’s dependence on Iranian oil exports make its economy vulnerable?
9. Will France’s austerity budget succeed in improving the nation’s finances?
10. Is the UK’s Conservative Party turning further to the right?
11. Will Herbet Kickl be Austria’s next Prime Minister?
12. Can the Organization of Turkic States be an effective counterweight to Russia?
13. Will the return of American long-range missiles to Europe strengthen European confidence in American support for their security?

Open-Ended

1. What steps can the Lebanese government do to help bring the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants to an end?
2. Who is the most probable successor to Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran?
3. How is the conflict over Gaza impacting the peace between Israel and Egypt?
4. Why is the United Arab Emirates playing such a significant role in Sudan’s civil war?
5. What must the World Health Organization do to eradicate Mpox in Africa?
6. How will the internal conflict between factions of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel impact the trafficking of drugs?
7. How will Indian financial aid to its neighbors impact the country’s clout in the region?
8. How will the selection of Shigeru Ishiba as Japan’s new prime minister impact the nation’s economy?
9. What steps can Ukraine take to strengthen its front lines against Russia?
10. How will Ethiopia’s proposed recognition of the separatist government of Somaliland impact security conditions in the Horn of Africa?
11. What steps can the government of Nigeria take to combat fuel shortages?
12. How should Taiwan respond to China’s “anaconda strategy”?