NFHS EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING TOPICS

November 2023

Domestic

Closed-Ended

1. Should the United States stay out of the growing conflict between Israel and Hamas?

2. With Justice Barrett’s endorsement, will other Supreme Court justices endorse the creation of a code of ethics for its members?

3. Will President Biden succeed in getting Jack Lew confirmed as US Ambassador to Israel?

4. Will President Biden’s apparent shift in policy over southern border security impact his support among Hispanic Americans?

5. Should the Supreme Court rule against qualified immunity for police officers?

6. Has Bidenomics been good for the United States?

7. Are Social Security’s cost of living adjustments sufficient to meet the financial needs of America’s seniors?

8. Will President Biden face negative consequences because of the ongoing classified documents probe?

9. How will the ongoing labor dispute in the auto industry impact the United States’ economy?

10. Will recent changes in the strategy of the DeSantis campaign improve its prospects for success?

11. Should the GOP follow Carrie Lake’s lead and come out against a national abortion ban?

12. Are Tesla and Toyota benefiting from the UAW strike?

13. Is land-based aquaculture good for the seafood industry?

Open-Ended

1. What steps can the United States take to decrease acts of violence against Arab Americans in the United States?

2. What will be the lasting impact on Congress of the prolonged deadlock over finding a new Speaker of the House?

3. What steps must Republican Congressional leadership take to reassert control over its most right-wing decenters?

4. How will Donald Trump’s turn against Israel and its leaders impact his support among pro-Israel American voters?

5. How will Donald Trump’s increasingly angry words toward figures in his upcoming trials impact the judicial process?

6. How will third party presidential candidates impact the outcome of the 2024 elections?

7. Which Republican presidential candidate’s campaign will be first to fall victim to a lack of funds?

8. What explains the reduction in violent crimes in the United States?

9. What steps can the federal government take to further the development of clean hydrogen technology?

10. What steps should the United States take to improve its nuclear deterrent against Russia and China?

11. How should the federal government react to the increasing strain on state resources by migrants?

12. What is the cause of increased closures of the nation’s pharmacies?

International

Closed-Ended

1. Will Javier Milhei’s previous attacks against Pope Francis hurt his electoral prospects in Argentina?

2. Will Daniel Noboa’s election to Ecuador’s presidency improve economic conditions there?

3. Can Mexico stem the tide of fentanyl trafficking?

4. Can the United Nations stamp-out gang activity in Haiti?

5. Will the conflict in the Middle East divert attention away from the needs of Ukraine?

6. Can the Israeli government fulfill its promise to eliminate the threat from Hamas?

7. Will North Korean weapons make a significant difference in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine?

8. Can Ukraine rely on continued funding from NATO countries?

9. Will China succeed in its efforts to influence Taiwan’s elections?

10. Will America’s closer relations with Vietnam impact China’s efforts to extend its power into Southeast Asia?

11. Is the British Labour Party extending its reach into Scotland?

12. Will Britain’s Liberal Democrats decide who controls parliament after the next elections?

13. Will Azerbaijan extend its conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenian territory?

Open-Ended

1. How will the indictment of Senator Robert Menendez impact America’s relations with Egypt?

2. Why has Egypt been so reluctant to help refugees from the conflict in Gaza?

3. Who will prevail in Liberia’s coming elections?

4. How will New Zealand’s election of a conservative government change the nation?

5. What will be the consequences for Canadian-Indian relations of Justin Trudeau’s accusation that India assassinated a Canadian Sikh?

6. What must the Polish opposition do to unravel the country’s “illiberal democracy”?

7. What must the international community do to prevent the conflict between Israel and Hamas spreading to additional fronts?

8. How effectively has the Taliban responded to the earthquakes in Afghanistan?

9. How can the Chinese government correct the damage done by its over-investment in real estate?

10. What steps can be taken to prevent more Islamic State attacks on Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan?

11. What steps can India take to increase the participation of women in politics?

12. What can the European Union do to better control migration from the Middle East and Africa?