Wisconsin Forensics Daily

Practice Extemp Questions – JMM Version

As promised, here are the full list of questions from the Madison Memorial tournament this weekend.

Included is a list of “questionable questions.” Because Tim Scheffler and I have a good time writing these, we frequently come up with not quite real questions. We planned to leave these out for our extempore speakers – to freak them out (I don’t know anything about college basketball!). Someone informed them of our intentions – they were not phased.

Some of the “questionable questions” are decent (otherwise the joke would not have worked), so feel free to cherry pick those. The others, should just be ignored. Unless you’re preparing for a career in sports journalism. Then it might be a good thing to be able to answer those questions.

The questions are below the break. Happy practicing.

Domestic – Round 1; 2010 Politics
1. How significant will Obama’s midterm losses be?
2. Will the Tea Party fracture the Republican Party?
3. Is Russ Feingold in danger of losing his Senate Seat?
4. Will the Republicans’ obstructionist strategy pay political dividends?
5. How will the Health Care bill affect the Democrats 2010 prospects?
6. How will the Citizens United decision affect the upcoming elections?
7. Will the Republicans be successful if they can recruit more candidates like Scott Brown?
8. Is Harry Reid’s re-election bid in trouble?
9. Does the filibuster need to be reformed?
10. Is Blanche Lincoln susceptible to a primary loss?

Domestic – Round 2; The Economy
1. Is the United States on the brink of an economic collapse?
2. How can the United States fix its budget woes?
3. Will the Jobs Bill be able to turn around the economy?
4. Is a second stimulus needed?
5. Can the economy improve without health care reform?
6. Should taxes be raised?
7. What elements are needed in banking reform?
8. Should congress continue extending unemployment and similar benefits?
9. How can the United States address high unemployment?
10. Was the Troubled Asset Relief Program effective?

Domestic – Round 3; National Policy Issues and National News
1. How will the Toyota recall affect the American auto industry
2. Can the National Football League avoid a work-stoppage?
3. Should the public fear vaccinations?
4. Should the federal government take action to stop the spread of Asian Carp?
5. Will Race to the Top succeed where No Child Left Behind failed?
6. Should the U.S. be pursuing nuclear power to solve its energy needs?
7. Should the U.S. be investing in high-speed rail?
8. Is Stevens’ retirement eminent?
9. Does the United States need to cut military spending?
10. Should the insurance industry have its antitrust exemption continued?

Domestic Final Round
1. Are the politics of fear becoming worse?
2. Are progressive democrats expected to compromise too much?
3. Is the United States Senate incapable of addressing the nation’s problems?
4. Which party benefits most from an increase in populism?
5. Are stalled nominations impacting Obama’s ability to govern?
6. Should conservatives support gay marriage?
7. How can state governments fix their budget woes?
8. What will be the impact of the 2010 Census?
9. Is there hope for Detroit?
10. What should be done to improve the United States’ infrastructure?

International – Round 1; United States Foreign Policy
1. Has Congress strained U.S. – Turkey Relations?
2. Can the United States address China’s suspected currency manipulation?
3. What is holding up Obama’s plan to close the Guantanamo Bay prison?
4. What do Indonesian protests say about how the world views the United States?
5. What does Secretary Clinton need to accomplish in her Latin American trip?
6. How can the United States develop stronger economic ties with India?
7. What is the future of the U.S. – Japan military alliance?
8. Should U.S. Information Technology providers avoid business with China?
9. How can the United States address nuclear proliferation?
10. Is Obama’s Af-Pak strategy working?

International – Round 2; Europe
1. Who is leading Russia?
2. What can London learn from Vancouver’s Olympics?
3. Can Greece solve its financial crisis?
4. Will Greece crash the Eurozone economy?
5. Is Spain heading for a financial crisis?
6. How will Yanukovich’s election change Russian-European relations?
7. How bad will Labour’s losses be in the English Parliament?
8. Is the EU going too far in its fight against carbon emissions?
9. Can Iceland solve its financial difficulties?
10. Will Radovan Karadzic’s trial bring closure to the Balkans?

International – Round 3; The Middle East
1. How can Iraq build its institutions?
2. Should the United Nations place economic sanctions on Iran?
3. Can Iran be persuaded to give up its nuclear ambitions?
4. What will be the result of the upcoming Iraqi elections?
5. Does Mossad really make Israel safer?
6. Is there room for secularism in the Middle East?
7. As the United States withdraws, who will Afghanistan’s regional allies be?
8. As the United States withdraws, who will be Iraq’s regional allies?
9. Is there still hope for a freedom movement in Iran?
10. How will western focus on green energy change the middle east?

International – Final Round Other
1. Is North Africa the next jihadist hotbed?
2. How can Chile recover?
3. Can an agreement be salvaged out of the Copenhagen meeting?
4. Can North Korea be persuaded to give up its nuclear ambitions?
5. Is the Niger junta’s commitment to civilian democracy genuine?
6. Can Mexico control its drug cartels?
7. Will the devastation in Haiti usher in a better government?
8. What can Argentina gain from another Falklands dispute?
9. Should military forces conduct international disaster relief?
10. Does China have too much influence in Africa?

“Final Round Questions” – 21 Questionable Questions
1. Do the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti reveal that the earth is trying to kill us?
2. Did NBC make a mistake in firing Conan O’Brien?
3. Should NCAA Men’s basketball tournament expand to 96-teams?
4. Who will be added to the Big Ten?
5. Do the Oscars really matter?
6. Is Scott Walker Wisconsin’s next Governor?
7. Who will the Republican Presidential nominee in 2012?
8. Why do Americans prefer international charities to ones at home?
9. Should the Supreme Court incorporate the Second Amendment?
10. Will Obama’s Health Care bill be effective at cutting costs?
11. Is higher education becoming something only the wealthy can afford?
12. Will Obama’s reorganization of NASA reap long-term rewards?
13. Are cell phones a health risk?
14. Can Russia recover from its Olympic disappointments?
15. Is the Ukraine weak?
16. Is our children learning?
17. Who will win the World Cup in South Africa?
18. Will funding for the arts disappear?
19. Should Ted Thompson be fired?
20. Are the Bucks on track to be a successful NBA franchise?
21. Have these questions been a joke?

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