Round 1- Domestic Econ

Speaker 1

  1. Did General Electric make the right choice in deciding to remove its lending arm?
  2. How will Stanford’s tuition policy change affect college prices nationally?
  3. Is Comcast’s Internet Essentials plan an effective way to convince the FCC to allow the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger?

Speaker 2

  1. Should the Federal Reserve raise interest rates by the end of June?
  2. Will the record year for auto recalls in 2014 change America’s position in the international auto market?
  3. Will Hillary Clinton’s advocacy for campaign finance reform achieve any lasting effects?

Speaker 3

  1. What do recent unemployment numbers mean for the recovery of the US economy?
  2. Is an end to Apple’s dominance of the personal electronic market in sight?
  3. Will Paul Volcker’s plans to increase regulations of US financial institutions become a reality?

Speaker 4

  1. Are falling oil prices a burden or benefit to the US economy?
  2. Does the US need to solve its income inequality problem before social inequality can be addressed?
  3. Which will find widespread market appeal first: self-driving or electric cars?

Speaker 5

  1. Why is Uber experiencing a backlash from regulators and municipalities?
  2. How is the rising value of the US Dollar affecting American consumers?
  3. Has the United States economy improved to where professional level graduates have viable job prospects?

Speaker 6

  1. What will be the impact of McDonalds’ decision to raise its employee’s wages?
  2. Can Apple successfully rebrand the Apple Watch as a luxury item?
  3. How can the United States combat dropping participation in the labor force?

Round 2- Europe and the Americas

Speaker 1

  1. Will the results of Britain’s midterm elections lead to a decreasing role in European foreign affairs?
  2. What steps should Brazil take to prevent a repeat of the World Cup riots with next year’s Summer Olympics?
  3. Is Standard and Poor’s downgrading of Puerto Rico’s credit rating a sign that they are heading for default?

Speaker 2

  1. Will Germany’s exit from the nuclear energy field affect the future success of nuclear power in Europe?
  2. What should Brazil do to mitigate the effects of the Petrobras scandal?
  3. Will new allegations that Russia has been waging cyber-warfare against Ukraine lead to renewed international sanctions?

Speaker 3

  1. Will Greece leave the Eurozone?
  2. Are peace talks an effective way for Colombia to deal with FARC?
  3. What does the return of Spanish Ambassador Antonio Perez Hernandez to Venezuela mean for Spanish-Venezuelan relations?

Speaker 4

  1. How will the EU deal with increasing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers?
  2. What implications does Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the Armenian genocide have?
  3. How will Argentina’s upcoming presidential elections affect the country’s mining industry?

Speaker 5

  1. How should the EU react to Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine?
  2. What should the Venezuelan government do to revive its economy?
  3. What effect will the combining of the Social Democrats and the Popular party in Portugal have on upcoming elections?

Speaker 6

  1. Will the scandal involving Rodrigo Rato affect the prospects for the Popular Party government in Spain?
  2. What steps should Mexico take to revert its falling economic development?
  3. What effect will antitrust charges brought by the European Union have on Google’s business model?

Round 3- Middle East and Africa

Speaker 1

  1. Can either side of Libya’s civil war profit from oil revenue?
  2. Will Iran’s nuclear deal inflame Sunni-Shia tensions?
  3. How will the recent re-election of Netanyahu affect Israeli-Palestinian relations?

Speaker 2

  1. What should be first on newly elected Nigerian President Buhari’s agenda?
  2. What are the implications of Russia’s weapons sale to Iran?
  3. How can the international community best respond to rising radicalization in Kenya?

Speaker 3

  1. How should Egypt address violence in the Sinai Peninsula?
  2. What steps can be taken to reinvigorate growth in the Gaza Strip?
  3. Is the tide turning against ISIS in the Middle East?

Speaker 4

  1. Will international attention towards migrant workers in the wake of Libyan drownings spur changes in migrant rights?
  2. How does Iran’s involvement in Yemen affect its relations with Saudi Arabia?
  3. Will increased public support for Hamas force a shift in politics for the Palestinian Authority?

Speaker 5

  1. What does Nigeria’s transition of power mean for settling political tensions inside the country?
  2. Do dropping oil prices decrease the authority of the Salman of Saudi Arabia?
  3. What steps are necessary to start peace talks in Yemen?

Speaker 6

  1. What does the outcome of Sudanese elections mean for Sudan’s political future?
  2. Should Middle Eastern countries create a joint Arab force to combat rebel groups?
  3. Is Yemen likely to remain in control of the Houthis for the foreseeable future?

Round 4- Asia

Speaker 1

  1. What do recent conflicts between China and ASEAN mean for the organization long term?
  2. How successful has the Indian Woman’s rights movement been?
  3. Should Japan take on a larger role in world security?

Speaker 2

  1. Have Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption efforts been effective?
  2. What role should India take on in humanitarian aid efforts in Nepal?
  3. Did Indonesia correctly handle the charges for the Bali Nine?

Speaker 3

  1. What can China do to combat demographic problems due to the one child policy?
  2. Will Hong Kong’s proposed electoral changes pass?
  3. Does North Korea have usable nuclear weapons?

Speaker 4

  1. Should China continue to pursue Asian-African cooperation?
  2. Should India value economic development over environmental concerns?
  3. Should emerging ISIS recruitment videos be a cause for concern in Malaysia?

Speaker 5

  1. How can China effectively address its pollution problems?
  2. How will India’s cancellation of thousands of foreign aid licenses affect international investment?
  3. How have responses to the Nepalese earthquake reflected upon the statuses of the Asian powers?

Speaker 6

  1. Will plans for a China-Pakistan Economic Corridor succeed?
  2. How can Hong Kong’s government maintain political stability in the wake of tenuous relations with the mainland government?
  3. Will Thailand be successful in reforming its agriculture industry before the EU imposed deadline?

Round 5- Domestic Political/Social

Speaker 1

  1. What effect will a Supreme Court decision about the constitutionality of Oklahoma’s death penalty drugs have on the death penalty debate in the US?
  2. Will the Clinton Foundation scandal grow to be an important issue for Clinton in the general election?
  3. Will economic or social issues comprise the dominant narrative in the 2016 presidential race?

Speaker 2

  1. Are media portrayals of the Baltimore riots hurtful or helpful to the prospects of success for the Black Lives Matter campaign?
  2. What impact will Bernie Sanders’ presidential run have on Hillary Clinton?
  3. How wIll the campaign finance debate affect the presidential race in 2016?

Speaker 3

  1. Is carbon-stable economic expansion viable in America’s current political climate?
  2. Which Republican candidate is most likely to be able to defeat Hillary Clinton in the general election?
  3. How will the Supreme Court’s decision concerning gay marriage affect Ted Cruz’s bid for the Republican nomination?

Speaker 4

  1. Is a New York judge’s decision to recognize chimps as persons a signal of an expansion of legal rights for animals?
  2. Who has the best chance against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination?
  3. How will Jeb Bush’s support for statehood for Puerto Rico affect his popularity with Latino voters?

Speaker 5

  1. How will police brutality play a role in the 2016 presidential elections?
  2. Should Hillary Clinton make student debt reform a major part of her campaign?
  3. Is the USA Freedom Act likely to be passed in Congress?

Speaker 6

  1. What steps should Loretta Lynch take in response to recent violence in Baltimore?
  2. Will Julian Castro be the Democratic Party’s nominee for Vice President?
  3. Will president Obama be able to overcome Democratic Party opposition to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership?

Round 6- Us Foreign Policy

Speaker 1

  1. Should the U.S. provide more economic assistance to Iraq to fight ISIS?
  2. What does the US response to Venezuela’s accusations of a coup mean for US-Venezuelan relations?
  3. Should the U.S. continue to provide assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen?

Speaker 2

  1. How will a nuclear deal with Iran affect U.S.-Israel relations?
  2. Is the White House likely to change U.S. drone policy significantly in the wake of Congressional review?
  3. Does the de-listing of Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list mean a boost for US economic relations with Cuba?

Speaker 3

  1. How does the foiled terrorist attack by ISIS on the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia dictate US responses to radicalism?
  2. What foreign policy objective should Obama focus on for the remainder of his term?
  3. Is there any significance to President’s Obama’s refusal to call the Armenian killings “genocide”?

Speaker 4

  1. How will US-Iranian relations be affected by Iran’s military activity in the Strait of Hormuz?
  2. What should be the next steps for the US in Syria?
  3. Do the US and Europe need to reach an agreement on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership before Obama leaves office?

Speaker 5

  1. Could successful nuclear talks with Iran change American strategy in dealing with rogue states?
  2. What are the implications of the new US-Japan security deal?
  3. How should the US handle protests by freed Guantanamo Bay detainees in Uruguay?

Speaker 6

  1. How can the US combat ISIS’s ability to recruit American citizens?
  2. Will U.S. training of Ukrainian guard units inflame tensions with Russia?
  3. Does Congress’s attempt to further restrict travel to Cuba hinder President Obama’s attempts to normalize relations?

Quarters- International Economics

Speaker 1

  1. Whose economy stands to gain the most from the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
  2. How will the Saudi intervention in Yemen affect global oil prices?
  3. Should the Eurozone extend Greece’s bailout program despite the election of Syriza to power?

Speaker 2

  1. How can investors stimulate China’s stock market?
  2. Is Europe’s natural gas dependency on Russia a cause for concern?
  3. What do stagnant wages suggest about future job growth in Australia?

Speaker 3

  1. Is the momentary spurring of the Russian Economy signifying long term improvement?
  2. Would leaving the EU be economically beneficial for Great Britain?
  3. What are the implications of OPEC’s diminishing market share?

Speaker 4

  1. What can Xi Jinping do to encourage international stimulation in China’s stagnant economy?
  2. Which international economy stands to benefit the most from a strong US dollar?
  3. How much optimism is warranted from Spain’s recent unemployment numbers?

Speaker 5

  1. Should the European Union decrease regulations on GMOs to spur international food trade?
  2. Can India sustain its economic growth to become a world economic leader?
  3. Can Ethiopia’s economic growth instigate social stability in the country?

Speaker 6

  1. Can Brazil’s central bank effectively combat rapid inflation rises within the country?
  2. Will stricter immigration policies hurt the British Economy?
  3. Has Abenomics put Japan back on the course to reclaim its status as a global economic power?

Semis-Hypotheticals

Speaker 1

  1. Congress votes to end the Cuban Trade embargo. How does this impact US agriculture?
  2. To the celebration of all Australians, Tony Abbott gets lost while wandering in the Australian outback. How does this impact Australia’s immigration policies?
  3. NicolásMaduro is assassinated. Does the Venezuelan economy continue in a downward spiral?

Speaker 2

  1. The US Supreme court decides to begin live-streaming it’s proceedings in 2016. How will this impact the cases they choose to hear?
  2. Ban Ki Moon suddenly steps down as the head of the UN. Will the United Nations still enforce punishments for violations found in human rights investigations in Israel?
  3. A major earthquake hits the Panama Canal, rendering it useless. Does the international community allow Wang Jing to continue with his plans of building a canal in Nicaragua?

Speaker 3

  1. Nancy Pelosi steps down from the US House in the wake of a cheating scandal with US Senator Ted Cruz. Who is best poised to replace her as the head of the House Democrats?
  2. Britain finally decides to hand Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland, what effect does this have on the British economy?
  3. ISIS carries out a terrorist attack on Istanbul. How does the EU respond to prevent ISIS sponsored violence from spreading further west?

Speaker 4

  1. The Supreme Court doesn’t vote in favor of legalized gay marriage, what does this mean for the gay rights movement on the state level?
  2. Congress renders the US drone program illegal in the fall of 2015. Which presidential candidate most benefits from this decision?
  3. Dilma Rousseff steps down as the President of Brazil as a result of mounting protests. Do her austerity efforts in the country die with her presidency?

Speaker 5

  1. As a result of their declared jihad, the Taliban musters enough support to defeat the Islamic State’s control of Iraq. Can the Iraqi government work with the Taliban to regain control over the countrysides of Iraq?
  2. President Obama issues an executive order to end police militarization.How does Congress respond?
  3. Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies. Who does President Obama appoint to the Supreme Court in her place?

Speaker 6

  1. A frustrated Greece leaves the Eurozone. How does Syriza maintain economic stability in the country?
  2. The Houthi suddenly abandon their control of the Yemeni government, who steps in to fill their shoes?
  3. Barack Obama is assassinated this summer. Does President Joe Biden make a run at the Presidency in 2016?

Finals- Triads

Speaker 1

  1. What does Benjamin Netanyahu’s inflammatory rhetoric towards negotiations between the United States and Iran mean for the security of the Middle East?
  2. Should the UN be concerned with Australia’s immigration policies straining relations with Southeast Asia?
  3. How will Mexico tightening its immigration from Central America impact the United States immigration debate?

Speaker 2

  1. Should Ukraine reach out to Turkey for a Joint Defense project to defend against Russian Aggression?
  2. Now that ISIS has increased their support of Boko Haram, what should the African Union do to combat rising radicalization in Northern Africa?
  3. How will Iran’s nuclear deal with the US affect Iran’s and China’s future relations?

Speaker 3

  1. Does the failed mission of a cargo capsule heading towards the International Space Station spell discord for the space programs of the United States and Russia?
  2. How can Japan convince China to join the international fight against ISIS?
  3. Will Kenya attempt to replicate Uganda’s military training tactics for the fight against Al-Shabaab?

Speaker 4

  1. Should the European Union take a more active role in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Yemen?
  2. How can the Justice Department collaborate with Congress to address concerns regarding police violence in America?
  3. How can the EU work with the Islamic Church to mitigate anti-Muslim rhetoric in France?

Speaker 5

  1. What are the implications of the US and Iraq cooperating in order to combat ISIS?
  2. Can the Justice Department effectively work with private companies to protect private consumer information in America?
  3. What can Canada do to help Jordan deal with its influx of Syrian refugees?

Speaker 6

  1. Can Juan Orlando Hernandez work with the United Nations to make Honduras safer for environmental activists?
  2. Can the National Front of France capitalize on German anti-immigration sentiment to spur immigration reform in the European Union?
  3. Should the United Nations take action on allegations of French sexual abuse against the Central African Republic?