Policy Debate 2014-2015 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its non-military exploration and/or development of the Earth's oceans.
Policy Debate 2015-2016 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially curtail its domestic surveillance.
Policy Debate 2016-2017 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic and/or diplomatic engagement with the People’s Republic of China.
Policy Debate 2017-2018 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its funding and/or regulation of elementary and/or secondary education in the United States.
Policy Debate 2018-2019 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce its restrictions on legal immigration to the United States.
Policy Debate 2019-2020 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reduce Direct Commercial Sales and/or Foreign Military Sales of arms from the United States.
Policy Debate – 2020-2021 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should enact substantial criminal justice reform in the United States in one or more of the following: forensic science, policing, sentencing.
Policy Debate – 2021-2022 Topic
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its protection of water resources in the United States.
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Lincoln-Douglas Debate September/October 2014 Topic
Resolved: A just society ought to presume consent for organ procurement from the deceased.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate November/December 2014 Topic
Resolved: The "right to be forgotten" from Internet searches ought to be a civil right.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate January/February 2015 Topic
Resolved: Just governments ought to require that employers pay a living wage.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate March/April 2015 Topic
Resolved: Just governments ought to ensure food security for their citizens.
Lincoln-Douglas 2015 National Speech & Debate Tournament National Topic
Resolved: Inaction in the face of injustice makes individuals morally culpable.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate September/October 2015
Resolved: Adolescents ought to have the right to make autonomous medical choices.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate November/December 2015
Resolved: In the United States criminal justice system, jury nullification ought to be used in the face of perceived injustice.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate January/February 2016 Topic
Resolved: In the United States, private ownership of handguns ought to be banned.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate March/April 2016 Topic
Resolved: The United States ought to promote democracy in the Middle East.
Lincoln-Douglas 2016 National Speech & Debate Tournament National Topic
Resolved: Immigration ought to be recognized as a human right.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for September/October 2016
Resolved: Countries ought to prohibit the production of nuclear power.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Topic for November/December 2016
Resolved: The United States ought to limit qualified immunity for police officers.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for January/February 2017
Resolved: Public colleges and universities in the United States ought not restrict any constitutionally protected speech.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for March/April 2017
Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee the right to housing.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for Nationals 2017
Resolved: A just government ought to prioritize civil liberties over national security.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for September/October 2017
Resolved: In the United States, national service ought to be compulsory.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate – Topic for November/December 2017
Resolved: Wealthy nations have an obligation to provide development assistance to other nations.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for January/February 2018
Resolved: Plea bargaining ought to be abolished in the United States criminal justice system.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for March/April 2018
Resolved: The United States ought to provide a universal basic income.
VARSITY Lincoln Douglas Debate -- Topic for Nationals 2018
Resolved: The United States’ use of targeted killing in foreign countries is unjust.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for September/October 2018
Resolved: In the United States, reporters ought to have the right to protect the identity of confidential sources.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for November/December 2018
Resolved: In a democracy, the public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for January/February 2019
Resolved: The United States ought not provide military aid to authoritarian regimes.
VARSITY Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for March/April 2019
Resolved: The illegal use of drugs ought to be treated as a matter of public health, not of criminal justice.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate -- Topic for September/October 2019
Resolved: In the United States, colleges and universities ought not consider standardized tests in undergraduate admissions decisions.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2019 November/December Topic
Resolved: The United States ought to eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2020 January/February Topic
Resolved: States ought to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate – 2020 March/April Topic
Resolved: Predictive policing is unjust.
LD September/October 2020
- Resolved: The United States ought to adopt a proportional representation system for elections to the House of Representatives.
- Resolved: In a democracy, voting ought to be compulsory. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: Social media companies ought to be legally responsible for content posted by users on their platforms.
- Resolved: In the United States, workers ought to have the legal right to vote for representatives on corporate boards.
- Resolved: The United States ought to legalize adult sex work.
- Resolved: The United States ought to provide a federal jobs guarantee. <--Actual Topic
- Resolved: States ought to ban lethal autonomous weapons. <--Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States ought to expand the application of the Public Trust Doctrine to wildlife habitats.
- Resolved: The United States ought to end its use of secondary sanctions on other countries.
- Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee universal child care. <--Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States ought to recognize a positive right to reproduce.
- Resolved: Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is unethical.
Resolved: The U.S. presidency ought to be decided by a national popular vote instead
of the electoral college. <--Actual Topic
NSDA National Tournament 2021
- Resolved: A wealth tax is just.
- Resolved: Sin taxes are unjust.
- Resolved: A public health emergency justifies limiting civil liberties. <--Actual Topic
- Resolved: The member nations of the World Trade Organization ought to reduce intellectual property protections for medicines. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The European Union ought to sanction member states that violate Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.
- Resolved: The member states of the African Union ought to further advance the goal of continental integration.
- Resolved: In the United States, the use of mandatory arbitration clauses as a condition of employment ought to be prohibited
- Resolved: A just government ought to recognize an unconditional right of workers to strike. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States ought to condition trade agreements on adherence to enforceable labor standards.
- Resolved: States ought to ban gain-of-function research.
- Resolved: The United States ought to ban the use of germline genetic engineering in humans.
- Resolved: The appropriation of outer space by private entities is unjust. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: In the United States, single-family zoning ought to be abolished.
- Resolved: The United States ought to restrict the power of the Supreme Court to overturn federal law.
- Resolved: In a democracy, a free press ought to prioritize objectivity over advocacy. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: A people’s right to self-determination ought to take precedence over a state’s right to territorial integrity.
- Resolved: Radicalism is preferable to incrementalism to achieve social justice. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: A nation’s obligation to mitigate climate change ought to be proportional to its historical emissions.
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Public Forum Debate September/October 2014 Topic
Resolved: On balance, public subsidies for professional athletic organizations in the United States benefit their local communities.
Public Forum Debate November 2014 Topic
Resolved: On balance, the benefits of genetically modified foods outweigh the harms.
Public Forum Debate December 2014 Topic
Resolved: For-profit prisons in the United States should be banned.
Public Forum Debate January 2015 Topic
United Nations peacekeepers should have the power to engage in offensive operations.
Public Forum Debate February 2015 Topic
Revolved: On balance, economic globalization benefits worldwide poverty reduction.
Public Forum Debate March 2015 Topic
Resolved: In the United States, students should be guaranteed two years of free tuition to a community or technical college.
Public Forum Debate April 2015 Topic
Resolved: Committing United States ground combat troops to fight ISIL is in the best interest of the United States.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for September/October 2015
Resolved: The United States Federal Government ought to pay reparations to African Americans.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for November 2015
Resolved: In response to the current crisis, a government should prioritize the humanitarian needs of refugees over its national interests.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for December 2015
Resolved: On balance, standardized testing is beneficial to K-12 education in the United States.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for January 2016
Resolved: On balance, economic sanctions are reducing the threat Russia poses to Western interests.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for February 2016
Resolved: The United States federal government should adopt a carbon tax.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for March 2016
Resolved: The United States should withdraw its military presence from Okinawa.
PUBLIC FORUM Topic for April 2016
Resolved: To alleviate income inequality in the United States, increased spending on public infrastructure should be prioritized over increased spending on means-tested welfare programs.
Public Forum -- Topic for September/October 2016
Resolved: In United States public K-12 schools, the probable cause standard ought to apply to searches of students.
Public Forum – Topic for November 2016
Resolved: On balance, the benefits of the Internet of Things outweigh the harms of decreased personal privacy.
Public Forum -- Topic for December 2016
Resolved: The United States should end Plan Colombia.
Public Forum -- Topic for January 2017
Resolved: In order to better respond to international conflicts, the United States should significantly increase its military spending.
Public Forum -- Topic for February 2017
Resolved: The United States should lift its embargo against Cuba.
Public Forum -- Topic for March 2017
Resolved: The United States should no longer pressure Israel to work toward a two-state solution.
Public Forum -- Topic for April 2017
Resolved: The United States ought to replace the Electoral College with a direct national popular vote.
Public Forum -- Topic for September/October 2017
Resolved: Deployment of anti-missile systems is in South Korea’s best interest.
Public Forum – Topic for November 2017
Resolved: The United States should require universal background checks for all gun sales and transfers of ownership.
Public Forum -- Topic for December 2017
Resolved: Resolved: NCAA student athletes ought to be recognized as employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Public Forum -- Topic for January 2018
Resolved: Spain should grant Catalonia its independence.
Public Forum -- Topic for February 2018
Resolved: The United States should abolish the capital gains tax.
Public Forum -- Topic for March 2018
Resolved: On balance, the current Authorization for Use of Military Force gives too much power to the president.
Public Forum -- Topic for April 2018
Resolved: The United States federal government should increase its quota of H-1B visas.
Public Forum -- Topic for September/October 2018
Resolved: The United States should accede to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea without reservations.
Public Forum -- Topic for November/December 2018
Resolved: The United States federal government should impose price controls on the pharmaceutical industry.
Public Forum -- Topic for January 2019
Resolved: The United States federal government should prioritize reducing the federal debt over promoting economic growth.
Public Forum -- Topic for February 2019
Resolved: The United States should end its arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Public Forum -- Topic for March 2019
Resolved: The United States should promote the development of market rate housing in urban neighborhoods.
Public Forum -- Topic for April 2019
Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council.
Public Forum -- Topic for September/October 2019
Resolved: The European Union should join the Belt and Road Initiative.
Public Forum Debate – 2019 November/December Topic
Resolved: The benefits of the United States federal government’s use of offensive cyber operations outweigh the harms.
Public Forum Debate – 2020 January Topic
Resolved: The United States should end its economic sanctions against Venezuela.
Public Forum Debate -- 2020 February Topic
Resolved: The United States should replace means-tested welfare programs with a universal basic income.
Public Forum Debate – 2020 March Topic
Resolved: The United States should increase its use of nuclear energy for commercial energy production.
PF September/October 2020: Healthcare
- Resolved: The United States federal government should enact the Medicare-For-All Act of 2019. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: On balance, centralized national responses to pandemics are more beneficial than decentralized responses.
- Resolved: The United States should adopt a declaratory nuclear policy of no first use. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States should substantially modernize its nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) systems.
- Resolved: The NSA should end its surveillance of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States should establish a federal data protection agency.
- Resolved: On balance, the benefits of urbanization in West Africa outweigh the harms. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: Exclusive rights to the use of the Nile River are harmful to African stability.
- Resolved: Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty should be amended to ban anti-satellite weapons.
- Resolved: On balance, the benefits of creating the United States Space Force outweigh the harms. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The benefits of the International Monetary Fund outweigh the harms. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: On balance, cryptocurrency benefits emerging economies.
- Resolved: Presumed consent organ donation should be the law across the United States. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: In the United States, social media is beneficial for democratic values. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States federal government should no longer apply Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to Big Tech.
PF 2021 September/October – Europe
- Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments to the Baltic states. <-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States should substantially increase its economic engagement in the Western Balkans.
- Resolved: Increased United States federal regulation of cryptocurrency transactions and/or assets will produce more benefits than harms. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States federal government should implement a central bank digital currency.
- Resolved: The United States federal government should legalize all illicit drugs. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of drug courts outweigh the harms.
- Resolved: The United Nations should admit the Republic of Somaliland as a member state.
- Resolved: On balance, Turkey’s membership is beneficial to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States should substantially increase its investment in carbon capture technology.
- Resolved: In the United States, the benefits of increasing organic agriculture outweigh the harms. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The People’s Republic of China should substantially decrease its control of state-owned enterprises.
- Resolved: Japan should revise Article 9 of its Constitution to develop offensive military capabilities. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: The United States should establish a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement with Taiwan. <<-- Actual Topic
- Resolved: On balance, the benefits of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership outweigh the harms.