2007-2008 Resolutions
The NPDA does not officially approve of this list. This list is designed for historical interest as well as potential ideas for coaching.
A few abbreviations for the list of resolutions.
TH = This House
USFG = U.S. Federal Government
USSC = U.S. Supreme Court
*Denotes partial resolutions only.
Warmup Part 1 (Washburn University)
Submitted by Dr. Kevin O'Leary, Washburn University
- Round 1: The USFG should increase its constructive engagement with the government of one or more of: Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and Syria.
- Round 2: The USFG should pass the Trade Promotion Authority.
- Round 3: The USFG should establish an energy policy requiring a substantial reduction in the total non-governmental consumption of fossil fuels in the United States.
- Round 4: The USFG should increase human spaceflight.
- Semifinals: The USFG should engage China.
- Finals: The USFG should change its policy toward Afghanistan.
Warmup Part 2 (Washburn University)
Submitted by Dr. Kevin O'Leary, Washburn University
- Round 1: The USFG should reform the way public education is funded throughout the United States.
- Round 2: The USFG should significantly increase assistance to United States residents living below the poverty line.
- Round 3: The USFG should significantly strengthen the regulation of mass media communication in the United States.
- Round 4: The USFG should substantially increase federal control throughout Indian Country in one or more of the following areas: child welfare, criminal justice, employment, gaming, taxation.
- Semifinals: In this case, violence is a justified response to political oppression.
- Finals: In this case, labor should be given a direct share in the management of industry.
Boot and Spur (University of Wyoming)
Submitted by Matt Stannard, University of Wyoming
- Round 1: The USFG should amend existing civil rights legislation to establish or increase protection for one or more underrepresented groups.
- Round 2: The United States should increase financial support for one or more Iranian opposition groups.
- Round 3: The U.S. Congress should act to promote political balance at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
- Round 4: TH supports a viable alternative to Western-style democracy in the Middle East
- Round 5: Prosecutorial discretion in plea-bargaining cases should be significantly limited.
Top of the Rockies (University of Wyoming)*
- Round 1: The USFG should establish equitable education funding for public schools throughout the United States.
- Round 2: The United States should ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol
- Round 3: Congress should pass the Access for Afghan Women act.
- Round 4: The United States Supreme Court should overturn Mitchell v. Helms.
- Round 5: Violence is a justified response to political oppression.
Purdue University
Submitted by Carrie Menapace, Western Kentucky University
- Round 1: The USFG should significantly reform its environmental policies.
- Round 2: The USFG should intervene in Darfur.
- Round 3: The North Pole should be up for grabs.
- Round 4: Petraeus betrayed the United States.
- Round 5: In relation to the United States, Pakistan is more friend than foe.
- Round 6: The IMF has gone far enough.
- Octafinals: The EU should increase its ties with Russia.
- Quarters: The US Supreme Court should overrule Mitchell v. Helms
Reed Invitational*
Submitted by Dr. Jim Hanson, Whitman College
- Round 1: The UN Security Council should vote for monitored independence for Kosovo.
- Round 2: The US Congress should impeach George W. Bush
- Round 3: State governments should strengthen animal cruelty laws.
- Round 4: Surveillance cameras in public areas should be substantially increased.
- Round 5: The United States should significantly increase its efforts to police the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
- Round 6: All convicted and released Level 3 sex offenders should be required to wear GPS monitoring systems.
- Semis: All cars should be required to have ignition interlock systems.
William Jewell Round Robin*
Submitted by Kevin Calderwood, Southern Illinois University
- Round 2: Resolved: The USFG should provide substantially increased tax relief to middle and lower income Americans.
- Round 3: The Untied States should confirm Bush's nominee for attorney general.
- Round 4: The United States should adopt a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.
- Semifinals: The USFG should significantly reduce the risk of foreclosures for American citizens.
Georgia B. Bowman (William Jewell College)*
Submitted by Kevin Calderwood, Southern Illinois University, Brittney Esbenshade, Western Washington University and Carrie Menapace, Western Kentucky University
- Round 1 and 2: USFG should adopt a universal healthcare plan.
- Round 3 and 4: The USFG should pass the DREAM Act.
- Round 5: The USFG should substantially reduce its number of troops in Iraq.
- Round 6: The USFG should increase its restrictions on private military corporations.
- Octafinals: The USFG should substantially reduce its number of troops in Iraq.
- Finals: The United States should substantially increase legal protections for Guantanamo detainees.
PLUM (Parliamentary League of the Upper Midwest) #1
Submitted by Jon Loging, Bethany Lutheran College
- Round 1: TH would improve school safety.
- Round 2: TH prefers the classic to the modern.
- Round 3: Case Study
- Bronze: TH would extend free public education through the first two years of college.
- Gold: Columbia University was right to invite Iranian President Ahmadinejad to speak at the school.
PSCFA Warmup
Submitted by Jim Wyman
- Round 1 & 2: The United States Government should enact a comprehensive health care program.
- Round 3: America is too obsessed with celebrities.
- Round 4: Walls do not a prison make.
Debates on a Plain Swing
Submitted by Ken Troyer, Sterling College
- Round 1: The USFG should legalize performance enhancement drugs.
- Round 2: TH values flight over might
- Round 3: TH should censor it
- Round 4: TH believes that when in conflict, civil liberties should trump national security
- Round 5: Resolved: The USFG should significantly restrict genetically modified organisms.
- Quarters: Resolved: The US should adopt a comprehensive policy to significantly reduce its dependence on foreign oil.
- Semis: TH believes the war on Terror is a just war
- Finals: Civil unions are preferable to gay marriage
Huber Debates (University of Vermont)
Submitted by Dr. Alfred Snider, University of Vermont
- Round 1: TH would prioritize organs for those who lead healthy lifestyles
- Round 2: THB that nations should nationalize all their energy resources
- Round 3: TH would scrap the Olympics
- Round 4: THBT soft power is better than hard power
- Round 5: TH would negotiate with terrorists
- Semifinals: TH would reduce the drinking age in the USA to 18
- Finals: THBT all US troops should leave Iraq within the next 60 days
PLUM (Parliamentary League of the Upper Midwest) #2
Submitted by Jon Loging, Bethany Lutheran College
- Round 1: TH takes the side of the unions.
- Round 2: In this case, TH values incivility.
- Round 3: Case study
- Bronze Round: TH would take to the streets.
- Gold Round: TH would restore America's reputation with the world.
Lewis & Clark Invitational*
Submitted by Glenn Prince, Western Kentucky and Rachelle Harris, University of Colorado
- Round 1: Elect Mitt Romney
- Round 2: The US FDA should substantially increase food safety.
- Round 3: The US should promote civilian nuclear power.
- Round 4: THBT Israel should immediately remove its settlers from the West Bank.
- Round 5: The USFG should significantly reduce its agricultural subsidies.
- Octas: USFG should pursue alternative biofuel options.
Nebraska Double-Up (Creighton University)*
Submitted by Carrie Menapace, Western Kentucky University and Kevin Calderwood, Southern Illinois University
- Round 1: The US should return to the moon
- Round 2: TH should negotiate with terrorists
- Round 3: TH agrees with Ron Paul
- Round 4: The USFG should adopt the recognition of the Armenian genocide
- Round 5: The USFG should increase regulations on private security contractors.
- Octafinals: The United States should place conditions on its participation in the Beijing Olympic games.
- Semis: The era of the nation state is over.
- Finals: Resolved: TH prefers fair trade to free trade.
Todd Lewis Invitational (Biola University)
Submitted by Erick Roebuck, Biola University
- Round 1: The USFG should implement a guest worker program for illegal immigrants.
- Round 2: The USFG should significantly limit access to personal firearms.
- Round 3: TH would put warning labels on fast food.
- Round 4: TH would significantly reform the medical industry.
- Octos: Turkey should take military action in Iraq.
- Quarters: Draft Al Gore.
- Semis: The Religious Right should support Guiliani for President.
- Finals: Reject performance debate.
Royal Invitational (Bethel University)
Submitted by Michael Dreher, Bethel University
- Round 1: Don't let Iran get the nuclear bomb!
- Round 2: The United States should fear India's ascendancy.
- Round 3: In this instance, Bill Clinton was right.
- Round 4: The United States should follow Schwarzenegger's lead.
- Round 5: TH would let music lovers pay what they want.
- Semis: Resolved: The United States should adopt a carbon tax.
- Finals: The USFG should enact a comprehensive water policy.
University of Puget Sound Round Robin
Submitted by Derek Buescher, University of Puget Sound
- Round 1: The US should offer a security guarantee to Iran for ending its uranium enrichment operations.
- Round 2: The United States Supreme Court should, through normal means, overturn Goldwater v. Carter (1979)
- Round 3: The European Union should establish a policy to curb violence at international sporting events.
- Round 4: The USFG should adopt a policy to curb gentrification.
- Finals: The USFG should adopt a policy to combat wildfires.
University of Puget Sound
Submitted by Derek Buescher, University of Puget Sound
- Round 1: The US Congress should pass a resolution condeming the Armenian genocide.
- Round 2: The USFG should enact a policy to preserve the Great Lakes.
- Round 3: The USFG should substantially improve living conditions in United States prisons.
- Round 4: The USFG should provide free college education to all qualified applicants.
- Round 5: The US should substantially increase efforts to curb the spread of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Round 6: The US should cease extra-territorial prison operations.
- Double Octafinals: The USFG should establish a nationwide policy to preserve water resources.
- Octafinals: The USFG should substantially increase its public health assistance throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
- Quarterfinals: The US should take action to reduce Turkish military incursions into Northern Iraq.
- Semis: The USFG should establish a policy to significantly increase achievement in secondary schools.
- Finals: The USFG should eliminate prison sentences for non-violent offenses.
Al Johnson Invitational (Colorado College)
Submitted by Konrad Hack, Concordia University-Irvine
- Round 1: The United States should begin the process of normalizing relations with North Korea.
- Round 2: Israel should begin the process of ceding land to an autonomous Palestine.
- Round 3: The USFG should substantially improve occupational safety.
- Round 4: The USFG should substantially enhance water conservation.
- Round 5: Mandatory minimum sentences do more harm than good.
- Round 6: Policy action that isolates Iran does more harm than good.
- Octafinals: Military force is necessary to alleviate suffering in Darfur.
- Quarterfinals: TH should curb Turkish incursions into Iraq.
- Semifinals: The United States should significantly reduce its dependence on foreign oil.
- Finals: The USFG should restrict the use of genetically modified organisms.
Richard M. Weaver Tournament (Hillsdale College)
Submitted by Jeremy Christensen, Hillsdale College
- Round 1: This House Believes That: The United States Federal Government should inherently reform the national income tax system.
- Round 2: This House Believes That: When in conflict, a nation's right to self-determination is more important than international security.
- Round 3: This House Believes That: Televised poker has a pernicious effect on American culture.
- Round 4: This House Believes That: "To everything there is a season."
- Round 5: The House Believes That: The United States Federal Government should add a 51st state.
- Quarterfinal Round: This House Believes That: All things considered, modernity did more harm than good.
- Semi-final Round: This House Believes That: Agrarianism should be reborn.
- Final Round: This House Believes That: The citizens of the United States should revolt against their government.
Lancer-Wattson Tournament
Submitted by Jim Lyman, El Camino College
- Round 1 and 2: The United States should privatize one or more federal programs.
- Round 3: In this case, isolationism is preferable to engagement
- Round 4: In this case, unilateralism is preferable to multilateral action
- Round 5: TH would look no further
- Round 6: We've done it before and we can do it again
- Elim 1: Recreation is undervalued in America
- Elim 2: The United States should substantially increase political and/or economic action against Myanmar
Golden Gate Invitational (University of California-Berkeley)*
Submitted by Kevin Calderwood, Southern Illinois University, Cory Frivogel, McKendree College, Jeff Jones, Washburn University
- Round 1: The USFG should launch one or more military attacks against Iran.
- Round 2: The US Congress should pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide.
- Round 3: The United States should ratify and implement the Law of the Sea treaty.
- Round 4: The Mexican federal government should reject the United States' offer to aid in the United States drug war.
- Round 5: The United States government should establish a single-payer health care system.
- Round 6: The USFG should establish a bailout for the subprime mortgage crisis.
- Double Octafinals: One or more professional sports leagues in the United States should ban the use of Native American mascots or images.
Kevin Twohy Invitational (Diablo Valley College)
Submitted by Dr. Becky Opsata, Diablo Valley College
- Round 1: TH believes the pen is mightier than the sword.
- Round 2: TH would not sanction Iran.
- Round 3: The USFG should significantly increase space exploration.
- Round 4: The USFG should reduce the non-military consumption of fossil fuels in the United States.
- Round 5: The U.S. Congress should override the President’s veto of the SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) legislation.
- Round 6: TH would turn down the heat.
- Octas: TH would not grant asylum to illegal immigrants.
- Quarters: The USFG should substantially curtail free trade agreements.
- Semis: The United States Senate should ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty.
Smelt Classic (Lower Columbia College)
Submitted by Mike Dugaw, Lower Columbia College
- Round 1-2: TH would limit United States Presidential Campaigns.
- Round 3: THBT the founding fathers would be horrified.
- Round 4: Americans take their games too seriously.
- Round 5: Resolved: The United States should find nicer friends.
- Quarters: THBT imagination is more important than education.
- Semis: Resolved: The United States should support Turkey
- Finals: TH would leave the child behind.
Capital City Classic (Washburn University)
Submitted by Dr. Kevin O'Leary, Washburn University
- Round 1: The USFG should prohibit private military contractors in Iraq.
- Round 2: The USFG should ratify and implement the UN convention on the Law of the Sea.
- Round 3: The USFG should eliminate the American penny.
- Round 4: The USFG should establish a single-payer health system.
- Round 5: The USFG should substantially increase efforts to curb the spread of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Round 6: The USFG should pass the Trade Promotion Authority.
- Double Octafinals: The USFG should substantially change its policy toward Myanmar.
- Octafinals: The USFG should substantially change its policy toward Cuba.
- Quarters: The USFG should substantially change its policy toward Iran.
- Semis: The US Supreme Court should overturn Mitchell v. Helms
- Finals: The US Congress should pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide.
PSCFA Fall Championships
Submitted by Konrad Hack, Concordia University (CA)
- Round 1: The USFG should enact legislation to significantly limit illegal immigration.
- Round 2: The USFG should enact legislation that signficantly limits illegal immigration.
- Round 3: Societies that use the death penalty as a form of punishment are less just than societies that do not.
- Round 4: Societies that euthanize the terminally ill are less just than societies that do not.
- Round 5: Save Darfur.
- Round 6: Reduce global warming.
- Octafinals: The Republicans should nominate Mike Huckabee.
- Quarters: Hugo Chavez: Viva La Revolucion!
- Semis: Put Christ back in Christmas.
Pat Kennedy Round Robin
Submitted by Dr. Marlin Bates, University of the Pacific
- Round 1: Feminism is no longer a useful social movement.
- Round 2: Title IX has done enough to even the playing field for students.
- Round 3: Public schools should provide single sex science and math education for female students.
- Round 4: Women should have access to combat roles.
- Round 5: Rights associated with marriage should be expanded to non-heterosexual relationships.
- Round 6: Despite personal religious beliefs, TH should mandate tolerance of sexual identity/difference in the workplace.
- Semifinals: Cultural differences that hold men and women in unequal positions should be rejected.
- Finals: Women should focus on being mothers and not being workers.
Paul Winters Invitational (University of the Pacific)
Submitted by Dr. Marlin Bates, University of the Pacific
- Round 1: TH would sanction Musharraf.
- Round 2: TH would support Burma.
- Round 3: The United States government should legalize prostitution
- Round 4: The United States government should freeze oil prices.
- Round 5: In this instance, torture is justified.
- Round 6: In this instance, HR 756
- Double-Octafinals: This USFG should punish tech companies that release personal information to oppressive governments.
- Octafinals: In this instance, Ronald Reagan was right.
- Quarterfinals: The United States government should make cigarettes illegal.
- Semifinals: TH should pass the Equal Rights Amendment.
- Finals: The World Trade Organization should promote a global standard for consumer product safety.
Owensboro Community College*
Submitted by Rich Charley
- Round 1: Political term limits should be abolished in the United States.
- Round 2: The American Dream is on life support.
- Round 3: THBT real men should go to the opera.
- Round 4: TH would rather fight than switch.
Long Beach (Tournament 1)*
Submitted by Bill Nessen, Cal State-Long Beach, Kevin Calderwood, Southern Illinois University and Sherris Minor
- Round 1: The Iraqi government should prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
- Round 2: The next Prime Minister of Pakistan should be from Benizar Bhutto's party.
- Round 3: One or more leftist organizations in South America should publicly oppose the celebration of Che Guevara.
- Round 4: In this case, individuals should destroy private property in the United States to protect the environment.
- Round 5: One or more of the following cities should adopt a version of London's congestion pricing plan: New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.
- Partial Octafinals: One or more United States cities should divert over half their spending on highway maintenance and construction for building low-income housing.
- Quarterfinals: The trade organizations of Mercosur and CAN should merge.
Regis University
Submitted by Joe Gantt, Texas Tech University
- Round 1: The United States Supreme Court should rule for the petitioners in the cases of Crawford v Marion County Election Board and Indiana Democratic Party v Rokita.
- Round 2: The USFG should enact the Protection of Young Consumers Act and/or The Credit Card Reform Act.
- Round 3: The United Nations should take action to prevent Russian annexation of the Arctic.
- Round 4: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations should take concrete steps toward establishing a common regional currency.
- Round 5: Within the legal system, traditional conceptions of gender equality should be rejected.
- Round 6: With regards to its food policy, the USFG should make sustainability its highest priority.
- Triple Octafinals: The USFG should pass legislation significantly restricting the business practices of payday lenders.
- Double Octafinals: The USFG should institute a preferential voting system for federal elections.
- Octafinals: The Australian government should financially compensate the Aboriginal people.
- Quarterfinals: The USFG should significantly change agricultural policy to give preference to small farmers.
- Semifinals: Ecuador should cease the use of the
US dollar as its official currency. - Finals: The USFG should criminalize the production and/or distribution of pornographic material.
University of Utah*
Submitted by Joe Gantt, Texas Tech University
- Round 1: The USFG should significantly change its foreign policy toward Pakistan.
- Round 2: The United States Supreme Court should rule in favor of the plaintiffs in the case of District of Columbia v Heller.
- Round 3: In the face of oppression, violence is preferable to pacifism.
- Round 4: In this case, Barack Obama is preferable to Hillary Clinton.
- Round 5: The USFG should lift the Cuban embargo.
- Triple Octafinals: TH would tear down the Israel/Palestine and/or the US/Mexico wall.
- Double Octafinals: The USFG should significantly increase taxes on oil companies.
- Octafinals: Sanction Kenya.
- Quarterfinals: The decision in Monson v DEA prohibiting the use cultivation of industrial hemp should be reversed.
Sleet Invitational (Concordia University-Nebraska)*
Submitted by Konrad Hack, Concordia University-Irvine and Eric Wallace, Concordia University-Seward
- Rounds 1 and 2: TH should air its dirty laundry.
- Round 3: Kucinich doesn't matter.
- Round 4: TH prefers knowledge to intellect.
- Round 5: TH would revisit its relationship with Egypt.
- Octafinals: Public financing of Presidential campaigns is preferable to private financing.
- Quarterfinals: The USFG should value technological advancement over moral obligation.
Sun Invitational (Concordia University-Irvine)
Submitted by Konrad Hack, Concordia University-Irvine
- Round 1: The United States should significantly decrease its dependence on foreign petroleum.
- Round 2: The United States should significantly increase its military presence in Afghanistan.
- Round 3: Globalization has caused more harm than good.
- Round 4: United States policy toward Iran has caused more harm than good.
- Semifinals: Hugo Chavez: Viva La Revolucion!
- Finals: The United States should act militarily to alleviate suffering in one or more African nations.
Chabot College Invitational*
Submitted by Frank Perry, Chabot College
- Round 1: Term limits do more harm than good.
- Round 2: Indian Gaming Agreements do more harm than good.
- Round 3: TH should boycott the Beijing Olympics.
Western Washington Invitational*
Submitted by Derek Buescher, Western Washington University
- Octafinals: TH should intervene in the Gaza crisis.
- Quarterfinals: The USFG should significantly increase agricultural subsidies.
- Semifinals: The US Congress should reject the economic stimulus package.
Mardi Gras Classic (Louisiana State University-Shreveport)
Submitted by Jorgi Jarzabek, LSU-Shreveport
- Round 1: TH would open the door.
- Round 2: TH would heal the wound.
- Round 3: The USFG should reform the elections process.
- Round 4: The USFG should not stay the course in the "War on Terror."
- Round 5: THBT education is a human right.
- Round 6: THBT the primary blame rests with the USFG.
- Quarterfinals: THBT freedom is more important than security.
- Semifinals: The USFG would increase its presence in Iran.
- Finals: TH would engage in ethical discourse.
University of Puget Sound Free Tournament
Submitted by Derek Buscher and Rachel Safran, University of Puget Sound
- Round 1: The USFG should develop an international treaty governing the use of weapons in space.
- Round 2: The USFG should establish a foreign policy substantially increasing its support of peacekeeping operations to stop genocide.
- Round 3: The USFG should substantially restrict the use of nanotechnology through formal international agreement.
- Round 4: The USFG should substantially promote human rights policies in Saudi Arabia.
- Round 5: TH would increase foreign assistance to Ukraine.
- Octafinals: The USFG should signiicantly reform its immigration policy.
- Quarters: The United States Supreme Court should overturn Goldstein v. the SEC.
- Semis: The UN should take action in Sri Lanka.
Pt. Loma Round Robin*
Submitted by Carrie Menapace, Western Kentucky University
- Round 1: Federal control of education does more harm than good.
- Round 2: The Senate should reject the current economic stimulus package.
- Round 3: Each of President Bush's judicial nominees should be given an immediate up or down vote.
- Round 4: Losing Afghanistan is a greater threat than losing Iraq.
- Round 5: The Protect America Act does more harm than good
- Semifinals: The USFG should more strictly penalize employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Minnesota Intercollegiate Forensics Association Tournament
Submitted by Michael Dreher, Bethel University and Jon Loging, Bethany Lutheran College
- Round 1: Minnesota needs another miracle.
- Round 2: TH should sleep with the enemy.
- Round 3: The United States should significantly change its foreign policy toward China.
- Round 4: The United States should significantly change its foreign policy toward Mexico.
- Quarterfinals: Let the market do its job.
- Semifinals: TH would subvert the dominant paradigm.
- Finals: TH would reject rationality.
Whitman Classic 1
Submitted by Jim Hanson, Whitman College
- Round 1: The USFG should decriminalize all non-violent drug offenses.
- Round 2: Japan should reinstitute its nuclear weapons program.
- Round 3: The United States Supreme Court should significantly limit the rights of corporations-as-persons to finance political.
- Round 4: The USFG should significantly limit the definition of "terrorism" in Section 412 of the USA Patriot Act.
- Partial Octas: Russia should significantly increase military aid to Syria.
- Quarters: The United States should significantly increase its support for international drug eradication programs.
- Semifinals: Japan should send a significant peacekeeping force to one or more nations in the Middle East.
- Finals: Corporate personhood should be limited by the United States Supreme Court to not for profit corporations in the United States.
Whitman Classic 2
Submitted by Jim Hanson, Whitman College
- Round 1: The USFG should significantly expand border security provisions in the USA Patriot Act.
- Round 2: Russia should significantly increase cooperation with Pakistan in the global war on terrorism.
- Round 3: The United States Supreme Court should rule that the United States federal government may not prosecute medical marijuana users.
- Round 4: Japan should send its self defense forces to one or more Northern African nations.
- Round 5: The USSC should overrule corporate search and seizure protections under the 4th Amendment granted in Hale v. Henkel (1906).
- Round 6: The USFG should remove Section 215 from the Patriot Act.
- OPEN PARTIAL OCTAS/JV PARTIAL QUARTERS/NOVICE SEMIS: Russia should significantly reduce arms sales to Syria.
- OPEN QUARTERS/JV SEMIS/NOVICE FINALS: The USFG should end Plan Columbia
- OPEN SEMIS: Japan should significantly increase military cooperation with NATO outside of Asia.
- OPEN FINALS: The USSC should overturn Virginia Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Consumer Council (1976) giving first amendment protection to commercial speech.
Icebox Classic
Submitted by Scott Wells, St. Cloud State University
- Round 1: TH should implement comprehensive immigration reform.
- Round 2: Politics is undervalued in America.
- Round 3: This house believes that 16 year olds should be allowed to vote.
- Round 4: Buy now.
- Semifinals (Section 1): Vote Barack Obama!
- Semifinals (Section 2): Vote John McCain!
- Finals: TH values second place over first.
Bunny Bop (South Dakota State)
Submitted by David Brennan, South Dakota State
- Round 1: TH would fix the electoral college.
- Round 2: THB good fences make good neighbors.
- Round 3: THB the princess is in another castle.
- Round 4: TH would pull a rabbit out of a hat.
- Semifinals: TH would let the sleeping bunnies lay.
- Finals: TH would destroy the Monroe Doctrine.
Hatfield Debates (Willamette University)
Submitted by Rob Layne, Willamette University
- Round 1: Resolved: the United Nations should formally recognize Kosovo as an independent nation.
- Round 2: Resolved: The EU should offer energy assistance to one or more former Soviet-block nations.
- Round 3: The USFG should freeze interest rates for all housing loans.
- Round 4: The USFG should require the bi-annual inspection and maintenance of all bridges in the United States.
- Round 5: Stop buying bottled water.
- Round 6: Tax the use and/or sale of plastic bags.
- Octafinals: Without cause peremptory strikes should be banned during jury trials.
- Quarterfinals: Resolved: The United States Department of the Interior should be reformed.
- Semifinals: The USFG should significantly raise the cap on the Social Security payroll tax.
- Finals: Florida and Michigan should be counted by the Democratic National Committee.
Michigan Intercollegiate Tournament
Submitted by Jeremy Christansen, Hillsdale College
- Round 1: This House Believes That: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) should disband.
- Round 2: This House Believes That: Low art is better than high art.
- Round 3: This House Believes That: The proper agencies should amend the U.S. Constitution to provide for a direct election of the President.
- Round 4: This House Believes That: "There is a place where the sidewalk ends."
- Finals: This House Believes That: The U.S. news media has failed in its duty.
National Christian College Forensic Invitational
Topic Committee: Dr. Michael Dreher, Bethel University, Dr. Renea Gernant, Concordia University-Seward, Dr. Skip Rutledge, Pt. Loma Nazarene University
- Round 1: Universities should institute mandatory mental health evaulations.
- Round 2: The United States should significantly change the tax system.
- Round 3: TH should significantly alter its foreign policy toward the USFG.
- Round 4: Eliminate NAFTA.
- Round 5: Resolved: good fences do not make good neighbors.
- Elim 1: For undocumented workers, the US should value compassion over legalism.
- Elim 2: Christian rock has sold its soul.
- Elim 3: Separate the powers.
Novice Nationals
(Note: tournament used Phi Rho Pi topic rules - thus, three topics per round). Topic committee: Dr. Michael Dreher, Bethel University, Dr. Kevin Minch, Truman State, Prof. Dan Schabot, Cameron University
- Round 1:
- This House should make reparations for past wrongs.
- This house believes that change for the sake of change is counterproductive.
- This House prefers patience over force.
- Round 2:
- This house rejects populism.
- This house would interfere with the free market.
- This house would guard the guardians.
- Round 3:
- The United States Federal Government should adopt a policy increasing water conservation.
- The United States should replace the federal income tax.
- The United States Federal Government should implement new guidelines to control the cost of college tuition.
- Round 4:
- The United States Federal Government should adopt a policy to substantially improve United States infrastructure.
- Resolved: Ethanol production is good for America.
- The United States Federal Government should reform immigration policy.
- Round 5:
- NATO has outlived its usefulness.
- The NAFTA treaty should be renegotiated.
- The United States Federal Government should lift its trade embargo on Cuba.
- Round 6:
- This House would boycott the Beijing Summer Olympics.
- United States foreign policy toward Columbia has failed.
- The United States should change its foreign policy toward Iran.
- Octafinals:
- The Democratic National Committee should subsidize new primaries in Michigan and Florida.
- This house should change its foreign policy toward Kenya.
- This house should expand the list of endangered species.
- Quarterfinals:
- The Pentagon should buy American.
- The United States Federal Government should stop subsidizing ethanol.
- Now is the time to support Tibet.
- Semifinals:
- In its effort to stimulate the economy the United States Federal Government should encourage consumer savings over consumer spending.
- This house should fear a resurgent Russia.
- The United States should adopt a national Presidential primary.
- Finals:
- Beware the Ides of March!
- Elliot Spitzer should not have resigned.
- The Kurdish people deserve an independent state.
