Impromptu Topics for 2011-2012
Forensic Council decided to select three topics for Impromptu this year. Invitationals may select from among these three or develop their own. After January 1, 2012 the MIFA office will select one of these topics for the Regional Tournament and one for the State Tournament. This year's Regional Impromptu topic will be FOOD. And the State topic will be Election 2012.
MIDDLE EAST
With the ongoing Arab Spring and the uncertainty of the changes it will bring; the choices the Western world have to make between supporting stable allies and supporting democratic reform; how this sea of change will impact Israel and Palestine; continued concern about Iranian nuclear ambitions; the war on terror; fractious US relations with Pakistan and Afghanistan; Europe's dependence on the region for energy.
ELECTION 2012
The economy will dominate in the 2012 elections. Economic issues: Taxes; debt, entitlement programs, trade, right to work, unemployment, financial regulation and health care. Other issues will be the environment and climate change, the war in Afghanistan, military, foreign policy, homeland security, and immigration.
FOOD
As the world population increases, so does the demand for sustainable food sources. Economic and environmental concerns are driving food producers to reevaluate how food is grown and distributed. Finally, health and safety concerns have consumers rethinking how and what they will eat. Topics for discussion are: Local food movements; industrial farms, government oversights; globalization, rise of corporate farming; sustainable agriculture, safety of American food chain; organic food; genetically modified foods, transferable tax credits for agricultural lands placed into conservation easements, and business development services specifically for farmers, ranchers, value-added producers, processors, distributors, and retail food stores. State and federal food and farming grant and loan programs.
IMPROMPTU TOPIC AREAS 1990 – 2011
2010-2011: State - Europe
Regional - Domestic Economy
2009-2010: State – Domestic Crisis Readiness
Regional – Latin America
2008–2009: State - New Administration: First 100 Days
Regional — U.S. and Russian Relations
Districts — United States Health Care
2007–2008: State — United States China Policy
Regional — Education and Technology
Districts — Elections 2008
2006–2007: State — Security versus Privacy
Regional — United States Relations with Africa
District — United States Energy Policy
2005–2006: State — Managing United States Military Resources
Regional — Funding United States Health Care
District — Managing Natural Disasters
2004–2005: State — The First 100 Days (Effects of the Elections)
Regional — Violence in America
District — Sports Issues
2003–2004: State — The United States and Iraq
Regional — American Civic Infrastructure
District — Technology and American Life
2002–2003: State — United States as the Global Military Power
Regional — Water Resources within the United States
District — Media Coverage of Terrorism
2001–2002: State — Terrorism and the Justice System
Regional — Energy in a Global Society
District — Economics of Education
2000–2001: State — Election 2000: Politics and the Aftermath
Regional — Africa
District — Women in Society
1999–2000: State — Politics in America
Regional — American Demographics in the New Millennium
District — Privacy
1998–1999: State — Education
Regional — Medicine
District — The New Millennium
1997–1998: State — Funding Government(s) in the United States
Regional — Affirmative Action
District — Transportation
1996–1997: State — The Effects of the 1996 Elections
Regional — Sports in America
District — Internet Issues
1995–1996: State — Political Campaigns: The 1996 Elections
Regional — American Multinational Military Commitments
District — Race in America
1994–1995: State — The First 100 Days of Republican Legislative Control
Regional — The Education System in Michigan
District — The Legal System in the United States
1993–1994: State — Crime
Regional — Information Highway/Effects of Technology
District — Welfare Reform
1992–1993: State — First 100 Days of Clinton Administration
Regional — First Amendment
District — United Nations Peacekeeping Policies
1991–1992: State — Political Campaigns
Regional — U.S.–Japanese Relations
District — Health Care
1990–1991: State — Middle East
Regional — Soviet Union
District — Education Reform
1989–1990: State — Eastern Europe
Regional — Electronic Media
District — Environmentalism