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TOPIC IDEAS for SPEECH #3

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1QUESTION OF FACT

You should persuade your audience to agree or disagree with the following topics.

Small classes in the public schools increase student performance.

Genetic testing is not always accurate in predicting whether people will contract particular diseases.

The United States is headed for a major recession.

President Roosevelt knew, in advance, about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and allowed it to happen.

The Government is not doing enough to protect the consumer from faulty goods (or services).

There is too much concern in the courts for the rights of criminals.

Affirmative Action is actually harmful to those it seeks to help.

Political correctness is a form of censorship.

American society is losing its civility.

Do union members benefit from strikes?

Is the government responsible for controlling pollution?

The government not doing enough to control pollution.

Are HMO’s lowering the standards for medical care?

homes need more government oversight.

Does the Antarctic meltdown prove that global warming is happening?

Is global warming actually taking place?

The death penalty is not a deterrent to violent crime.

The application of the death penalty is racially imbalanced.

Is media violence harming America’s youth?

Property taxes in Louisiana are not an equitable means of providing tax revenues.

Distance learning courses are less effective than traditional “on-site” courses.

Living together before marriage is not an effective way to determine if the marriage will work.

The U.S. is mistreating its veterans

Gun control will/will not reduce crime

Ocean pollution is a serious problem.

Palestinian rights are being ignored.

The death penalty does/does not discriminate against minorities.

Police Profiling is/is not a violation of civil rights.

Police officers do/do not abuse their authority.

Immigrants have had a positive/negative effect on the United States.

America is falling behind in commercial technology

Near death experiences do/do not prove there is life after death.

Americans are too materialistic.
Pornography is/is not harmful.

The movie rating system is ineffective.

Spirituality is a necessary part of a healthy psyche.

America should get out of Afghanistan.

The greenhouse effect is/is not a serious threat.

The Eurodollar has/has not led to European unity.

The police do/do not abuse their authority.

World population is/is not a serious threat to the future of humankind.

Some service (Health Care, Insurance, Taxation)_ is too expensive in the United States.

The stimulus bill made the economy worse/better.

The proposed _____________ legislation will/will not ruin the U.S. economy.

Congress is/is not effective.

QUESTION OF VALUE – TOPIC IDEAS

You should convince your audience that something is good or bad; moral or immoral; fair or unfair.

There is too much violence (or sexual content) on television.

Using lie detector tests as screening devices for jobs in private business is a violation of the right to privacy.

Colorizing classic movies (like Casablanca) violates the artistic integrity of such movies.

Violence in sports has an adverse effect on our youth.

Sports and entertainment figures should recognize their duties as role-models for American youth.

Casino gambling has had a positive (negative) effect in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.

The death penalty is unjust (or morally wrong).

The American news media is too liberal.

Socialized medicine is a better choice than our current health care system.

A flat-tax rate would be better than our current taxation system.

Marijuana should be legalized.

The drinking age should be lowered to 18.

We should make parents legally responsible for the actions of their children.

Drug testing is good (or bad) in government jobs.

The use of “profiling” by the police should be abolished.

Fetal tissue research is immoral.

We need legal reform in America to limit the number of civil lawsuits.

Euthanasia is moral (or immoral).

The U.S. government should do away with farm subsidies.

The U.S. government should pay for all college tuitions.

The military should not dictate personal morals.

Morality and ethics should be taught in public schools.

Kickboxing should be outlawed.

Cage/Extreme fighting should be banned.

Boxing should be banned.

Creotine should be outlawed in professional sports.

Too much money is being spent on social programs in the United States.

Then United States should increase (or eliminate) foreign aid to ___________________ .

Animal research is immoral (or necessary).

The use of standardized tests is fair (or unfair).

The U.S. should increase (or decrease) its role as the world’s peacekeeper.

Not enough has been done to compensate the Native American population.

There should be (or should not be) prayer in public schools.

Uniforms are good (or bad) in our public schools.

The U.S. should impose profit-margin caps on businesses.

The U.S. should have salary caps on individuals.

Professional athletes should have salary caps.

The U.S. should spend more money on pollution controls.

The U.S. should spend more money on highway repairs.

The U.S. needs to spend more money on infrastructure repair.

The U.S. should spend more money on preserving wildlife habitats.

Body piercing is a good (bad) thing.

We should/should not allow the cloning of human beings.

Women are still being treated unfairly by American businesses.

Recycling is/is not a good use of American resources.

You should eat less red meat.

College students are encumbering too much student loan debt.

_____________ is a good (or bad) candidate for President of the United States.

Drivers over the age of 65 should face more stringent safety testing.

Teacher pay raises should not be based on the “merit pay raise” system.

Smokers should/should not be required to pay increased health care insurance rates.

Federal and/or state money should/should not go to private schools.

The world must take action to control population.

_________________ would improve the American justice system.

The goal of space exploration should be ____________________.

The U.S. has the responsibility of being the world’s watchdog.

Defense spending should/should not be increased.

Immigration to the U.S. should/should not be restricted.

Bounty hunters should be controlled by the Federal government.

You should/should not choose the stock market for your primary investment option.

You should vote for ________________ in the upcoming __________________ election.

We should not farm out our elderly family members to nursing homes.

Americans are the greatest world polluters.

SEQ CHAPTER h r 1Questions of Policy – Topic Ideas

Required for SPEECH #4

Create a Problem-Solution Speech which motivates your audience to take some

specific action

.
Remember that these are topic ideas, only. Your topic MUST be set into a Problem/Solution structure.
1. You should give “blood” during _________ blood drive.

2. You should sign a “living will.”

3. You should recycle _________.

4. You should conserve (gasoline, electricity, water, paper, plastic)_.

5. You should support ____________ charity.

6. You should join a sorority (a fraternity, a political party, a civic organization, a professional group).

7. You should stop using (product or service)_.

8. You should become more involved in LSUS Student Activities

9. We should/should not become vegetarians.

10. We should become Vegans (or maybe consume local honey for health reasons).
11. We should/should not use the Internet for purchasing locally available items.

12. You should develop a daily exercise regimen (be specific, though).
13. You should start saving for your retirement now (again – be specific.

14. You should vote for (legislation or candidate).
15. You should support a flat tax rate for the U.S.

16. You should donate money or time to _____________.
17. We should support/not support buying American-made products

18. You should properly choose appropriate nursing home care.

19. We should support/not support continued gambling in Louisiana.

20. We should take steps to prevent our friends from driving drunk.

21. We should take steps to intervene in possible suicide cases.

22. We should take steps to intervene in possible abuse cases.

23. We should take steps to prevent our friends from texting and driving.

24. We should support a “courtesy standard” for public smartphone use.

25. You should/should not have corrective, laser eye surgery (or plastic surgery).

26. We should support/not support an increase in defense spending.

27. We should support/not support keeping U.S. troops in _____________.

28. We should support/not support a personalized health care system.

29. We should support/not support the adoption of gun control legislation.

30. We should support/not support the passing of euthanasia legislation.

31. We should support/not support making AIDS testing mandatory for all U.S. citizens.

32. We should support/not support the use of animal research.

33. We should support/not support more government programs to alleviate the homeless crisis.

34. We should support/not support censorship of the Internet.

35. We should support/not support a more stringent rating system for video games.

36. We should support/not support a more stringent rating system for movies (or music).

37. We should support/not support more regulation of the (energy, auto, drug, funeral, toy) industry.

38. We should support/not support lowering the drinking age.

39. We should support/not support legalizing marijuana.

40. We should support/not support tougher driving tests for the elderly.

41. We should support/not support tougher regulations for the nursing home industry.

42. We should support/not support set fees for medical practices or procedures.

43. We should/should not implement stronger safety measures for school buses.

44. We should/should not limit the amount of damages in _______ lawsuits.

45. We should/should not support government funds to guarantee access to computers.

46. We should/should not support the TOPS program in Louisiana.

47. We should/should not support stiffer emission standards on automobiles.

48. We should/should not support more library-based control of website browsing.

49. We should/should not support more FDA testing of experimental drugs/procedures.

50. We should/should not support term limits for (senators, representatives, judges).

51. We should support/not support the continuation of capital punishment in America.

52. We should support/not support trade restrictions.