CURRENT & PAST TOPICS
FALL 2023
TOPIC
SPRING 2024
TOPIC
Resolved: The United States should restrict its nuclear forces in one of the following ways: adopting a no-first-use policy; unilaterally disarming its nuclear weapons; removing all of its tactical nuclear weapons from Europe.
Resolved: The United States should restrict its nuclear forces in one of the following ways: adopting a no-first-use policy; unilaterally disarming its nuclear weapons; removing all of its tactical nuclear weapons from Europe; eliminating its land-based intercontinental ballistic missile force. (Effective Jan 1, 2024)
Previous Topics & Articles
Spring 2020: The United States federal government should expand Fourth Amendment protections by substantially restricting warrantless searches of digital information by law enforcement.
Fall 2020: Resolved: The United States Federal Government should reduce its alliance commitments by terminating one or more of its Asia-Pacific mutual defense pacts.
Spring 2021: Resolved: The United States Federal Government should establish a domestic climate policy, including one of the following: a carbon tax, a cap and trade program, a national renewable portfolio standard.
Fall 2021: Resolved: The United States federal government should increase political citizenship rights to its territories and/or Washington, D.C..
Spring 2022: Resolved: Government mandates are preferable to incentives in response to the affordable housing crisis in the United States..
Fall 2022: Resolved: The criminal justice system in the United States should implement one of the following: community oriented policing; restrictions on plea bargaining; or elimination of private prisons.
Spring 2023: Resolved: The criminal justice system in the United States should implement one of the following: community oriented policing; restrictions on plea bargaining; or the legalization of prostitution.
Topic Papers and Resources
2023-2024 Topic Papers: For the 2023-24 season, CARD opted to use the topic paper for the Cross Examination Debate Association policy debate topic.
2022-2023 Topic Papers: Topic papers were submitted for: criminal justice reform, legalization of taboos, recognition of proto-states, and electoral system reform.
2021-2022 Topic Papers: Topic papers were submitted for: citizenship rights in American territories and D.C.; affordable housing policy, Federal antitrust policy reform, Indigenous and Native American sovereignty, and labor union rights.
2020-2021 Topic Papers: Topic papers were submitted for: eliminating American defense commitments in the Asia Pacific region; affordable housing policy; national climate change policy reform; federal food assistance reform; and Indigenous and Native American sovereignty.
Topic areas are selected by program vote every spring. Interested students and coaches can submit a topic proposal paper that establishes the nature of the controversy their topic explores, provides literature citations for research that explores the topic, and spotlights likely areas for affirmative and negative argument development.
Spring 2020 Topic Papers: Topic papers were submitted for restricting warrantless digital searches and seizures under the fourth amendment.