Quick notes off the top of my head, mostly on the subject areas rather than debability.
1. Resolved: The United States ought to extend to non-citizens accused of terrorism the same constitutional due process protections it grants to citizens.
I like this subject a lot, because it cuts deep to the rights and privileges of individuals versus governments. The wording is uneconomical, but that may be inherent in the subject. In any case, it’s both deep and current. You can do a lot with it.
2. Resolved: It is morally permissible for victims to use deadly force as a deliberate response to repeated domestic violence.
The question here is, essentially, whether there is any situation where deadly force is justified, so domestic violence is provided as a situation as dire as any, so that you’ll concentrate on the deadly force. That is, you could argue that dv isn’t dire enough, but that really isn’t what it’s about. This may be a bit narrow, but it’s certainly core to LD.
3. Resolved: In the United States, possession of handguns ought not be an individual right.
A great topic, cleanly worded. The thing is, people have strong opinions about the subject of guns, and while I would imagine that, at least in the Northeast, the vast majority of people in forensics are not heavily armed, the country as a whole is fairly well split. Which means there are arguments on both sides. And, again, it’s an important subject. I could see this rez in any slot.
4. Resolved: The use of eminent domain for private economic development is just.
We argued this back in the old days, before Kelo, where the courts went aff and the world in response went neg. It’s a meaty subject area. If I’m not mistaken, back then it was Jan-Feb.
5. Resolved: Estate taxes are just.
A four-word topic? This is the sort of thing I would imagine working as Mar-Apr or NatNats. I don’t think it has enormous depth, but it’s got currency and proponents on both sides, and it’s about something important.
6. Resolved: A government has the obligation to lessen the economic gap between its rich and poor citizens.
Another contender for the late season, or perhaps those poor areas that are too snooty for the Modest Novice.
7. Resolved: A just society ought to prioritize environmental concerns over the production of energy.
I remember arguing this in the context of developing nations. Almost everybody argued sustained development, even though that old topic did have a “when in conflict” cause. In other words, no one took up their burden, and all argued a third side. That wouldn’t float nowadays. Here, affs must argue Env and, because they have no prescribed burden, negs will inevitably argue sustained development, which will always win. So, I’m against it.
8. Resolved: In the United States, law enforcement ought to be required to have probable cause to search data an individual has stored on remote servers.
Good subject, too many words. They keep trying to pin this one down, and I don’t think they’re there yet. (I have no better solution, by the way: the wordiness goes with the subject.)
9. Resolved: Targeted killing is a morally permissible foreign policy tool.
Strong topic for educational purposes (you’ve got to know a lot) with a nice political science slash philosophy underpinning. Perhaps limited, though, i.e., not for Jan-Feb use (except by teams with great resources).
10. Resolved: Individuals have a moral obligation to assist people in need.
This would be a nice novice topic or a NatNats topic, which is fine, but I don’t see much interest among the average LDer of this day and age for grittier events.
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