Salt Lake City, UT — The NSDA LD wording committee has released a working list of topics for 2016-2017. The committee is seeking input from the topic on these topics/areas. NOTE: These are rough wordings and many are clearly works in progress. Comments should be focused on the topic areas and constructive suggestions for wordings, not criticism of the rough wordings listed below.

UPDATE: Changes resulting from the afternoon meeting are listed below. The committee was only able to get though the first 11 topics, the rest will be revisited tomorrow morning.

1. In the United States, national service ought to be compulsory

2. The United States has a moral obligation to adopt a single payer health care system.

3. The United States government ought to significantly curtail the Commander-in-Chief powers of the President.

The Government of the United States ought to significantly curtail the Commander-in-Chief powers of the President.

4. Capital punishment is immoral

5. The United States ought to expand free trade with foreign nations

6. A government’s sponsorship of gambling to raise revenue is unjust.

7. Civil rights ought to be prioritized over national security.

8. In the United States, public colleges and universities ought not prohibit speech protected by the Constitution.

Public colleges and universities ought not have speech codes.

9. In the United States, local law enforcement ought to be subject to independent civilian review boards with the power to punish misconduct.

The United States ought to restrict/ limit/ qualified immunity for police officers in cases involving the use of lethal force.

10. The United States ought to guarantee the right to housing.

National governments ought to guarantee the right to housing.

11. Employees ought to have a civil right to unionize.

The last eight topic areas will be revised tomorrow. Initial wordings can be found on the spreadsheet below.