Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Historical Resolutions
1979-1980
Resolved: The strength of the present methods of funding the social security system outweighs the weaknesses.
1980 - 1981
Resolved: That it is morally unjustifiable to require an individual to join a labor organization as a condition of employment.
Resolved: That military conscription is a superior alternative to a voluntary army.
Resolved: That the protection of human rights should have a higher priority in shaping America’s foreign policy.
1981 - 1982
Resolved: That the rights of the victim should take precedence over the rights of the accused in felony cases.
Resolved: That it is undesirable to expend societal resources on the enforcement of laws against victimless crimes.
Resolved: That the economic health of a nation is more important than social programs for its citizens.
1982 - 1983
Resolved: That funding for human services programs should take precedence over the development of natural resources.
Resolved: That protection of the environment should take precedence over the development of natural resources.
Resolved: Liberty is more precious than law.
1983 - 1984
Resolved: Even in a democratic society morality can be legislated.
Resolved: Civil disobedience is justified in a democracy.
Resolved: That uniformity in education leads to mediocrity.
1984 - 1985 Resolved: Nothing is politically right that is morally wrong.
Resolved: A just social order ought to place the principle of equality above that of liberty.
Resolved: The American media works against the best interest of the American Publicv.
1985 - 1986
Resolved: The use of sanctions to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals ought to be immoral.
Resolved: The brotherhood of man transcends the sovereignty of nations.
Resolved: That the restriction of Civil Liberties in the U.S. for the sake of combating terrorism is justified.
Resolved: That allowing innocent people to be harmed is preferable rather than giving into terrorists’ demands.
Resolved: Giving Sanctuary to Illegal Refugees in the United States justifiably places moral law above positive law.
1986-1987
Resolved: An unjust government is better than no government at all.
1986-1987
Resolved: That decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court in criminal cases ought to reflect the values of the American people.
Resolved: A Parliamentary system of government would better fulfill the values underlying the American Constitution.
Resolved: When they are in conflict, the right to a free press is a higher priority than the right to a fair trial.
1987 - 1988
Resolved: That the protection of public safety justifies random, mandatory drug testing throughout society.
Resolved: That the protection of society’s health interests through broad based mandatory testing for AIDS ought to be more important than personal privacy rights.
Resolved: That when they are in conflict, the principle of privileged communication ought to be subordinate to the maintenance of Law and Order.
Resolved: That violent revolution is a just response to oppression.
1988 - 1989
Resolved: That the individual ought to value the sanctity of life above the quality of life.
Resolved: That affirmative action programs to remedy the effects of discrimination are justified.
Resolved: That limitations upon the content of student publications by secondary school administrators are justified.
1988 - 1989
Resolved: That the public’s right to know ought to be valued above U.S. National Security interests.
Resolved: That the American criminal justice system ought to place a higher priority on retribution than on rehabilitation.
1989 - 1990
Resolved: That all United States citizens ought to perform a period of national service.
Resolved: That communities in the United States ought to have the right to suppress pornography.
Resolved: That development of natural resources ought to be valued above protection of the environment.
Resolved: That individual obedience to law plays a greater role in maintaining ethical public service than does individual obedience to conscience.
1990 - 1991
Resolved: That competition is superior to cooperation as a means of achieving excellence.
Resolved: That government limits on the individual’s right to bear arms in the United States are justified.
Resolved: That showing disrespect for the American Flag is antithetical to fundamental American values.
1990 - 1991
Resolved: That the pursuit of scientific knowledge ought to be limited by a concern for societal good.
Resolved: That members of the United States Congress ought to value the national interest above constituent’s interests when the two are in conflict.
1991 - 1992
Resolved: A liberal arts curriculum is preferable to an employment-readiness curriculum in U.S. secondary schools.
Resolved: Human genetic engineering is morally justified.
Resolved: A victim’s deliberate use of deadly force is justified as a response to physical abuse.
Resolved: The possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.
Resolved: The United States Government ought to provide for the medical care of its citizens.
1992 - 1993
Resolved: That U.S. Military interference in the internal affairs of other countries is justified.
Resolved: In the criminal justice system, truth seeking ought to take precedence over privilege communication.
Resolved: When in conflict the spirit of the law ought to take priority over the letter of the law.
Resolved: The principle of majority rule ought to be valued above the principle of minority rights.
Resolved: The protection of domestic order justifies the curtailment of First Amendment Rights.
1993 - 1994
Resolved: That Secondary education in the United States ought to be a privilege, not a right.
Resolved: The public’s right to know is of greater value than the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
Resolved: When called upon by one’s government, individuals are morally obligated to risk their lives for their country.
Resolved: Terminally ill patients have the right to die when and how they choose.
Resolved: When in conflict, protection of the innocent is of greater value than prosecution of the guilty.
1994 - 1995
Resolved: An individual’s freedom of expression is of greater value than political correctness.
Resolved: When in conflict, community standards are of greater value than individual liberty.
Resolved: Laws which protect citizens from themselves are justified.
Resolved: On balance, institutional censorship of academic material is harmful to the educational development of students.
Resolved: When in conflict, the safety of others is of greater value than the right to privacy of those with infectious diseases.
1995 - 1996
Resolved: That individuals with disabilities ought to be afforded the same athletic competition opportunities as able-bodied athletes.
Resolved: The pursuit of feminist ideals is detrimental to the achievement of gender equality.
Resolved: An oppressive government is more desirable than no government.
Resolved: When in conflict, American cultural unity ought to be valued above cultural diversity.
Resolved: That limiting constitutional freedoms is a just response to terrorism in the United States.
1996 - 1997
Resolved: When in conflict, society’s goal of eliminating discrimination ought to transcend an individual’s right to participate in exclusive, voluntary associations.
Resolved: When in conflict, a business’ responsibility to itself ought to be valued above its responsibility to society.
Resolved: In United States policy, the principle of universal human rights ought to take precedence over conflicting national interest.
Resolved: On balance, individuals ought to have a greater obligation to themselves than to their community.
Resolved: The public’s right to know is of greater value than the individual’s right to privacy.
1997 - 1998
Resolved: Global concerns ought to be valued above conflicting national concerns.
Resolved: An adolescent’s right to privacy ought to be valued above a parent’s conflicting right to know.
Resolved: A just social order ought to place the principle of equality above that of liberty.
Resolved: Civil disobedience is justified in a democracy.
Resolved: In the United States’ justice system, due process ought to be valued above the pursuit of truth when they are in conflict.
1998 - 1999
Resolved: That the individual ought to value the sanctity of life above the quality of life.
Resolved: Capital punishment is justified.
Resolved: In the United States, a journalist’s right to shield confidential sources ought to be protected by the First Amendment.
Resolved: Human genetic engineering is morally justified.
Resolved: Capitalism is superior to socialism as a means of achieving economic justice.
1999 - 2000
Resolved: When they conflict, respect for cultural sensitivity ought to be valued above commercial use of free speech.
Resolved: The use of economic sanctions to achieve U.S. Foreign policy goals is moral.
Resolved: Violent juvenile offenders ought to be treated as adults in the criminal justice system.
Resolved: The intervention of one nation in the domestic affairs of another nation is morally justified.
Resolved: Inaction in the face of injustice makes an individual morally culpable.
2000-2001
Resolved: Colleges and Universities have a moral obligation to prohibit the public expression of hate speech on their campuses.
Resolved: Establishing a safe educational environment in grades K - 12 justifies infringement of students’ civil liberties.
Resolved: The possession of nuclear weapons is immoral.
Resolved: The public’s right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office.
Resolved: On balance, violent revolution is a just response to oppression.
2001-2002
Resolved: Decentralized governmental power ought to be a fundamental goal of democratic society.
Resolved: A lesser developed nation’s right to develop ought to take priority over its obligation to protect the environment.
Resolved: Oppressive government is more desirable more desirable than no government.
March - April Resolved: Limiting the freedom of expression of adults is justified by society’s interest in protecting children.
Resolved: Laws which protect citizens from themselves are justified.
2002-2003
Resolved: When the United States is engaged in military conflict, the demands of national security ought to supercede conflicting claims of individual rights.
Resolved: When in conflict, academic freedom in U.S. high schools ought to be valued above community standards.
Resolved: When in conflict, globalization ought to be valued above national sovereignty.
Resolved: When in conflict, the letter of the law ought to take priority over the spirit of the law.
Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above punishment in the U. S. criminal justice system.
2003-2004
Resolved: In the U.S. judicial system, truth seeking ought to take precedence over privileged communication.
Resolved: The United States has a moral obligation to mitigate international conflicts.
Resolved: A government’s obligation to protect the environment ought to take precedence over its obligation to promote economic development.
2003-2004
Resolved: As a general principle, individuals have an obligation to value the common good above their own interests.
Resolved: Civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified.
2004-2005
Resolved: Individual claims of privacy ought to be valued above competing claims of societal welfare.
Resolved: The United States has a moral obligation to promote democratic ideals in other nations.
Resolved: Democracy is best served by strict separation of church and state.
Resolved: Individual claims of privacy ought to be valued above competing claims of societal welfare.
Resolved: The United States has a moral obligation to promote democratic ideals in other nations.
Resolved: Democracy is best served by strict separation of church and state.
Resolved: To better protect civil liberties, community standards ought to take precedence over conflicting national standards.
Resolved: The pursuit of scientific knowledge ought to be constrained by concern for societal good.
2005-2006
Resolved: In matters of U. S. immigration policy, restrictions on the rights of non-citizens are consistent with democratic ideals.
Resolved: Judicial activism is necessary to protect the rights of American citizens.
Resolved: The use of the state’s power of eminent domain to promote private enterprise is unjust.
Resolved: Juveniles charged with violent crimes should be tried and punished as adults.
Resolved: In matters of collecting military intelligence, the ends justify the means.
Resolved: A just government should provide health care to its citizens.
Resolved: A victim’s deliberate use of deadly force is a just response to repeated domestic violence.
2007-2008
Resolved: The actions of corporations ought to be held to the same moral standards as the actions of individuals.
Resolved: The United Nation’s obligation to protect global human rights ought to be valued above its obligation to respect national sovereignty.
Resolved: On balance, violent revolution is a just response to political oppression.
Resolved: Limiting economic inequality ought to be a more important social goal than maximizing economic freedom.
Resolved: Hate crime enhancements are unjust in the United States.
Resolved: It is just for the United States to use military force to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations that pose a military threat.
Resolved: In the United States, plea bargaining in exchange for testimony is unjust.
Resolved: A just society ought not use the death penalty as a form of punishment.
2008-2009
Resolved: Military conscription is unjust.
Resolved: Vigilantism is justified when the government has failed to enforce the law.
Resolved: The United States ought to submit to the jurisdiction of an international court designed to prosecute crimes against humanity.
Resolved: In a democratic society, felons ought to retain the right to vote.
Resolved: It is morally permissible to kill one innocent person to save the lives of more innocent people.