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What’s a Topic?

What’s a Topic?. A brief introduction to how topics are written and chosen. Types of Resolutions. Resolutions of Fact (Resolutions that you should assume is a fact. The purpose of the debate is to prove whether or not this fact is true). Cost/Benefit Resolutions Morality/Justice Resolutions

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What’s a Topic?

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  1. What’s a Topic? A brief introduction to how topics are written and chosen

  2. Types of Resolutions • Resolutions of Fact (Resolutions that you should assume is a fact. The purpose of the debate is to prove whether or not this fact is true). • Cost/Benefit Resolutions • Morality/Justice Resolutions • Resolutions of Policy (Resolutions that ask you to argue what would happen if the government or some actor did something).

  3. Cost/Benefit Resolutions • NFL Nationals 2013: Resolved: The benefits of American drone strikes against foreign targets outweigh the harms. • April 2013: Resolved: The continuation of current U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America will do more harm than good. • February 2013: Resolved: On balance, the rise of China is beneficial to the interests of the United States. • January 2013: Resolved: On balance, the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission harms the election process. • November 2012: Resolved: Current U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East undermines our national security. • January 2012: Resolved: The costs of a college education outweigh the benefits. • October 2011: Resolved: Private sector investment in human space exploration is preferable to public sector investment. • September 2011: Resolved: The benefits of post-9/11 security measures outweigh the harms to personal freedom.

  4. Morality/Justice Resolutions • October 2012: Resolved: Developed countries have a moral obligation to mitigate the effects of climate change. • NFL Nationals 2012: Resolved: Stand Your Ground laws are a legitimate expansion of the doctrine of self-defense. • April 2012: Resolved: State mandated administration of childhood vaccinations is justified. • December 2011: Resolved: In the United States, current income disparities threaten democratic ideals.

  5. Policy Resolutions • NCFL Grand Nationals 2013: Resolved: The main goal of US public education should be to eliminate racial and economic achievement gaps. • March 2013: Resolved: The U.S. government should not require its citizens to have health insurance. • December 2012: Resolved: The United States should prioritize tax increases over spending cuts. • September 2012: Resolved: Congress should renew the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. • March 2012: Resolved: The United States should suspend all assistance to Pakistan. • February 2012: Resolved: Birthright citizenship should be abolished in the United States. • November 2011: Resolved: Direct popular vote should replace electoral vote in presidential elections.

  6. How do we get these topics? YOU write them! YOU vote for them! YOU debate them!

  7. Public Forum Topics are “ripped from the headlines” What do the headlines say today?

  8. Our Topic Area is Trade

  9. Trade is huge…. The topic area of trade includes…. • Free Trade Agreements • World Trade Organization • Embargoes • Exports/Imports • Protectionism

  10. OMGZ SO MUCH TRADEZ • Resolved: On balance, free trade agreements with Latin American countries are beneficial to the United States interests.  • Resolved: The United States should withdraw from the World Trade Organization.  • Resolved: On balance, participation in the World Trade Organization is beneficial to United States trade interests. • Resolved: On balance, continuation of United States embargoes will do more harm than good. • Resolved: On balance, continuation of United States embargoes in Latin American countries will do more harm than good. • Resolved: On balance, continuation of United States in the Middle Eastern countries embargoes will do more harm than good. • Resolved: The United States should prioritize exports of goods and services over imports of goods and services. • Resolved: On balance, exporting goods and services are in the best interest of the United States.  • Resolved: On balance, United States trade restrictions do more harm than good. • Resolved: On balance, United States trade restrictions in Latin America do more harm than good. • Resolved: On balance, United States protectionism does more harm than good.

  11. Resolved: On balance, the benefits of United States free trade agreements in Latin America outweigh the costs.

  12. Other Possible Topic Areas Domestic Terrorism Topics • Resolved: The United States should detain domestic terrorists as enemy combatants.  • Resolved: The United States has a moral obligation to prioritize domestic terrorism prevention over international terrorism prevention.  • Resolved: The United States is prepared for domestic terror threats. IPPF/Proliferation Topic Area • Resolved: Developed countries have a moral obligation to minimize nuclear weapons proliferation. • Resolved: The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty does more harm than good. • Resolved: Nuclear weapons proliferation is a threat to United States national security. • Resolved: When dealing with national security threats, unilateral military force is preferable to multilateral efforts.

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