Framework and Topic Wordings

1. 2014 Georgia Debate Institutes Framework and Topic Wordings

2. Types of Resolutions Resolution of fact Resolutions of ACTION Resolutions that ask you to argue what would happen if the government or some actor did something • 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

3. Reading the Resolution YES NO First Speaker Experienced Coach/Judge Late month tournaments Second Speaker Most Rounds Substitute with “We affirm/negate.” WHY SHOULDN’T I READ THIS??? • First Speaker • Lay Judge • “Old School” Judge • First two tournaments on topic • Second Speaker • Lay Judge • “Old School” Judge • If First Speaker Doesn’t Read It

4. Burdens • Burdens are requirements you believe the resolution makes on teams. • Burdens answer the question, “At a minimum, what do I (or they) have to do win?” • Burdens can be abusive. What does that mean? • Ground • Fairness

5. Definitions • Only read them if they impact your case! • First speaker trick: “All definitions work operationally.” Then define after the 2nd speaker only if it’s beneficial for you.

6. The Most Important Word in a Resolution (most of the time)

7. Should/Will PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: Immigration reform should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States. • Resolved: The continuation of current U.S. anti-drug policies in Latin America will do more harm than good. • Resolved: The U.S. government should not require its citizens to have health insurance. • Resolved: Congress should renew the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. • Should usually indicates the need for an agent in the resolution. • Should also create the need for policy action – it gives both teams an idea of their burdens.

8. Improve/Strengthen • Create a baseline or past relationship– the team must show improvement of the baseline PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: NATO should strengthen its relationship with Ukraine in order to deter further Russian aggression • Resolved: Single-gender classrooms would improve the quality of education in American public schools.

9. Outweigh PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: The benefits of domestic surveillance by the NSA outweigh the harms. • Resolved: The benefits of American drone strikes against foreign targets outweigh the harms. • Cost Benefit Analysis • Costs and Benefits should be same unit of measure • How do we do this? Impact Analysis Lecture • Which one does the CON have to defend? • Converse of the Resolution • Inverse of the Resolution

10. Benefit/Beneficial PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: On balance, the rise of China is beneficial to the interests of the United States. • Cost Benefit Analysis • Costs are implied in these resolutions. • Same measure

11. Undermines/Harms • Cost Benefit Analysis • Costs and Benefits should be same unit of measure • How do we do this? Impact Analysis Lecture PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: On balance, the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission harms the election process. • Resolved - Current U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East undermines our national security.

12. Violated PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: The Supreme Court rightly decided that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act violated the Constitution. • Supreme Court decisions usually require constitutional theory.

13. Justified PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: Unilateral military force by the United States is justified to prevent nuclear proliferation. • LD type Value/Criterion • Morality • Just War Theory

14. Prioritizing/Prioritize PAST RESOLUTIONS • Resolved: Prioritizing economic development over environmental protection is in the best interest of the people of India. • Resolved: Development assistance should be prioritized over military aid in the Sahel region of Africa. • Resolved: The United States should prioritize tax increases over spending cuts. • Which one does the CON have to defend? • Converse of the Resolution • Inverse of the Resolution