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Topicality (AKA “T”). Sue Peterson CSU Chico. The Resolution.
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Topicality (AKA “T”) Sue Peterson CSU Chico
The Resolution Resolved: the United States Federal Government should substantially increase the number of and/or substantially expand beneficiary eligibility for its visas for one or more of the following: employment-based immigrant visas, nonimmigrant temporary worker visas, family-based visas, human trafficking-based visas.
Major Types of “T” Arguments • Topicality • Effects Topicality • Extra Topicality • Specification
Views of Topicality • View #1 – The Good • View #2 – The Bad • View #3 – The Ugly Moral of the story is KNOW YOUR JUDGE!
Key Terms for 2010-2011 • expand beneficiary eligibility • its • employment-based immigrant visas • nonimmigrant temporary worker visas • family-based visas • human trafficking-based visas
For more info on Status Quo Visas • US Department of State - Temporary Workers
Competing Interpretations • Competitive Equity • Education Goal is to answer the question – What creates the best possible debates? But, in order to answer that, we have to know what makes a good debate..and in order to answer that, we have to KNOW YOUR JUDGE!
Competitive Interpretations • Contextual – Terms of Art or Statutory Terms • Limiting the debate without overlimiting the debate • Providing for negative links to topic specific arguments AND solvency/advantage possibilities • Predictable, but also allows for some creativity • Provides for a variety of affirmatives, but limits out some of the extremes • Limits a HUGE topic to something that is researchable within the timeframe of our debate season
Being Affirmative on “T” • Variety of answers – give yourself outs • Meet the interpretation • Offer a counter-interpretation (make sure you meet it) • Debate the Standards/Reasons to Prefer (RTPs) • Point out if their definition/interp doesn’t even meet their own standards • Explain why their standards are bad • Offer counterstandards • Compare standards to counterstandards • Debate the Impacts/Voting Issues • Similar to debating standards/RTPs
Stop the Madness RVIs
Why argue Spec? • Solvency arguments • Links to disadvantages/case turns • Competitiveness of agent CPs
Over-specification • Going beyond the three branches of government to identify executive agencies such as DHS, or Department of State.
Spec – its love/hate! KNOW YOUR JUDGE!
Some Stylistic Suggestions • Slow down if you are super-fast and expect to go for these arguments. • Make complete arguments. Claims AND warrants. • Make sure you have a good flow of all responses and clearly identify them in your speech. • If they drop it, go for it! But, you might give yourself another out in front of certain judges. • Use cross-applications to other flows – think big picture. • Don’t make it your winning strategy – make it a strategic op