Debate Jargon

Concepts and Terms for debate

1 AC

• Prima Facie is a latin term borrowed from the legal system which means "on first appearance." Basically a prima facie case is a complete justification for my plan.

• There are four parts that make a complete affirmative case in policy debate, we call them The Stock Issues:

• The Stock Issues: Topicality, Harms, Inherency, Solvency. THIS is a popular pnemonic.

• Also called “voting issues”

Topicality

The affirmative team MUST support the resolution. IF they don’t, they haven’t met their duty in the debate and should lose even if every other argument they make is convincing.

HARM/COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE

The affirmative team has a duty to convince you that something is wrong and that they can improve things.

This is usually a reason why the Status Quo - more latin, for "the way things are right now" - is bad.

INHERENCY

The affirmative team should have a reasonable explanation about what causes the problem. They should present a plan which isn’t already being done or which is demonstrably “substantially increased.”

INHERENCY

As an affirmative, there are two possible attacks I'd need to defend against. First of all, I'd need to make sure that my plan, as written, won't happen on the status quo.

SOLVENCY/WORKABILITY

The plan presented by the affirmative team should be able to reduce or eliminate the harms presented. The affirmative should be able to present reasonable explanations and other support to convince you that the plan will make things better.

Other Important Terms

• Evidence– Anything that establishes a fact or gives us a reason to

believe something

• resolution – The proposition adopted by the debate league in which all

debaters will debate• plan

The third observation of the traditional debate case that provides the strategy for solving the harms. Given in the 1acAll plans need to include agency, funding, mandates, and enforcement.

• flowsheet The system of note-taking used by debaters and judges to make sure all arguments "flow“ together.

• funding The part of the policy debate affirmative plan that is the means of paying for the plan.

• definitions The first observation of the traditional debate case that defines necessary terms of the resolution and any other pertinent terms the affirmative deems necessary.

• burden of proof The responsibility of the affirmative, burden of proof is the case given to convince the judge that change to the status quo should take place.

• agency The part of the policy debate affirmative plan that is the instrument used to administer the plan.

• advantages The fourth observation of the traditional debate case that provides solvency to the

• affirmative case.

Presumption

We presume that everything is working OK until the affirmative team can give reasonable proof otherwise. They must show something is wrong and that they have a plan to make things better.

SIGNIFCANCE

The problem claimed by the affirmative team should be of sufficient seriousness to warrant action by the federal government.

DISADVANTAGES

Sometimes when action is taken, there are negative consequences. Debaters call these disadvantages.

COUNTERPLAN

The duty of the negative team is to oppose the resolution. The may choose to agree with the problem presented by the affirmative team but argue that there is a better way to solve it than adopting the resolution.

fiat

• The right of the affirmative to enact a plan without worrying about the possibility of it not being enacted because of today's political environment. The affirmative can claim an Amendment to the Constitution will be adopted regardless of how difficult it would be to do today. This power is granted so debaters will stick with the issues.

drop• When a team fails to or chooses to discard an

argument from the debate round. • The negative team generally is the side which

can allow for the dropping of arguments for they preside with presumption.

• The affirmative side can drop insignificant issues, but must be careful not to drop any of the voting issues.

OMG I am so overwhelmed, where do I start?

• The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty

• Substantially- General Definitions• "Substantial" is of real worth or considerable value- this is the usual meaning• Words and Phrases 2 (Volume 40A, p. 458)• D.S.C. 1966. The word “substantial” within Civil Rights Act providing that a place is a public accommodation if a

“substantial” portion of food which is served has moved in commerce must be construed in light of its usual and customary meaning, that is, something of real worth and importance; of considerable value; valuable, something worthwhile as distinguished from something without value or merely nominal

• Substantial means considerable in quantity• Merriam-Webster 2003 (www.m-w.com)• Main Entry: sub·stan·tial b : considerable in quantity : significantly great <earned a substantial wage>• Substantially means including the material or essential part• Words and Phrases 05 (v. 40B, p. 329)• Okla. 1911. “Substantially” means in substance; in the main; essentially; by including the material or essential part.• “Substantially” means to large extent• Merriam-Webster 2002 (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)• To a great extent or degree• “Substantially” means strongly• Merriam-Webster 2002 (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)• In a strong substantial way• “Substantially” means to have importance• Merriam-Webster 2002 (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)• Considerable in importance, value, degree, amount, or extent• “Substantially” is not imaginary• Merriam-Webster 2002 (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)• True or real; not imaginary• “Substantially” means ample• Merriam-Webster 2002 (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary)• Ample; sustaining

• Increase- Make Greater• Increase is to make larger• American Heritage Dictionary 1(American Heritage Dictionary

www.answers.com/topic/increase ,2/1/2001 , DA 6/20/11, OST)• To become greater or larger. To multiply; reproduce. • Increase is to become greater in size, number or intensity• Merriam-Webster 5(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/increase,

dictionary, November 13 2005, DA 6/21/11, OST)• to become progressively greater (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)• Increase is to add to• Dictionary.com 6(Dictionary.com: definitions, 11/3/2006,

dictionary.reference.com, DA 6/21/11, OST)• To make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to

increase taxes.• Increase means add duration to• Word and Phrases 8 (vol. 20B, p. 265)• Me. 1922. Within Workmen’s Compensation Act, § 36, providing for review of any

agreement, award, findings, or decree, and that member of Commission may increase, diminish, or discontinue compensation, an “increase” may include an extension of the time of the award. –Graney’s Case, 118 A. 369, 121 Me.500.—Work Comp 2049.

• poverty• • Definition• Condition where people's basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter are

not being met. Poverty is generally of two types: (1) Absolute poverty is synonymous with destitution and occurs when people cannot obtain adequate resources (measured in terms of calories or nutrition) to support a minimum level of physical health. Absolute poverty means about the same everywhere, and can be eradicated as demonstrated by some countries. (2) Relative poverty occurs when people do not enjoy a certain minimum level of living standards as determined by a government (and enjoyed by the bulk of the population) that vary from country to country, sometimes within the same country. Relative poverty occurs everywhere, is said to be increasing, and may never be eradicated.

Each February, the Census Bureau publishes the federal poverty thresholds—the income levels for different sized households below which a household is defined as living “in poverty.” Each August, the bureau reports how many families, children, adults, and senior citizens fell below the poverty threshold in the prior year. As of 2004, the federal poverty thresholds were as follows:

Household Size Federal Poverty Threshold

1 person $ 9,310

2 people 12,490

3 people 15,670

4 people 18,850

5 or more Add $3,180 per person

• social service n. 1. Organized efforts to advance human welfare; social work.

• 2. Services, such as free school lunches, provided by a government for its disadvantaged citizens. Often used in the plural.

• social services• • Definition• Benefits and facilities such as education, food subsidies,

health care, and subsidized housing provided by a government to improve the life and living conditions of the children, disabled, the elderly, and the poor in the national community.

Possible Social Service Plans:

• Plan: Adoption • Plan: Caretakers • Plan: Disabled • Plan: Education • Plan: EITC • Plan: Foster Care • Plan: General Homelessness • Plan: Head Start • Plan: Health Care -- General • Plan: Hyde Amendment Repeal • Plan: Immigrant Health Care

• Plan: Indians • Plan: Job Training • Plan: Katrina • Plan: Legal Services for the Poor • Plan: Marriage Promotion • Plan: Medicaid • Plan: Military Recruitment • Plan: Needle Exchanges • Plan: Prison Social Services • Plan: Refugees & Unaccompanied Mino

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• Plan: Reparations • Plan: Socialism • Plan: Telecommunications & Inner Cities • Plan: Transportation • Plan: Veteran Health • Plan: Welfare Reform

Possible Social Service Plans:

• Abortion• Community Health Care• Education• Faith Based Services• Federal Legal Aid• FEMA• Foodstamps• Gangs

• Higher Education• Housing• Immigration• Marriage Incentives• School Lunches• Sex Trafficking• Transgender• Women’s Health