*Updated for 2024*
Bryan Gaston
Director of Debate
Heritage Hall School
1800 Northwest 122nd St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73120-9598
bgaston@heritagehall.com

I view judging as a responsibility and one I take very seriously. I have decided to try and give you as much information about my tendencies to assist with MPJ and adaptation.

**NEW NOTE, I may be old but I'm 100% right on this trend: Under-highlighting of evidence has gotten OUT OF CONTROL, some teams are reading cards with such few things highlighted it is amazing they actually got away with claiming the evidence as tagged. When I evaluate evidence, I will ONLY EVALUATE the words in that evidence that were read in the round. If you didn't read it in a speech I will not read the unhighlighted sections and give you the full weight of the evidence--you get credit for what you actually say in the speech, and what you actually read in the round. Debaters, highlight better. When you see garbage highlighting point it out, and make an argument about it---if the highlighting is really bad I will likely agree and won't give the card much credit. This does not mean you can't have good, efficient highlighting, but you must have a claim, data, and warrant(s) on each card.**

Quick Version:

1. Debate is a competitive game.

2. I will vote on framework and topicality-Affs should be topical. But, you can still beat framework with good offense or a crafty counter-interpretation.

3. DA's and Aff advantages can have zero risk.

4. Neg conditionality is mostly good.

5. Counterplans and PICs --good (better to have a solvency advocate than not), process CPs a bit different. It is a very debatable thing for me but topic-specific justifications go a long way with me.

6. K's that link to the Aff plan/advocacy/advantages/reps are good.

7. I will not decide the round over something X team did in another round, at another tournament, or a team's judge prefs.

8. Email Chain access please: bgaston@heritagehall.com

9. The debate should be a fun and competitive activity, be kind to each other and try your best.

My Golden Rule: When you have the option to choose a more specific strategy vs a more generic strategy, always choose the more specific strategy if you are equally capable of executing both strategies. But I get it, sometimes you have to run a process CP or a more generic K.

Things not to do: Don't run T is an RVI, don't hide evidence from the other team to sabotage their prep, don't lie about your source qualifications, don't text or talk to coaches to get "in round coaching" after the round has started, please stay and listen to RFD's I am typically brief, and don't deliberately spy on the other teams pre-round coaching. I am a high school teacher and coach, who is responsible for high school-age students. Please, don't read things overtly sexual if you have a performance aff--since there are minors in the room I think that is inappropriate.

Pro-tip: FLOW---don't stop flowing just because you have a speech doc.

"Clipping" in debate: Clipping in the debate is a serious issue and one of the things I will be doing to deter clipping in my rounds is requesting a copy of all speech docs before the debaters start speaking and while flowing I read along to check from time to time.

CX: This is the only time you have “face time” with the judge. Please look at the judge not at each other. Your speaker points will be rewarded for a great CX and lowered for a bad one. Be smart in CX, assertive, but not rude.

Speaker Point Scale updated: Speed is fine, and clarity is important. If you are not clear I will yell out “Clear.” The average national circuit debate starts at 28.4, Good is 28.5-28.9 (many national circuit rounds end up in this range), and Excellent 29-29.9. Can I get a perfect 30? I have given 3 in 20 years if HS judging they all went on to win the NDT in college. I will punish your points if you are excessively rude to opponents or your partner during a round.

Long Version...

Affirmatives: I still at my heart of hearts prefer and Aff with a plan that's justifiably topical. But, I think it's not very hard for teams to win that if the Aff is germane to the topic that's good enough. I'm pretty sympathetic to the Neg if the Aff has very little to or nothing to do with the topic. If there is a topical version of the Aff I tend to think that takes away most of the Aff's offense in many of these T/FW debates vs no plan Affs--unless the Aff can explain why there is no topical version and they still need to speak about "X" on the Aff or why their offense on T still applies.

Disadvantages: I like them. I prefer specific link stories (or case-specific DA’s) to generic links, as I believe all judges do. But, if all you have is generic links go ahead and run them, I will evaluate them. The burden is on the Aff team to point out those weak link stories. I think Aff’s should have offense against DA’s it's just a smarter 2AC strategy, but if a DA clearly has zero link or zero chance of uniqueness you can win zero risk. I tend to think politics DA's are core negative ground--so it is hard for me to be convinced I should reject the politics DA because debating about it is bad for debate. My take: I often think the internal link chains of DA's are not challenged enough by the Aff, many Aff teams just spot the Neg the internal links---It's one of the worst effects of the prevalence of offense/defense paradigm judging over the past years...and it's normally one of the weaker parts of the DA.

Counterplans: I like them. I generally think most types of counterplans are legitimate as long as the Neg wins that they are competitive. I am also fine with multiple counterplans. On counterplan theory, I lean pretty hard that conditionality and PICs are ok. You can win theory debates over the issue of how far negatives can take conditionality (battle over the interps is key). Counterplans that are functionally and textually competitive are always your safest bet but, I am frequently persuaded that counterplans which are functionally competitive or textually competitive are legitimate. My Take: I do however think that the negative should have a solvency advocate or some basis in the literature for the counterplan. If you want to run a CP to solve terrorism you need at least some evidence supporting your mechanism. My default is that I reject the CP, not the team on Aff CP theory wins.

Case debates: I like it. Negative teams typically underutilize this. I believe well planned impacted case debate is essential to a great negative strategy. Takeouts and turns can go a long way in a round.

Critiques: I like them. In the past, I have voted for various types of critiques. I think they should have an alternative or they are just non-unique impacts. I think there should be a discussion of how the alternative interacts with the Aff advantages and solvency. Impact framing is important in these debates. The links to the Aff are very important---the more specific the better.

Big impact turn debates: I like them. Want to throw down in a big Hegemony Good/Bad debate, Dedev vs Growth Good, method vs method, it's all good.

Topicality/FW: I tend to think competing interpretations are good unless told otherwise...see the Aff section above for more related to T.

Theory: Theory sets up the rules for the debate game. I tend to evaluate theory debates in an offensive/defense paradigm, paying particular attention to each teams theory impacts and impact defense. The interpretation debate is very important to evaluating theory for me. For a team to drop the round on theory you must impact this debate well and have clear answers to the other side's defense.

Impact framing-- it's pretty important, especially in a round where you have a soft-left Aff with a big framing page vs a typical neg util based framing strat.

Have fun debating!

I am the head debate coach at Crossings Christian Schools. I graduated the University of North Texas. I debated for four years at Edmond North High School. I have debated and judged both traditional policy and critique debate. I have also judged LD debate.

Debate what you are good at. I am comfortable judging any argument as long as it is clearly explained. However, I am more of a traditional policy debater.

Email: alexaglendinning@gmail.com This is if you have any questions about my decision, debate in general, or for email chains.

Some argument specifics:

Topicality/FW: I love a good T or FW debate. I think that these arguments are critical because it determines the rules for the debate round. With this said, I do NOT like RVI's and I probably won't vote on those. With T, I need a clear interpretation of what is fair and why the other team violates that.

Theory: I love Theory debates. It sets up the rules for the debate round. I think theory could either favor the neg or be a complete wash in debate rounds depending on how it is debated. With theory debates, I need a clear interpretation of what is fair and why the other team violates that.

Disadvantages: I like them. The more specific your link story, the better. However, if you only have generic links, I will still evaluate them.

Counterplans: I like them. I believe that all counterplans are legitimate unless debated otherwise by the affirmative i.e. CP Theory. You have to win that they are competitive in order for me to vote on them.

Ks: They're fine.

Case debate: I love a good case debate. I think that this has gone out of style in current policy debate. I really want to see this come back.

Other Notes:

Use CX wisely. CX is a great tool that teams under-utilize. It is an important part of the debate round. It is in your best interest.

FLOW!!! Flowing is one of the most important things in a debate round. This is your map for where the debate has been and where the debate is going to go.

Speed is fine, but clarity is more important. If you aren't being clear, then I will not be able to understand or evaluate the arguments that you are making. I would rather you be clear than fast.

What not to do:

Do Not steal prep. Use it wisely. If you use it wisely then you wouldn't have to try and steal it. DON'T STEAL PREP.

Do Not Run T as an RVI. See the T section of my paradigm.

Do Not text with anyone during a debate round. Just Do Not use your phone at all during a debate round. The only exception is if you are using your phone as a timer. You should be focused on debating. Put your phone in airplane mode. This allows for less temptation.

Have Fun Debating!

O/V

She/Her pronouns.

I'm a Moore varsity debater, and I've been debating policy for 3 years now. That being said, I've ran just about any kind of argument there is in policy, examples include: Topicality, Counterplans, Kritiks, Disads, Theory, etc.

I'm open to any kind of arguments as long as it's not offensive, examples include: racism good, genocide good, pineapples on pizza good, etc.

Clarity over speed, I'm not tryna decipher jibberish. If I can't understand it, I won't flow it. However, I don't have a problem with spreading, and I believe in being organized. Clearly signposting = me flowing your args well = better chance at getting the ballot

My email for questions/email chain is han.le052@gmail.com

Don't email me for questions unless it's about debate or how great I am

Kritiks

I'm a Moore debater, we're all filthy K hacks, enough said. I'm well versed in K lit, but I won't be making your arguments/filling in the gaps for you. Either you know what you're doing, or you don't run it. Don't try to run kritiks to get my ballot, I won't be voting for you if you don't know what's going on, even if I do like Ks. Impact calc is sexy, and so is solvency. Make sure you flesh out your arguments and clearly tell me why I should be voting for your K.

If you run anthro or baudrillard I'll hate you, but I'll still flow it.

Case arguments

They're good. They're great. They're reliable. They have your back. Use them. Please.

Disadvantages/Counterplans

DAs - make sure you have a link to the AFF, I'll take generic ones but I prefer specific ones. Extend your impacts. Explain to me why the AFF causes extinction or whatever. If you thoroughly convince me that the AFF will cause the DA, it should be an easy win for the NEG.

CPs - on god, please tell me why the CP is better than the AFF. I'd prefer it if you run CPs with DAs, but you do you.

Theory

As long as it's fleshed out well and you can explain to me why this theory debate isn't just a time waster, I'll consider it.

FW/Topicality

Unlike Stephanie Dixon, a disgusting K hack, I'm down for FW and T. Unfortunately, many teams only use T and FW as a time waster instead of an actual argument, so unless the argument is fleshed out and you sell me how unfair the other team is being, I probably won't vote on it unless the other team drops it entirely. I have a high threshold on T and FW, tell me how the other team is violating your interp and tell me why your interp is better for debate.

Speaker Points

Stan Exo and I'll be more considerate to your speaker points.

Respect your opponents. Don't speak over them in CX, don't yell at them, don't be condescending, don't misgender your opponents on purpose. This will reflect on your speaker points, and if it gets extreme, it'll reflect the ballot.

Why should I pref you?

I am knowledgeable on a wide array of arguments and comfortable judging a round anyway it unfolds. I can evaluate your framework, or your theory shell, or your performance, or your poetry, or your policy aff. There is nothing I'm unwilling to watch, flow, and engage with. I am a flexible judge with the desire to watch you read whatever you want and are good at. I have multiple years of diverse debate experience ranging from traditional LD, progressive policy debate (including multiple performances cases) and public forum.

How do you feel about K's?

I like them. Establish a clear link to the affirmative, provide an explanation of the alternative, and explain the literature. I LOVE debates with passion. I feel like debate should be a place where we can talk about anything and everything- please feel free to do that in front of me. I want to hear your narratives, poetry, and hot take on capitalism.

How do you feel about framework/theory/topicality?

Framework makes the game work. I love a good framework debate- keep it clean, technical and provide voting issues. I can definitely get down with a solid framework debate- keep the nuance. I can really appreciate a shell that is personalized to around and not just read directly off a computer. Potential abuse isn't really a voter, but maybe you can convince me.

Can I run my policy aff in front of you?

Absolutely! Have internal links to your impacts and weigh them!

What do you NOT like?

When people are rude to each other in the round. I would also prefer you abstain from using gendered language- including terms like "you guys". I like when oponnents are kind, knowledgeable, and non-problematic.

How do you evaluate a round?

However the debaters tell me to. If I am instructed to evaluate a round through a certain framework, I will. If I am told to evaluate through a role of the ballot, or a role of the judge, I will. I prefer to evaluate based off clear framework and impact weighing- good old magnitude, timeframe, and probability.

matthew4thepeople@gmail.com

Matt He/Him/His

Put me on the email chain and I hope you get my ballot!

Saif Salim

Heritage Hall, Class of 2020

Amherst College, Class of 2024

ssalim24@amherst.edu (I want to be on email chains)

TLDR for Pre-Round Prep:

Be nice and have fun!

Policy aff's are great. I prefer strong internal link chains over 6 impacts. Make sure to actually clash on framing debates.

K aff's are great. Make them have something to do with the topic. Be clear about your mechanism from the 1AC.

Framework is great. Fairness is a weak impact, but a strong internal link. Please organize your speeches well.

K's are great. Make sure your links apply to the plan or reps of the 1AC.

DA's: Read specific links to the aff and detailed internal links to make me happy

CP's: Read em. Aff specificity is great, but a huge multi plank advantage counterplan that solves the whole aff is awesome if you can justify it. I hate ConCon and RegNeg, but I like topic-specific process counterplans.

T: Yes, if you actually think your interpretation is reasonable for the topic.

Top Level

Debate is a great place to challenge yourself and have fun while doing it... the first thing that I want to see is that everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time. Some debaters think that they're too good or cool to afford their opponents respect and decency in-round: if this is you, I will not be a good judge to have in the back of your round. We are all here to have fun and get better, so if you are jeopardizing that in any way, don't expect me to be as willing to vote for you.

If you have any questions, don't be afraid to shoot me an email or ask before the round starts. I'd be happy to clarify anything on this paradigm or offer you any other insight that I might have forgotten to include here.

In the world of online debating, make sure that you are slowing down and emphasizing more. It's hard to hear arguments coming at 400wpm over a zoom call, especially if there are connection issues. Plus, I flow on my computer so I can't see you while you're speaking - all non-verbal cues will have to come from your vocal inflection... make sure you're being clear about where you are in a line of arguments.

Tech over truth, for the most part. I try to stay as impartial in every round and evaluate things as objectively as I can within the bounds of the information that the round has provided. The only time tech over truth doesn't hold up is when you have insufficiently explained your argument - if you don't have a warrant or explanation to back up your claims, I won't feel comfortable voting for something.

About me

I debated for Heritage Hall from 2016-2020, was coached primarily by Bryan Gaston, Jasmine Stidham, and Joshua Michael, won the Oklahoma state championship as a sophomore with a senior partner (Vyas Venkataraman) and won NSDA nationals in Policy as a senior with a junior partner (Sam Ring). I ran mostly policy arguments for my first two years of debate as a 2A, but started leaning more toward K debate my junior year as a 2N. My senior year I was pretty flex... we read a K aff and I went for several different K's on the neg, but I also went for Process CP's and Heg DA's. You can really run anything in front of me and I'll be pretty receptive to hearing it.

Aff’s

I really don’t have much to talk to y’all about. Just do your thing. So many teams don’t actually utilize their case, let alone their 1AC.

If you read a soft left aff (as I imagine most will on the CJR topic), make sure your framing page doesn't just look like an extension of your 1AC authors and that's it. You need to engage the other team... I've seen way too many debates come down to a wash on the framing page which is unfortunate since it guides so much of how I will evaluate the rest of the round.

Planless Aff’s

If you want to run a planless aff and actually have a legitimate reason to do so (There’s a reason you cannot affirm the resolution, not just “But Bataille!!!”), I’m here for it. I love a well thought out K aff executed strongly.

That being said, I did like to go for, and will vote on, framework. You should have other strategies ready to go, and I don’t think you can read the same framework argument against every K Aff, but it’s still a good argument to fall back on if you have nothing else. I think that I actually lean slightly to the aff on the issue of framework debates: it will take you just a bit more work, but it won’t be too much. I'm predisposed to think fairness is an impact (that's magnitude can be debated) but could be persuaded otherwise.

Planless Aff’s vs. K’s – Excellent, if there are links. These are my favorite rounds to judge when executed well. Just make sure you actually link to their argument, not just the overarching lit base the K aff comes from (Not all links to SetCol lit apply to every SetCol K aff, for ex.) Also, I know the debate of whether or not the aff gets a perm can be a messy one, so you tell me how to evaluate it. I will probably lean to the aff getting a perm, but if you tell me otherwise, you can sway me.

Kritiks

I’m a pretty big fan of a lot of K literature. That being said, if your link is “STATE BAD” without any contextualization, then I don’t want to hear it. Otherwise, if you have links contextualized to the aff, it will probably be good in front of me.

Well structured, technical K debate that emphasizes key issues in the round is vastly preferred over more nebulous "cloud clash" K debate with massive overviews. I don't think I've heard a single K that needed more than a 45-second overview. If you compartmentalize the flow cleanly into the Overview/Framework/Links/Impact/Alt, I will be very happy and it will be a much cleaner round to evaluate.

In high school, I ran all kinds of K's, ranging from vanilla cap K's to a Deleuze and Guattari K Aff my senior year. You can run almost anything in front of me, but make sure that you still explain your arguments. I'm familiar with the language and scholarship of DnG, and am familiar with the lit bases around Cap, SetCol, Antiblackness, Reps K's, etc.

You will almost never be able to persuade me that the aff doesn't get a perm. You can debate whether or not that permutation is possible or desirable, but I will almost always grant the aff that they can permute the K in some form or another. The solvency of that permutation is another question that should be debated accordingly.

Presumption flips when there is a K (with an alt) in the 2NR.

Impact Turns -

Yes. Please. Big case debates are awesome, but make sure you're doing it cleanly and clearly. Dedev is great, Heg bad is solid. Wipeout and Spark are ehhhhhhhhh... a bit more annoying, but I could be persuaded to vote for it if you debate it well enough. Just don't be cheeky about it.

DA’s

The more specific to the aff, the better. I’m not the biggest fan of the politics DA (every debate sounds the SAME) – I know they are strategically important and useful, but I just wish the debates didn’t all sound identical. Please contextualize your arguments.

I'm a sucker for a well explained internal link scenario, and good impact analysis. Make sure your impact calculus is contextualized, and specific to the internal link scenario the aff has presented.

CP’s

I think that you should craft your CP’s to be nuanced and specific to the aff. Same as the politics DA, I know there is strategic value in generic CP’s like States on the Education topic and Parole on the Immigration topic, but it’s just so awesome when the CP is hyper-specific to the Aff. You won’t be docked for reading generic CP’s, but you will be rewarded for reading specific ones.

I ran a lot of topic-specific process-type CP's in high school, so don't be afraid of running them in front of me. The key word is topic-specific: I don't enjoy process counterplans that have nothing to do with the topic like ConCon and RegNeg. Instead, read something like the Deliveries CP from arms sales or the Parole CP from Immigration. Also be prepared to defend yourself on the perm and theory debates. If you know how Stephen Pipkin evaluates CP's, you know how I evaluate them too.

Presumption flips when there is a CP in the 2NR.

T -

I love a good topicality debate, but only when the evidence is good. Make sure your authors are contextual, have the intent to define, and clearly describe what you're trying to define.

Make sure you impact out why limits are important. Too many teams just go for "their interp is unlimiting and steals neg ground" which is just an internal link to some other impact... make sure you finish your internal link chain and actually give me something to vote on.

Competing interps over reasonability, unless they're just on the right side of truth. I tend to side with the argument that abuse is based off what the Aff's interpretation justifies, not necessarily what they do.

Theory -

Filter - If it's a new aff, there is a much higher threshold for me to vote on theory because the neg has to see what sticks.

1AR’s – you gotta extend theory for a bit of time (45 seconds at a BARE minimum) if you want it to be 5 mins of the 2AR. Make sure you’re extending it strategically.

Conditionality – It’s generally good. That does not mean that the neg can be abusive, nor does it mean that I won’t vote on it if it is debated well. Probably up to 2 condo is good… more is a bit sketchy. This is the ONLY REASON TO REJECT THE TEAM.

Conditional Ethics - Usually bad. Teams don't read condo ethics as much as I would like them to... if a 1NC has both an abolition K and a process CP in it, don't be afraid to pull the trigger on condo ethics, even if you're just using it as a solvency takeout to the K.

Tricky CP theory – I generally don’t want to vote on “your CP is too sneaky.” Of course there are a few caveats to this. If the CP is just incredibly theoretically abusive, I might vote on it. Things I probably won’t vote on: Agent CP theory, International CP theory, PIC theory, Multi-plank CP’s bad, etc.

Perm Theory – I have never seen anyone actually go for severance/intrinsic theory, but I guess I would. I’m not sure. It’s not a reason to reject the team.

K Theory – Floating PIK’s are a problem but you need to address them early in the round. I think that if the Aff doesn’t make a theory argument in the speech after it was revealed to be a PIK, I won’t vote on it. Sorry.

Vague Alts theory is definitely something that everyone needs to read more. Alts are so confusing and shift-ey. Please pin them down on something that they have to defend, and if they keep slipping around, run theory, and don’t be afraid to go for it.

I think that’s all we need to go over, but if you have any questions, just let me know.

Speaker Points

I will start at a 28.5 and move from there.

29.4-29.7 - I expect you to be in late elims, if not in finals.

29.1-29.3 - I expect you to break, and maybe win a few elimination rounds.

28.7-29 - I expect you to be on the brink between breaking and not.

30 - I don't think I will ever give out one, so if you receive on from me, congratulations on being the best debater that I have ever seen compete. This is reserved solely for legendary debaters who will be spoken about for years to come.

25-27 - you have said or done something in the round that unsettled me to the point where I think you should seriously re-evaluate the way you debate. This is almost exclusively reserved for debaters who are excessively rude or hateful.

Miscellaneous:

I will not vote on anything that happened outside of the round because I cannot verify anything that I was not there for. Sorry, but it's just something I can't evaluate.

If you actively advocate for racist/sexist/homophobic/ableist/transphobic/etc arguments I will tank your speaks and vote you down. I don't want to have written this, because this should be a given by now. Oh well.

If you clip cards, you will lose.

Don't steal prep. I won't vote you down immediately, but I will be pretty mad and may lower your speaks.

Marissa Shuler

Pronouns: they/them

TL;DR – Do what you do best. I'm a kritikal debater, so i'm better at evaluating those rounds, but that doesn't mean I would vote for someone who is more policy oriented... this only means I probably won't like you very much if you read k's bad...

I'm really open to *most* though, just warrant everything out and try to convince me - bottomline: claims aren't enough.

If you're ridiculously offensive then I'll really have a different look at the round. Don't make people uncomfortable. It's not that hard. If you're too offensive, i'll vote you down (racial slurs, extreme ableist language, ad hominems, etc). Although it is my job to assess the round and who won on a technical level, if your opponent is on the brink of tears because of a word you used or problematic language you used OR if they feel legitimately unsafe, I have no reason to vote up a person who creates such a toxic space in debate. Be a decent human being.

I won't independently vote you down if you're kinda jerkish in round, but I very well may lower speaks if you're too mean.

Topicality:

Yeah just impact it out. I tend to think that if an aff is reasonably topical, then that's probs enough. Or if there's no sufficient ground loss then oh well... if the aff's plan makes you lose a single off case position likkeee OH WELL... doesn't matter to me.

To get me to vote on T, the affirmative will probably have to be extremely extra T or FX T.

It can be in the 2nr I supposed, but if you really do a good job explaining the impact then I will probably vote on it OR if the affirmative mishandles the flow.

TBH If the affirmative provides a sufficient reason as to why their aff is super great ground, it won't matter very much to me if their counterinterp is underlimiting. There's a lot worse that affirmative's could do to negative ground, like not reading a plan text at all (and this is coming from someone who reads K affs) I have little sympathy for typical topicality like t-substantial, t-in, etc.

Soft FW/T-USFG: much easier for me to vote neg on opposed to that hard right FW. Impact it out though. "defend something" fw is pretty cool against K aff's that don't do very much. You don't just win this flow because the aff didn't read a plan - that's not how debate works. You have to answer their args on the flow and prove how every debater has access to your interp. If a single debater doesn't have access to the type of debate you propose, that's enough of a reason to reject it...

Theory – I realllyyy love theory but I can't stand when debaters fail to really make the impact clear. Like anything in debate: you HAVE TO tell the judge why this arg even matters.

I will stop listening if you restate your standards speech by speech. I did this when I was a novice and I cringe when I see it now.

Framework v a K aff
Being someone who strictly runs K aff's, I may have some aff bias here. NOT to say that you can't win FW in front of me but... it's really tricky here.

@neg for you to win this debate on FW: 1) Understand the impacts 2) PLEASE READ A TVA and explain why it solves 3) Develop the switch side args. Explain why this round is key.

@aff for you to win this debate: 1) Impact Turn w your aff (aff's are good at doing this) 2) EXPLAIN WHY YOUR COUNTERINTERP IS ACTUALLY A GOOD FORM OF DEBATE 3) Be able to explain why the TVA doesn't solve and why switch side doesn't solve - IF YOU DO NOT CONTEST THE TVA OR SWITCH SIDE THEN I ERR NEG!!! YOU NEED TO HAVE THESE THINGS PREP'D!!!

The aff doesn't to make a we meet in front of me... in fact I think if you're impact turning their interp just go for a "F U i don't meet and I don't want to" but you should have a C/I.

The c/i doesn't have to be amazing - just has to be better than the aff interp.

I wouldn't recommend the neg going for this in the 2nr (in front of me) if they can't impact it out or if they don't understand it well. K aff's do a good job responding to FW, not to say that I won't vote neg in an instance where a TVA DEFINITELY solves or their is very little aff work done on the flow.

 


CP: Must be competitive and additionally have a clear net benefit. Personally, I'm probably not going to buy that 50 states fiat is like real or good... but that doesn't make this theory a voting issue for me always... it depends on how it's handled in the round.
I don't have any weird preferences on this.

 
DA: Yeah i'll vote on them? Develop the link(s) and impact. Just because you might be ahead on this flow (or any for that matter) doesn't mean you shouldn't still load it with more ink.

K’s: I love love love love love kritiks

But here's a few things: explain the link wall... if there's no link thennnnnn Perm (usually) solves. Explain the alternative and the alt solvency... even if it's in round solvency! Just do some good work. Don't expect me to vote you up because you read a kritik and I loooveee kritiks. That only means that I expect a decent amount from those of you who do runs Kritiks.

Annnddd don't do links of omission in front of me. That's a bad form of kritikal debate dude!

K v K debates (left v left)

Believe it or not the affirmative probably does get a permutation.

Yeah... they do! IMO... I will listen and possibly agree with arguments as to why it's a "methods debate! no perm" juuusttt tell me what that means and why I shouldn't vote on their permutation. Just saying that quote isn't an answer to a perm at all. I think if the method of the aff and the method of the k are similar enough, the aff should get their perm. Explain mutual exclusivity in and out of context of the links. There are other things that make them mutually exclusive. Know every part to your k.

You should give other reasons as well... stuff like the link wall! Yeahhh I don't see why you wouldn't but people do that in these types of debates. DON'T do that. READ YOUR LINK WALL... the links overwhelm the perm ---- if there are any perms.

I'll listen to root cause claims and they can be good ways to explain why the affirmative is the net benefit to the permutation! But you need to really convince me.

I don't know why some people think that it's mandatory for the aff to perm. If the K is productivity, and your aff impact turns productivity... then impact turn the K. 

Policy v K

Again! Don't assume that I'll instantly vote for the kritik!!!

But here's a few things...

- @aff "The link is generic" is not a reason that your affirmative doesn't link to the kritik... like that's not a no link argument at all. "These links are links to the squo and not links to things directly caused by the affirmative plan passing" - probably better

- @aff I still don't understand FW v K negs... it won't have anything to do with my decision. "We get to weigh the aff"??? I don't get it tbh. I don't think the purpose of the K is specifically to stop the aff from being able to weigh, I think the K can still concede that you get to weigh the aff against the K, but that doesn't mean that you'd win. The K should probably just be like "yeah we'll cede the aff can weigh their advantages but they're going to lose the weight debate"

- @neg yes the 1nc had link cards... if you can't explain how that's the aff thennnnn um you don't get those links. Yeah i'll read the doc but you need to actually make it clear how the aff is inherently ______.

- @neg "the links are all independent da's to the permutation!" if that's all you say on the perm then you're really not impacting it out and it makes me want to vote for you less

***** Yes! I am capable of voting on a permutation (EVEN IF YOU USE THE USfg). Just explain why the aff truly escapes those links and why the aff is such a great net benefit to the permutation!!!!!

Although I don't think the entire "step in the right direction" args means that you escape the links or that you can perm, I do think you should make that argument. If the neg doesn't contest it correctly, then yeaahhhh the aff gets the perm.

Policy v Policy

There's a lot in here... soooo just ask me questions about this ish when you see me.

I'm really down for anything. 

And most of this stuff was probably answered above...



ADDITIONAL THINGS
- Vote neg on presumption is a fair argument to make against affirmatives that don't do anything.
- Prep ends when the flash drive leaves the computer.