Tim Alderete - The Meadows School

-It's either Aff prep or Neg prep - No one preps for free.

-Text, from a debater I just judged to their coach, who is a friend of mine: “What is your friend on? He started my timer early because I took a deep breath.” Me: I'm gonna put that in my Paradigm!

-I do want to be on the email chain, but I won't be reading along with your speech doc - timalderete@yahoo.com

-I am cantankerous about Prep time - for me, it ends when you hit Send on the Email.

-The majority of my decisions will revolve around a lack of flowing or line by line structure.

-I will vote for most any coherent argument. A "coherent" argument must be one that I can defend to the team or debater who lost. Many think this makes me interventionist, but you don't pref me anyway.

-I not the best judge for bad arguments, the Politics Disad, or dumb theory. I will try to take them as seriously as you do, but everyone has their limits. (For example, I have never voted for disclosure theory, because I have never heard an intelligent argument defending it.)

-I do not vote for unethical arguments. The "Contact Information Disclosure" argument is dangerous and unethical because it abets online predators. It will receive a loss and minimum points.

-I don't give great speaker points. To compensate, if you show me decent flows you can get up to an extra point. Please do this Before I enter the ballot.

-I "can handle" your "speed" and I will only call "Clearer" once or twice if you are unclear.

-I have judged and coached a lot of LD rounds – I like philosophical arguments more than you may expect.

-I have judged and coached a lot of Policy rounds – I tend to think like a Policy debater.

Please put me on the email chain: applebymikaela@gmail.com

About me:

· - I debated at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California and am currently a sophomore at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

· -I read a heg aff and consider myself very policy-oriented, but I will to listen to whatever you are prepared to read

· - I will reward debaters who explain their arguments well, engage their opponents’ arguments, and resolve my ballot in the 2ar/2nr with high speaker points

· - Clarity and line by line > pure speed

· -I was a 2A throughout high school I lean aff on most theory questions (specifics are explained below)

Specific preferences-

Topicality: T debates are either the best or worst types of debates, it is up to you in the round to determine which side of this you will fall on. To have a good T debate you must explain what the topic looks like under your interpretation. On the aff generic counter-interps are usually fine, but it is best if you have a counter-interp that is contextual to your aff. I will evaluate T debates similarly to disad debates. Your violation is the link and you must explain an internal link and impact. Simply saying “prefer our interpretation because we limit the topic”, will not win my ballot. Instead, you should tell me how your counter-interp accesses limits/ground and why that outweighs the aff’s offense. I think of reasonability as a question of aff predictability and I will vote on it, but this requires the aff to explain why they are reasonable in the context of the specific debate instead of reading generic blocks through rebuttals.

T vs. K affs: Fairness is an impact. I fundamentally believe that debate is a game and that attaching survival strategies to the ballot is problematic. As a judge, it is not within my jurisdiction to affirm or reject your personal experience. This does not mean that I will always vote against k affs, but if you do read one in front of me you must explain your form of education and know your lit base. Do not assume that I am deep in the lit on your Vampiric Capitalist Princess affirmative, I am not.

Disads: If you do not know why the disad outweighs and/or turns the case then you should not read it. The 2nr/2ar should generally spend the majority of their time on this part of the debate. Additionally, if the 1nc is 7 off and one of those off is a one or two card disad that you then develop in the block then the aff will always get new answers in the 1ar. Neg strategies focused on tricking the other team are silly and show me that you are not confident in your ability to win the debate. The link to the aff should be clear and the 2ac should flag generic/uncontextualized links.

Counterplans/Counterplan theory: Specific counterplans with strategic net benefits show that you have thought about the aff and spent time prepping. These are my favorite types of debates to judge. If theory is your only 2ar choice, then go for it. Word PICs, Commissions CPs, and Consult CPs are probably abusive, but that does not mean I will automatically vote aff if you go for theory. You must explain why the neg has made it impossible for you to debate by reading their abusive CP. I think that specific PIC’s are a good way to test the aff and lead to more in-depth topic education.

Kritiks: To win the K in front of me you should have a robust explanation of the importance of your form of education on the framework debate and/or provide a clear vision of an alternative. The K should also be specifically applied to the affirmative. The K’s I am most familiar with/give 1nr’s on often are security, neolib, and university. Read whatever you want in front of me, just explain it well.

Theory: 2 conditional worlds are probably fine. If they are contradictory and you can point to in-round abuse, then I may be convinced to vote aff. 3 or more conditional worlds are probably abusive. To win on condo it must be the entire 2ar. Simply getting to the condo debate with 20 seconds left and saying “also you could vote aff on condo because they made it impossible for us to debate”, will not win my ballot. Vague alts and utopian alts are reasons to reject the argument, not the team. This section is pretty brief, if you have any specific questions feel free to ask me before the round :)

Impact turns: Go for it. Impact turn debates are great if you understand the lit base and can explain it well. I will vote on even the most absurd impact turns if you win the rest of the debate. That being said, I will not vote on racism good or patriarchy good.

she/they, lay-uh, not lee-uh

leah.clarkvilla@gmail.com

[Judge Info]

A) I've competed and coached high school and college policy debate since 2008.

B) I've taught new novice students and instructed K-12 teachers about Parli, PuFo, LD, and Policy

C) I am an educator and curriculum developer, so that is how I view my role as a judge and approach feedback in debate. I type my RFDs, please ask your coaches (if you have an experienced coach) to explain strategic concepts I referenced. Otherwise you can email me.

D) I am very aware of the differences in strategy and structure when comparing Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas debate.

d)) which means I can tell when evidence from one format of debate [ex: policy -> ld] is merely read in a different format of debate for strategic choices rather than educational engagement.

heads up: i can tell when you are (sp)reading policy cards at me, vs communicating persuasive and functionally strategic arguments. please read and write your speeches, don't just read blocks of evidence without doing the persuasive work of storytelling impacts.

Parts of an Argument:

Claim - your argument

Warrant - analytical reasoning or evidence

Impact - why the judge should care, why it's important

Impact Calculus:

Probability - how likely is it the impact will happen

Magnitude - how large is the harm/who will be negatively affected

Timeframe - when this impact will occur

Reversibility - can the harms be undone

prewritten analytics should be included in the doc. we are online. transparency, clarity, and communication is integral in debate. if you are unclear and i miss an argument, then i missed your argument because you were unclear

for policy and/or ld:

1) AFFs should present solutions, pass a Plan, or try to solve something

2) K AFFs that do not present a plan text must: 1. Be resolutional - 1ac should generally mention or talk about the topic even if you're not defending it, 2. Prove the 1AC/AFF is a prereq to policy, why does the AFF come before policy, why does policy fail without the aff? 3. Provide sufficient defense to TVAs - if NEG proves the AFF (or solvency for AFF's harms) can happen with a plan text, I am very persuaded by TVAs. K teams must have a strong defense to this.

3) Link to the squo/"Truth Claims" as an impact is not enough. These are generic and I am less persuaded by generic truth claims arguments without sufficient impacts

4) Critique of the resolution > Critique of the squo

5) NEG K alts do not have to solve the entirety of the AFF, but must prove a disadvantage or explain why a rejection of the AFF is better than the alt, or the squo solves.

6) Debate is a [policy or LD] game, if it is a survival strategy I need more warrants and impacts other than "the aff/alt is a survival strategy" with no explanation of how you are winning in-round impacts

7) Framing is FUNctional, the team that gives me the best guide on how/why I should vote for X typically wins the round. What's the ROB, ROJ, the purpose of this round, impact calc, how should I evaluate the debate?

8) Edu is important. Persuasive communication is part of edu. when the debate is messy or close I tend to evaluate the round in terms of 1. who did the better debating, 2. who best explained arguments and impacts and made me more clearly understand the debate, 3. who understood their evidence/case the most.

9) Dropped arguments are not always necessarily true - I will vote on dropped arguments if it was impacted out and explained why it's a voter, but not if the only warrant is "they conceded _____it so it's a voter"

10) I flow arguments, not authors. It will be helpful to clarify which authors are important by summarizing/impacting their arguments instead of name dropping them without context or explanation.

Homewood Flossmoor High School 2011-2015

Pomona College 2015-2019 (not debating)

Meta Level

The more work you do, the happier you will be with my decision. By this I don’t just mean that I reward smart strategies, research, etc. (I do), but rather that the better you explain and unpack an argument and tell me how to evaluate it, the less likely my own biases and preferences will affect the decision. With this in mind, there are a couple takeaways

-          Framing is important. At a certain point, this seems redundant to say (obviously impact calc is important), but all too often debaters fail to “tie up” the debate in a way that is easy to evaluate. What impacts matter? What arguments should I look to first? How should I think about making decisions? Leaving these calls up to my gut may not work out well for you. Do not assume that I will put together the pieces of your argument in the way that is most favorable to you, or the way that you they should be viewed. Your best bet is to do this for me. As a general rule of thumb, your likelihood of picking up my ballot is directly proportional to the number of “even if” statements you make.

-          truth and tech are both important and the divisions between them are far more arbitrary and vacuous than it is usually given credit for. That being said, it is up to you to give me a metric for evaluating what claims are true. What types of evidence should I look to? Should I view that evidence through a certain lens? How should I treat dropped/under covered arguments? Obviously I have some personal proclivities that may be harder to overcome than others

o   I will always tend to evaluate dropped arguments far less than extended arguments. This does not mean that dropped arguments are automatically “true” or that truth claims made earlier in the debate are suddenly gone (that may well require more work on my part), but it does mean that I am less likely to give these arguments weight.

o   Although they can be important parts of a speech, I am not inclined to give as much weight to solipsistic narratives as evidence. This is not a hard or fast preference, and some smart framing arguments about the way I should evaluate narratives will go a long way, but do not assume I will immediately evaluate a narrative as evidence in its own right sans an evidenced claim that I should evaluate them this way.

o   Make smart analytic arguments, these can often be better than reading yet another terrible uniqueness card on the politics disad. The more I see you thinking for yourself and making creative and smart arguments in a debate, the better speaks you will get.

I appreciate creative and innovative strategies, maybe more than others. If you want to bust out that weird impact turn or super cheating counterplan or sweet ass new K, you should do that. You will always be better at doing what you do best. Please don’t feel deterred from reading a strategy in front of me because the community has generally frowned on it (spark, death good, etc.), I’m down to hear things outside of the norm. That being said, I included a few notes about how I feel/debated like in high school, you can take these preferences however you want, they are subject to change within a round.

As a caveat, Debate should be a space where everyone feels welcome. Please do not read racist/sexist/anti-queer/ableist/ or otherwise offensive arguments in front of me.

Please add me on the email chain: Jacob.a.fontana@gmail.com.

Framework

I debated both sides of this extensively in high school. I will not “penalize” you for reading framework; I think it is a smart and strategic argument. Similarly, do not assume that because you read framework you have my ballot, I am very middle of the road on these issues. You should treat this as any other K/CP strategy you have read. Too often teams miss nuance in these debates and read a bunch of state good/bad evidence while neglecting the smaller moving pieces, I tend to think those are important, and the more you address the internal link level of the debate, the better off you will be.

T

Affirmatives should find ways to leverage offense against the negatives interpretation. Playing some light defense and reading some reasonability blacks is not going to win you my ballot. I generally tend to default to competing interpretations. Furthermore, teams need to treat this debate more like disad, you should do impact calc, read impact, link, or internal link turns, explain why your interp solves a portion of their offense, etc. I greatly enjoy smart T debates and will reward you handsomely in speaker points if you execute it well.

Disads

Absolute defense (or defense to the point where I should cease to evaluate the disad outside of the noise of status quo) is a thing and far too few debaters go for. 90 percent of disads are absolute garbage and you shouldn’t be afraid to point that out. More broadly, Offense defense tends to be a heavily neg biased model of debate and contributes to a lot (in my eyes) to the denigration of the activity towards the most reality-divorced hyperbolic impact claims, and I will not default to it. Obviously this is subject to change in a given round, but you should be conscious of the weight I tend to give to defensive arguments. In general, I think link controls the direction of uniqueness, but I can easily be persuaded otherwise

Please, if you have it, read something different than politics. I don’t hate the politics disad, but it is an often overused strategy and I will reward your innovation with speaker points

Counterplans

Any argument is legitimate until it is not, don’t hesitate to read your cheating counterplans in front of me, but be ready to defend them. Theory debates are good and valuable, but I do not want to listen to you read your blocks at 400 words a minute. Slow down, make smart arguments, and go for what you’re ahead on. Less is often more in these situations. I actually very much enjoy good theory debates and find them quite interesting. You should treat these like any other type of debate, you should do impact calc, flesh out internal links, etc.

Kritiks

I have a reasonable familiarity with most mainstream critiques and greatly enjoy these debates. In high school, I would most often read the security or the cap K, but this should not be interpreted as an exclusionary list. You do you and I’ll likely jive with it. I will reward innovation, reading a tailored critique is far more interesting to me than rereading the same Spanos block your team has had for the last 8 years. The one caveat here is that my familiarity with certain “high theory” authors (Bataille, Deleuze, etc.) is rather passing. I am more than certainly open to hearing these arguments and don’t have any prejudices against them (I debated on the same team as Carter Levinson for 3 years), but this does mean that you may need to take extra time to unpack arguments and contextualize them in terms of the debate.

Topic Notes

I have not worked on the China Topic, for you this means you probably want to slow down on, and possibly explain, acronyms the first couple times.

Ethics violations

Ethic violations are deliberate, not accidental. Missing a few words or accidentally skipping a line isn’t a big deal, but repeatedly doing that or doing it in a way that is clearly intentional is. If you believe that someone has committed an ethics violation, please start recording the round, I also reserve the right to do this. If I think you are clipping, I may start a recording of my own, I will also try read along in the speech docs whenever possible. If I do determine you’ve committed a violation, you will lose the debate and receive 0 speaks, I will also speak to your coaches. Clipping is a serious offense and I will treat it with the attention it deserves.

INCLUDE IN EMAIL CHAIN! Ggonzalez0730@gmail.com

Experience:

CSUF policy debate 5yrs (2010-2016)

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League 2yrs (2008-2010)

Currently: Coach and Program Manager for The Los Angeles Metropolitan Debate League

I engaged and debated different types of literature: critical theory (anti-blackness and settler colonialism) and policy-oriented arguments during my early years of debate. I am not very particular about any type of argument. I think that in order to have a good debate in front of me you have to engage and understand what the other team is saying.

My experience in college debate and working with UDLs has taught me that any argument has the ability to or Critical arguments. All of them have a pedagogical value. It’s your job as the debater to prove to me why yours is a viable strategy or why your arguments are best. Prove to me why it matters. If you choose to go for framework or the politics DA, then justify that decision. I don’t really care if you go for what you think I like and if you are losing that argument then it would probably annoy me. Just do you.

Framework vs. Plan less or vague affirmatives

As a critical affirmative, please tell me what the affirmative does. What does the affirmative do about its impacts? If you are going for a structural impact, then please tell me how your method will alleviate that either for the world, debate, or something. I don’t want to be left thinking what does that affirmative does at the end of the 2ar because I will more likely than not vote negative.

I don’t mind framework as long as you can prove to me why the method that you offer for the debate, world, policy, etc. is crucial. Please explain how you solve for "x" harm or the squo goes. I promise you this will do wonders for you in front of me. I will not be doing the work for you or any of the internals for you. As long as your argument has a claim, warrant, and evidence that is clear, then what I personally believe is meh. You either win the debate based on the flow or nah.

Seems rudimental but debaters forget to do this during speeches.

Clarity

If I can't understand what you're saying when you are speaking, then I'll yell out "clear" and after the second time I yell out clear then I won't flow what I can't understand. I will also reduce your speaker points. I tend to have facial expressions during rounds. If you catch me squinting, then it is probably because I can’t understand what you are saying. Just slow down if that helps.

DA+ Counter Plans

Cp have to have a net benefit.

I need specific impact scenarios--just saying hegemony, racism, global warming, and nuclear war does not win the ballot please explain how we get to that point. I really like when a 2AR gives a good explanation of how the aff solves or how the affirmative triggers the impact.

Make sure to articulate most parts of the DA. just bc you have a big impact that doesn't mean much for me please explain how it relates to the affirmative especially in the rebuttal. impact comparisons are pretty good too.

Theory debates

Not my strong point, but if you are going for this which I understand the strategic reasoning behind this, then explain the "why its bad that X thing" and how that should outweigh anything else. Also, slow down during these debates especially on the interpretation.

Speaker Quirks to watch out for:

Being too dominant in a partnership. Have faith that your partner is capable of responding and asking questions during CX. If you see them struggling, then I am not opposed to you stepping in but at least give them a chance.

Lincoln Douglas

For the most part, my paradigm applies to much of the args made in this sector of the activity a couple of things that you should mindful of when you have me as a judge:

1) I appreciate disclosure, but any theory args that are made about disclosure I don't appreciate, especially if I wasn't in the room to make sure neg/aff accusation are actually being saiD. If I'm not in the room its just a case of "they said I said." If you have it in writing, then I guess I can appreciate your arg more. I would still vote on it, but its not a decision I am happy about.

2) Time: LD leaves a lot of unresolved problems for me as a judge. Please make sure:

aff with plan text *make sure to not forget about the plan solvency mechanism and how you solve for your harms. this should be throughout the debate but especially in the last speeches. I understand there is an issue of time but at least 30 sec of explaining aff mechanisms.

sympathetic towards time constraints but be strategic and mindful of where to spend the most time in the debate. Ex: if you are too focused on the impact when the impact is already established then this is time badly spent.

Negative:

If you are concerned with the affirmative making new arguments in the 2AR have a blip that asks judges not evaluate. Because of the time (6 vs 3min), I am usually left with lots of unresolved issues so I tend to filter the debate in a way that holistically makes sense to me.

DA (Reify and clarify the LINK debate and not just be impact heavy)

T ( make sure to impact out and warrant education and fairness claims)

Gabrielino High School 2011-2015

tech>truth

Speech times are set, one team wins

I will ask for what you are reading (if it is electronic), and I will follow at random intervals. My email is matthew.graca@gmail.com

However, will (attempt to) not reevaluate this evidence post-round, I don't want to do that work for you.

Don't be afraid to use analytics to take out bad arguments. Just because you need a warrant for everything, doesn't mean you always need a card for it.

Explanatory overviews are much appreciated, especially for nuanced strategies and positions.

If I'm confused, I will look confused. Take advantage of this.

I don't believe in debating for anyone. If you can justify it, you can run it. I believe if someone makes a truly despicable argument, you should clap back and make them regret it.

DO IMPACT CALC OR I WILL GOT FOR THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT. I AM ACTUALLY AN IDIOT SO PLEASE MAKE MY LIFE EASY

*CHRIST ALMIGHTY SLOW DOWN ON ANALYTICS/THEORY*

I am VERY bad at catching blippy arguments. if you spend less than a sentence on the arg, i probably won't catch it. beat me over the head with it tyvm.

honestly i didn't actually believe i was really tabula rasa until i recently voted for a tragically underanswered spreading bad arg do you understand what that does to a man i don't play NO GAMES MANG

GENERAL STUFF

Topic Familiarity: I probably won't research the topic and most likely won't judge it enough to know the meta. I would avoid using acronyms that have previously not been defined

Delivery: Not really used to speed anymore tbh. Using audible cues such as increasing the volume of your voice and slowing down instinctively puts my pen to paper. Do so for things you want me to flow.

Cheap shots: If it has a voter, they are voters. It's up to the other team to say why they don't count. but again, don't count on me to catch blippy args

CP threshold: Honestly I don't have much experience with deeper CP theory. but as long as you keep your theory organized, i will likely be able to follow

PROCEDURAL STUFF

tag team cx is fine

having your partner speak for you is ok, but if it occurs enough times say bye bye to your speaks

prep ends when the flashdrive leaves the computer / the email is sent

time each other's prep, i will not keep track

FRAMEWORK

Frame the framework by indicating what interpretation of debate you desire and why that is net beneficial for debate. I think of fw like a cp - give me your interp of debate, how you solve it, and hit me with those nice and clear net benz to your vision of debate.

you can frame the impacts of your fw. i love filtering since it makes my decision easier

KRITIK

I dig it. I’m as dense as a brick, so regardless of the K I’m gonna need a good overview explaining your jam.

ALTS

Everyone has a spicy alt like "giving back the land" or "revolutionary suicide" What i need to know is HOW YOU PERFORM YOUR ALT. Are you literally giving land back? what is revolutionary suicide supposed to mean? this stuff should be explained.

Even if you're not performing your alt (which is ok i guess i mean how else are we gonna spread the gospel of death good), why is your method good/better than the other team's method?

btw, if your alt is literally just "reject the aff" and that will spillover to 100% capitalism solvency with no further explanation, i may involuntarily gag

THOUGHTS ON SPECIFIC TYPES OF Ks

Nietzsche: I was the 1n that spent his time finding links for my partner that can literally (literally.) only go for Nietzsche. At the last leg of our careers wanted to run death good, but ever could :(

Race: probs the one I’m most comfortable with, ran a myth of the model minority/antiblackness aff senior year.

French philosopher soup of the day: i hope you write good overviews and explain your buzzwords. if not, the other team could prob say "lol whatre you even saying" as an effective response. i do not like being pressured to vote for something that is incoherent.

etc (queer, ableism, things i can't think of): no real experience, but i have no reason to dislike these args at all so go for it

THEORY THEORY THEORY

For the love of all that is holy, slow down on this crap... I have a very hard time following theory debates that are just blasting at full speed. If you do this and ask why my decision is incomplete, this will be why.

note for ld: i've never voted for an rvi and god willing i never will. unless it gets egregiously dropped

For organizational purposes I would follow much easier if you put your theory in this fashion:

Interpretation -> violation -> standards -> voters

This will also let me know if you’re serious or if you’re going for some dirty communist cheap shot - I see so many theory debates where y'all are just blasting lines at each other, doing no form of impact calc to your theory. It's pure nonsense and a headache to adjudicate where one side had 5 lines of DAs to the interp and the other had 6 lines and it's just throwing crap at the wall (aka ME >:|) and seeing what sticks.

Some violations aren’t big enough to warrant a loss; rather, a concession. I will totally buy your strategy setup where you say “ok, we’ll kick T if they drop their no link arguments”, but hey everything's gotta be a friggen voter doesn't it, huh.

As you may be able to tell, I am a big fan of theory that DOES NOT operate in a vacuum. T-subs and a spending DA hits different.

In-round abuse stories are very convincing. Potential abuse is fairly weak for me tbh, but if it's there i'll evaluate it the best i can

judge kicking: the more autonomy you give me over our RFD the more unhappy you'll be with my decision :P. "the status quo is always an option" makes me uncomfortable b/c you're making me do it. commit to something.

SPEAKER POINTS

Speaks = organization + ethos + clarity

I don't know how judges are able to make the tenth's distinction, so this will be a ballpark estimate. Speed does not play a role in speaks; audibility and fluidity is first and foremost, followed by the funnies. HAVE SOME PERSONALITY, THAT HELPS YOUR SPEAKS LOTS.

I am impartial to all spreading styles except for the "booming and committing verbal genocide" style and the "spread at 0.05dB for the card text so no one can possibly tell I'm clipping xD" style, please respect the local volume.

I should be able to coherently hear the texts of your cards btw.

Breakdown:

30: i don't know what you did to get this but it's gonna be a helluva story innit

29: hey you should get a speaker award in this tourney

28: not likely to get a speaker award but i like the cut a ya jib

27: delivery is incoherent at key moments or made life hell playing flow hopscotch

26: it is possible that words were spoken but i can neither confirm nor deny

25: i don't know what you did to get this but it's gonna be a helluva story innit

Damien High School 2013-2014 through 2016-2017

I want to be on the email chain; Pocketbox or a variant is also fine.

ajherbelin@gmail.com

Overview:

Clarity and efficiency are more important than speed, but speed is obviously encouraged if it does not interfere with your ability to communicate. I will say clear if I cannot comfortably flow you.

I have spent at least a year debating as both a 2A and a 2N.

I do not have any major predispositions for or against any set of arguments. Although I did not read a plan for most of my Junior year and I actually enjoy most K debates,  me going to Damien basically balances that out.

The 2NR and 2AR should "write my ballot for me" by explaining to me how I resolve the important elements of a debate. Liberally use "even if" statements so that your decision-framing remains persuasive when you inevitably suffer losses on the line-by-line.

Spin beats evidence: spin will win hands-down almost every time. Uncontested explanation or reframing of key questions can overcome a significant evidence deficit. That being said, if one team makes evidence quality an issue or there is an ongoing debate over the context or quality of evidence, I will read the evidence myself to answer yes/no questions.

TECH BEATS TRUTH: Yes, we all know the Idso's are almost certainly hacks and that CO2 is almost certainly bad, that doesn't mean these arguments are not winnable. Similarly, tired old generics such as T-QPQ and T-uncondo are as good as their execution.

This is stolen from Matt McFadden and Tyler Peltekci but it accurately describes my thoughts on the matter: 1) truth outweighing tech is paradoxical because you must technically win that truth is more important and 2) if truth outweighs tech, truthfully contemporary policy debate is a technical game. That being said, true arguments are generally easier to technically win.

Critical Affirmatives:

This is an umbrella term that includes every affirmative that does not defend the material consequences of a hypothetical, topical federal government action as of the 1AC. I read two during my junior year and am fine with them, but you must be able to explain your solvency mechanism and explain why you need to read this as an aff in policy debate. However, if you can prove that you do something without relying on the educational illusion of fiat, then your affirmative becomes your most powerful weapon against framework/critiques. 

When answering framework, I feel it is better to use your aff as an impact turn rather than relying on generic cards and turns like "identifying with state bad", "role-playing bad," etc. These arguments will still work if executed, but I would rather see aff teams prove to me that the 1AC matters.

Framework:

While this need not be the A-strat, I think framework should be in almost every 1NC versus a critical affirmative. Negative teams should try to dodge most of the negative's impact turns and internal link-turn the offense that sticks (i.e. macropolitics is good, identity politics is bad for fostering change, state-centered/policy-oriented education solves their offense, etc). Generally, going for the TVA + defense of debate + defense of plan-centered education is preferable against identity affs. Against K affs like Baudrillard of Bataille criticize things like utility and hyperreality, the negative should win that debate is a game, playing the game is good, and that they ruin the game. Fairness can be an impact against debate bad affs provided that the negative can, on some level, defend debate.

Critiques:

I'm fine with basically every generic critique (security, cap/neolib, anthro, etc.) but high theory debates (in order of increasing confusion) such as Bataille, Lacan, Puare, Deleuze and Guattari, etc.) will require increasingly more explanation for me to understand/vote for them. I think the link story is the most important element of any critical strategy and winning "links turn the aff" is often the most persuasive route for cap/security teams to take.

Framework: This is usually not a big deal, I default to "weigh the aff but evaluate the negative's criticism" unless one team is significantly ahead. If the negative is ahead, go for it.

FYI: Floating PIK's are probably cheating, but if they are articulated in the cross-ex of the 1NC and clearly extended in the block, the affirmative should have both substantive and theoretical responses to them.

K's vs K Affs:

Winning root cause is not the same thing as winning a link, but if there is a strong link to your particular -ism then the critique becomes a very potent strategy. However, I think most K affs can easily win Permutation: do both in the absence of a very well-articulated link. My favorite K against K-affs is capitalism/neoliberalism, but if you can competently go for something like psychoanalysis or an identity argument, go for it.

Disadvantages:

I love them. Case-specific disads in particular are always appreciated. Alliance DA's, Deterrence/Appeasement DA's, and whatever flavor of politics you want to read are also fine, although I urge teams to explain how the aff turns the DA/the DA turns the aff at both the internal link level and the impact level.

Impact Turns:

Well-executed impact turn debates are a treat. My personal favorite impact turns are: Heg good --> collapse = transition wars (especially against K affs that directly say Heg bad), CO2 good, and cap good (I am probably more willing to vote on a well-explained overview effect argument than most people, especially if you have updated evidence, as it has a soft spot in my heart and I feel the argument is often unfairly dismissed by certain judges).

Counterplans:

If the CP is a techy process counterplan with a complicated mechanism that is dubiously competitive, a clear explanation of its nuts-and-bolts is a must for the 2NC. Other than that, I have no problems with counterplans. However, many net benefits are contrived to an egregious extent than other disads and affirmative teams should exploit this.

Whether or not PIC's, consult, condition, or international CP's are "cheating" depends on the specificity of the solvency advocate and the negative's ability to get away with theoretical murder.

Topicality:

In general, I default to competing interpretations, because debates about what the topic should look like are probably important. As with counterplans, highly technical interpretations and definitions should be crystallized during the block.

Extra-T and effects-T could be voting issues if they are severely mishandled by the 2AC, but when the topic is economic/diplomatic engagement I think both are inevitable to some extent. That being said, if the negative is prepared to out-tech or otherwise out-debate the affirmative on these questions, go for it.

Theory:

Theory arguments (with the exception of condo) are only reasons to reject the argument. The rare exceptions to this rule involve initially well-developed, well-articulated theory arguments that are conceded or functionally conceded by the other team. Also, my threshold for 2AC answers to blipply 1NC theory arguments like disclosure theory, solvency advocates, and plan flaws are very low. I hope this goes without saying, but I would always prefer the final rebuttals to focus on substance rather than theory.

Notes:

I am a huge Seinfeld fan and may be *unconsciously* motivated to give an extra one-tenth of a speaker point to debaters that sneak in a reference or two during their speeches or cross-examination.

TLDR/Sparknoted version:

Tech outweighs truth, explanation, spin, and execution matter more than the specific arguments you go for. I am almost certainly comfortable evaluating whatever you say. Seinfeld jokes are good.

Email:: dylanj.debate@gmail.com :: add me to the chain

Update 2020-2021: I haven't judged this year, or even looked at any topic literature. I'm not going to know your acronyms. Just be clear :)

Overview/TLDR: I was a 2N, but have also been a 2A. I've been in policy debate at Damien High School for 4 years (Oceans, Surveillance, China, Education). Currently attend Emory University, but do not debate. I went for T the majority of my neg rounds (including T-USFG). If I didn't, then I went for the PTX DA (Agenda PTX) or a K (Extinction K, Fiat K, Edelman). I’ve gone for big stick Heg Affs, and Settler Colonialism Affs. I will vote on literally anything (yes, even though I'm from Damien).

Theory: I put this first because this is an under utilized part of debate. Give me solid warrants. Actually clash. If you don't engage them well, don't expect me to vote for you. You should probably disclose on the wiki. (X)-SPEC is a real thing. However, O-Spec is not a thing and may be the only "Theory Argument" I fundamentally disagree with. I reward creative, new theory arguments (yes, you can do that) as well as carded theory debates (yes, those exists too). If you plan to go for Theory, I want comparative analysis on the interps and clear impacts to your standards. If Theory (Particularly Condo) is your aff strategy going into the 1AR, you're gonna need at least 3-5 minutes, unless it's dropped, in which case, 30 seconds - 1 min. Although I was a 2N who read multiple conditional advocacies, I think there is probably more pedagogical value behind 1 conditional advocacy. If you don't tell me your dispositionality standards, then you probably shouldn't have said you were dispositional. I'll just flow you conditional in that case. Otherwise, Dispositionality =/= Conditionality. Perf Con is probably bad. If theory arguments aren't well-articulated and/or are overly blippy, I'll simply dismiss them. Of course, you can always convince me you're right, even if I disagree with you - the flow almost always dominates. These are just some vague opinions to help guide your strategies. I'll vote on anything... Except O-Spec. That's still not a thing.

Topicality: It's the only "rule" of the game. Affs are rarely ever topical. That being said, I still have a high threshold for T debates. You need to execute well for me to vote on it. 40 seconds in the 1NR is not enough. Nothing is core of the topic, so stop saying your aff is - this isn't an argument. Legal precision, if you actually understand why your definition is legally precise, is one of my favorite arguments. Also, debaters underutilize "jurisdictional voting issues." If you don't know what that means, go learn it to do T better. Reasonability is a standard for a Counter Interp, not a "we reasonably meet." Topicality is a procedural, so don't pretend like you can make it a time skew. "Lol, they dropped T - vote neg" doesn't mean anything and I won't vote for you. It'd be a disgrace to T debates. I tend to evaluate T before other Theory, but can be convinced otherwise. Go for Framework like it's T... because it is. I've gone for 13 minutes of T in the block against an aff with a plan. I love a good Topicality debate.

Case: Why have these debates died? Seriously, a 2NC that can spend 8 minutes on case might deserve a 30. I reward good case debate. Make teams cry because you've researched their aff better than they have. Case debate =/= impact turns.

Kritiks: Look. No high schooler actually knows how to run a K. Y'all are lazy and reading your coaches blocks. I know, because I was a lazy K debater too. Still, don't expect me to know all your "buzz words". I'm open to your kritik, but I want a substantive alternative - not just reject the aff. No alt => no K => linear disad => see impact turns OR just lose the K. Also, the link debate should be clear. Don't have your blocks be written by your coaches and have the cards not support it, even if you are right in the grand scheme of the literature base. Also, Baudrillard sucks and the fiat K is the K of the damned.

Impact Turns: These always tend to be messy, or become the messy strategy of kicking the alt and going for the K links as case turns (which isn't that great, because the aff always has a small chance of solving something). Keep it clean and clear. 1-defense on top 2-links and internal links 3-terminal impacts. That should be the order of the impact turns every time. If you don't win defense, it becomes a DA that I can weigh case against. (Believe me, this is not a good place for you to be).

Disadvantages: I love complex DAs. Be clear on the impacts. Love the addition of impact scenarios in the block. Make it impossible for the aff to deal with, but still have a clear story. For the PTX DA in particular, this is both the worst and best DA in existence - if you can't explain the story of these DAs coherently, don't go for them. I personally don't think election based PTX DAs are good - I err on the side of the aff, since the uniqueness is shotty at best; polls have far too many problems and have too many uncontrolled variables. But I'll still evaluate the DA.

Counterplans: They must have a net benefit. They must have a solvency advocate. I love Advantage CPs, but only if they have a solvency advocate. Cheating CPs are cool with me.

K-Affs: K-Affs aren't my favorite, but I'll evaluate the flow - honestly, you do you. I think a lot of K-Affs think not reading a plan is a vital component. It's probably not. If it's a method v method debate, I tend to find that these round are always lacking clash and hard to evaluate. Try and make it easy and actually engage with the philosophical underpinnings of the aff/neg kritik. I tend to lean negative on the question of T-USFG, but it doesn't mean you have a guaranteed neg ballot. Or you can just read the Heg Good K against the K-Aff - thats probably an easy neg ballot, but still not guaranteed.

Side Notes:

You do You! Just because I'm from Damien, doesn't mean I won't evaluate a K, K-Aff, or K v K Debate. Just because I'm from Damien, doesn't mean I ONLY vote for T/Framework, heg or (x)-war good. I want you to do what arguments you believe are best/true. The only thing I ask is: make an argument.

Help! I'm Aff!: straight turn DA's, exploit double-turns, have tricky Affs, and write my ballot in the 2AR.

Help! I'm Neg!: if the 1NC just throws bad options around to see what gets under-covered, you will most likely lose. if the 1NC is 1-off DA or PIC, and you're ready to throw down on an impact turn, more speaks.

Debate is a game, but it is also a place to learn. Don’t be racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic, xenophobic, or Colin Coppock, etc. We are all friends, and you should always prioritize teaching your fellow debaters the best techniques for being successful debaters.

Blocks: DON'T JUST BLOW THROUGH YOUR THEORY/TOPICALITY BLOCKS! Slow down. Articulate the impacts. Make comparisons. Don't drop arguments. For you (lazy) K debaters, make sure you're tailoring your blocks and not just reading the generic stuff your coach gave you or the crap you find on CX.com. Specificity is your greatest weapon in debate.

Efficiency > Speed. There's a difference. Otherwise, just make sure you're articulating your words and not clipping. (Obviously). I won't yell clear. I just won't flow. Pay attention to your audience! Debate is a communicative activity. So if people can't understand you, why are you even speaking?

Tech>Truth or Truth>Tech: These are so useless. 1 aff card with a beautiful warrant can answer 30 negs cards with crappy warrants. And a dropped argument will [almost] always be flowed as a true argument. Judges who think there is a difference between Tech and Truth are doing it wrong. YOU need to tell us what matters... Also, "Spin is spin"

Depth over Breadth in terms of strategy. I'd rather see a 1-3 off debate that goes really in depth. I get you sneaky 2Ns have strategies. I did too. Predictable blocks are always bad places to be for the neg. But if you are fundamentally winning arguments, even if you don't spread the 2AC out flow wise, that's the sign of a great debater. Spread the aff out on one flow.

“My Aff is my Baby” logic is bad. Be courageous and kick the Aff to go for theory or an impact turn to a DA.

"Cheating" Counterplans? Hell Yah.

PICs are legit... PIKs are probably not legit.

A Few Quotes:

"I may not be a good judge, but I'm better than Sage Young" - Donny Peters

"Framework is like riding a bike" - Lincoln Garrett

"people should impact turn.... everything" - Ian Beier

"that was LITERALLY A LIE" - Elliot McMillan

"My gold standard for debates would have to be Abraham Lincoln vs. Frederick Douglass." - Alex Jeong

"maybe if i nod a lot during t then he'll go for t" - Martina Povolo

"I know this looks bad, but..." - Malone Urfalian

Debated at Glenbrook North a long time ago (Military, Space, Transportation, Latin America topics). PhD student at Harvard.

I wrote the following the last time I judged (many years ago) and most of it is still true. Most important changes now:

- Slow down just a bit and explain yourself. It's been a while...

- Don't know details of the topic, what sorts of arguments have been perceived as "core of the topic" or "mainstream", etc.

- Explain yourself. I don't want to substitute my understanding for yours.

------------------------------

Debate is a technical, competitive game. You debate; I judge and choose one team who did the better debating. I will vote on any argument that I have flowed and will evaluate the debate through whatever lens you tell me to in a manner which requires the least intervention.

I believe that I judge very differently than how I debated. Take that however you want to.

Most arguments are dumb, so I don’t really care what you say whether it’s disad and case, aspec, or D and G. It’s your job to make arguments and my job to evaluate them.

Evidence supports arguments; it doesn’t make them for you. You also don’t need evidence to win an argument.

Be clear. Hearing the text of cards would be nice too…

My preference on arguments: Disads—I’ve yet to meet someone who didn’t like them. Counterplans are good, unless you the negative shouldn’t get fiat. Topicality might be good or biopolitical. Same goes for framework. Politics is stupid in more ways than one, but if that’s your thing, go ahead because it always seems to work. Kritiks are interesting, but remember that they should be reasons to vote for you, not rants on philosophy. Theory? No counterplans or 20 conditional consult counterplans is totally up to you.

Speaker points are obviously arbitrary. They will be based on your respect for others, speaking style, argumentative talent, overall demeanor, demonstration of knowledge, evidence quality, creativity, argumentative choice, and various other arbitrary factors (in no particular order). While the way I vote is entirely dependent on what you say, I have a bit more control of speaker points. You’ll be rewarded if you go for an interesting or uncommon argument.

Cheating: don’t.

I'm a senior at The Meadows, and this is my fourth year as a policy debater. Email @ chloenorvelll@gmail.com (that's three L's). 

- I'm not familiar with the new topic as of January so it's extra important to EXPLAIN things. Make it easy for me to vote for you and it's more likely that I will. 

- Don't run theory.

- K's are fine as long as you understand them and can clearly explain them.

- DAs/CPs are chill.

- Clarity > Speed.

- Know your evidence and know it well. 

- I'm going to time you and my time is final.

- Sign post. I beg you. Tell me where things should be going on the flow. Make sure you're giving warrants and weighing args.

- I like overviews. Weigh arguments against each other. Tell me what's happened in the debate and why you should win. 

- Be funny + don't be a jerk. 

- Show me your flow after the round for good speaks. 

- Bring me a snack for even better speaks. (@ASU kids, waffle fries and polynesian sauce are my jam.)

Tyler Peltekci

Damien HS 2017 | Loyola Marymount 2021
Alterego787

Debate is a game about research.
Send me the speech docs as well please — tyler.peltekci@gmail.com

I debated with Matt McFadden from 2013-2017 (Latin America thru China) at Damien HS in Southern California.

I had some competitive success in debate if that matters to you, qualified to the ToC both junior and senior year, was the 2nd seed my senior year, and finished in quarterfinals (5th place). Also won 2nd place at St. Marks, 1st place at Golden Desert, 6 ToC bids and was in the elimination debates of every major tournament.

There are TLDR's if you're in a rush

Fast and technical debating between two well-prepared opponents is my ideal.

I will always reward a well-researched strategy -- but execution is JUST AS IMPORTANT as evidence.

My favorite debates to participate in were the ones where BOTH sides had the cards to throw down, so I’d imagine my favorite debates to JUDGE, would be the same.

My biggest preference, is that you go for what you are the most PREPARED to go for, and what you have done the most RESEARCH to support..

I understand my role as judge is not to be dogmatic, and I won’t vote against an argument on ideology. I’ll remain objective when evaluating debates, and this paradigm reflects my argumentative preferences, not any sort of dogma.

I've been away from debate for 4 years or so, studying Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University.

I like fast debates. Don't slow down.

That being said, here are some preferences and thoughts:

Topicality - TLDR: Yes

Love when the neg recognizes that topicality is the best strategy against a certain team/affirmative, and does the research to execute it.

EVIDENCE MATTERS, reasonability is almost never a round-winning argument, we meet is a yes/no question, the most persuasive impact arguments are ones concerned with gaining expertise from debates and predictability,

I’m not the judge with pre-determinations about all these small things that a lot of people in debate talk/argue about, that being said - fairness can be an impact, and it can also be an internal link, my advice is you make it whatever is most likely to win you the debate

I love when the AFF reads something questionably topical but just out-techs neg teams going for T, or when they just have the bag ready to be thrown on "we meet" and read a plan that doesn’t actually do anything.. #BTC

Framework/"T-USFG" - TLDR: Just debate this argument well and I will likely be persuaded..

Likely all that should be in the 1nc in a debate vs an AFF team that did not defend the resolution, going for a Kritik (against non-plan affs in HS) is almost asking to lose to a permutation, unless it's very specific/well-researched, or you’re winning some reason why permutations shouldn’t be allowed.

I will lean very heavily neg in Framework debates.

The way you deploy a framework strategy should probably change depending on what type of affirmative you’re debating; I’m equally persuaded by the impact arguments related to engaging in institutions/gaining skills as I am by arguments related to debate as a game and fairness/truth testing, so I’m game for whatever, just debate well and make sure you think strategy when deciding what 1nc to read…

The way you lose going for framework is by not comparing at the internal link level, and allowing the AFF team to get away with incredibly outlandish claims that make your offense irrelevant..

All of this in mind, it is possible to convince me of nearly any criticism, so long as you're offering a genuine criticism and not merely trying to avoid true clash.

Kritiks - TLDR: As long as you're actually critiquing something.

Not my favorite type of argument, but it's difficult to deny its strategic utility in debte...

Thoughts:
- specific links, yes
- reason why the plan is bad, yes
- link of omission, no
- death k, if you misuse Bataille I'll be upset
- state is always bad, big no
- turns case, yes
- framework, do more than read a roleplaying bad card and hope they drop it

I've studied post-modernism & accelerationism with some diligence in my University years. That being said, if you're prepared to read Baudrillard, Bataille, Deleuze, Land, etc -- be my guest, I'll follow you just fine. However, I will not appreciate a bad reading of their arguments.

You're always more likely to lose if you're unprepared.

AFF against the K - TLDR: defend your aff, and impact turn every word they say
You have an aff, forgetting about the 1ac is how you lose this debate…
- weighing your aff is important, not doing that would be bad
- impact turn, yes
- util, yes
- impact defense to their impacts, yes
- link thresholds, yes
- perm, why do this when statistics prove hegemony is good
- going “soft left”, this can be very smart against certain K 1NC’s - think strategy
- alt answers, less important in front of me because impact turns make it somewhat irrelevant,

• but if you’re not impact turning and you’re letting them get away with the assertion that a “reorientation” or whatever solves their links and the aff, you’re going to be in a tough spot debate wise…
• you also don’t NEED cards to answer the alternative, smart arguments go a long way against the 80% of High School K 1nc’s that literally don’t make a cogent argument.

Kritikal AFFs - TLDR: Uphill Battle, winnable only if you've made a convincing argument.

My threshold is quite simply that your 1AC should include logical premises and some form of conclusion which follows them.

Presumption against planless affs is both persuasive, and underutilized.

3 questions your K AFF should answer:

1. How does voting aff solve your role of the ballot?
2. If you read impacts about things happening outside of debate, how does voting aff solve those impacts? and if you read impacts about debate, how does voting aff solve those impacts?
3. Why can’t I vote negative to preserve a model of debate, still agree with everything the 1ac says, and just assign you the loss?

Counterplans - TLDR: yes, being extra technical in these debates can only benefit you

PICs were my favorite strategy to cut/research and my 2nd favorite strategy to execute. Process CP’s are cool if you do it right, and have the technical proficiency to win competition/theory debates..

Actually competitive CP’s that don’t do the aff/use a different mechanism usually need good solvency evidence, the more comparative the better (obviously a high standard, but we’re talking ideals here).

The aff should be going for PDCP/Theory in most of these process CP debates, but do it right (answer the theory block)..

You don't need solvency advocates or cards for smart and intuitive advantage CP’s, and 2nc CP’s out of add-ons.

judge kick is sooooo 👎👎

DA's - TLDR: yes please, but I have no trouble assigning zero risk if you want to read something incoherent against a smart 2A (make an argument please)…

Link usually controls the direction (but I understand the need to go for UQ controls direction), generic/topic DA's are great when you have a specific link argument, politics+case is ALWAYS the move! If you’re e-sub-pointing turns case warrants for every internal link, you’re debating DA’s the right way…

If you don't have a DA, you don't have a DA... 1% risk analysis isn't the substitute for a link...

Impact Turns - TLDR: my favorite type of argument in debate — if you think a team can’t defend that a war between the US and China would be a bad thing, why not exploit that? :)

Evidence quality, and comparison of that evidence is HUGE in these debates and the more well-researched team typically wins.

prolif good is defense (except for bioweapons tradeoff)

impact turn k affs when you can, and go for it if you're winning..

Do more line by line than usual in these debates

--- some personal favorites: China War Good (+0.2pts if you win), Red Spread, Dedev (+0.1pts if you win), Water Wars Good, IPR Bad, Multilat Bad, I-LAW Bad, Cap good, Tech good, Hegemony good

Theory - TLDR: do line by line, 2nr/2ar offense defense paradigm framing and impact comparison/turns case warrants will win you these debates..

In terms of biases/which way I “lean” in theory debates — I have no bias strong enough to inform you not to go for a certain argument, just be honest with yourself over your ability to credibly persuade someone that a vague alternative is a reason to vote aff, and so on.

Notes:
Tech over Truth, always-- if you go for truth over tech, i will evaluate the opposite --
consider the following:
1 - you had to technically win that I should evaluate truth before tech.. So tech comes before truth inevitably
2 - truthfully, it shouldn't come first in debate..

Rewarding good research - if your cards are fire, or just better than the other teams, let me know:
if you accurately sell your cards, higher speaks.
if you over-sell them, lower speaks.

Execution matters just as much as evidence - telling me to read your cards is NOT ENOUGH, you need to make the argument.

being aff

• if you give a bad 2ac on case, I’m not going to let the 1AR pretend like that didn’t happen if the neg points it out, and THEY SHOULD
• idk why you’re scared to straight turn a DA, test their link file (assuming you have a link turn file)...
• the first 30-45 seconds of the 2ar should write my ballot

being neg

• be strategic
• just read your best offense and get ready to throw down and you will make me happy, but you're not here to make me happy, you're here to win, so if you need to read T-with, do it
• 1 OFF DA = +0.3pts if you win
• 1 OFF PIC = +0.3pts if you win
• heg bad; you’re bad
• you never have “nothing” to the point where you have to read time cube, consult Ashtar, or any of that other noise -- yes it's funny, but you might lose when you could have gone for politics or the death k and won...

See Matt McFadden if this philosophy if this wasn't enough, I understand debate similar to how he does -
http://judgephilosophies.wikispaces.com/McFadden%2C+Matthew

Gbs ‘16 Michigan ‘20

Please add bjroche@umich.edu

I debated at GBS for four years and at Michigan for two. I’ve coached high school intermittently since 2016.

You can expect that I’ll understand the concepts and implications of your arguments but not that I have any exposure to communal consensus around the validity of any given topic strategy. This is most important if you decide to go for topicality.

My most important preferences by far are that you limit your overviews to 30 seconds or less, do rigorous line by line in every speech after the 1nc, and avoid spreading long pre-written blocks. My decision will be better and your points will be (significantly) better if you are able to do these things.

You should read a plan. This isn’t out of malice, I just find framework debates extremely boring to judge and I almost always vote neg. I’m pretty good for the k if you’re neg, though.

I don’t have any hot takes about policy strategies. If it’s well prepared and/or I can tell you’re adapting strategically during the round, I will want to vote for you. I have a soft spot in my heart for ridiculous impact turns and rider das.

Overview: 7 years of policy debate. I debated four years during high school, and 3 at CSUF. I'm on my fourth year of coaching policy debate.

Clear speed is ok. Tag team is ok. Prep doesn’t stop until the flash drive leaves your computer.

I prefer for both teams to use arguments that they enjoy using since this always makes each debate round stand out. I make my decisions based on the quality of the arguments that are presented. This means that I do not mind you reading a lot of cards as long as you impact them and prove to me why you should win the debate round. 

Traditional aff: I'm good with this form of debating, I did this for most of my high school career so I will be able to understand your arguments effectively. Just remember to extend your arguments effectively through the debate round and I will consider this a good debate round.

K aff: I've primarily done this during my years at CSUF. I will vote for your aff as long as my flow shows that you are winning the debate round. Also remember to impact your arguments, and persuade me to vote for you. I will vote on it as long as you make the decision clear for me. Just uttering the words “role of the ballot” is not sufficient---why should the role of the ballot be what you have suggested it to be? Affs should also argue why the aff is sufficiently debatable (negs should argue to the contrary), not merely why the aff is important to discuss.

T---T is a question of should the aff be topical. If you aren't reading cards on T, then you're doing it wrong. I will vote on it if you do a good job on it, do not expect me to vote on T, if it's clear that you are using it only as a time skew. If you run T, make sure you also have a topical version of the affirmative.

Theory: I'll vote on it if convinced on your argument. Reject the arg not the team is generally sufficient to resolve most other theoretical objections. If this argument is not made, I'll defer to the other team's interp on what I should do with the suspect arg (ie, reject the team).

CP/DA's: I'm good with these and will vote on them if you persuade me to do so. Just make sure that it is competitive with the Affirmative and that you do prove to me why I should vote on it. This also applies to the affirmative team, persuade me as to why your affirmative is better.

K: I've used them a lot before so I'm familiar with the language used and will vote on it if convinced that I should do so. Make sure that you do impact calculus so that I can know whether to prefer the impacts of the aff or the K first. Also make sure that the Alternative and Links are explained throughout the debate round, this makes the round flow smoother.

Other Stuff: 

-ask me questions before the round or after if you need more clarification on my decision or args, etc.

-I value analytics as much as evidence as long as it is explained well enough, and if you make it obvious that it does answer the cards.

-I like rounds where there is quality over quantity, however I will weigh all arguments equally.

-I consider myself fair on the speaker points that I give, just perform at your best, and don't be over agressive towards the other teams.

-Respect me, your opponents, and the physical space you are debating in

Please email me your speech documents. I have judged over a 1000 HS and College Debates over the last 18 years. I am a lawyer and lectured this past summer on this year's HS topic at Institutes for the NY UDL and the DC UDL Coaches Workshop and at Summer Institutes at the University of Michigan, Gonzaga, Georgetown and Harvard.

If you run a K, and actually have an ALT that can be proven to SOLVE a problem - - - any problem - - - it would be the first one I have heard that does solve a problem in 18 years of judging debates and then you might get my ballot, but probably not depending on how well the AFF does. If you are AFF and have a Plan that SOLVES a problem without creating more or larger problems - - - you might well get my ballot, depending on how well you debate during the round.

I listen to arguments, favor clash to determine who does the better job of debating, and no matter the chosen framing or style of either or both teams, I judge the debate based on what is said during the DEBATE by the Debaters.

I began high school judging in 1973.

I started judging college debate in 1976.

Between 1977 and 2002, I took a vacation from debate to practice law and raise a family.

Since 2002, I have judged between 40 and 80 Rounds a year in High School and had brief stints judging college and professional debate while "coaching" for the University of Redlands, my alma mater, in, I believe, 2010.

You can debate your own stuff, but I am not a theory fan.

I believe I have voted NEG on topicality four times in 18 years, twice in non-traditional AFF debates and once at the Kentucky RR when I thought the AFF made a mistake and I also thought the NEG made them pay, although a very competent and distinguished judge who was also judging the same round felt differently. So, even in the one traditional debate round where I voted NEG on T, I was probably wrong. I believe in AFF creativity, reasonability which guarantees predictability.

BUT (and and this is a CAPITAL BUT) I like/strongly prefer substantive debates ABOUT the topic area, so long as the Plan is a reasonable illustration of the Resolution.

People who listen and answer arguments well get great speaker points. People who are nice and friendly and not jerks also like their speaker points.

I have had teams run K's and all kinds, types and nature of CP's. The PERM Debate really makes a difference in a K and CP Round. I am not the most philosophically literate humyn being on the planet, so please explain your esoteric K and your even more esoteric K responses.

Cross-Examination is IMPORTANT, so please ask questions, get answers and ask more questions. When responding, please listen to the question that is asked and ANSWER it. No need to fight or argue. Ask questions, Get Answers, move on.

For the clash of civilization people who want to know more about my feelings and leanings, perhaps the best information I can give you is that I listened to a recording of the final round of the 2013 NDT and would have voted for Northwestern had I been judging. The framework debate in my mind flowed Negative.

I enjoy DISADS and case debates. I am particularly fond of hidden Case Turns that become huge Disads.

I know how hard you work and will attempt to work just as hard to get things right.

Experience

Current Affiliation = Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, CA)
Debates Judged on this topic: about 40 Rounds (UMich Debate Institute)
Prior Experience: Debated policy in HS at Notre Dame HS in Sherman Oaks, CA (1992-1995); Debated NDT/CEDA in college at USC (1995-1999); Assistant debate coach at Cal State Northridge 2003-2005; Assistant debate coach at Glenbrook South HS Spring of 2005; Director of Debate at Glenbrook North HS 2005-2009; Director of Debate at Notre Dame HS Fall of 2009-Present.

General Note

My defaults go into effect when left to my own devices. I will go against most of these defaults if a team technically persuades me to do so in any given debate.

Paperless Rules

If you start taking excessive time to flash your document, I will start instituting that "Prep time ends when the speaker's flash drive is removed from her/his computer."

Major Notes

Topic familiarity

I am familiar with the topic (4 weeks of teaching at Michigan at Classic and involved in argument coaching at Notre Dame).

Delivery

Delivery rate should be governed by your clarity; WARRANTS in the evidence should be clear, not just the tagline.
Clarity is significantly assisted by organization - I flow as technically as possible and try to follow the 1NC structure on-case and 2AC structure off-case through the 1AR. 2NR and the 2AR should have some leeway to restructure the debate in important places to highlight their offense. However, line-by-line should be followed where re-structuring is not necessary.

Ideal 2AR Structure

Offense placed at the top (tell me how I should be framing the debate in the context of what you are winning), then move through the debate in a logical order.

2NR's Make Choices

Good 2NR strategies may be one of the following: (1) Functionally and/or textually competitive counterplan with an internal or external net benefit, (2) K with a good turns case/root cause arguments that are specific to each advantage, (3) Disadvantage with turns case arguments and any necessary case defense, (4) Topicality (make sure to cover any theory arguments that are offense for aff). My least favorite debates to resolve are large impact turn debates, not because I hate impact turns, but because I think that students lose sight of how to resolve and weigh the multiple impact scenarios that get interjected into the debate. Resolving these debates starts with a big picture impact comparison.

Evidence Quality/References

Reference evidence by warrant first and then add "That's [Author]." Warrant and author references are especially important on cards that you want me to read at the end of the debate. Also, evidence should reflect the arguments that you are making in the debate. I understand that resolving a debate requires spin, but that spin should be based in the facts presented in your evidence.

I have been getting copies of speech documents for many debates lately so I can read cards during prep time, etc. However, note that I will pay attention to what is said in the debate as much as possible - I would much rather resolve the debate on what the debaters say, not based on my assessment of the evidence.

Offense-Defense

Safer to go for offense, and then make an "even if" statement explaining offense as a 100% defensive takeout. I will vote on well-resolved defense against CP, DA's and case. This is especially true against process CP's (e.g., going for a well-resolved permutation doesn't require you to prove a net benefit to the permutation since these CP's are very difficult to get a solvency deficit to) and DA's with contrived internal link scenarios. Winning 100% defense does require clear evidence comparison to resolve.

Topicality

I like a well-developed topicality debate. This should include cards to resolve important distinctions. Topical version of the aff and reasonable case lists are persuasive. Reasonability is persuasive when the affirmative has a TRUE "we meet" argument; it seems unnecessary to require the affirmative to have a counter-interpretation when they clearly meet the negative interpretation. Also, discussing standards with impacts as DA's to the counter-interpretation is very useful - definition is the uniqueness, violation is the link, standard is an internal link and education or fairness is the impact.

Counterplans

Word PIC's, process, consult, and condition CP's are all ok. I have voted on theory against these CP's in the past because the teams that argued they were illegit were more technically saavy and made good education arguments about the nature of these CP's. The argument that they destroy topic-specific education is persuasive if you can prove why that is true. Separately, the starting point for answers to the permutation are the distinction(s) between the CP and plan. The starting point for answers to a solvency deficit are the similarities between the warrants of the aff advantage internal links and the CP solvency cards. Counterplans do not have to be both functionally and textually competitive, but it is better if you can make an argument as to why it is both.

Disadvantages

All parts of the DA are important, meaning neither uniqueness nor links are more important than each other (unless otherwise effectively argued). I will vote on conceded or very well-resolved defense against a DA.

Kritiks

Good K debate should have applied links to the affirmative's or negative's language, assumptions, or methodology. This should include specific references to an opponent's cards. The 2NC/1NR should make sure to address all affirmative impacts through defense and/or turns. I think that making 1-2 carded externally impacted K's in the 2NC/1NR is the business of a good 2NC/1NR on the K. Make sure to capitalize on any of these external impacts in the 2NR if they are dropped in the 1AR. A team can go for the case turn arguments absent the alternative. Affirmative protection against a team going for case turns absent the alternative is to make inevitability (non-unique) claims.

Aff Framework

Framework is applied in many ways now and the aff should think through why they are reading parts of their framework before reading it in the 2AC, i.e., is it an independent theoretical voting issue to reject the Alternative or the team based on fairness or education? or is it a defensive indite of focusing on language, representations, methodology, etc.?. Framework impacts should be framed explicitly in the 1AR and 2AR. I am partial to believing that representations and language inform the outcome of policymaking unless given well-warranted cards to respond to those claims (this assumes that negative is reading good cards to say rep's or language inform policymaking).

Neg Framework

Neg framework is particularly persuasive against an affirmative that has an advocacy statement they don't stick to or an aff that doesn't follow the resolution at all. It is difficult for 2N's to have a coherent strategy against these affirmatives and so I am sympathetic to a framework argument that includes a topicality argument and warranted reasons to reject the team for fairness or education. If a K aff has a topical plan, then I think that framework only makes sense as a defensive indite their methodology; however, I think that putting these cards on-case is more effective than putting them on a framework page. Framework is a somewhat necessary tool given the proliferation of affirmatives that are tangentially related to the topic or not topical at all. I can be persuaded that non-topical affs should not get permutations - a couple primary reasons: (1) reciprocity - if aff doesn't have to be topical, then CP's/K's shouldn't need to be competitive and (2) Lack of predictability makes competition impossible and neg needs to be able to test the methodology of the aff.

Theory

I prefer substance, but I do understand the need for theory given I am open to voting on Word PIC's, consult, and condition CP's. If going for theory make sure to impact arguments in an organized manner. There are only two voting issues/impacts: fairness and education. All other arguments are merely internal links to these impacts - please explain how and why you control the best internal links to either of these impacts. If necessary, also explain why fairness outweighs education or vice-versa. If there are a host of defensive arguments that neutralize the fairness or education lost, please highlight these as side constraints on the the violation, then move to your offense.

Classic Battle Defaults

These are attempts to resolve places where I felt like I had to make random decisions in the past and had wished I put something in my judge philosophy to give debaters a fair warning. So here is my fair warning on my defaults and what it takes to overcome those defaults:
(1) Theory v. Topcality - Topcality comes before theory unless the 1AR makes arguments explaining why theory is first and the 2NR doesn't adequately respond and then the 2AR extends and elaborates on why theory is first sufficiently enough to win those arguments.
(2) Do I evaluate the aff v. the squo when the 2NR went for a CP? - No unless EXPLICITLY framed as a possibility in the 2NR. If the 2NR decides to extend the CP as an advocacy (in other words, they are not just extending some part of the CP as a case takeout, etc.), then I evaluate the aff versus the CP. What does this mean? If the aff wins a permutation, then the CP is rejected and the negative loses. I will not use the perm debate as a gateway argument to evaluating the aff vs. the DA. If the 2NR is going for two separate advocacies, then the two separate framings should be EXPLICIT, e.g., possible 2NR framing, "If we win the CP, then you weigh the risk of the net benefit versus the risk of the solvency deficit and, if they win the permutation, you should then just reject the CP and weigh the risk of the DA separately versus the affirmative" (this scenario assumes that the negative declared the CP conditional).
(3) Are Floating PIK's legitimate? No unless the 1AR drops it. If the 1AR drops it, then it is open season on the affirmative. The 2NC/1NR must make the floating PIC explicit with one of the following phrases to give the 1AR a fair chance: "Alternative does not reject the plan," "Plan action doesn't necessitate . Also, 2NC/1NR must distinguish their floating PIK from the permutation; otherwise, affirmatives you should use any floating PIK analysis as a outright concession that the "permutation do both" or "permutation plan plus non-mutually exclusive parts" is TRUE.
(4) Will I vote on theory cheap shots? Yes, but I feel guilty voting for them. HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR A REVERSE VOTING ISSUE EVEN IF IT WAS DROPPED.

Who is a Good Debater

Anna Dimitrijevic, Alex Pappas, Pablo Gannon, Stephanie Spies, Kathy Bowen, Edmund Zagorin, Matt Fisher, Dan Shalmon, Scott Phillips, Tristan Morales, Michael Klinger, Greta Stahl, George Kouros. There are many others - but this is a good list.

Respect

Your Opponents, Your Teammates, Your Coaches, Your Activity.

Extra Notes CP/Perm/Alt Texts

The texts of permutations, counterplans, and alternatives should be clear. I always go back and check the texts of these items if there is a question of a solvency deficit or competition. However, I do feel it is the burden of the opposing team to bring up such an argument for me to vote on it - i.e., unless it is a completely random round, the opposing team needs to make the argument that the text of the CP means there is a significant solvency deficit with the case, or the affirmative is overstating/misconstruing the solvency of a permutation because the text only dictates X, not Y, etc. I will decide that the aff does not get permutations in a debate where the affirmative is not topical.

Technical Focus

I try to follow the flow the best I can - I do double check if 2AR is making arguments that are tied to the 1AR arguments. I think that 2AR's get significant leeway to weigh and frame their impacts once the 2NR has chosen what to go for; however, this does not mean totally new arguments to case arguments, etc. that were presented before the 2NR.

Resolve Arguments

Frame claim in comparison to other team's response, extend important warrants, cite author for evidence, impact argument to ballot - all of these parts are necessary to resolve an argument fully. Since debate is a game of time management, this means going for fewer arguments with more thorough analysis is better than extending myriad of arguments with little analysis.

Disrespect Bad

Complete disrespect toward anyone who is nice; no one ever has enough “credibility” in this community to justify such actions. If there is a disrespectful dynamic in a debate, I ALWAYS applaud (give higher speaker points to) the first person to step down and realize they are being a jerk. Such growth and self-awareness should rewarded.

Fear to Engage Bad

Win or lose, you are ultimately competing to have the best debate possible. Act like it and do not be afraid to engage in the tough debates. You obviously should make strategic choices, but do not runaway from in-depth arguments because you think another team will be better than you on that argument. Work harder and beat them on the argument on which she/he is supposedly an expert. Taking chances to win debates good.

Fun Stuff

And, as Lord Dark Helmet says, “evil will always triumph over good because good is dumb.”

Banecat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ywjpbThDpE

For PF: Speaks capped at 27.5 if you don't read cut cards (with tags) and send speech docs via email chain prior to your speech of cards to be read (in constructives, rebuttal, summary, or any speech where you have a new card to read). I'm done with paraphrasing and pf rounds taking almost as long as my policy rounds to complete. Speaks will start at 28.5 for teams that do read cut cards and do send speech docs via email chain prior to speech. In elims, since I can't give points, it will be a overall tiebreaker.

For Policy: Speaks capped at 28 if I don't understand each and every word you say while spreading (including cards read). I will not follow along on the speech doc, I will not read cards after the debate (unless contested or required to render a decision), and, thus, I will not reconstruct the debate for you but will just go off my flow. I can handle speed, but I need clarity not a speechdoc to understand warrants. Speaks will start at 28.5 for teams that are completely flowable. I'd say about 85% of debaters have been able to meet this paradigm.

I'd also mostly focus on the style section and bold parts of other sections.

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2018 update: College policy debaters should look to who I judged at my last college judging spree (69th National Debate Tournament in Iowa) to get a feeling of who will and will not pref me. I also like Buntin's new judge philosophy (agree roughly 90%).

It's Fall 2015. I judge all types of debate, from policy-v-policy to non-policy-v-non-policy. I think what separates me as a judge is style, not substance.

I debated for Texas for 5 years (2003-2008), 4 years in Texas during high school (1999-2003). I was twice a top 20 speaker at the NDT. I've coached on and off for highschool and college teams during that time and since. I've ran or coached an extremely wide diversity of arguments. Some favorite memories include "china is evil and that outweighs the security k", to "human extinction is good", to "predictions must specify strong data", to "let's consult the chinese, china is awesome", to "housing discrimination based on race causes school segregation based on race", to "factory farms are biopolitical murder", to “free trade good performance”, to "let's reg. neg. the plan to make businesses confident", to “CO2 fertilization, SO2 Screw, or Ice Age DAs”, to "let the Makah whale", etc. Basically, I've been around.

After it was pointed out that I don't do a great job delineating debatable versus non-debatable preferences, I've decided to style-code bold all parts of my philosophy that are not up for debate. Everything else is merely a preference, and can be debated.

Style/Big Picture:

• I strongly prefer to let the debaters do the debating, and I'll reward depth (the "author+claim + warrant + data+impact" model) over breadth (the "author+claim + impact" model) any day.

• When evaluating probabilistic predictions, I start from the assumption everyone begins at 0%, and you persuade me to increase that number (w/ claims + warrants + data). Rarely do teams get me past 5%. A conceeded claim (or even claim + another claim disguised as the warrant) will not start at 100%, but remains at 0%.

• Combining those first two essential stylistic criteria means, in practice, many times I discount entirely even conceded, well impacted claims because the debaters failed to provide a warrant and/or data to support their claim. It's analogous to failing a basic "laugh" test. I may not be perfect at this rubric yet, but I still think it's better than the alternative (e.g. rebuttals filled with 20+ uses of the word “conceded” and a stack of 60 cards).

• I'll try to minimize the amount of evidence I read to only evidence that is either (A) up for dispute/interpretation between the teams or (B) required to render a decision (due to lack of clash amongst the debaters). In short: don't let the evidence do the debating for you.

• Humor is also well rewarded, and it is hard (but not impossible) to offend me.

• I'd also strongly prefer if teams would slow down 15-20% so that I can hear and understand every word you say (including cards read). While I won't explicitly punish you if you don't, it does go a mile to have me already understand the evidence while you're debating so I don't have to sort through it at the end (especially since I likely won't call for that card anyway).

• Defense can win a debate (there is such as thing as a 100% no link), but offense helps more times than not.

• I'm a big believer in open disclosure practices, and would vote on reasoned arguments about poor disclosure practices. In the perfect world, everything would be open-source (including highlighting and analytics, including 2NR/2AR blocks), and all teams would ultimately share one evidence set. You could cut new evidence, but once read, everyone would have it. We're nowhere near that world. Some performance teams think a few half-citations work when it makes up at best 45 seconds of a 9 minute speech. Some policy teams think offering cards without highlighting for only the first constructive works. I don't think either model works, and would be happy to vote to encourage more open disclosure practices. It's hard to be angry that the other side doesn't engage you when, pre-round, you didn't offer them anything to engage.

• You (or your partner) must physically mark cards if you do not finish them. Orally saying "mark here" (and expecting your opponents or the judge to do it for you) doesn't count. After your speech (and before cross-ex), you should resend a marked copy to the other team. If pointed out by the other team, failure to do means you must mark prior to cross-ex. I will count it as prep time times two to deter sloppy debate.

• By default, I will not “follow along” and read evidence during a debate. I find that it incentivizes unclear and shallow debates. However, I realize that some people are better visual than auditory learners and I would classify myself as strongly visual. If both teams would prefer and communicate to me that preference before the round, I will “follow along” and read evidence during the debate speeches, cross-exs, and maybe even prep.

Topicality:

• I like competing interpretations, the more evidence the better, and clearly delineated and impacted/weighed standards on topicality.

• Abuse makes it all the better, but is not required (doesn't unpredictability inherently abuse?).

• Treat it like a disad, and go from there. In my opinion, topicality is a dying art, so I'll be sure to reward debaters that show talent.

• For the aff – think offense/defense and weigh the standards you're winning against what you're losing rather than say "at least we're reasonable". You'll sound way better.

Framework:

• The exception to the above is the "framework debate". I find it to be an uphill battle for the neg in these debates (usually because that's the only thing the aff has blocked out for 5 minutes, and they debate it 3 out of 4 aff rounds).

• If you want to win framework in front of me, spent time delineating your interpretation of debate in a way that doesn't make it seem arbitrary. For example "they're not policy debate" begs the question what exactly policy debate is. I'm not Justice Steward, and this isn't pornography. I don't know when I've seen it. I'm old school in that I conceptualize framework along “predictability”; "topic education", “policymaking education”, and “aff education” (topical version, switch sides, etc) lines.

• “We're in the direction of the topic” or “we discuss the topic rather than a topical discussion” is a pretty laughable counter-interpretation.

• For the aff, "we agree with the neg's interp of framework but still get to weigh our case" borders on incomprehensible if the framework is the least bit not arbitrary.

Case Debate

• Depth in explanation over breadth in coverage. One well explained warrant will do more damage to the 1AR than 5 cards that say the same claim.

• Well-developed impact calculus must begin no later than the 1AR for the Aff and Negative Block for the Neg.

• I enjoy large indepth case debates. I was 2A who wrote my own community unique affs usually with only 1 advantage and no external add-ons. These type of debates, if properly researched and executed, can be quite fun for all parties.

Disads

• Intrinsic perms are silly. Normal means arguments are less so.

• From an offense/defense paradigm, conceded uniqueness can control the direction of the link. Conceded links can control the direction of uniqueness. The in round application of "why" is important.

• A story / spin is usually more important (and harder for the 1AR to deal with) than 5 cards that say the same thing.

Counterplan Competition:

• I generally prefer functionally competitive counterplans with solvency advocates delineating the counterplan versus the plan (or close) (as opposed to the counterplan versus the topic), but a good case for textual competition can be made with a language K netbenefit.

• Conditionality (1 CP, SQ, and 1 K) is a fact of life, and anything less is the negative feeling sorry for you (or themselves). However, I do not like 2NR conditionality (i.e., “judge kick”) ever. Make a decision.

• Perms and theory always remain a test of competition (and not a voter) until proven otherwise by the negative by argument (see above), a near impossible standard for arguments that don't interfere substantially with other parts of the debate (e.g. conditionality).

• Perm "do the aff" is not a perm. Debatable perms are "do both" and "do cp/alt"(and "do aff and part of the CP" for multi-plank CPs). Others are usually intrinsic.

Critiques:

• I think of the critique as a (usually linear) disad and the alt as a cp.

• Be sure to clearly impact your critique in the context of what it means/does to the aff case (does the alt solve it, does the critique turn it, make harms inevitable, does it disprove their solvency). Latch on to an external impact (be it "ethics", or biopower causes super-viruses), and weigh it against case.

• Use your alternative to either "fiat uniqueness" or create a rubric by which I don't evaluate uniqueness, and to solve case in other ways.

• I will say upfront the two types of critique routes I find least persuasive are simplistic versions of "economics", "science", and "militarism" bad (mostly because I have an econ degree and am part of an extensive military family). While good critiques exist out there of both, most of what debaters use are not that, so plan accordingly.

• For the aff, figure out how to solve your case absent fiat (education about aff good?), and weigh it against the alternative, which you should reduce to as close as the status quo as possible. Make uniqueness indicts to control the direction of link, and question the timeframe/inevitability/plausability of their impacts.

• Perms generally check clearly uncompetitive alternative jive, but don't work too well against "vote neg". A good link turn generally does way more than “perm solves the link”.

• Aff Framework doesn't ever make the critique disappear, it just changes how I evaluate/weigh the alternative.

• Role of the Ballot - I vote for the team that did the better debating. What is "better" is based on my stylistic criteria. End of story. Don't let "Role of the Ballot" be used as an excuse to avoid impact calculus.

Performance (the other critique):

• Empirically, I do judge these debate and end up about 50-50 on them. I neither bandwagon around nor discount the validity of arguments critical of the pedagogy of debate. I'll let you make the case or defense (preferably with data). The team that usually wins my ballot is the team that made an effort to intelligently clash with the other team (whether it's aff or neg) and meet my stylistic criteria. To me, it's just another form of debate.

• However, I do have some trouble in some of these debates in that I feel most of what is said is usually non-falsifiable, a little too personal for comfort, and devolves 2 out of 3 times into a chest-beating contest with competition limited to some archaic version of "plan-plan". I do recognize that this isn't always the case, but if you find yourselves banking on "the counterplan/critique doesn't solve" because "you did it first", or "it's not genuine", or "their skin is white"; you're already on the path to a loss.

• If you are debating performance teams, the two main takeaways are that you'll probably lose framework unless you win topical version, and I hate judging "X" identity outweighs "Y" identity debates. I suggest, empirically, a critique of their identity politics coupled with some specific case cards is more likely to get my ballot than a strategy based around "Framework" and the "Rev". Not saying it's the only way, just offering some empirical observations of how I vote.

Me – I debated for Damien High School from 2014-2017 (Latin America to China). And now, I currently attend Claremont McKenna College.

Cross-ex is rarely damning on any question. Stop saying that. if the person you are speaking over in cross-ex is your own partner who is also trying to answer the question, you may have a problem. a hilarious problem.

for the love of god can we stop having these moments in cross ex where we say "obviously debate doesnt leave this room when we say the government should do something" in a condescending tone. you sound ridiculous. no one thinks that. literally no one. this is like... the royalty of a straw-person argument.

I like solvency advocates that say what your plan says, impact calculus, people that are having fun, and milkshakes. I flow. I vote on dropped arguments that I dont believe.

I increasingly find myself protecting negative teams because the 2AR explanation seems too new. So for all of you shady 2ARs out there, you need to hide your newness better. Or, you know, communicate with your partner so that they can help set up your argument(s).

I dislike debaters who try to spoil the fun of the game for others. This may surprise you, but you are still in school and not working your fourth Nobel Prize. If this activity makes you angry, go do something else. I do not understand why someone would choose to travel across the country just to yell at someone they do not know in 3 minute intervals.

Debate is a world of enthymemes where there is a lot of presumption on the part of community in relation to the meaning of the text that you choose to speak. It would be a mistake to not fully explain an argument because you think I "get it." Sometimes that may be the case, but that is by no means a universal truth. Play your game, but make sure I understand what game we are playing at the conclusion of the debate. E.g. If you thought an evidence comparison should have gone differently than my RFD, it is probably your fault. Debate is a communicative activity, so identifying how I should evaluate your evidence / their evidence is... important.

I think debate is a game. This probably makes me evaluate debate differently. I will listen to anything I guess. If you think an argument is stupid, I would assume that you can easily defeat said argument. These are my thoughts, but keep in mind I will not just insert these things into the debate. That is your job. I have front loaded the philosophy with the things that you are most likely here to read. Without further ado:

Clipping - in many respects I think that prompts for clarity are interventionist. However, clipping is rampant, particularly during the 1AC. if I think that you are clipping, I will say clear. If it becomes a problem, I will prompt you with something to the effect of "read all of the highlighting." If I think that you are still clipping after this prompt, I will vote against you.

Buzzwords – stop it. If you cannot explain the argument, then that dog wont hunt. Also, I would really appreciate it if people would stop saying sure prior to answering questions. 

Critiques – An Aff will probably lose if they read generic answers and: don’t apply them to the criticism and don’t apply them to the affirmative. The more topic specific the K the better. Framework cards should be in the context of the resolution. I always approach these as metatheoretical discussions, which means if you win your framing arguments then you will probably win the debate. This means framework is generally not a voting issue on its own because its really just an impact calculus. I will default policy unless told otherwise. I dig the impact turn (imperialism good, Fox News) but also understand that these are probably more links to the critique. I find that lots of high end theory does not make sense when it is reduced to a blurb in the debate. You are the equivalent of Google Translate when you go for these arguments. If you don't get the reference. I am saying that Google Translate sucks. 

"non-plan affs" – That word probably bastardizes your argument but I don't have a great alternate label that people can find in a quick search through judge philosophies. These are my predispositions. If you can address them, I'm all yours (but even if you don't, you should not worry. It seems to impact the debate less and less because you are answering generic blocks with specific arguments about your method.): 
First, "role of the ballot" is over-used and rarely explained as a concept. Please do not assume that you will win just because you said it. Second, my understanding of the "policy debate good" literature means if I don't understand by your last speech, I will vote on a coherent framework argument. This is becoming less and less true because people are so afraid to say limits that they just say "you killed my decision-making" and decide thats sufficient for an impact. Third, these types of arguments typically mean the other team is forced to defend the community practices and not their own. At times I think this is a straw person argument, but I have become increasingly aware that this is not as artificial as I used to think. Fourth, teams tend to hilariously mishandle form arguments and generally lack a coherent strategy on the neg when answering these affs. Most of the time, every argument is a different way to say "you gotta have a plan." Even if the arguments sound distinct in the 1NC, they usually aren't by the 2NR. Rather than focusing on what you have prewritten, you should exploit these problems in the neg strategy. I end up voting for critical teams quite a bit because of this strategic problem eventhough i firmly believe in the pedagogical value of affirmatives being germane to the resolution. 

Framework - "a discussion of the topic rather than a topical discussion" is not a good counter-interpretation. the limits disad is real. I think a TVA that you have a card for is a devastating arg. other than that, it is either a topicality argument or a methodology argument. Your framework evidence should be about the topic on both sides. The argument is rarely as complicated as teams seem to make it. Most of the time it seems to come down to inductive vs deductive means of evaluating debate. In order to make it a voting issue, you must be able to the three components of a framework debate in some capacity or win that the one you do outweighs / controls the other: a) education b) fairness c) politics. It is easiest to win this argument when it is coupled with case defense in order to mitigate the risk of their offense against your standards.

Topicality – T is not genocidal unless the argument is dropped. I evaluate it like a disad so you should impact out arguments beyond words like "fairness" or "education". What is the argument you lose and why is it important? How does it affect aff / neg ground? You should counter-define words within your opponents' definition to mess with them and their construction of truthiness. You can win with just defense in a T debate.

Theory – You should go for theory because teams dont know how to answer it. The more counterplans there are, the more sympathetic I become to theory. I used to go for Aff conditionality good all the time. My threshold for theory other than conditionality is somewhat high as a reason to reject the team. If the 2NR is 30 seconds or less on conditionality, your 2AR better be conditionality is bad.

Disads - do people even read judge philosophies for this anymore? Impact framing in these debates is cool too. Don't bury me in cards. You may not like the outcome. Explanation of 1 really good card is better than 5 bad cards. The politics disad is a thing. 

Counterplans should have solvency advocates and should exploit generic link chains in aff advantages. The idea that a counterplan needs a card specific to the aff is not a deal breaker. Affs should probably read CP texts... they often times fiat out of your solvency deficits.

Case Debate - These should be a thing. Ideally, there should be more than just generic impact defense. Otherwise, you will probably lose to specificity. People should impact turn.... everything.