Last changed on
Sun July 7, 2024 at 5:38 AM CDT
Background: Debate and Speech Coach at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, Minnesota. Retired Attorney.
What I am looking for in Congressional Debate:
-an introduction to your speech, a roadmap, and some signposting/transitions are helpful
-arguments that include the necessary evidence to support them
-citations that give me enough information to find them, if needed
-the authorship/sponsorship speech that is polished and should include the status quo, the problem in the status quo, and how your bill solves
-speeches after the authorship/sponsorship speech should include refutation and clash with previous speakers - this is debate, not oratory
-questioning should further debate, so favorable or same-sided questions should be avoided
-if you are giving a mid- to late-round speech and do not include refutation, you will rank poorly in front of me
-avoid talking over each other and snark during questioning
-no rehashing of previous points, please
-breaking the cycle of debate is a risky move in front of me; flipping sides or saving your recency for the next piece of legislation is preferable
What I am looking for in a Presiding Officer:
-EFFICEINCY! The more wordy you are, the more your score goes down
-you should announce your procedures thoroughly at the very beginning
-you are not required to offer an electronic precedence and recency spreadsheet. The onus is on the debaters in the chamber to flow the debate and keep track of the P & R
-No auctioneering is needed. Call for a speech, seeing none, call for the next.
-a PO is there to allow the most debate to happen. Narrating the entire round with extra words fails to meet this objective.
-a PO should be able to get through about 12 speeches in an hour. Make that your goal.
-unless the Tournament says otherwise, the NSDA has no rule against breaking cycle and the number of same-sided speeches that can occur. You do not need to admonish the chamber each time it happens.
-You should not call for “Orders of the Day” unless you have a tabled piece of legislation you left on the table. “Orders of the Day” is not a time to state how many speeches and questions the chamber got through. Check out Robert’s Rules of Order if you are curious.
-DO NOT SAY: “Thank you for that speech of 3:09. As this was the 3rd Affirmative Speech, we are in line for a 1-minute block of questioning. All those who wish to ask a question, please indicate." INSTEAD SAY: “Speech time 3:09. Questioners, please indicate.”
