Athens TFA IQT
2024 — Athens, TX/US
Congressional Debate Paradigm List
All Paradigms: Show HideIn debate, I value true debating. I look for clash and actual consideration of competitor's arguments, not just person after person reading their pre-written, un-customized cards or speeches. I also value communication. If you talk too speedily and I cannot hear distinct words, those arguments will not be accounted for in my judging. This is not to be mean, but if I can't understand you, I can't really judge you. Finally, you will be polite and respectful. Yes, I want clash, but nothing personal. Debate your opponent's points, not their personality or appearance or whatever else. Honestly, that would just make me more sympathetic to them, so don't do it. And PLEASE, no lingo. Say real people words. I do not care enough to learn every swanky fancy term for something you could just call by name, so if you use debater's slang around me, I just plain won't know what you mean, and that's not good communication.
IEs are a little different. Of course you will not be clashing, so those parts don't apply. Still, I expect you to speak clearly, and I expect to not. be. yelled. at. I don't mean I don't want to be lectured, because extemp speeches and oratories are literally lectures, but do not raise your voice at me. Get passionate, vary your tone, all that good stuff, but don't literally yell. It's kind of the same principle, if I can't hear you well and you're just being mean, I'm gonna have a harder time giving you first place.
And for POs in Congress, please, be chill. I'm not saying be lax on the rules, but in my opinion, an amicable (but not lazy!) chamber is the best kind. I don't like being yelled at. As long as everyone gets to speak and you run the room fairly, you'll be good in my book, and you'll be satisfied with your rank on my ballot.
I just want y'all to be nice to each other. You're all overachievers who choose to put on a suit and debate politics on the weekends for fun, there's no need to get nasty or cutthroat or anything l like that. You're a lot more similar than you are different, which is a good thing! Just be cool, and I'll be cool too.
Good luck, all!
Policy and LD- I was a policy kid in high school. I am fine with spreading when done correctly. I am okay with almost all arguments as long as you run them properly, and explain to me why they are important and why it matters. I am on the flow judge so if you are winning the flow your most likely going to win the round. I love signposting and road maps it helps me as a judge to know where I am going. Please give me voters, and show me why your argument is better. Don't make a claim without giving me evidence to it and explaining why you are right.
Congress- I was also a congress kid in high school, I will never forget about the PO because as a former PO I really apprentice them. Advice for the PO I want to never notice you because that means you are doing your job. For speakers I want clash. If you clash with people it helps with your score in congress as well it just helps with debate. Make sure you stay on top of everything and always ask questions. Also make your speeches fun I love quirky attention devices.
Extemp- I was an extemper as well in high school, I love attention devices I find them fun. Make sure you have background info. It is really easy to get lost in your points, but try and keep them to the point and clean. I love good previews of points and I heavily believe in having 7 articles one in intro and two in each point. Make sure to have fun in this event we want to see your amazing personalities.
Interp- This is one of my favorite events to compete in and judge.Remember your emotions and show me why this piece matter. Remember your emotions you do not have to be yelling all the time to show you are mad. Make sure I can see you climax and you have a good beginning middle and end to your piece. Of course have your intro memorized! Show me why your piece matters and show me what your characters or character is going through. Take me through the world of your piece.
Platforms: Knowing your script is the most powerful thing. If you can get through a full 10 minutes without a hiccup in your fluency you're already doing an amazing job. I think in these events it's important to use your tone as a weapon. Emphasizing what needs to be emphasized to inform or persuade your audience and draw them into the world of knowledge that you want to share with them.
Eric Mueller Judging Philosophy
I debated in college and was a collegiate debate coach for 15 years. I was research assistant at Guyer High School for five years.
Generally I like you to tell me how I vote. I have no natural hatreds for any argument although I am not high on tricky theory or standards debates. Otherwise I see myself as about as tabula rasa as you can get. I mean that. Tell me how to vote and on what argument and I will genuinely evaluate it. And I am willing to vote on almost anything.
I like evidence debates where people pull out warrants from cards and I like the last speaker to explain why the other side loses and they win. Think offense. I like debaters who demonstrate their intelligence by understanding their arguments. I like to have fun too. So enjoy yourself.
I give pretty good speaks I think. 29s and above in solid debates. I always disclose.
That's the short form.
More....
I can be convinced to be a policy maker with some exceptions. Default mode of policy making is policy advantages weighed against risks of disadvantages and consideration given for counterplans and possible solvency deficits. Multiple CPs can be irritating but also at times strategic. Obviously advantage CPs can be an exception.
I read evidence. I like comparisons of the quality of evidence compared to the other team. Not just qualifications, but unanswered warrants in the evidence. Take the time to pull warrants out of the cards and explain them. It will go a long way here. Explain why your evidence should be preferred.
I also like you to take the time to explain specifically how you think you win. Put the whole round together in a quick "story." How do you want me to view it? Compare it the other team's "story." Tell me how this is taken out and that outweighs this. It makes it easier for me to frame your approach as I decide. Give me some "big picture analysis." Don't just get mired down in line by line. I don't need 4 minutes of overview or "canned" overviews. Make specific to what is occurring in this debate round. Otherwise, it's boring.
Put me on your email chain. My email address is eric.mueller@rcisd.org
I also often break with the conventional format. I am willing to vote for kritikal negative and affirmative arguments. So, yes. I will vote for your kritikal affirmative. In fact, I would prefer the negative debate about the offense the affirmative advocates rather than a constant resort to framework debate. That said, I will also vote negative on framework against kritikal cases. However it often comes down to an impact debate that many negatives are not very prepared for and the affirmative is usually very prepared to debate. I am always looking for something new.
It is the job of the negative to explain how K functions with respect to affirmative solvency. I think that needs to be hashed out in more specific ways than I often see occur. How do advantages with short time-frames factor into the question of whether to vote on K first? It is more clear for me with things like settler colonialism than it is with Marxism, for example. But don't assume. Take the time to explain. Make the reason it comes first very clear. How does the K undercut their turns? Be specific. Use examples. Don't make it just a non-unique disadvantage with a floating pic alternative. Sell it.
I also think there are reasons why there might be advantages left for the affirmative even given the criticism provided by the K. I think sometimes more specific affirmative evidence proves the plan can still have advantages to weigh vs. K impacts (as in Marxism) especially when the time frames are quick. Why does K come first? Has that been explored?
Framework against critical cases:
I also believe that it is necessary to answer clearly case claims by critical affirmatives that answer the voting criteria on framework. Think of framework as the disad, and case arguments as solvency that allows the framework disad to outweigh the case. Framing matters. I think "competitive equity" as a standard against critical affirmatives is often untenable for the negative. Focus more on the nature of voices and representational aspects of the need for grammar. Think semiotics. That makes voting negative on T easier in these cases. You need offense, not just terminal defense. T must be framed as offense against the case.
Quickly worded "Do both" or "Do plan and K" sometimes leave me confused as to what the world of the perm really looks like. Take the time to frame your perm for me clearly. How does it take out CP/K? How does it interact with the link to any net benefit? On the negative, hold the affirmative to clearer explanations of how the perm functions. Confusion for me usually breaks negative in the presence of a net benefit.
I’m not a big theory guy. I understand theory but I don’t like voting on it. I will if necessary.
All in all, I’m a quality of argument person. Focus more on making quality arguments rather than quantity. Kick out of stupid things early and focus on what you want to win in the block. I have a tendency to allow new explanations of old arguments in the rebuttals and love a crafty 2AR.
Speech: For oratory and Informative speaking, I am looking for a unique perspective on the topic you chose. With Informative, inform me. I don't mind advocacy but I am not looking for a Persuasive speech.
Interp: I try really hard not to take notes during your performance as I want to give you my full attention. If you can make me forget that I am timing you, that is great. It means, you took me to a new place, time, thought and away from the real world for the moment. That means you hit the mark! I love that. I enjoy all types of selections, those with many characters and those with one. I judge on how well done you performed that selection.
Congress: Congress is a wonderful event. I want you to clash with the other debaters in the chamber but in a professional way. Don't be snarky. If we are in the fourth or fifth speech on a particular piece of legislation, you better be bringing something new for argumentation or your speech will not be ranked high. You need to embrace the role of an elected representative/senator. You are not a high school student during this event.
LD/PFD: If you spread you will not get the win. Spreading is for policy debate. Keep it there. In LD, good analogies are just as good if not better than evidence. I want to hear logic and reasoning. Seriously, if you spread, it will be really hard to get the win. In PFD, if you spread you will not get the win. This is the layperson's version of Policy. It's more evidence driven. But it is not policy. Seriously, do not spread.
Stock Issues
– Topicality
– Significance of Harm
– Inherency
– Solvency
– Advantage Over Disadvantage