Debating the Politics DA By Jason Russell University of Oklahoma

Why Politics? It’s the real reason most things don’t get done The DA can (almost) always outweigh the case It’s a researcher’s DA; the evidence is always out there It’s a common CP net benefit (offense/defense)

Politics Glossary Political Capital Partisanship The Docket Horse-trading Teflon/Lightning Rod Bully Pulpit Winners Win Spin

The Components of the Politics DA UQ, Link, Internal Link, Impact Politics has pressure points – Know them, use them Time investment is critical Evidence, evidence, evidence

UQ Issue specific UQ v. Link UQ –Issue specific is evidence on the impact scenario passing (Law of the Sea will pass) –Link uq is evidence on the general agenda (Obama’s political capital is high) Thumpers/PLUQ (Predictive Link UQ) –Evidence that something will inevitably occur between the plan and the impact scenario that answers their link (So, the Energy Bill won’t be voted on until Sept; In August, the new budget will sap political capital)

Debating UQ Controlling issue specific UQ (Walls of Ev) What if it’s true – UQ outweighs the Link Comparing warrants –Know your current politics –Know the timeline of the debate on your bill (making post-dating matter) –Compare qualifications (official pronouncements v. analysts) –Momentum (Direction of UQ) –Vote counts –Presidential Capital

UQ CP WTF! 2NC CP to fix a UQ problem w your DA Not on the docket? Put it there. Thumper hosed your UQ? Ban it! DO NOT CP TO PASS THE BILL (Perm solves link) Is it ok? Probably – Still competes w the aff and it’s a constructive. Aff doesn’t have a right to a particular politics answer AND if it’s ok in the 1N, it’s ok in the 2n. Can you read a new DA? Obvi.

Links Lobbies Influential politicians (President, VP, Sec of State, etc.) House/Senate Leaders Caucuses Gov’t agents (Defense, State, etc.)

Debating the Link Spin (Media, political) What’s in a name? Blame/Credit (Agencies? Courts?) Theoretical issues (FIAT Solves) Direction of the link (Always a link?) Winners win Key internal links Diversify

Internal Links “Political capital is key to x” Often, the crappiest part of the politics DA Often, also, the part w the greatest paucity of evidence Obviously other internals, (x key to solve warming, oil dependence, etc. – an internal link is just a connector between link and impact)

Debating the Internal Link Coming, but controversial Typically, the only way to beat the internal link is if the issue is not on the docket Sometimes, it’s not being pushed (i.e. the President or Congress is floating the idea, but not investing in it) Bottom of the Docket Intrinsicness

Impacts The bill the plan stops would be good or the bill they cause would be bad. Raucus debate on the issue could be bad (China-bashing example)

Debating Impacts TF, Magnitude, Probability, Quality Aim high – Bigger is better, the Block DA turns the Case –“Every war is worse in a world w …” –“…magnifies oppression” –“Causes another conflict in…”

K’s of the Politics DA Lincoln Credibility – Worst reason not to do something, maintains the SQ Game Framing – Making politics look like a horse race makes people feel like they’re irrelevant, inducing apathy (Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Joseph Capella, Thomas Patterson)

Conclusion Politics is sick Thanks!