1. Core Disadvantages on the topic

2. Aid TradeOff DA  This DA will link to any topical affirmative—because they have to give public health assistance.  Uniqueness debate—foreign aid budgets are tight now, but program x still has full funding now.  Need to be careful on the “budget is tight now” argument because the affirmative could come back and say, “uniqueness overwhelms the link,” if budgets are really tight then a cut in program x is inevitable. That’s why having cards saying program x is funded now is very important.  Link debate—funding/increased funding for the plan trades off with funding for program x. It’s a zero sum link.  Need internal link evidence saying that program x is on the chopping block now  Impact debate—program x is good for some reason

3. Aid TradeOff DA—Example  Uniqueness—Foreign aid budget is tight now, but x program is being funded now  Link—Funding for the plan trades off with funding for program x  Internal Link—Program x is on the chopping block now  Impact—Program x is good

4. Budget/Spending DA  This DA will link to any topical affirmative—because they have to give public health assistance, and that costs money.  Uniqueness debate—congressional spending is stable/controlled/low/disciplined now  Link debate—how much money does the plan cost?  You can place them in topicality/link double bind here. They have to “substantially” increase public health assistance.  Impact debate—increased congressional spending breaks budgetary discipline, tanks the U.S. economy

5. Budget/Spending DA— Example  Uniqueness—Congressional spending is stable now  Link—Plan costs a lot of money  Impact—Increased spending kills budget discipline, hurts the U.S. economy

6. Politics DA—Overview  A disadvantage that focuses on how the plan effects the domestic political process and landscape.  The affirmative can avoid the link to this DA, via bypassing congress and just using USAID or some other USFG agency. But if the plan uses money, then you can argue that congress would have to appropriate it.  Many debaters don’t know how to answer it effectively

7. Politics DA—Political Capital DA  Political Capital DA—utilizes a theory known as “political capital.” Is the amount of momentum, clout, influence that Bush currently has. Is a measure of Bush’s ability to persuade people over to his side.  Uniqueness—Bush has/doesn’t have a lot of political capital right now  X legislation will/won’t pass now  Link—Plan gives/takes away political capital from Bush  Internal Link—Bush needs political capital to pass X issue  Impact—passing X program is bad, not passing X program is bad

8. Political Capital DA—Link Debate  Fighting African health problems is usually popular in congress—AIDS, malaria, TB, diseases.  Republicans, conservatives are suspicious about foreign aid spending, condoms, family planning.  No side controls the link debate on this topic

9. Political Capital DA— Example  This is a Bush Good scenario  Uniqueness—Immigration reform will pass now  Links—First—plan depletes Bush’s political capital  Second—Bush needs political capital to pass immigration reform  Impact—Passing immigration reform is key to the U.S. economy

10. Politics DA—Bush Public Popularity DA  Link—Plan is popular/unpopular with the public  Internal Link—Bush’s popularity level is key to issue x  Public likes concept of public health aid to Africa

11. Bush Public Popularity DA- -Example  This is a Bush Public Popularity Bad scenario  Uniqueness—Immigration reform won’t pass now  Links—First—plan is popular with the public  Second—Bush needs a popularity boost to pass immigration reform  Impacts—passing immigration reform will hurt the U.S. economy

12. Politics DA— Bipartisanship DA  Link—Plan promotes bipartisanship/partisanship  Internal Link—bipartisanship key to passing issue x  The general idea of fighting health problems in Africa is popular—but the devil is in the details.  Condoms, family planning, abortion, foreign aid funding can all promote partisanship

13. Bipartisanship DA— Example  This is a bipartisanship bad scenario  Uniqueness—issue x won’t pass now  Links—First—plan will promote bipartisanship in congress  Second—strong air of bipartisanship is key to passing issue x  Impacts—passing issue x bad

14. Politics DA—Elections DA  Link—plan helps/hurts presidential candidates in the 2008 election.  Impacts—Hillary good/bad, Giuliani good/bad  Obama—has recent African ancestry, focus on Africa could help him  I don’t think this DA is very good right now, and its easy to answer.

15. Diplomatic Focus DA  Should link to any topical affirmative—because new aid initiatives always require diplomatic attention at some level.  Link is better for new initiatives, and plans that spend a lot of money.  Hard to find good uniqueness evidence for this DA  Possible scenarios—Kosovo, Middle East Peace Process, Darfur

16. Diplomatic Focus DA— Example  Uniqueness—U.S. is focused on international issue x now  Links—Plan requires lots of diplomatic attention/focus  Internal Link—Diplomatic focus is zero sum  Impact—U.S. focus on issue x is good

17. U.S.-Sino Relations DA  Will link to some affirmatives  Link is best for countries that China is heavily invested/involved in, like any country with lots of oil and natural resources.  Good net benefit for the China CP  Does China really care that much about U.S. programs in Africa?

18. U.S.-Sino Relations DA-- Example  Uniqueness—Chinese soft power stable/high now  Link—Plan increases U.S. soft power in Africa—and trades off with Chinese soft power—it’s a zero sum link  Impact—Chinese soft power is good for lots of stuff

19. Chinese Soft Power DA  Will link to some affirmatives  Soft Power = the diplomatic, cultural influence a country has over others. Example—good Chinese food = one source of Chinese soft power in the U.S. Promotes a favorable view of China.  China gets soft power out of Africa by sending doctors, doing public health projects on the continent.  Good net benefit for the China CP

20. Chinese Soft Power DA— Example  Uniqueness—Chinese soft power stable/high now  Link—Plan increases U.S. soft power in Africa—and trades off with Chinese soft power—it’s a zero sum link  Impact—Chinese soft power is good for lots of stuff

21. U.S.-EU Relations DA  Will link to many affirmatives  Link = EU likes U.S. efforts to fight health problems in Africa.  One problem—relations are a lot better now  Another problem—Africa probably isn’t the lynchpin to U.S.-EU relations

22. U.S.-EU Relations DA— Example  Uniqueness—U.S./EU relations low now  Link—EU likes the plan, increases U.S.- EU relations  Impact—increased U.S.-EU relations are bad

23. U.S. Hegemony/Soft Power Bad DA  This DA should link to most affirmatives.  Soft power = a countries diplomatic, cultural influence over other countries. Example— Michael Jordan  Most countries would view favorably U.S. efforts to combat public health problems in Africa  One problem—is Africa key to U.S. soft power?

24. U.S. Hegemony/Soft Power Bad DA—Example  Uniqueness—U.S. hegemony/soft power low now  Links—Plan increases U.S. soft power/hegemony  Impacts—U.S. soft power/hegemony bad