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!