Policy DebateTHISPAD

T.H.I.S.P.A.D.

• The “Stock Issues” of Policy Debate• “THISPAD” is an acronym• The “D” is not a stock issue

Note: Key debate jargon is bolded, underlined, and italicized the first time you see them in this PowerPoint.

TopicalityWhat is the debate about?Resolution -

Apriori issueAffirmative vs. NegativeKey Terms:

Federal GovernmentSubstantially IncreaseEconomic Engagement

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its economic engagement toward Cuba, Mexico, or Venezuela.

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Note: This is a very shallow covering of Topicality.

Flow Abbreviations:T - Topicality

HarmsStatus Quo – the way things are nowHarms = What’s wrong in the status quoJudge you need to vote for us because “x” is about to

happen or is happening“x” ideas?

Political InstabilityNo DemocracyBad Economy“x” = China Influence in Latin America

Note: “x” = HarmsMenu

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – Harms

InherencyWhy is the harms not being taken care of now?

Specific to your planThink of as a barrier

Often called Inherent Barrier

“x” is not being taken care of because of “y”“y” ideas should be in terms of “x”“y” = China Influence is up because…

The U.S. is not trading because Cuban Embargo No Diplomacy with Venezuela

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Note: “x” = Harms and “y” = Inherency

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – Inherency

SolvencyHow will your plan solve the Harms and overcome the

Inherency?“x” is not being taken care of because of “y”, but if you

advocate the plan then “z” will take care of “x” and “y”“z” or solvency is dependent upon your planPlan is to Lift the Embargo“x” because of “y” but if we lift the embargo then we will

“z”China has a growing influence because the U.S. is not trading

but if we lift the embargo we will start trading which will decrease China’s influence. Menu

Note: “x” = Harms, “y” = Inherency, and “z” = Solvency

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – Solvency

PlanFour Planks to sum up your plan

Plan Text Novice Restriction The United States Federal Government should lift its embargo on

CubaAgent of Action

USFG only?Funding Mechanism

Normal MeansFiat

The Plan is your Affirmative AdvocacyMenu

Note: I apologize that my creativity lacks so much that I use letters for Stock Issues.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – Plan

AdvantagesWhat are the benefits for solving your harms and

overcoming your inherency?This focuses on an impact levelChina has a growing influence because the U.S. is not

trading but if we lift the embargo we will start trading which will prevent China from using its influence to launch a cyber war on the U.S.What about further impacting?Cyber war will collapse our economy which will cause a

real warMenu

Note: In a Need Plan case Solvency is presented after your Plan. “THIPSA” isn’t as good as “THISPA” apparently.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – Advantages

Prima Fascia“THISPA” are the requirements to make up a Prima

Fascia case.If your not Prima Fascia you lose

You need all of the Stock Issues to be Prima FasciaSo what if they “take out” your Harms card?

China isn’t actually increasing its influenceIt’s a good idea to have 3 cards of each Stock Issue

Special Note: Topicality is an exception

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Note: We like Latin terms, they make us debaters feel smart.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – Advantages

DisadvantageNegative PositionHas its own requirements

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Note: If you say “ULI” no one will know what you are talking about. It isn’t as special as “THISPAD”.

U.L.I.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – AdvantagesDA – Disadvantage

UniquenessAnother Status Quo card

Specific to the DisadvantageWhy hasn’t the Disadvantage happened now?

Brink: Often referred to as the tipping point of the Disadvantage

Flip the AdvantageChina influence is up

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Note: Disadvantages have a special picture, can’t you wait.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – AdvantagesDA – DisadvantageU – Uniqueness

LinkHow does the plan cause the DisadvantageLinks are often said to be a ‘story’

“a” causes “b” which leads to “c” When you are using more Links they are referred to as Internal

Links

Or think of it as what causes the BrinkChina influence is up but if the U.S. lifts the embargo on

Cuba it will lower China’s influence

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Note: Its boring to come up with notes…

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – AdvantagesDA – DisadvantageU – UniquenessL – Link

ImpactThe bloody and terrible mess that we all know in acting

the plan will cause…As Novice this is really how you will win as the Negative,

its your Disadvantage(s) against their caseChina influence key to its economy

China economic collapse causes war

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Note: The Nuclear War impact is sooooo cliché… But for good reason.

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – AdvantagesDA – DisadvantageU – UniquenessL – Link! – Impact

Note: I am terrible with Paint

This terrible picture brings us to the impact debate. The are three factors that will help you beat the other team especially if you have the same impacts, in this case war.

Time FrameMagnitudeProbability

Flow Abbreviations:T – TopicalityH – HarmsI – InherencyS – SolvencyP – PlanA – AdvantagesDA – DisadvantageU – UniquenessL – Link! – ImpactUSFG – United States Federal Government

Note: On your flow the abbreviations are circled. The exception being USFG

TopicalityHarmsInherencySolvencyPlanAdvantagesDisadvantages

Jargon Flow – Notes of the debate Stock Issues – What makes up a plan Apriori – The priority issue Affirmative – Supporting the resolution Negative – Attacking the resolution Status Quo – The here and now Normal Means – How we pay for things Fiat – Whether we should vs. can do the plan Advocacy – What you think we should do Prima Fascia – Requirements of the Affirmative plan Card – Piece of evidence Brink – Tipping point Time Frame – How long it takes Magnitude – The seriousness of the mess Probability – The odds of it happening