Wisconsin Forensics Daily

WDCA Calendar 2008

We have updated the calendar a second time based on updated information.

9/13 Workshop and Fall Business Meeting at Brookfield East

9/19-9/20 Marquette; Milwaukee Debate League

9/26-9/27 Nicolet (Friday Festival, Saturday Tournament)

10/3-10/4 Merrill; Brookfield East (replaces Rufus King)

10/10-10/11 Hortonville; James Madison Memorial, New Trier (IL)

10/17-10/18 LaCrosse Central; Mukwonago

10/24-10/25 South Milwaukee; MDL

10/31-11/1 Teacher’s Convention; Iowa Caucus (IA)

11/7-11/8 Waupaca; West Bend (replaces Brookfield Central)

11/14-11/15 Waukesha South

11/21-11/22 Fritsche (Friday only); Slinger (Saturday only); MDL; Glenbrooks (IL)

12/5-12/6 Sheboygan North; Bradley Speech (IL)

12/12-12/13 WSDT (Location TBD)

Tags: wdca

Posted in News, Thursday Thing To Read | 2 Comments »

Marquette Hilltopper Classic Invitation Released

Bill Batterman has released the invitation for the 2008 Hilltopper Classic. Registration will be conducted through the Joy of Tournaments website. Read below for the full invite:

Dear Colleagues,

You are cordially invited to attend The 2008 Hilltopper Classic at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, WI. The MUHS Webster Club is once again excited to welcome friends new and old from across the state, region, and country to enjoy fine hospitality and excellent competition and judging.

The 9th Annual Hilltopper Classic will take place on Friday, September 19th and Saturday, September 20th. Competition will be offered in both Varsity and Novice Policy Debate as well as Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Public Forum Debate. Finalists in Varsity Policy Debate will once again earn a bid to the National Tournament of Champions at the University of Kentucky.

Registration is now open at http://www.joyoftournaments.com/wi/marquette/.

After much consideration, we have decided to maintain our “Texas-style” two-day tournament format again this year. With escalating travel costs and shrinking budgets, regional tournaments are essential to the health of the debate community and we are committed to hosting a tournament that is both affordable and accessible to the broadest constituency possible.

By maintaining the Hilltopper Classic as a two-day event, we hope to help squads minimize costs by arriving on Friday and returning home late on Saturday night, necessitating only a single night’s hotel stay. Teams are of course welcome to stay in Milwaukee on Saturday night if this is within their means, but by concluding the tournament on Saturday night we ensure that no team is required to make that choice.

Of course, the “Texas-style” format is not without its downsides. The schedule will once again be intense and opportunities for relaxation, socializing, and community building will be limited. We will of course do our best to provide a hospitable and friendly atmosphere, but teams will have to endure a long night on Friday and an early morning on Saturday. Squads that reach the late elimination rounds will also have to drive home late on Saturday night and into Sunday morning, but we hope that coaches and debaters alike will appreciate the opportunity to sleep late on Sunday and enjoy a rare weekend “off day” early in the season.

On behalf of the Webster Club and the entire Marquette University High School community, I look forward to hosting you here in beautiful Milwaukee.

Sincerely,

Bill Batterman
Tournament Director

Tags: Marquette

Posted in News, Tournament Invites | 1 Comment »

WDCA In Process Of Releasing Novice Evidence Packet

For the first time, the Wisconsin Debate Coaches’ Association is adopting an evidence packet for the novice division of policy debate. Until the first week in November, novice debaters are limited to those arguments contained in the packet. More details about the rules will be provided soon including lists of acceptable arguments, guidelines for what constitutes a “new” argument, and a helpful “cheat sheet” to familiarize judges with the packet.

The following files are included in the WDCA novice evidence packet:

• Wind PTC Affirmative & Negative (Word | PDF)
• RPS Affirmative & Negative (Word | PDF) [Note: this file will be updated/added to soon]
• Flex Fuel Vehicles Affirmative & Negative (Word | PDF)
• Oil Disadvantage & Answers
• Natural Gas Disadvantage & Answers (Word | PDF)
• Green Bubble Disadvantage & Answers (Word | PDF)
• Generic Solvency Arguments & Answers (Word | PDF)
• Global Warming Arguments & Answers

The research for these files has been completed and they are in the process of being reformatted and reviewed prior to release. Links will be provided to both Word and PDF versions as the files are approved and posted. When all files are posted, a zip file containing the complete packet will also be made available.

Update: All files are posted except the Oil DA and the Global Warming arguments. These files as well as some modifications to the RPS file will be posted over the weekend. If updates to any files are made, they will be clearly indicated and posted for everyone to download. Any questions regarding the novice packet can be posted here on WFD or emailed to Bill Batterman.

Tags: debate, evidence, novice, policy, wdca

Posted in News | 1 Comment »

September LD, PF Topics Released

September/October Lincoln-Douglas Topic - Resolved: It is morally permissible to kill one innocent person to save the lives of more innocent people.

September Public Forum Topic - Resolved: That the United States should implement a military draft.

Tags: lincoln-douglas, public forum, topics

Posted in News | No Comments »

WDCA Releases Novice Topics

From the WDCA President-Elect, me:

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase alternative energy incentives in the United States. By:

1. permanently renewing the Production Tax Credit for wind energy.
2. requiring that twenty percent of the electricity produced in the United States come from renewable energy resources by the year 2020.
3. mandating that all new automobiles sold in the United States be flexible-fueled, capable of using mixtures of methanol, ethanol, and gasoline.

These topics are tentative until they are approved by the membership. Voting on the approval of the topics is on-going. Please email Nick Bubb with your school’s vote by Aug 22. Early voting was deemed necessary by the Executive Committee because of the Novice Packet decision that was made in the spring.

This year the WDCA will release (tentative release date is Aug 15) a packet of evidence for contestants in Novice Policy Debate. Until the first week in November, novice policy debaters are limited to arguments that can be found in the packet. After November, novice debaters are simply restricted to the novice topics. The no counterplan, no kritik rule for novice is still in effect for Novice debates before the November date and after the November date. Outside/additional research can be used instead of the cards in the evidence packet but only if they make the same argument as cards in the packet. For example, one can update uniqueness on the Disadvantage but if there is no impact turn to the disadvantage I couldn’t research one and use it in a novice round.

Tags: wdca

Posted in News | 5 Comments »

NFHS Releases the Five Topics for 2009-2010

The National Federation of High Schools met last weekend to discuss next year’s policy debate topic.
Since policy debaters have the same resolution for the whole year, a significant amount of work needs to be done to ensure there is enough literature and potential to sustain a year’s worth of debates.

The meeting is attended by debate associations across the country (NFL, CFL, NDCA, and state organizations) and college debate coaches. They meet to whittle the submitted topic papers down to workable resolutions and then decide on the five best choices. Those selections are presented to the NFL, CFL, NDCA, and the state organizations for their vote. The topics up for debate next year are:

Space: Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly increase its exploration and/or its development of space beyond Earth’s mesosphere.

Health Care: Resolved: The United States federal government should establish a universal health care system in the United States.

Immigration: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially decrease its restriction of immigration to the United States.

Federal Election Reform: Resolved: The United States should substantially change its federal election system through one or more of the following means: legislation, court decision, constitutional amendment.

Poverty: Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States.

I have copied the full ballot from cross-x below the break. Read the rest of this entry »

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WFCA 2008-2009 Category Topics Released

For those wishing to get an early start on the season:

The Wisconsin Forensics Coaches Association has released the 2008-2009 proposed topics for Special Occasion, Public Address, Storytelling, Moments in History, and Group Discussion. It should be noted that these are merely proposed category topics, not the actual topics. The topics need to be approved by the membership at large in the fall.

(However, since these are coordinated with the WHSFA, they usually don’t change much. But I editorialize.)

You can find the information here: http://www.wfcaforensics.org/content/view/119/143/or below the break.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2008-09, forensics, topics

Posted in News | 1 Comment »

Live blogging from the Marquette University Debate Institute

Bill Batterman is live blogging from the 29th Annual Marquette University Debate Institute. You can check out their coverage of the camp’s events over at: http://mudi2008.blogspot.com.

Posted in News | 8 Comments »

WFD Brewer Game: Redux

Wisconsin Forensics Daily invites all WI debate and forensics coaches to “roll out the barrel” and “take themselves out to the ballgame”!

Brewers v. Nationals
Saturday, August 9th
First Pitch: 6:05p.m.

Especially recently, it’s become very difficult to obtain tickets for Saturday home games. Anyone interested in attending needs to email me at consult.australia@gmail.com BY AUGUST 1ST!

Anyone who doesn’t email me by that time is still welcome to purchase his/her own ticket and come along, but will miss out on the ticket deal WFD works out with the Brewers ticket office.

If agreeable to most parties, we would like to tailgate before the game. More details will be available as we move closer to the 9th.

Posted in News | 5 Comments »

Obama Votes Aff on last year’s policy topic

From CNN:

Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday unveiled a plan to create volunteer and service opportunities to help tackle some of the nation’s most pressing issues, part of his weeklong focus on patriotism and national service.

Included in his plan, was pretty much every affirmative in the resolution. CNN writes that Obama’s plan would include:

• Expanding AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots and doubling the size of the Peace Corps;
• Integrating service-learning programs into schools and universities
• Providing new service opportunities for working Americans and retirees;
• Expanding service initiatives that “engage disadvantaged young people and advance their education”;
• Expanding the capacity of nonprofit groups to innovate and expand successful programs across the country; and
• Enabling more Americans to serve in the armed forces

Posted in Columns, News | 1 Comment »