How to Debate Disadvantages

DA Uniqueness: Status of a key issue in the SQ – Example: The economy is improving Link: how the plan disrupts the SQ – Example: The plan costs billions Internal link-connects the link with the impact – Spending increases inflation, destroys economy Impact- harm – Strong economy is key to prevent war

Selecting disadvantages to run Be strategic in selecting them—a few things to remember— Don’t run multiple disadvantages with the same terminal impact Try and find a DA with an impact that turns the case

Know the Disadvantage Read it Highlight it Practice read it

Overviews -Short description of the DA story -Probability analysis -Timeframe analysis -Magnitude analysis -How does the DA turn the case?

Organization when extending the disadvantage Always signpost where your going on the flow. Divide the DA into its 4 components: uniqueness, link, internal link and impact. Read extensions to each component of the DA in a specific section of the flow.

Read the 2AC Evidence You have the time to do it, especially if you are the 1NR. Evidence quality is frequently not the best, so don’t let your opponents get away with it.

Read New Scenarios If possible, you can new link and impact scenarios in the negative block. Why? -Improves your chances of winning the DA. -Puts a ton of pressure on the 1AR (be careful of the 1AR impact turn)

How to handle the impact/link turn debate If the 2AC just impact/link turns the DA, make them pay for this misguided decision. -Spend 7-10 minutes on the DA in the block. This is a prime opportunity to functionally end the debate, so do it. -Extend your evidence -Play some defense against the turns -Read more impact scenarios -Make sure the 2AC read uniqueness for their link turn

Kicking out of a DA—Why? Eliminates a cheap way for the Affirmative to win Going for all the disadvantages in the block means none will be extended well. Depth is better than breath. Makes it clear to the judge that the DA is now out of the round

How to kick out of a DA First—identify if the 2AC reads any add on advantages. You always need to answer add on advantages, even if you are kicking the DA. This is a common mistake. Second—if the 2AC reads non unique evidence, extend it to kick out of the DA. Third—if the 2AC reads no link arguments, extend it to kick out of the DA. Forth—if the 2AC reads no impact arguments—extend it to kick out of the DA. \ Fifth—if the 2AC just impact or link turns the DA—you can’t really kick out of the DA. Instead, you should take the time necessary to make them pay for it.

Politics DA Thesis: Fiating the plan will result in political implications. – Political capital – Bipartisanship – Focus – popularity

Politics DA Uniqueness Story: either Legislation will be passed in the quo (Obama good) Or will not be passed (Obama bad)

Politics DA Link – Passing the plan will result in a shift in politics Undermine political capital Destroy bipart. Take away focus Is unpopular – Passing the plan will be a victory for Obama Increases PC Enhances bipart Is popular

Politics DA Internal Link – PC, Bipart, focus, popularity is essential to pass the bill.

Politics DA Reasons why to run the DA – Links to all policy topics – Smaller teams can focus research on a limited number of issues – Big impacts

Politics DA Why not to run the politics DA – It’s rarely true – Takes focus away from topic – Some judges really dislike politics – Everyone should be prepared for the argument

Affirmative Answers to DA’s

Answering Disadvantages—read it Yes, read their evidence for the DA. Frequently it won’t be the best evidence ever. Point out missing internal links

Answering Disadvantages—have a frontline Pre round preparation can save a lot of pain and mistakes. You should compose your 2AC blocks before the round—a few reasons. -reduces prep time usage -reduces your stress level -usually produces better answers

Answering Disadvantages—being strategic in the 1AC If you have good intelligence on what your opponents like to run—then prepare your 1AC accordingly. -This means reading advantages that solve for the DA impact -This means reading pre-empts to the DA in the 1AC. -This means reading some type of moral obligation advantage in the 1AC.

Answering Disadvantages—Generic Impact Takeouts You don’t have to have specific answers to every impact out there—going generic can work and save time.

Answering Disadvantages—Using Impact Calculus Moral obligation to solve for AIDS, women’s rights, disease, outweighs the DA impact Judge shouldn’t evaluate low probability impacts Affirmative shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of intervening actors

Answering Disadvantages—Diversity is good Make a diverse set of arguments in the 2AC. Read non uniques, no links, no impact, turns, case outweighs, ect… Have a mix of cards and smart analytical arguments in the 2AC frontline

Answering Disadvantages—using uniqueness to take out impacts Its easy to have uniqueness to take out generic impacts, like U.S. hegemony low now or U.S. economy in the tank now, or U.S. is losing the WOT now. Might even want to place some in the 1AC if time allows.

Answering Disadvantages—case outweighs You should always make “case outweighs” analysis on the DA. First—Magnitude—the case impacts are larger than the DA impacts. It Second—Timeframe—the case impacts come before the DA impacts. Third—Probability—the case impacts are more likely to occur than the DA impacts.

Answering Disadvantages—Don’t just impact or link turn! Why?

Answering Disadvantages—More key information Uniqueness overwhelms the link—uniqueness evidence is so good that there’s no way the plan can overcome it In cross examination—focus on one area of the DA to destroy and take out. Don’t forget to then make these arguments in the 2AC. Read your best answers first. Time is always short in the 2AC, and you might not have time to get beyond your first six answers. I’ve seen this happen way too often.