Spring Debate Vote!

We are so excited about the resolution options for the 2024-25 competitive season!

Lincoln Douglas:

Resolved: Mandatory national service is justified.

National service can be performed in a variety of ways: serving in the military, teaching in low-income areas, caring for the elderly, or working on a needed infrastructure project are all examples of tasks that could be classified as national service. Although this resolution is crafted as a statement, it asks a moral question. Is it justified to require national service of some kind? Is there a duty to serve the country you belong to? 

Resolved: In U.S. law enforcement, accountability ought to be prioritized over effectiveness.

It’s been said that power corrupts, and law enforcement wields a lot of power over the average citizen. At the same time, that power is necessary to protect citizens from crime. Many measures that increase accountability, can decrease overall effectiveness. This resolution identifies two good things for law enforcement to have, and asks: when in conflict, which ought to be prioritized above the other?

Resolved: A polity ought to have a right to secede from political bodies.

History is full of examples where groups have seceded from great political bodies, and even today there are examples around the world where some states and peoples are talking about secession. This resolution asks about the philosophical justifications for such actions – whether or not they are successful, ought groups have a right to self- determination? What requirements must be met in order to have secession be justified?

Resolved: The United States Declaration of Independence is more important than the United States Constitution.

The U.S. Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution form the foundation for our country. The Declaration dissolved political authority and rebuked an oppressor; the Constitution created authority and orderly government. Which document has had a greater impact on our nation’s social fabric? Which document has had a greater impact worldwide? Both are undeniably important, but this resolution asks debaters to explore these documents more deeply to understand how they have changed history in their own important ways.

Resolved: The acquisition of knowledge is an intrinsic good.

Our society places a huge priority on education. It is assumed that acquisition of knowledge is the key to success. But is this actually true? Can too much knowledge be too much of a good thing? Is the pursuit of knowledge good in and of itself, or does the type of knowledge and end use of that knowledge impact its goodness? Debaters will be able to explore how knowledge has both benefited and hurt peoples throughout history.

Team Policy:

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reform policy toward one or more of its insular areas.

Did you know that the United States consists of more than our 50 states and Washington D.C.? This topic draws our attention to those areas. From territories like Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands, to our unique compacts with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau, this resolution will challenge students to learn about the true shape and jurisdiction of our country. Debaters can reform our unique policies toward these areas, whether it's how we manage taxes, political representation, defense, environmental issues, federal aid & assistance, and more.

Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially reform the Federal Communications Commission or a policy under its regulatory authority.

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent federal agency that regulates communications: radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. This is an agency that doesn’t receive a lot of attention in the news, but has a profound impact on the economy and social fabric of our nation. Debaters can explore new potential FCC regulations in areas like the internet, 5G, and even AI as it relates to communications. We’ll also learn about measures to increase broadband access, policies that address telemarketing and robocalls, consumer protection concerns like preventing excessive cable or phone fees, and even working with new technologies like integrating GPS and wireless into vehicles in safe and fair ways.

Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its policy on healthcare.

Healthcare is incredibly important and impacts our lives daily. Unfortunately, the U.S. healthcare system is complicated, expensive, and antiquated in many ways. Most experts seem to agree that reform is needed, but no one agrees on exactly how to fix this system. Under this topic, debaters will get to learn about the world of healthcare economics: pricing issues, insurance, FDA regulations, prescription affordability, Medicaid & Medicare, and so much more.

We hope you love these topics as much as we do! Happy voting!