They're back! LD resolutions part two

Let’s look at the rest of them. I’m not sure how the NFL decides the order in which to list them, but I’m just following them.

Resolved: On balance, the privatization of civil services serves the public interest.

What? I have little or no idea what this one is supposed to be about. Presumably it’s meant to be a thrust at limiting government, but civil services is an awfully broad phrase, and to be honest, I don’t recall anyone lately saying, Gosh darn it, I wish someone would privatize them thar civil services. Although guess the government is cheaper if there’s less of it. Whatever. As a debate topic, this would be all over the map. By the time any agreement about it comes along, it will be over. As for underlying value, anything the government does is civil service, isn’t it? Road building. The FDA. The DMV. You name it. Where’s the core moral/ethic business? Where’s the philosophy? There’s a reason Ron Paul isn’t the designated nominee…

Rating: 0

Resolved: On balance, labor unions in the United States are beneficial.

This is a perfectly fine resolution for Public Forum. For LD, there’s very little real philosophical meat. It’s a question of politics and business and economics, not of morals or ethics. It can certainly be argued, but why? The word “are” at least limits it to present day. I can’t wait to watch them debate this one in Wisconsin.

Rating: 2

Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee universal health care for its citizens.

Again, a fine resolution for PF with absolutely no LD underpinnings. It’s your politics vs my politics, and here I’ll agree with George Washington that parties just don’t work well.

Rating: 2

Resolved: Oppressive government is more desirable than no government.

I can hear the winds of the good old days blowing down the highway. This was a classic in its day, on so many counts. It’s about the old-time social contract stuff that used to be the meat and potatoes of LD, plus since both sides are bad, you have to run the less bad. On top of that, the advocacy is clear: either you’re one side or the other. 20 years ago this was the most beloved topic of all time. It was a serious contender for the northeast Modest Novice topic; we went with civil disobedience mostly because of the two negatives of this one, which seemed a little sophisticated for newbies. If you want to push LD back a generation or two, vote for this one for Jan-Feb. In the best of all possible worlds, this would be the NatNats topic.

Rating: Depends on the months. 8 for Sept-Oct or Nov-Dec, 6 for Jan-Feb (from a $ircuit bias), 10 for Mar-Apr or NatNats.

Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system.

Another classic. This question is ever argued and never settled, and it forces one to draw on canonical texts and thinking. Downside is the interpretation on the neg that rehab ought to be valued the same, which is a Mickey Mouse approach if you ask me, but it will be popular nowadays no doubt, because it’s not illegit, just weak. (When did we arrive in a world where the best defense is not an offense but instead a bland demurral from the other guy's offense?) I don’t like this for newbies because it’s a bit off the mainstream of old-fashioned political philosophy, but it wouldn’t hurt them. Again, putting this in Jan-Feb would make $ircuit heads spin like crazy. Still, I like this topic, and have every other time we’ve debated it.

Rating: 7

So, overall, not a bad list, yet again. A couple of stinkers, no doubt one of which will get through, some oldies but goodies, and some nice new ideas. That's pretty good considering the ridiculous method with which NFL comes up with these things. We've talked about it often on TVFT, and no one inventing a system would invent this system. But the folks on the committee, nevertheless, do a great job under the circumstances. Now it's all up to the voters.
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