The Underpinnings of the Resolution Part 1.

This is how great debaters separate themselves from the ones who are simply good.

What am I talking about?

I'm here to tell you about getting to the core of this year's resolution. There are some underpinning, philosophical beliefs that will be crucial to understanding and countering your opponent's arguments. I am focusing on the Stoa/CCofSE resolution which is; The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its foreign aid.

Many people do not realize this, but there are three major approaches to foreign aid. These beliefs are often so deeply ingrained in us that they are almost subconscious. Although they are rarely directly addressed, not understanding them could severely hamper your ability to debate this resolution well. On the flip side, properly discerning these difference can enable you to be a much more effective debater.

Viewpoint #1

Liberal View

In saying "liberal view" I want to make the distinction that I don't mean "democrat view." This doesn't necessarily align with one party. This outlook espouses that if we can give, we should give. We are very blessed to live in the United States which is one of the most wealthy countries in the world. People who hold this opinion believe that we are under a moral obligation to help those in need through government assistance regardless of if the aid provided to the foreign country will bring us any return benefits. Success for them is judged by how many people we can benefit. It is most often humanitarian in nature.

Viewpoint #2

Reciprocal View

Those who own this outlook believe that any foreign aid provided should provide the U.S. with some sort of benefit in return. They see aid as a way of accomplishing policy goals by through supporting our allies and possibly assisting nations that could become allies. Success for these people is measured by what our aid accomplishes in fulfilling goals or providing benefits for America. This type of aid can be humanitarian, but is most often economic and military aid.

Viewpoint #3

Libertarian View

Supporters of this orientation prefer to leave foreign aid alone. The U.S. has enough humanitarian, economic, and defense issues to deal with at home. Foreign involvements lead to complicated entanglements and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. People of this view tend to scale back foreign aid as much as possible. Success for them is the least amount of tax dollars leaving the country in the form of government subsidy.

What do these viewpoints mean for a debater? Be sure to check out next week's blog as I explain how to understand and utilize these differences! And that will demonstrate the IMPACT of Excellence!