Criteria, Sample Resolutions and Definitions for Energy/Electricity Topic Report

by Nick Weller

Criteria for Debate Topics

Propositions: The energy topic is specific enough to give both affirmative and negative teams adequate room for debate. There are a number of affirmative cases that deal with energy, some of which were outlined above. Despite the fact that energy is a wide topic, it is also clearly limited, which gives the negative side a reasonable burden of knowledge.

Time: There is perhaps no more pressing issue at both state and federal levels than energy policy. It is a huge issue that will not be resolved in the next 2-3 years or even longer. Bush's currently proposed energy plan will be adopted in some form by 2002, but in 2003 the policy will be up for renewal, making the topic very significant.

Scope: Energy policy is significant for every state, because each state is affected by federal policy decisions that guide policy direction. Additionally, states have latitude in determining their specific approaches to energy policy. It's entirely possible to propose a plan that would focus on either state or federal action as a way to address energy policy.

Range: Energy policy can be tackled with varying degrees of complexity. The simplest approach would be a federal policy to increase natural gas production or some other single issue, whereas more complex proposals would address changing FERC, the DOE or other regulatory agencies that govern energy policy. It presents an interesting mix of specific proposal cases versus policy that changes the process.

Quality: The diversity of potential energy cases will provide for high quality debate. Teams will have a variety of both affirmative and negative cases to discuss making it possible for new approaches to be developed throughout the year. Also, since energy policy will be up for Congressional renewal in 2003, political attention may change the nature of the debate as the year goes along.

Material: It's hard to overestimate the amount of material available to debaters about energy policy. Additionally, a huge variety of information is on the Internet, making it easily available to almost all high schools. The attached bibliography is indicative of the quantity of information available.

Interest: The recent attention given energy policy in the print and broadcast media show that it is a very interesting topic. Energy policy is also particularly intriguing because it brings together discussions about policy, politics, philosophy and technology. Few other topics present this diverse of area to cover.

Balance: The debate surrounding energy policy is indicative of the balance of different affirmative and negative approaches. For every potential negative and affirmative case there exist a number of responses from policy and philosophical points of view. Economists, politicians, environmentalists, policy wonks and energy gurus all come down on different sides of the possible resolutions. The multitude of approaches to energy policy indicates that both affirmative and negative teams will have enough material to be well balanced.

Correlation: The current and important nature of energy policy hardly needs any justification. Suffice it to say that almost every major media source, state government, power company, corporation and everyone in between is involved in this debate. Giving high school debaters the chance to learn about energy policy will prove to be very informative.

Value: Energy policy presents a terrific way to introduce high school debaters to in-depth, useful conversations about the role of government, politics, technological development, environmental considerations, federalism and more. Energy policy also presents an opportunity for students to learn about scientific issues and seek to understand how they fit with public policy. Considering the growing political importance of scientific advances, it will be even more important to understand the junction of science and public policy. The variety of arguments and cases will help debaters develop a framework to evaluate ideas. This grounding will be valuable to them as they study and explore other policy topics throughout life. The ability to learn material and approaches to policy that lasts a lifetime is one of the most valuable aspects of cross-examination debate.

Discussion of possible resolutions:

The resolutions meet the intended goal of providing a diversity of affirmative cases while also limiting the negative's ground enough to make debates meaningful and specific. In an overly broad resolution, the negative will not be prepared and we will suffer through a year of generic negative arguments. If the resolution is too narrow, we endure only a few token affirmative cases that rapidly lose interest among judges, coaches and debaters.

The advantage to each of these resolutions is that there is significant room for debate within the confines of a knowable subject area. A variety of topics would fall under the auspices of these topics and they could include anything from promoting specific outcome based policies, such as greater co-generation plants, to more process-oriented policies, like eliminating FERC. As the previous review highlights, there are a significant number of very interesting and educational policy areas. Each of the various affirmative cases will carry specific disadvantages and case side refutation.

Despite the diversity of applicable cases, there is sufficient limit to allow debaters to become familiar with the topic and have an appropriate understanding of the issues. The resolutions are also specific enough to energy that affirmatives will not be able to abuse their ability to define a round.

Sample Resolutions:

Resolved: That the federal government should substantially change electric power regulations.

Resolved: That the federal government should substantially change regulation of electric utilities.

Resolved: That the federal government should substantially change United States energy policy.

Resolved: That the federal government should adopt a new United States energy policy.

[Resolution chosen at topic selection meeting in Portland (and listed on National Federation web site: Resolved: That the United States federal government should establish a comprehensive policy regulating electric utilities in the United States.]

Definitions

Federal government: The system of government administered in a nation formed by the union or confederation of several independent states.

Black's Law Dictionary

Federal: "1. Pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual government of the separate states: the federal government of the U.S."

Random House Webster's College Dictionary, 1992

Federal Government: belonging to the general government or union of the states, founded on or organized under the constitution or laws of the United States

Corpus Juris Secundum

Should: v 1: be expected to: "Parties should be fun"

2: expresses an emotional, practical, or other reason for doing something; "The State ought to repair the bridges" syn: had better, ought

3: be logically necessary syn: ought, must, need

WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University

Substantially: in the main; essentially; solidly; actually; really; truly; competently and cites a case where the term was used to mean "strongly, for the most part."

Corpus Juris Secundum

Adopt: "To accept, appropriate, choose, or select. To make that one's own (property or act) which was not so originally. To accept, consent to, & put into effect operation, as in the case of a constitution, constitutional amendment, ordinance, court rule, or by-law." Black's Law Dictionary.

Change

Change: 1) To cause to be different:

2) To lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; switch:

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Change 1. To alter; to make different; to cause to pass from one state to another; as, to change the position, character, or appearance of a thing; to change the countenance.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

Adopt

"2a. To take and follow (a course of action, for example) by choice by choice or assent: adopt a new technique. B. To take up and make one's own: adopt a new idea 4. To vote to accept: adopt a resolution."

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000, p. 23.

"5. to vote to accept: The House adopted the report. 6. to accept and act in accordance with (a plan, principle, etc.)."

Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1997, p. 27

Regulation: 1) act or process of controlling by rule or restriction (the federal regulation of the airline industry);

2)A rule or order, having legal force, issued by an administration agency or local government

Black's Law Dictionary

Electric utilities [definition added to this report after topic selection meeting due to use of "electric utilities" in proposed resolution].

Electric utilities: Power marketers are also considered electric utilities--these entities buy and sell electricity, but usually do not own or operate generation, transmission, or distribution facilities. Utilities are regulated by local, State, and Federal authorities.

source: Energy Information Assistance; www.eia.doe.gov

Regulating electric utilities: Generally, interstate activities (those that cross State lines) are subject to Federal regulation, while intrastate activities are subject to State regulation. Wholesale rates (sales and purchases between electric utilities), licensing of hydroelectric facilities, questions of nuclear safety and high-level nuclear waste disposal, and environmental regulation are Federal concerns. Approval for most plant and transmission line construction and retail rate levels are State regulatory functions.

Source: Energy Information Assistance; www.eia.doe.gov

Energy Policy

"Administrator shall be responsible for such actions as are taken to assure that adequate provision is made to meet the energy needs of the Nation. To that end, he shall make such plans and direct and conduct such programs related to the production, conservation, use, control, distribution, rationing, and allocation of all forms of energy as are appropriate in connection with only those authorities or functions "

United States Code, Title 15, Chapter 16B, Subchapter I, Sec. 764

"Require the Energy secretary to develop a least-cost national energy strategy that promotes greater efficiency and seeks to limit the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The plan will take into account the economic, energy, environmental and social costs of various energy technologies."

Idelson, Holly. "National Energy Strategy Provisions." Congressional Quarterly. 28 November 1992, 3722-3730

"To provide for a mechanism through which a coordinated national energy policy can be formulated and implemented to deal with the short-, mid- and long-term energy problems of the Nation; and to develop plans and programs for dealing with domestic energy production and import shortages."

42 USC 7112

Energy n 6: the federal department responsible for maintaining a national energy policy; created in 1977

WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University

Electric utility: The term ''electric utility'' means any person, State agency, or Federal agency, which sells electric energy.

United States Code, Title 16, Chapter 46, Sec. 2602 Definitions

United States n 2: the executive and legislative and judicial branches of the federal government of the US

WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University