Foreword: On April 20, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, causing the loss of eleven lives, and the spillage of 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. In response, the Obama administration implemented a six-month moratorium on deep water drilling, defined as drilling in depths exceeding 500 feet. The Gulf oil spill was an environmental tragedy and the moratorium is an economic nightmare. This topic is about weighing economic interests against environmental interests, in the context of a 9.5 percent unemployment rate, and a shoreline sullied by oil.

For those of you new to Finalist Files, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself. I was one-half of the 2006 National Championship Public Forum team, and this is my fifth year writing the files. I am currently a first year law student at Northwestern University. I am available to you as you progress in your debate careers. Please join the “Public Forum Debate” Facebook group, and direct your questions to Michelle@finalistfiles.com. Enjoy the start of your season!

Michelle Schmit

I again apologize for the tardiness of this release. The good news is that although I graduated college this spring, I will be attending law school next year and I will continue to write the Finalist Files. I am also hiring supporting researchers in order to release my files in a more timely fashion next year. If you have any questions prior to nationals, feel free to contact me at michelle@finalistfiles.com. If not, I will be present at nationals so stop by the Finalist Files table during registration. Good Luck!

Michelle Schmit

Congratulations to those who have qualified to the national tournament, and good luck to those who are still competing. If you have questions, my email is Michelle@finalistfiles.com or you can contact me on Facebook through the Public Forum Debate group.

Michelle Schmit

Foreword: I am very excited about this release because I was able to prepare an equally persuasive position on both sides of the topic (I was skeptical for awhile!). Given the sensitive nature of the debate, your success will depend on a thoughtful evaluation of the topic. You must be precise in your language, avoid stereotypes, and present a case that is both well reasoned and compassionate. Every topic relies upon evidence, but I have taken a primarily analytical approach because I think the numbers tend to distract from the one question we must answer: How should we, as a society, judge merit? Affirmative action has been a relatively long standing debate in the United States. I can only guess that we are revisiting it now because of the election of President Obama. Black president or not, race relations in the United States remain as multidimensional and complex as ever.

Good Luck as your seasons continue to progress. If any of you are interested in attending a debate camp this summer, please contact me for information. I will be a guest lecturer at the Harvard Institute for Public Forum Debate. The Institute is in session July 4-16 at Harvard University. If you have any questions or need help this month, send an e-mail to Michelle@finalistfiles.com or write on the “Public Forum Debate” Facebook wall.

Michelle Schmit

Foreword: I wrote on a topic very similar to this a couple of years ago. It was great to assess this topic again, after Congress has had the opportunity to enact substantial reforms. The topic is coming up now because President Obama’s administration has implemented several policies with the intent of limiting the influence of special interests in D.C. Despite the President’s efforts, lobbyists are stronger than ever as lobbyists have swarmed Capitol Hill to participate in the health care debate that raged through 2009. Evidence is central to this debate as always, but there is a lot of room for analytical arguments and responses which should make it an engaging topic.

Good luck in February, as national qualifying tournaments take place or draw near. If you have any questions, you can contact me on the “Public Forum Debate” Facebook group or send an email to Michelle@finalistfiles.com.

Michelle Schmit

Foreword: This topic is timely and very relevant to all of us as American citizens. Nonetheless, a debate over military strategy in Afghanistan will be a challenge given the lack of detailed information available, and our lack of expertise in evaluating General McChrystal’s recommendations. This debate is about the way forward in Afghanistan and in the fight against terror. President Obama has agreed to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to implement a broad counterinsurgency mandate. Those opposed to the plan advocate a narrower counterterrorism strategy. President Obama presented his plan to the American people on December 1. Given the recent nature of the topic, new evidence is becoming available daily, so update often!

Thank you for your patience as I took forever to release this topic. The January topic always coincides with my finals at school, but this month it was to your advantage because the information is updated through today. I’ll be continuing to research and posting relevant articles to the “Public Forum Debate” Facebook group. Let me know if you have any questions!

Michelle Schmit