Heaton,+Sarah


 * __Please keep the following in mind when debating in front me__**
 * I haven't seen a debate round in 1.5 years and I am not familiar with the way this topic has been debated. That being said, I am familiar with a lot of the arguments run on this topic-- my Master's is in Social Work and I work in philanthropy. Previous to taking off time from debate, I debated at Texas for 3 years and in Texas for 4 years in high school. **

I tend to think that ** T should be about limits and competing interpretations, unless persuaded otherwise. I'm less persuaded by abuse arguments and I suggest teams focus on if the team's interpretation matches their definition and if it is a predictable interpretation. **
 * Topicality**


 * Performance Teams**
 * The longer I'm out of debate, the more persuasive these arguments become to me. But generally speaking I think plans are a good idea because I like preparation and clash, both of which require the predictability from topical plans. **

I will do almost anything to not have to vote on theory. I hate listening to it, I hate judging it and most of the time I am a neg hack on this issue. I generally think conditionality, PICS, consult and Agent CPs (including states) are good. In the worst case scenario (other than condo and dispo), I generally thing that reject the argument not the team is sufficient. The same goes for theory arguments on kritiks (floating PIKS, no text to the alt, utopian alt unfair, etc). More on this below.
 * Other Theory Issues**


 * Critiques**
 * When answering critiques, I think affirmatives need to win that the assumptions behind their aff are true and good/productive. For the neg, they should use their evidence to indite the validity of the affirmative's impacts and their ability to solve them. **

Please don't make me listen to framework debates-- I think this has become a crutch for too many debaters to not have to answer arguments. Though I am not persuaded by arguments that suggest that alternative utopians are unfair, I am persuaded by arguments that the utopian nature of the K makes the alternative ineffective.


 * Ways to Get Better Speaker Points**
 * Qualified evidence, evidence with warrants that actually says what the tag says, making evidence comparisons, common sense and humor **