Johnson,+Brandy

Name: Brandy Johnson

I debated for 4 years at Arizona State (graduated in ’05), and attended the NDT and CEDA Nationals. Generally speaking, I’m much more comfortable judging a case and DA/CP debate than a generic K debate, but will absolutely do my best to adapt to the style of debate that you are most comfortable with. I’m not familiar with critical literature so don’t assume that I am.

I have only judged a handful of debate so far on this topic at the University of Michigan camp tournament, and the UM tournament in November. That being said, I feel like I have a better familiarity with this topic than most. Since college, I got my master’s degree in public policy at UM where I studied domestic social policy analysis. Now I am an education policy adviser to the Governor of Michigan and have a good sense of what is going on with various anti-poverty programs at the federal/state/local levels. Given I really do work on actual policymaking on a day-to-day basis, I find well-developed arguments that are of the procedural/normal means/real world/best policy option nature to be pretty persuasive.

Some closing thoughts…Even though I may have been out of the activity for a couple of years, I still think I am able to keep up with a high-speed, highly-technical style of debate. I’m comfortable with theory. I think affirmatives should defend topical plan texts and topicality is a voting issue. I would really prefer you not use language that is exclusive or be otherwise blatantly offensive. Being mean or rude to your partner, the other team, or me will definitely lose you speaker points but making me laugh will earn them.