Disads


 * DISADVANTAGES**
 * by John Boyer**

(noun) an opposition argument tangentially related to the government case. the result of the disadvantage should outweigh the results of the government's proposed policy. can take the form of short and easily explained arguments or longer and more detailed arguments.


 * Option One: Short Arguments**

In this option the LOC explains possible side-effects and drawbacks of the government policy in paragraph form. For the following examples, assume that the government's proposed policy is an increase in income tax, for the purpose of improving the economy.

Economy DA - increased taxes may increase government revenue, however decreases consumer confidence and spending which has a greater impact on the economy than government revenue.

In this example this short argument is a disadvantage to the implementation of the government's policy. Arguments in this form are often referred to as a turn. Turns are still disadvantages but not all disadvantages are turns. A disadvantage is a turn when the opposite effect of the government happens as a result of the plan action.

Poverty DA - increased taxes hurts the poor disproportionally. This puts more people on welfare and puts undue strain on the welfare system lowering the quality of life for the poor.

In this example, the disadvantage brings a new impact to the round rather than a turn to a specific case advantage. In rebuttals the neg should demonstrate how the disadvantage outweighs the government case.


 * Option Two: Detailed Disadvantages**

In a detailed disadvantage, the argument is broken into distinct parts to prove the disadvantage true. The parts are uniqueness/brink, link, and impact.

Uniqueness/Brink - This part of the disadvantage proves that the disadvantage is not going to happen in the status quo and will only happen as a result of the government policy. Brinks prove that the disadvantage is on the cusp of happening and that the next policy action taken will cause the disadvantage.

Unq. The status quo is not planning on increasing taxes.

Unq. No tax increase has occurred since ___.

Link - Proves that the action of the government policy leads to an impact.

Link. Increased taxes decrease disposable consumer income

Impact - This proves that the result of the link will be bad.

Alternative- This shows an alternative to the aff plan

Alternatives in policy debate are not a necessary part of the disad but can be used in advanced disads

This disadvantage mirrors the turn from earlier but has more structure that helps the judge to follow the argument. After each argument, be sure to explain or give an example that proves the argument true. Don't just leave the argument as a tag line, unless you know you have a judge that doesn't need more explanation.


 * The Role of the Disadvantage**

The disadvantage is one of the most important arguments that the opposition has at their disposal. Ideally, disadvantages outweigh the entirety of the government's case. Thus, the opposition would only have to win the disadvantage to win the round. It would be possible (although not likely or recommended) to concede the entirety of the government's case and still win the round. The bigger the impact of the disadvantage, the more room for error the opposition has. The opposition should focus on presenting as many offensive arguments as possible in a debate round and the disadvantage is often of the best tools at your disposal.


 * Rebuttals and Disadvantages**

A disadvantage should win the round if you win the argument cold. If your impacts are not big enough for this to be true, then you shouldn't run that disad or think of a better impact. Rebuttals should not be afraid to drop disadvantages that will take a lot of work to win if their is a disadvantage on the flow that is easier to win. This is especially true if all of your disadvantages in the round have impact big enough to win, you only need one. When dropping a disadvantage, be weary to answer ALL of the offense that the government team put on the disadvantage. Be especially careful and attentive to any argument using the work turn (link turn or impact turn). Be sure to extend any unanswered parts of the disadvantage and spend time weighing the impacts to the disadvantage vs the government case. Don't be shy to make the disadvantage a voting issue in the round.