Counterplans 201

Neg’s Best Friend

A counterplan is a competitive policy option to the affirmative plan

What are Counterplans?

It is a policy that either◦ Creates a forced choice with the affirmative plan

(is MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE) and/or◦ Is not desirable to be implemented alongside the

plan (net beneficial)

What is a Competitive Policy Option?

The status quo is bad Affirmatives will (or at least should) choose

to defend the (allegedly) best topical policy option

Taking out the entire case is either often hard (the aff is right) and/or time intensive (requires lots of evidence)

Hedge against add-on advantages

Why Run a Counterplan

Agent: adopts virtually the same policy as the aff using a different actor

Mechanism: attempts to solve the aff harms using a different policy approach

Process: alter some way the plan mandates are implemented (normal means)—consult, condition, steal the funding/offsets ,etc.

Mutually exclusive: policy options that are PRECLUDED by the plan that the neg claims are just better (now rare)

Types of Counterplans

Bad old days: neg only gets the status quo (but at least they had inherency?)

Reciprocity kicks in: if the aff gets a plan, the neg should get one too (non-topical, non-PIC, mutually exlusive counterplan)

Game theory: neg gets net beneficial counterplans (non-topical, non-PIC)

Modern: neg gets any net beneficial policy option

How Did We Get Counterplans?

Can a counterplan be TOPICAL? What makes a counterplan COMPETITIVE? Can a counterplan be plan-INCLUSIVE? What is the counterplan’s STATUS? Can a counterplan CONTRADICT other

arguments? Must a counterplan be offered in the 1NC? Can a negative advance MULTIPLE

counterplans? Must a counterplan use the SAME ACTOR?

Major Counterplan Issues

What would debate look like if counterplans were not allowed to be topical?

Topical counterplans are OK because:◦ Predictable◦ Aff an use own research against◦ Are real world◦ Encourage topic clash and research

Topicality

Two accepted methods◦ Mutual exclusivity◦ Net benefits

Other (poor) methods◦ Philosophical◦ Normal means◦ Textual exclusivity

Counterplan Compeititon

Under what circumstances can the negative get rid of the counterplan?◦ UNCONDITIONAL—’til death do you part◦ DISPOSITIONAL—anytime the neg wants UNLESS

the counterplan is straight-turned◦ CONDITIONAL—whenever the neg wants

Counterplan Status

Is it okay for counterplans to contradict other negative arguments◦ YES: laboratory/hypothesis testing model◦ NO: advocacy model

Counterplan Consistency

Must a counterplan be read in the 1NC, if at all?◦ Yes: Aff fantasy land◦ No: neg rational world

How many counterplans?

Counterplan Placement & Number

Is the counterplan durable? Can counterplans fiat other actors?

◦ Other levels of domestic government◦ Private individuals and institutions◦ Governments of other nations◦ Intergovernmental organizations

Can a counterplan be fiat contingent (if/then)?

Can a counterplan be initiated in the future?

Questions of Fiat

States Privatization

Major Topic Counterplans