Team Policy 2024-2025
Resolved: The United States Federal Government should substantially reform its policy on healthcare.
Team Policy debate falls under Stoa rules and is for debaters ages 12 to 18. Ages are determined as of October 1st.
Team Policy explanation from Stoa:
A Team Policy debate asks competitors to develop and defend competing policy options to address contemporary problems. The purpose of Team Policy debate is to instill in Christian home school students the skills of presentation, critical thinking, research, and policy analysis. That endeavor is accomplished in an environment of honorable competition that cultivates maturity, wisdom, grace, poise, and brings glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Overview:
- One resolution is debated per season
- Cases are researched, selected, and developed by each team
- Two students per team.
- Teams must prepare negative cases all season
- Rounds last 75 min.
*Please note that not all tournaments offer Team Policy Debate.
Resolution Background From Stoa
President Barack Obama campaigned on passing Healthcare reform (Obamacare) in 2008 and, after his election, supported congress in passing Obamacare on Christmas Eve in 2009. He made promises that Obamacare could not keep. Healthcare has continued to become more government controlled and our congress cannot agree on how to fix it.
The healthcare system in the United States is broken. Most healthcare insurance is obtained through an employer; some insurance is purchased privately. The government funds large insurance programs like Medicare (for those over 65) and Medicaid (for those under a certain income level). These programs were initiated in 1965. As for Medicaid, it is now the largest single payer of healthcare in the United States, serving 75 million Americans. We also have a different system for Veterans and some people simply choose to forego medical insurance and pay out-of-pocket.
This is a broad area for students to research and will yield needed understanding on this topic that is sure to affect every student in their future lives and is affecting their families now.