Discuss and Debate

Hello, due to the low turn out at the events, I thought I'd try something new and organize a casual, easy-paced walk around Lone Peak Park. Let's meet in front of Skate Park.

There will be no debating on this day. It will just be a casual walk around the park to give people a chance to get to know everyone and ask questions about the group.

You can bring a dog, but please keep it on a leash.

I'll probably be doing 2 or 3 laps, so no worries, if you are late, just shoot me a message and we can find you.

Topic: Able-bodied adults receiving welfare assistance should be required to work, participate in job training, or perform community service as a condition of receiving benefits

For the Resolution

1. Fairness to Taxpayers: People who fund welfare through taxes should reasonably expect able-bodied recipients to contribute to society in return for public support.
2. Encourages Self-Sufficiency: Work requirements can help recipients develop skills, gain experience, and transition from government assistance to financial independence.
3. Reduces Dependency: Tying benefits to work can discourage long-term reliance on welfare and keep the program focused on temporary assistance.

Against the Resolution

1. Many Recipients Already Work: A significant number of welfare recipients are employed but earn low wages. Additional requirements may burden people who are already contributing.
2. Administrative Costs: Monitoring and enforcing work requirements can be expensive and bureaucratic, potentially costing more than the savings they generate.
3. Risk of Harming Vulnerable People: People with unstable housing, caregiving responsibilities, transportation problems, or mental health challenges may lose benefits even when they genuinely need assistance.

You're welcome to research the topic beforehand, but it's not necessary. We will form the teams and select the judge/s on the day of the meetings. Light snacks and drinks will be provided, but feel free to bring your own food and drinks.

Meetup Rules:
Strict Rule: Don't interrupt others when it is their time to speak. The only interruptions will be to let them know how much time remains.

Recommended Rules:

1. Treat others with respect.
2. Try to argue for positions you don't agree with to increase your mind's plasticity.
3. Don't tease or make fun of anyone or any groups.
4. During the debate portion only, try to avoid making jokes.

Judge Recommendations:

• Note good points from both teams.
  *Make a decision as to who won the argument.

Judging Rules:

1. Selection of the judge is done on the spot, the day of the event - usually someone volunteers to be judge.
2. After forming teams, the judge will pick a side to start the debate.
3. Judge will only enforce the time for each team's cumulative time per turn. The time limit is 3 minutes per person, so a team of 3 will get 9 minutes in total per turn. The team will decide how to use their total time as they best see fit.
4. There will be 3 turns per debate.
   A) Both teams will get 3 minutes to prepare their Opening Statements.
   B) Then each team will deliver their Opening Statements.
   C) After Opening Statements teams, teams will get 2 minutes to re-group.
   D) Then teams will deliver their Middle Arguments.
   E) After Middle Arguments teams, teams will get 2 minutes to re-group.
   F) Lastly, teams will deliver their Final Summary statements.
   G) The judge will decide who won the debate.
5. We need a minimum of 3 people to have a debate. Otherwise, we just hang out and chat.

How Motions/Topics are determined:

1. Opportunity will be provided at the end of each session to select and finalize the debate topic for each session.
2. If the group cannot determine, a topic for the next session, then the Organizer will pick a topic.

Additional Rule-Making Process:
If there is a decision needed about the rules:

1. Make a tentative decision for the current session.
2. Allocate time during the next session for discussing and finalizing the decision.
3. Generally, we want to minimize the number of rules to maintain simplicity.