GDI 2009 1

Word Pics
The Word PIC
Why Word PICS?
- Universally Applicable and so a perfect generic strategy
- The Element of !rprise" all #ords are dirty
- $ Aff layer
- Destroyer of %olicy Teams
- All the benefits of a $ #itho!t ans#ering frame#or& or theory
How Does A Word PIC Work?
'o! read a #ord %I( li&e yo! #o!ld any other co!nterplan) The only difference is that yo! read the plan
#ith a minor change* yo! replace the #ord in +!estion) That,s It) The $ of the #ord in +!estion is the net
benefit" since the (% advocates the plan #itho!t the bad #ord)
How does the Net Benefit Work?
All yo! need is a reason #hy a #ord in the plan te-t is bad" and yo!r ne# choice #o!ld be better) The
co!nterplan avoids the lin&" and yo! can read evidence abo!t the conscio!s choices #e ma&e abo!t
lang!age) This allo#s yo! to treat the ./ e-actly li&e a $ alternative) 0ord %I( on this topic #ill
incl!de poverty and social services at least) /e alert for other possibilities)
The Impact Cac!!s is "ey 1
There is really only one arg!ment that is critical to #inning the #ord %I() That is the fact that the (% #ill
solve the entirety of the case 2beca!se it is the same legislative action3 #hile avoiding the ris& 2albeit nearly
infinitely small3 of the ./) This is partic!larly devastating against hardline policy teams" beca!se they,re
so !sed to offense4defense that they can,t fig!re o!t ho# to ans#er this arg!ment) E-ploit their
psychological blind spot) $ teams that read the topic to so!nd fair are also very v!lnerable to this
arg!ment" beca!se they can,t leverage theory or frame#or& against yo!)
The De#ate A#o!t $an%!a%e &
0ord %I(" li&e reps $s" re+!ire a s!bstantial debate abo!t the nat!re of lang!age and #hy o!r choices are
important) To #in a 0ord %I(" yo! need to #in that o!r choices abo!t lang!age are important" and can be
effective at prod!cing changes in ho# #e thin& abo!t the terms in +!estion) Ans#ering a #ord %I(
re+!ires #inning an alternate interpretation of lang!age) If yo! can,t control the +!estion of ho# lang!age
f!nctions" #inning either side of a #ord %I( debate is very diffic!lt) Also" if the plan does not represent the
e-act lang!age of the legislation" then the lin& is m!ch stronger)
Answerin% the Word PIC 1
Impact (alc!l!s 1 'o! need to #in that offense4defense is a bad paradigm for the reason of promoting
debates li&e #ord %I(s) The ris& is so lo#" and the ./ so non-!ni+!e" that these iss!es sho!ld be seen as
meaningless)
olvency Deficit 1 If yo! have perception based advantages" the alternate lang!age of the %I( may not be
perceived by the necessary people) If yo! can even assert a solvency deficit" it sho!ld o!t#eigh the lin& to
the perm!tation)
Debate Abo!t 5ang!age 1 The 0ord %I( relies on a contradictory approach to lang!age) If the (% solves
the ./" it means that lang!age is fl!id" in #hich case the perm!tation solves the ./ as #ell) 'o! can also
read reclamation t!rns and ans#ers" li&e all the /!tler cards from E-citable peech)
Defend 'o!r 5ang!age 1 6esearch a defense of the #ord in +!estion) Any reason it,s good sho!ld be
s!fficient)
/e mart 0ith 7rame#or& 1 8any frame#or& arg!ments #ill ans#er the ./" even tho!gh they read a (%
and not an alternative) 8a&e good choices)