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elcome to the eleventh year of Big Sky Debate! These three volumes represent our efforts to combine the best of research oriented handbooks and teaching tools in the same product. Our materials are guaranteed to be cut for this topic, in the months and days before the season begins, guaranteeing that you will have the most relevant, most thought-provoking research available on the topic. Whether it is for education, competition, or both, we believe that Big Sky Briefs will benefit your program, and we appreciate your support.
The role of handbooks is not without controversy. Some coaches feel that the material limits student exploration and discovery, while others contend that handbook evidence is rarely useful. In our view, the best debate handbooks open doors for students, by providing source material, useful models, and fodder for those early practice rounds at the start of the season. Novice debaters can find the material helpful as they struggle with terms and concepts, and more experienced debaters can use handbooks to fill in research gaps as they acquaint themselves with the topic. No one should expect any debate handbook to carry them through a season of competition—one of the critical skills that debaters must acquire is independent research, and an effective handbook will facilitate and encourage that.
Our goal is to be the most user-friendly and responsive publishers of debate handbooks. Please feel free to contact us with questions, complaints, even praise! Our web site, http://www.bigskydebate.com will continue to feature information about the topic all season, research resources, and forums for discussion—for both coaches and students. Please feel free to drop Don () or Jason () an e-mail at any time.
Many thanks to the people who helped make this project possible. Our summer staffer Rachael Green made invaluable contributions. Finally, the biggest thanks go out to you, the customers who have chosen (once again) to purchase Big Sky Debate materials.
Enjoy the books and good luck to all of you this season! Thanks for being a part of something that is very exciting for us.
-- Pogie and Norm
Big Sky Debate
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Table of Contents
Asteroid Mining Negative 6
HARMS: US HAS SUFFICIENT RARE EARTH ELEMENTS 6
HARMS: RARE EARTH ELEMENTS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE 7
HARMS: JAPANESE DISCOVERY OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS 9
SOLVENCY: CAN’T MINE ASTEROIDS 12
SOLVENCY: HEALTH RISKS 15
SOLVENCY: LEGAL/TREATY PROBLEMS 16
SOLVENCY: MICROBE REINTRODUCTION 18
SOLVENCY: US POLICY IS THE PROBLEM FOR RARE EARTH 19
SOLVENCY: NO SINGLE POLICY SOLVES 20
Constellation Negative 21
HARMS: CONSTELLATION NOT CRITICAL TO US LEADERSHIP 21
HARMS: OBAMA PLAN EFFECTIVE 22
HARMS: VAGUENESS OF OBAMA PLAN NOT A PROBLEM 23
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION HURTS OTHER PROGRAMS 24
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION WAS OVER BUDGET/EXPENSIVE 25
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION TOO NARROWLY FOCUSED/DIRECTED 26
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION HURT INTERNATIONAL/PRIVATE COORDINATION 28
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION WOULD NOT WORK 29
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION HAD NO INNOVATION 32
SOLVENCY: CONSTELLATION WILL NOT CAUSE US LEADERSHIP 34
Lunar Bases/Colonization Negative 36
SOLVENCY: THERE IS NO REASON TO DO IT 36
SOLVENCY: TOO DANGEROUS/DIFFICULT TO DO IT 39
Lunar Helium-3 Mining Negative 41
HARMS: THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO HE-3 41
SOLVENCY: LUNAR HELIUM-3 PLAN IS ENTIRELY INFEASIBLE 42
SOLVENCY: TECHNOLOGY DOESN’T WORK 43
SOLVENCY: FUSION CANNOT WORK 45
SOLVENCY: ITER FUSION CANNOT WORK 48
SOLVENCY: NEW TECHNOLOGY/FUEL CANNOT AVERT ECOLOGICAL CRISIS 49
SOLVENCY: CANNOT PERMIT EXPLOITATION OF THE MOON 50
SOLVENCY: SPACE EXPLORATION WILL NOT SAVE HUMANITY 51
SOLVENCY: MOON TREATY COMPLICATES SOLVENCY 52
Mars Negative 53
INHERENCY: PRIVATES WILL GO TO MARS 53
INHERENCY: INCREMENTAL APPROACH IS BEST 54
INHERENCY: ROBOTIC MISSIONS ENOUGH FOR MARS 55
INHERENCY: OBAMA/NASA COMMITTED TO MARS BY 2030 58
MARS PRIVATE COUNTERPLAN: MARS DIRECT WOULD BE CHEAPER IN PRIVATE HANDS 61
SOLVENCY: MARS IS TOO COMPLEX OF A MISSION/TOO MANY TECHNICAL CHALLENGES 62
SOLVENCY: SPECIFIC TECHNICAL BARRIERS PREVENT A MARS MISSION 67
SOLVENCY: HUMAN SAFETY AND PSYCHOLOGY FACTORS ARE KEY 69
SOLVENCY: SHOULD FOCUS ON BROAD THEMES AND NOT DESTINATIONS 79
TURN: NASA AS AGENCY OF ACTION DRIVES UP COSTS 80
TURN: MARS EXPLORATION WILL CONTAMINATE THE PLANET DISTROYING SCIENTIFIC ADVANTAGE 81
Missile Defense Negative 84
SOLVENCY: MISSILE DEFENSE DOESN’T WORK 84
SOLVENCY: MISSILE DEFENSE DOES NOT DETER 88
SOLVENCY: MISSILE DEFENSE ENCOURAGES PROLIFERATION 89
SOLVENCY: MISSILE DEFENSE UNDERMINES RELATIONS 92
SOLVENCY: MISSILE DEFENSE CANNOT STOP NORTH KOREA/IRAN 93
SOLVENCY: SPACE BASED MISSILE DEFENSE FAILS 94
SOLVENCY: SOLID BOOST INTERCEPTORS 96
SOLVENCY: SPACE-BASED LASERS 100
SOLVENCY: NO QUALITY CONTROL FOR MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAMS 101
Nuclear Propulsion Negative 105
INHERENCY: ALREADY HAPPENING 105
HARMS: NUCLEAR PROPULSION IS NOT NECESSARY 106
SOLVENCY: WEAPONIZATION 108
SOLVENCY: DANGEROUS 109
Planetary Defense Negative 113
HARMS: CURRENT PROGRAMS ARE DETECTING DANGEROUS BODIES 113
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COUNTERPLAN 115
SOLVENCY: NO TECH TO STOP IMPACT 117
SOLVENCY: WARNING SYSTEM A BETTER INVESTMENT 118
SOLVENCY: FOCUS ON LARGE OBJECTS BETTER 118
SOLVENCY: GROUND-BASED BETTER 119
SOLVENCY: NUCLEAR DEFENSE 120
SOLVENCY: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL NOT AGREE 122
SETI/METI Negative 125
SOLVENCY: NO ONE THERE 125
SOLVENCY: NO ONE WILL RESPOND 129
SOLVENCY: THE PROGRAM DOESN’T WORK 131
SOLVENCY: TIMEFRAME FOR RESPONSE 134
SOLVENCY: METI IS DANGEROUS 135
SOLVENCY: ACTIVE SETI IS DANGEROUS 137
SOLVENCY: WE NEED TO BROADCAST (METI/ACTIVE SETI) 139
SOLVENCY: ALIEN HACKERS 140
SOLVENCY: ALIENS WILL HARM US 141
Space Based Solar Power Negative 144
INHERENCY: PRIVATE COMPANIES ALREADY DEVELOPING SBSP 144
SOLVENCY: SBSP IS NOT FEASIBLE 145
SOLVENCY: LAUNCHES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE 150
SOLVENCY: COST IS TOO HIGH 152
SOLVENCY: SAFETY 154
SOLVENCY: SHOULD BE INTERNATIONAL 155
SOLVENCY: NSSO REPORT HAS NO CREDIBILITY 156
SOLVENCY: LUNAR SBSP WILL NOT WORK 157
Space Elevator Negative 158
SOLVENCY 158
Space Shuttle Retirement Negative 163
HARMS: THE SHUTTLE IS NOT NECESSARY FOR ISS 163
SOLVENCY: THE SPACE SHUTTLE WAS A DEEPLY FLAWED PROGRAM 164
SOLVENCY: SHUTTLE RETIREMENT GOOD FOR NASA 166
Space Tourism Negative 167
INHERENCY: ALREADY HAPPENING 167
SOLVENCY: IMPRACTICAL/UNREALISTIC 168
SOLVENCY: TOO EXPENSIVE/FOCUSED ON ELITES 172
SOLVENCY: DEBRIS/ENVIRONMENT 176
SOLVENCY: TOO DANGEROUS 180
SOLVENCY: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK DOES NOT EXIST 183
Space Militarization Negative 186
INHERENCY: US IS ALREADY WEAPONIZING SPACE 186
HARMS: NO NEED FOR SPACE WEAPONS 188
HARMS: CHINA IS NOT A THREAT 189
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONS ARE INEFFECTIVE/COSTLY 192
SOLVENCY: ASYMMETRIC RESPONSE UNDERMINES SPACE WEAPONS 194
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONS WILL ENCOURAGE ARMS RACE/CONFLICT 195
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONIZATION WILL ENCOURAGE CHINESE WEAPONS 198
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONS WILL JEOPARDIZE SPACE EXPLORATION/USE 201
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONS WILL INCREASE PROLIFERATION 203
SOLVENCY: SPACE WEAPONIZATION UNDERMINES US LEADERSHIP 206
SOLVENCY: PASSIVE DEFENSE IS BETTER 208
A/T: TREATY/VERIFICATION FAILS 209
Webb Telescope Negative 210
INHERENCY: CUTS ARE NOT FINAL 210
HARMS: NO IMPACT TO CUTTING PROGRAM 211
SOLVENCY: WEBB IS BADLY MANAGED/OVER BUDGET 212
SOLVENCY: WEBB UNDERMINES FUNDING FOR OTHER PROGRAMS 214
X-37B Space Plane Negative 216
SOLVENCY: SECRECY IS DANGEROUS 216
SOLVENCY: X-37B IS PERCEIVED AS SPACE WEAPON 217
SOLVENCY: X-37B WILL LEAD TO MILITARIZED SPACE 218
SOLVENCY: X-37B IS A WEAPONS PROGRAM 220
Asteroid Mining Negative
HARMS: US HAS SUFFICIENT RARE EARTH ELEMENTS
THERE ARE VAST DEPOSITS OF RARE EARTH MINERALS IN THE US-Science Daily ‘10
[Rare Earth Elements in US Not So Rare, Report Finds; Science Daily; 18 Nov 2010; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117184451.htm; retrieved 19 Jul 2011]
Approximately 13 million metric tons of rare earth elements (REE) exist within known deposits in the United States, according to the first-ever nationwide estimate of these elements by the U.S. Geological Survey.
This estimate of domestic rare earth deposits is part of a larger report that includes a review of global sources for REE, information on known deposits that might provide domestic sources of REE in the future, and geologic information crucial for studies of the availability of REE to U.S. industry.
The report describes significant deposits of REE in 14 states, with the largest known REE deposits at Mountain Pass, Calif.; Bokan Mountain, Alaska; and the Bear Lodge Mountains, Wyo. The Mountain Pass mine produced REE until it closed in 2002. Additional states with known REE deposits include Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
THE US HAS SUFFICIENT RARE EARTH MINERALS FOR YEARS TO COME-Science Daily ‘10
[Rare Earth Elements in US Not So Rare, Report Finds; Science Daily; 18 Nov 2010; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117184451.htm; retrieved 19 Jul 2011]
"This is the first detailed assessment of rare earth elements for the entire nation, describing deposits throughout the United States," commented USGS Director Marcia McNutt, Ph.D. "It will be very important, both to policy-makers and industry, and it reinforces the value of our efforts to maintain accurate, independent information on our nation's natural resources. Although many of these deposits have yet to be proven, at recent domestic consumption rates of about 10,000 metric tons annually, the US deposits have the potential to meet our needs for years to come."
COMMERCIAL EXPLORATION OF THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA IS TAKING PLACE-Science Daily ‘10
[Rare Earth Elements in US Not So Rare, Report Finds; Science Daily; 18 Nov 2010; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101117184451.htm; retrieved 19 Jul 2011]
Ninety-six percent of REE produced globally now comes from China. New REE mines are being developed in Australia, and projects exploring the feasibility of economically developing additional REE deposits are under way in the United States, Australia, and Canada; successful completion of these projects could help meet increasing demand for REE, the report said.
REE are important ingredients in high-strength magnets, metal alloys for batteries and light-weight structures, and phosphors. These are essential components for many current and emerging alternative energy technologies, such as electric vehicles, photo-voltaic cells, energy-efficient lighting, and wind power. REEs are also critical for a number of key defense applications.
HARMS: RARE EARTH ELEMENTS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE
WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A GLOBAL SURPLUS OF RARE EARTH MINERALS-Science Tech ‘11
[Major Discovery in Japan; Science Tech; 05 Jul 2011; http://www.sciencentech.com/2011/07/05/major-discovery-in-japan-yasuhiro-kato-uncovered-expansive-deposits-of-rare-earth-minerals-buried-in-pacific-ocean-surface/; retrieved 19 Jul 2011]
China’s control over the rare earths market hasn’t faced too many challenges over the past few years, but that may be changing, thanks to a major discovery in Japan. Geologists say they’ve uncovered expansive new deposits of rare earth minerals, buried within a seabed some 20,000 feet below the Pacific Ocean surface. Research leader Yasuhiro Kato estimates that the deposits contain anywhere from 80 to 100 billion metric tons of rare earths, which, if commercially viable, could pose a serious threat to China’s global hegemony. Supply shortages and aggressive Chinese export controls have combined to raise global prices in recent years, much to the chagrin of manufacturers who rely upon the metals to produce smartphones, tablets and a wide variety of other gadgets. But with analysts predicting a rare earth surplus within the next few years and Japan’s mining industry now poised for a potential resurgence, the outlook is certainly looking a lot brighter.
RARE EARTH MINERALS ARE HARDLY RARE-Chen ‘11
[Zhanheng; Professor in Academic Department, Chinese Society of Rare Earths; Global Rare Earth Resources and Scenarios of Future Rare Earth Industry; Journal of Rare Earths; Jan 2011; pg. 1]
Quite different from their name, rare earth is really not that rare, they are relatively plentiful in the earth crust. There are rare earth reserves in about 34 countries. For China, in the past, it was always claimed that China was abundant in rare earth deposits, and had been the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of rare earth products. But thing has been changed with the discovery of new deposits worldwide and the exploitation of China itself through these years. From 1987 to 2010, more than 1.6 million tons of rare earth reserves (count as oxides) were produced. Normally, the recovery rate was about 20%–30%. It can be estimated that about 530–800 t of rare earth resources have been mined. The proved rare earth reserve of China was 43 million tons. So the residue of rare earth reserve should be 3 500–3 770 t. If the deposit in Vietnam is included, the proportion of China rare earth reserve will be reduced to 32.72%.
THERE ARE 34 COUNTRIES WITH QUANTITIES OF RARE EARTH MINERALS-Chen ‘11
[Zhanheng; Professor in Academic Department, Chinese Society of Rare Earths; Global Rare Earth Resources and Scenarios of Future Rare Earth Industry; Journal of Rare Earths; Jan 2011; pg. 1]
In North America, the United States has just finished its rare earth deposits survey, and its producer MolyCorp is ready to accelerate its rare earth production. For Canada, there are many small scale rare earth reserves with good heavy rare earth elements contents for economic exploitation, and have attracted many investors. One of its mining companies, the Great Western Group is developing its rare earth production in South Africa.
In South America, mainly in Brazil, there also has plenty of rare earth reserves. Brazil is one of the oldest countries to produce rare earths. It is said that Brazil has begun to produce
rare earths since 1884.
As to Africa, there are 10 countries found to have rare earth deposits at present. It can be assured that rare earth deposits are widely distributed in Africa. South Africa is establishing a Joint Venture with Canada-Great Western Group. And the most interesting deposit is rare earths associated
with diamond and gold mine in Sierra Leone.
In General, There are about 34 countries with rare earth deposits in the world. So rare earth elements are widely distributed in the Earth. It is really not that rare! With time going, it is believed that more rare earth deposits will be discovered.
WHILE SHORT TERM CONSTRAINTS EXIST, MINES ARE PLANNED IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND THE US-Humphries ‘10
[Marc; CRS Analysis in Energy Policy; Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain; Congressional Research Service; 30 Sep 2010; http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R41347.pdf; retrieved 19 Jul 2011]
While limited production and processing capacity for rare earths currently exists elsewhere in the world, additional capacity is expected to be developed in the United States, Australia, and Canada within two to five years, according to some experts.25 Chinese producers are also seeking to expand their production capacity in areas around the world, particularly in Australia. There are only a few exploration companies that develop the resource, and because of long lead timesneeded from discovery to refined elements, supply constraints are likely in the short term.