We're holding a healthcare debate and need your help!

With all the buzz around healthcare this week, and since the politicians don't have time to hold a town hall meeting, we decided to hold our own event, a citizens debate on Healthcare:

Healthcare - A Right or a Privilege?

This debate will be semi-formal in structure. That is, we're going to try to follow formal procedure, but I'm guessing it will have a big of a "grass roots" vibe to it. The debate will pit two opposing teams who will debate each other in a civilized (and likely emotional) manner.

We need a volunteer to Captain the "Right" side. Captain's job is to recruit and prepare the team. Captain can of course be one of the debaters, but does not have to be. Each team can also use as many researchers as they want.

Ron Brumbarger will be recruiting a team to argue the "Privilege" side of the debate

The debate will take place next Friday at 7:30pm at Indy Fringe building. This is last minute, I realize, but we feel it needs to happen now while this issue is till in play at the Federal level.

If you are interested in being the captain of the "Right" team, please contact me directly ASAP (pat@smallerindiana.com).

If you want to be considered for either team, please add a comment to this forum thread.

If you want to be in the audience, please purchase your ticket right away. The room holds only 80 people, so please don't delay!

Here's a link for ticket reservations: http://hcdebate.eventbrite.com/

Here's the press release we're planning to send out:

Citizen Debate: Healthcare, presented by Smaller Indiana

Smaller Indiana, www.SmallerIndiana.com, a statewide online community, announces its first in a series of upcoming public debates. The debate will be held on the evening of Friday, August 14th at the IndyFringe Building, at 719 East St. Clair Street in Indianapolis.

The topic for this first debate is: Healthcare - A Right or a Privilege? It will be discussed by eight individuals divided into two groups endorsing one of the two sides of the argument.

“Lively discussions are an integral part of our online community,” said Smaller Indiana founder, Pat Coyle. Taking the discussions to a live venue is a natural extension of what we already do on line. We are excited to be hosting what we hope will be the first in a series of discussions this fall.

Seating for the event is limited, so reservations are requested. Tickets are $10 each. All proceeds will to support IndyFringe. Each ticket buyer will receive a backer button for the upcoming IndyFringe festival.

Here's a glimpse at the format we'll be following:

Smaller Indiana Debate Guidelines
Objective: Offer a forum for citizens to engage in open debate around issue important to society at large in hope that both sides of each argument might learn about opposing views, and the two sides can make connections that lead to breakthroughs in co-operative activism.

Engaging in this structured event requires each participant to critically evaluate current evidence, examine personal convictions based on values and beliefs, and synthesize relevant information to provide detailed information so that others may make an informed decision.

Format:
1. Two teams will be created. One team will create an affirmative presentation while the other team will be responsible for creating a negative or opposing presentation.
2. Debate guidelines:
1. Affirmative Plan: 4 minutes. This is your introduction. What will you be discussing and why? Use this speech to get your audience’s attention.
2. Negative Rebuttal: 2 minutes. This is a direct rebuttal to the Affirmative Plan. This team addresses only those issues identified in the Affirmative Team’s introduction.
3. Negative Plan: 4 minutes. This is your introduction. You need to get everyone’s attention. What will you be discussing and why?
4. Affirmative Rebuttal: 2 minutes. Direct rebuttal to the negative plan. This team addresses only those issues identified in the Negative Team’s introduction.
5. 10-minute break for preparation/adjustment to argument.
6. Negative Argument: 10 minutes. This is the body of the speech. This is where you present all the evidence you have gathered. You should use facts, stats, and sources to argue your side. The Affirmative Team cannot interrupt during this argument.
7. Affirmative Cross Examination: 8 minutes. Affirmative team asks the tough questions, demands answers, and does anything and everything it can to counter the argument of the negative. The Negative Team does not ask questions. Their role is to provide answers only.
8. Affirmative Arguments: 10 minutes. This is the body of the speech. Again, speaker lays it all out—facts, stats, sources. You argue your side. The Negative Team cannot interrupt during this argument.
9. Negative Cross Examination: 8 minutes. Negative team asks the tough questions, demands answers, and does anything and everything they can to counter the argument of the negative. The Affirmative Team does not ask questions. Their role is to provide answers only.
10. 10-minute break to prepare for closing.
11. Affirmative Closing: 5 minutes. Speakers use emotion for a big ending just like the “TV lawyers” present their closings…do it here!
12. Negative Closing: 5 minutes…same thing…here’s your chance!

This is last minute, I realize, but we feel it needs to happen now while this issue is till in play at the Federal level.
Please send questions or suggestions as you have them. THANK YOU!!