Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
1AC
PLAN: The United States Federal Government should substantially increase loan guarantees for nuclear power plants built in high socio-economic areas in the United States.
Energy Apartheid
Companies seek lower income communities to site nuclear power plants because they are eager for economic growth.
Lazarus ‘92
Richard J. Lazarus Professor of Law, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri PURSUING "ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE": THE DISTRIBUTIONAL EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPRING, 1992 87 Nw. U.L. Rev. 787
n88. In commenting on …facility. See Austin and Schill, supra note 14, at 69, 70.
The aff is not an attempt to dictate what marginalized communities need – rather it questions the current method of siting potentially risky power sources. Closing the neoliberal distance between decision makers and the impacts of their decision gets at the heart of why these siting problems occur. We cannot wait for people to do the right thing.
Yamamoto and Lyman 1
Eric K, Hawaii Law School law prof., and Jen-L W, UC Berkeley visiting law prof., University of Colorado Law Review, 72 U. Colo. L. Rev. 311, Spring, p. 311-313, ln
The framework, however, …within a community. n61
Current siting strategies for nuclear power plants create epistemological distance between governmental and corporate decision makers and the disadvantaged communities where the plants are built.
Kevin ‘97
Daniel Kevin is an environmental analyst at the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. J.D., Golden Gate University Law School (1986); Doctoral Candidacy, University of California, Berkeley (1982); M.A., University of California, Berkeley (1975); B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz (1973). Mr. Kevin was an analyst with the U.S. Congressional Office of Technology Assessment from 1979 to 1987, and worked with private sector environmental consulting firms from 1987 to 1996. ARTICLE: "ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM" AND LOCALLY UNDESIRABLE LAND USES: A CRITIQUE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THEORIES AND REMEDIES 8 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 121 1997
Conflicts over LULU …criteria were employed.
This distance between decision makers and disenfranchised communities has created an energy apartheid – ensuring that poor minority communities bear the worst of the risks of energy while receiving few benefits.
Bullard ‘11
Robert D. Bullard is the Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University in Houston. Dismantling Energy Apartheid in the United States February 9th, 2011http:dissidentvoice.org/2011/02/dismantling-energy-apartheid-in-the-united-states/
Recent proposals to …clean energy future.
The distance between legitimate and illegitimate decision makers heightens the threat of nuclear holocaust. It is only by beginning to heal the racism inherent in processes like siting nuclear power plants that we can open up space for more diverse wisdom to ease tensions.
Anthony ‘95
Carl Anthony is the Executive Director of the Urban Habitat Program and the chair of the East Bay Conversion Reinvestment Commission Remembering the Cuban Missile Crisis: Freedom from Annihilation Is a Human Right Spring Summer 1995 http:urbanhabitat.org/node/945
Nuclear weapons …technology-gone-berserk.
Neoliberal Epistemology
The nuclear industry drives siting decisions. Upper socioeconomic neighborhoods cause too much political trouble and land is too expensive. The desire for an easy and efficient process papers over the violence done to low income and minority communities when risky technology is placed in their neighborhoods without their involvement.
Foster ‘98
Sheila Foster Associate…hazard comes to them."
Advocating building nuclear plants in privileged areas places us in the role of the writer activist – opening up space for disenfranchised communities to resist and be heard.
Nixon ‘11
(Rob, Rachel Carson Professor of English, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor, pgs. 40-42)
In 2009, amidst … called "undefeated despair.""
Market forces alone cannot explain the environmental justice problems with nuclear sites, only bringing epistemological questions to the fore can create reflexivity
Rodrik ‘11
(Dan, Professor of International Political Economy at Harvard University, “Occupy the classroom?”, 16 Dec 2011,http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/12/2011121494147161362.html)
Consider the global …them more popular
Social invisibility causes extinction – produces background of structural violence that makes conflict and environmental collapse inevitable
Szentes ‘8
Tamás Szentes, a Professor Emeritus at the Corvinus University of Budapest. “Globalisation and prospects of the world society” 4/22/08 http://www.eadi.org/fileadmin/Documents/Events/exco/Glob.___prospects_-_jav..pdf
It’ s a common place…in natural environment.
And nuclear power is safe –we are not advocating hurting privileged communities just sharing the risks. Safeguards solve and no environmental damage in the US
John Gray. Associate at Perkins Coie. Choosing the nuclear option: the case for a strong regulatory response to encourage nuclear energy development. 41 Ariz. St. L.J. 315-348 (2009).
Additionally, multiple standard…-like damage impossible. n105

Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
States
Perm do both –
1.Not textually competitive – plan doesn’t preclude state funding for nuclear power
2.Not functionally competitive: states can supplement federal incentives
Ben-Moshe’ 09 Financing the Nuclear renaissance: The Benefits and Potential Pitfalls of Federal and State Government Subsidies and the Future of Nuclear Power in California, Sony Ben-Moshe, JOason Crowell, Kelly Gale, Breton Peace, Brett Rosenblatt, Kelly Thomason, Energy Bar Association 2009
7. State Financing of Nuclear ... detail in the next section
The CP can’t solve the aff:
1.Distancing DA- utilizing the logic of net benefits is an act of neoliberal distancing- the neg is stuck to this risk calculus if its their only justification for a different policy option- they’re trying to remove all of the risk associated with federal action and dumping it onto the states- federal government should take responsibility for the effects of its nuclear policy
2.Energy Apartheid – racist states like Alabama and Georgia will either not do the plan, or will let companies cheat and still end up siting plants in low income neighborhoods. This means towns like Shell Bluff will still end up being disproportionately impacted. The counterplan will just allow for the propagation of the same disparity in risks and benefits that Bullard talks about in the status quo.
Federal funding key:
Way too expensive for states- Obama has asked for over 100 billion.
Mosche 09 (Sony Ben-Mosche, Energy Law Journal, http://www.google.com/url?sa=tandrct=jandq=andesrc=sandsource=webandcd=1andcad=rjaandved=0CCIQFjAAandurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lw.com%2FthoughtLeadership%2Ffinancing-the-nuclear-renaissance-in-californiaandei=okNwUOfuOarK0AHimYHYDQandusg=AFQjCNF-TqH_QJQlbBKg9k1lCAA-EglM9g)
Moreover, the sheer magnitude ... the greatest efficiency possible.2

States will cheat to attract business interests

Graham ’98 (Mary, Brookings Institute, “Environmental Protection and the States: ""Race to the Bottom"" or ""Race to the Bottom Line""?” Winter, http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/1998/12/winter-environment-graham, TGA)

To call attention to ... well as forests and meadows.

That cheating allows injustice to take hold in siting decisions. Don’t view the solvency deficit debate in utilitarian terms – that framework has traditionally been used in policy making decisions to make decisions that render populations invisible.
Gauna ‘98
Eileen Gauna Professor of Law, Southwestern University School of Law. ARTICLE: The Environmental Justice Misfit: Public Participation and the Paradigm Paradox 17 Stan. Envtl. L.J. 3 January, 1998
Consider the difficulties with ... of benefits and burdens.

Only the federal government can enforce compliance, create uniform standards, and fund long-term commitments.
Byrne, et al., ‘7
(John, Kristen Hughes, Lado Kurdgelashvili, Wilson Rickerson, all from the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP), “American policy conflict in the greenhouse: Divergent trends in federal, regional, state, and local green energy and climate change policy”, 2-19-7, RSR)
Effective global mitigation ... climate action targets (Rabe, 2002). 

Federal government best for nuclear power – government action needed to repair past mistakes. This is key to solving the neoliberal distance advantage because the people in charge of making decisions at the federal level have to reconcile themselves to their past mistakes

Karlow, ‘6
(Edwin, PhD Department of Physics at La Sierra University, February, Physics Today, http://scitation.aip.org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_59/iss_2/11_1.shtml, accessed 8-1-12, RSR)
The US has substantial precedence ... is in the nation's interest.

Federal government is key to offset major hurdles to construction- investors only trust federal backing due to its control over licensing and regulations.
-Solves government regulations/red tape
NEI 11
Nuclear Energy Institute, Policy Brief Financing New Nuclear Power Plants, May
Loan guarantees are important ... program—can offset that risk.

Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
Obama will suffer from a modified Bradley effect – voters will tell pollsters they’ll vote, but won’t turn up without seeing real change.
Wilder ‘12
L. DOUGLAS WILDER was governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994. He was the nation’s first elected African-American governor. 5/14/12 Obama best look for variation in ‘Bradley effect’ http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76274.html
So is the Bradley effect ... too little real change.

High income voters are already voting for Romney.
Zeleny 12, Jeff Zeleny, New York Times, 9/14/12, http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/poll-obama-holds-narrow-edge-over-romney/
Mr. Obama has an advantage ... Ryan of Wisconsin.

Romeny winning—multiple polls and indicators
Muja 10/25 (Sahit Muja, staff writer, New Polls: Romney opens a significant lead of 9% over Obama, The Examiner, 10/25/12, NP)
Sahit Muja: Election 2012: Mitt Romney leads ... before Americans vote.

In the last debate Romney was appealing to and won key demographics
Schram 10-25, Martin writes political analysis for Scripps Howard News Service “Schram: Romney displays unusual strategy for winning” http://www.timesherald.com/article/20121025/OPINION03/121029754/schram-romney-displays-unusual-strategy-for-winningandpager=full_story
Obama’s strong and combative ... reasonable and likable.

No nuclear issue
Both candidates support nuclear expansion
Wood 12
Elisa Wood September 13, 2012 What Obama and Romney Don't Say About Energy http://energy.aol.com/2012/09/13/what-obama-and-romney-dont-say-about-energy/
Fossil fuels and renewable energy ... were regarded as very importa 

Polls consistently show the economy is the key issue
Galston  12
William A. Galston is the Ezra K. Zilkha  Chair in Governance  Studies and senior  fellow at Brookings May 10, 2012
Six Months To Go:  Where the Presidential Contest Stands  as the General Election Begins http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2012/05/~/media/Research/Files/Papers/2012/5/10%20obama%20campaign%20galston/Where%20the%20Presidential%20Contest%20Stands.pdf
Every survey finds that ... barely registered.

Relations resilient – Romney can’t tank relations.
Xinhua ‘12
Russia expects no new "cold war" with U.S.: FM  English.news.cn   2012-01-18  Russia and the United ... against the Soviet Union.  

Relations downturns don’t lead to conflicts
Perry, et al.’9
William J. Perry is the "Michael and Barbara Berberian Professor at Stanford University, and a Hoover Institution senior fellow. Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft (USAF ret.) is a counselor and trustee at CSIS and is president of the Scowcroft Group.  Charles D. Ferguson is president of the Federation of American Scientists and author of Nuclear Energy. Independent Task Force Report No. 62  William J. Perry and Brent Scowcroft, Chairs  Charles D. Ferguson, Project Director  U.S. Nuclear  Weapons Policy., i.cfr.org/content/publications/.../Nuclear_Weapons_TFR62.pdf.
The threat of a nuclear ... certain Cold War–like tensions.  

Russia Relations doesn’t solve any intitiatives.
Shleifer and Treisman ’11 – Professor of Economic at Harvard and Professor of PoliSci at UCLA
Andrei Shleifer, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and Daniel Treisman, Professor of Political Science at the University of California,Los Angeles, and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. “Why Moscow Says No: A Question of Russian Interests, Not Psychology”. Foreign Affairs. Jan/Feb 2011. Vol. 90, Iss. 1; pg. 122. ProQuest.
With very few exceptions, ... than in the United States.

The neg’s impact is groundless Russophobia- conflict doesn’t reflect ideological differences, but virulent nationalism in the US that makes war a self-fulfilling prophecy
Lieven ‘1
Anatol Lieven was a Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment in the Global Policy Program, World Policy Journal, Winter 2000/2001, “Against Russophobia,” http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2001/01/01/against-russophobia/iv7
Russophobia today is therefore ... Empire and Its Rivals.12

Won’t escalate – peace negotiations
Ivashov ‘7
Colonel General Leonid Ivashov. President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems. July 2007. "Will America Fight Russia." Defense and Security. No 78. Lexis.
Ivashov: Numerous scenarios ... negotiations into motion.

Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
Perm: Do both. 

1. Not textually competitive: plan endorses but doesn’t mandate new plants be built which means the government can technically offer loan guarantees for a power that they have banned.
   2. Not functionally competitive: if no new plants get built in the status quo there is no functional competition. Their net benefits are all internal to why nuclear power is bad which a perm solves for. 

The CP can’t solve the aff: 

We are not a nuclear power bad aff: We criticize the decision making process used to site current nuclear power plants. If we win any reason why this process investigation is important then the aff is preferable to the CP. 

Loan Guarantees Key: only loan guarantees overcome siting problems due to land cost and opposition- Lazarus says incentives key to solve. 

The Banning mindset is bad: Be skeptical of the mindset that we can wish away the problems with nuclear power. 

1. Process Focus DA: their net benefits assume a series of complex environmental justice factors that disadvantaged populations face as a result of environmental decisions involved in nuclear power. Focusing on that decision is key to addressing environmental justice concerns – they can’t solve the aff or their net benefit.
   Lazarus ‘94
   Richard J. Lazarus Professor of Law, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri SYMPOSIUM: DISTRIBUTION IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: IS THERE A MIDDLE GROUND? 9 St. John's J.L. Comm. 481 SPRING, 1994
   Environmental justice takes ... about distributional fairness.

2. Coal DA: Banning nuclear ensures coal will fill in and primarily in low income areas – only forces confrontation about siting decisions and risk. You have to believe nuclear is worse than coal to vote for the CP.
Cerafici ‘9
Tamar Jergensen Cerafici is an attorney whose practice focuses on the intersections between environmental and nuclear law. 40 Years and Counting: Relicensing the First Generation of Nuclear Power Plants: Is New Always Better? The Case for License Renewal in the Next Generation 26 Pace Envtl. L. Rev. 391 Summer 2009
The question of environmental ... land use intensive. *414

3. Dialogue DA- banning nuclear ends the discussion or at least remains complicit in the siting decisions of the status quo that perpetuate energy apartheid. That dialogue is key to ensuring minorities have a voice in the decision making process – a diversity of views is the best way to curb the worst horrors of nuclear weapons decisions and nuclear power – their disad impacts are more likely and worse in the status quo than post the aff. That’s our Anthony in 95 card.  

Banning is the same as tech and science solves arguments: They criticize people who assume science and tech are the panacea for nuclear power ills while they assume that just getting rid of nuclear power will address the harms they isolate in their Net benefits. Both mindsets ignore the decisions and processes that make it possible to disadvantage particular populations and environments.

Tournament: Wake | Round: 1 | Opponent:  | Judge: 

Case outweighs: Social invisibility is already ongoing, and ignoring it leads to ecological collapse- most likely scenario for extinction. Only confronting the neoliberal distance avoids that- there is an ethical imperative to do that in this round. That’s Szentes.

The aff is a prerequisite to preventing impacts like the DA. The And, the only reason we’re able to engage in the kinds of conflicts that require us to have such a big military budget is that the people in charge of deciding whether or not to go to war never have to reconcile themselves to the consequences of war. Plan solves this neoliberal distance by forcing the privileged to embrace those consequences, and solves the bad decision-making process that allows your impacts to happen in the first place. That’s Anthony and Schepper-Hughes.

The neg’s logic is just an extension of the neoliberal hegemony we kritik. We should reject this kind of impact framing in favor of dealing with the everyday invisible violence that Schepper-Hughes, Nixon, and Burnell talk about.

No compromise – gridlocked Congress on taxes

Sherman and Raju 11/7

Jake, covers Congress for Politico, Manu, Senior congressional reporter at Politco, former reporter at The Hill and Congressional Quarterly, "Up Next: The Fiscal Cliff," 11/7/12 www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83459.html AD 11/8/12

It’s the outcome Capitol Hill insiders feared most.¶ The split decision voters rendered Tuesday

AND

campaign — and Democrats are only going to be emboldened by his victory.

No compromise – same sides, PC not key, taxes will be the sticking point

Allen 11/7

Jonathan Allen is POLITICO’s senior Washington correspondent and focuses his reporting on the nexus of politics and policy. He is a winner of the National Press Foundation’s Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress and the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume Award for Excellence in Political Journalism, taught a course at Northwestern in 2012, "Washington Wakes Up to Deja Vu," www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83481.html AD 11/8/12

The status quo prevailed Tuesday night, leaving official Washington to wake up Wednesday and

AND

and marginal income tax rates will return to their Clinton-era levels.

Loan guarantees popular with democrats and Republican leaders- not perceived as spending

Wald 11

Matthew, NY Times reporter, B.A. in urban studies from Brown University; “Despite Bipartisan Support, Nuclear Reactor Projects Falter”, 4/28, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/business/energy-environment/29utility.html?_r=1andpagewanted=print

The initial $17.5 billion was approved during the Bush administration, but

AND

projects and can pay back the loans, the government makes a profit.

No impact- econ decline doesn’t cause war

Barnett ‘9 (Thomas P.M. Barnett, senior managing director of Enterra Solutions LLC, “The New Rules: Security Remains Stable Amid Financial Crisis,” 8/25/2009)

When the global financial crisis struck roughly a year ago, the blogosphere was ablaze

AND

great resilience of America's post-World War II international liberal trade order.

Tournament: Waje | Round: 2 | Opponent:  | Judge: 

Current investments sufficient signal to alter investment trends

Biello 2012 (David Biello, journalist at Scientific American, April 19, 2012, Missourians for a Better Energy Future, http://www.moenergyfuture.org/news/small-reactors-make-a-bid-to-revive-nuclear-power/)

Small may be beautiful for the nuclear power industry So argue a host of would

AND

to position America as the leader in advanced nuclear energy technology and manufacturing."

Only trades off with FF

Loudermilk 2011 (Micah J. Loudermilk is a Research Associate for the Energy and Environmental Security Policy program with the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University, May 31, 2011, “Small Nuclear Reactors and US Energy Security: Concepts, Capabilities, and Costs,” Journal of Energy Security, http://www.ensec.org/index.php?option=com_contentandview=articleandid=314:small-nuclear-reactors-and-us-energy-security-concepts-capabilities-and-costsandcatid=116:content0411andItemid=375)

Pursuing a carbon-free world Realistically speaking, a world without nuclear power is

AND

US would benefit from diversification and expansion of the nation’s nuclear energy portfolio.

Key to renewables penetration

Loudermilk 2011 (Micah J. Loudermilk is a Research Associate for the Energy and Environmental Security Policy program with the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University, May 31, 2011, “Small Nuclear Reactors and US Energy Security: Concepts, Capabilities, and Costs,” Journal of Energy Security, http://www.ensec.org/index.php?option=com_contentandview=articleandid=314:small-nuclear-reactors-and-us-energy-security-concepts-capabilities-and-costsandcatid=116:content0411andItemid=375)

Limitations of renewables Renewable energy technologies have made great strides forward during the last decade

AND

in fact prove instrumental to enabling the smart grid to become a reality.¶

Prevents investment crash

Aflaki 2012 (Sam Aflaki, Assistant Professor Operations Management and Information Technology at HEC Paris, and Serguei Netessine, The Timken Chaired Professor of Global Technology and Innovation, Professor of Technology and Operations Management, Research Director of the INSEAD-Wharton, June 1, 2012, “Strategic Investment in Renewable Energy Sources,” INSEAD Working Paper, http://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/research/doc.cfm?did=49970)

Overall, our analysis indicates that the intermittency of renewable energy sources is a problematic

AND

additional value to these solutions if generation capacity decisions are taken into account.

Global investment solves

Cuttino 2012 (Phyllis Cuttino, Director of the Pew Clean Energy Program, May 15, 2012, “The Future of Renewable Energy Is Bright,” National Journal, http://energy.nationaljournal.com/2012/05/boom-and-bust-renewable-energy.php)

Similarly, U.S. policy uncertainty will not deter other markets from flourishing

AND

solar already is the cheapest energy option in many parts of the world.

Renewables fail

Forsberg 2011 (Charles Forsberg, executive director of the MIT Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study in the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT and former Corporate Fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, October 6, 2011, “What alternatives to nuclear energy?,” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/roundtables/nuclear-energy-different-other-energy-sources#rt8801)

For those opposed to nuclear energy, the belief is that there are alternative energy

AND

with the alternatives of oil wars, climate change, or unaffordable energy.

No impact to CO2

Cunningham 2010 (Walter Cunningham, National Aeronautics and Space Administration - pilot of Apollo 7, graduate degrees from UCLA in physics and the Harvard Graduate School of Business, member of the Advisory Board for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2010 “Global Warming: Facts Versus Faith,” Science and Public Policy Institute, online)

More than 31,000 scientists in the United States have signed a petition saying

AND

crop harvests and larger and healthier forests— results environmentalists used to like.