Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge: 

1AC

Solvency

Plan: The United States federal government should substantially increase loan guarantees for the expansion of nuclear power in the United States

Solvency – Loan Guarantees

Loan Guarantees overcomes financial barriers – key hurdle

Kassia Yanosek, entrepreneur-in-residence at Stanford University~’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance and a private equity investor in the energy sector as a principal at Quadrant Management and Founder of Tana Energy Capital LLC, Spring 2012, " Financing Nuclear Power in the US", energyclub.stanford.edu/index.php/Journal/Financing_Nuclear_Power_by_Kassia_Yanosek
Over the course of the last decade, it appeared that concerns about carbon emissions
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of tax credits and loan guarantees provided in the 2005 Energy Policy Act. 

Makes nuclear competitive – nuclear plants are cheap to operate

Charles Ferguson, president of the Federation of American Scientists, November 2011, "JAPAN MELTED DOWN. BUT THAT DOESN~’T MEAN THE END OF THE ATOMIC AGE," Foreign Policy issue 189, EBSCO
IN FACT, NUCLEAR POWER plants are relatively cheap to operate. Averaging the costs
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a good deal, once you factor in the risks of climate change.

Federal signal is key to attracting private capital

Michael Scott, former senior advisor at the Department of Treasury and partner and managing director at Miller Buckfire %26 Co as well as head of the firm~’s U.S. Government Advisory practice, 4-20-2010, "Statement of Michael D. Scott" Testimony before the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the House of Representatives, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg65123/pdf/CHRG-111hhrg65123.pdf
The President and Congress have a very powerful policy tool in Title XVII that is
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application and, significantly, before any closing on a Federal loan guarantee.

Gas Advantage

Natural gas is gaining market dominance – expansion of nuclear power avoids a bridge to nowhere

Jesse Jenkins, director of energy and climate policy at the Breakthrough Institute, previously worked as a Policy and Research Associate at the Renewable Northwest Project, 1-20-2012, "Avoiding a Natural Gas Bridge to Nowhere," The Energy Collective, http://theenergycollective.com/breakthroughinstitut/74658/avoiding-natural-gas-bridge-nowhere
Just as the history of unconventional natural gas production in America was fundamentally shaped by
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just like its past, depends on our willingness to invest in innovation.

Long term lock in is coming – building up alternatives is key

Christopher Jones, Ciriacy-Wantrup Fellow, University of California-Berkeley, 8-29-2012, "Natural Gas: Bridge or Dead End?" Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-f-jones/bridge-or-dead-end_b_1837015.html
Natural gas is often touted as a bridge fuel: an interim step between the
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simply about building a bridge, but also about building off-ramps. 

Use natural gas as a bridge to nowhere ensures a methane apocalypse – expansion of nuclear reduces the short run magnitude of emissions preventing the climate from crossing short run tipping points.

Bill Chameides, Dean, Duke University~’s Nicholas School of the Environment, 7-20-2012, "Natural Gas: A Bridge to a Low-Carbon Future or Not?" Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-chameides/-natural-gas-a-bridge-to_b_1690857.html
Not really, scientists like Bob Howarth of Cornell University, protested. Why?
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will recover once the methane is flushed from the atmosphere? Probably not.

Controlling methane emissions is more important than CO2 – methane hits us while we are vulnerable.

Joe Romm, Fellow at American Progress and is the editor of Climate Progress, acting assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy in 1997, PHD in physics from MIT, 4-9-2012, "Natural Gas Is A Bridge To Nowhere Absent A Carbon Price AND Strong Standards To Reduce Methane Leakage", http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/04/09/460384/natural-gas-is-a-bridge-to-nowhere-absent-a-carbon-price-and-strong-standards-to-reduce-methane-leakage/
A new journal article finds that methane leakage greatly undercuts or eliminates entirely the climate
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worse for the climate than coal for at least some period of time.

Fugitive emissions are large massive – best sources

David Lewis, PHD, staff writer, 12-7-2010, "EPA confirms high Natural Gas leakage rates," The Energy Collective, http://theenergycollective.com/david-lewis/48209/epa-confirms-high-natural-gas-leakage-rates
The latest EPA study confirms that its original "seminal" study of methane leaks
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was using.  EPA clearly states the reference data was bad all along.  

Methane release is insulated the typical warming debate – unique threat

Clean Energy Educational Trust, energy and environmental analysts, 2001, "Runaway Methane Global Warming," Hydrogen NOW%21 Journal, http://www.hydrogen.co.uk/h2_now/journal/articles/3_Methane.htm
Core samples taken from old ocean sediment layers have been used to trace back in
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CO2 was the cause then the raised temperatures would last a lot longer.

Rapid climate shifts cause extinction

Max Mcclure, staff writer, 6-7-2012, "Earth may be approaching ~’tipping point,~’ Stanford scientist says," Stanford University News, http://news.stanford.edu/news/2012/june/earth-tipping-point-060712.html
It~’s already established that global biological systems are capable of very rapid, wholesale shifts
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yet equipped with a flexible intergovernmental structure necessary to manage for this future."

Nuclear build up insulates and diversifies energy production – protects against price spikes

Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA administrator and New Jersey governor, is the co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition which promotes the inclusion of nuclear power as part of a clean energy portfolio, 5-9-2012, "It~’s dangerous to depend on natural gas," Fortune, http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/09/christine-whitman-nuclear-energy/
The United States needs an "all of the above" energy strategy that focuses
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if we are to secure a safe and sustainable portfolio of energy resources.

Price spikes are inevitable and collapse the economy without nuclear power

Rod Adams, gained his nuclear knowledge as a submarine engineer officer and as the founder of a company that tried to develop a market for small, modular reactors from 1993-1999, 8-30-2012, "Will natural gas prices in North America skyrocket by the end of 2014?" The Energy Collective, http://theenergycollective.com/rodadams/107901/look-out-natural-gas-prices-north-america-will-skyrocket-end-2014?ref=node_other_posts_by
In the publications that I regularly read, it is impossible to avoid noticing that
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spoils as the economy crashes against the rocky shore of high energy prices.

Stable energy prices are key to manufacturing

Shelly Schwartz, staff writer, 6-20-2012, "Can the Natural Gas Sector Save the US Economy?" CNBC, http://www.cnbc.com/id/47280026/Can_the_Natural_Gas_Sector_Save_the_US_Economy
Like most commodities, natural gas has been prone to dramatic price swings for decades
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.S. and Canada are now second only to the Middle East."

Manufacturing isn~’t resilient – could totally collapse

Arvind Kaushal et al, partner with Booz and Co, Thomas Mayor, senior executive advisor, Patricia Riedel, principal at Booz and Co. Fall 2011, "Manufacturing~’s Wake-Up Call" Booz and Co. http://booz.com/media/file/sb64-11306-Manufacturing~~~~~~~’s-Wake-Up-Call.pdf
Both the optimists and the pessimists are partially correct. U.S. manufacturing
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S. manufacturing capabilities could then erode past the point of no return.

Economic shocks are inevitable – strong domestic manufacturing is key to economic resilience and retaining our innovation leadership

Michael Ettlinger, the Vice President for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress, former director of the Economic Analysis and Research Network of the Economic Policy Institute, and Kate Gordon, the Vice President for Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress, April 2011, "The Importance and Promise of American Manufacturing" ~~http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/manufacturing.pdf—http:www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/manufacturing.pdf-http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/04/pdf/manufacturing.pdf~~~~
Manufacturing is critically important to the American economy. For generations, the strength of
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vulnerable to everything from exchange rate fluctuations to trade embargoes to natural disasters.

No decoupling – US key to global demand and US protectionism kills the global economy

Desmond Lachman, resident fellow at AEI, 11-1-2007, "The Global Economic Decoupling Myth," AEI, http://www.aei.org/article/27052
Not so long ago, the conventional wisdom was that if the U.S
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global, as distinct from simply the U.S., economic recovery.

Economic decline causes global war

Walter Russell Mead, Henry A. Kissinger senior fellow ofU.S. foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, 2-4-2009, , The New Republic, "Only Makes You Stronger," http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=571cbbb9-2887-4d81-8542-92e83915f5f8%26p=2
So far, such half-hearted experiments not only have failed to work;
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the world economy back on track, we may still have to fight.

Our theoretical models trump – transitions, future expectations, and diversionary war theory all confirm econ decline causes war

Jedediah Royal, Director of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of Defense, 2010, Economic Integration, Economic Signaling and the Problem of Economic Crises, in Economics of War and Peace: Economic, Legal and Political Perspectives, ed. Goldsmith and Brauer, p. 213-215
Less intuitive is how periods of economic decline may increase the likelihood of external conflict
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not featured prominently in the economic-security debate and deserves more attention.

Challengers are building up – manufacturing key to overall military superiority and deterrence

Mackenzie Eaglen et al, American Enterprise Institute, Rebecca Grant, IRIS Research, Robert P. Haffa, Haffa Defense Consulting, Michael O~’Hanlon, The Brookings Institution, Peter W. Singer, The Brookings Institution, Martin Sullivan, Commonwealth Consulting, Barry Watts, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, January 2012, "The Arsenal of Democracy and How to Preserve It: Key Issues in Defense Industrial Policy, Brookings, http://www.brookings.edu/~~~~/media/research/files/papers/2012/1/26%20defense%20industrial%20base/0126_defense_industrial_base_ohanlon
Yet there are severe challenges that could result to the nation~’s security interests even with
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difficulty restoring its ability to build nuclear submarines is a frequently cited example.)

US decline causes great power wars

Yuhan Zhang is a researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, D.C.; and Lin Shi is from Columbia University. She also serves as an independent consultant for the Eurasia Group and a consultant for the World Bank in Washington, D.C., 1-22-2011, "America~’s decline: A harbinger of conflict and rivalry," http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/01/22/americas-decline-a-harbinger-of-conflict-and-rivalry/
Over the past two decades, no other state has had the ability to seriously
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forecast in a future that will inevitably be devoid of unrivalled US primacy.

Prolif Advantage

Yes Rapid Prolif

We~’re on the brink of rapid prolif – access to tech is inevitable and multilateral institutions fail

CFR 7-5-2012, "The Global Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime," Council on Foreign Relations, http://www.cfr.org/proliferation/global-nuclear-nonproliferation-regime/p18984
Nuclear weapons proliferation, whether by state or nonstate actors, poses one of the
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way for "the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."

Nuclear hedging means proliferation would be rapid

Mitchell Reiss, fmr director of the Reves Center for International Studies, 2004, "The Nuclear Tipping Point"
Or it may be that countries would not sprint to cross the nuclear finish line
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even years, awaiting a political decision to tip them over the edge.

Regional prolif causes cascades

Kurt Campbell, senior vice president and director of the International Security Program and Chair in National Security at CSIS, 2004, "The Nuclear Tipping Point"
A nation~’s desire to achieve a balance of military power with it neighbors is another
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upsetting regional relations with the United States, Russia, and South Asia.

Prolif snowballs – declining cred causes allied prolif

Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown and Fellow at CFR specializing in Nuclear Security, 5-26-2012, "The History of Proliferation Optimism:  Does It Have A Future?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1182andrtid=2
Undermines alliances: The spread of nuclear weapons also complicates U.S. alliance
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destabilizing an already unstable region and threatening Washington~’s ability to influence regional dynamics.

Prolif Bad – Nuke War

Prolif incentivizes aggression – that causes regional instability and increased conventional wars which escalate to global nuclear war

Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown and Fellow at CFR specializing in Nuclear Security, 5-26-2012, "The History of Proliferation Optimism:  Does It Have A Future?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1182andrtid=2
Regional instability: The spread of nuclear weapons also emboldens nuclear powers contributing to regional
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strike could very well lead to a wider war in the Middle East. 

Civilian Nukes Key

Civilian nuclear power is key to nuclear leadership – that~’s key to control prolif

Pete Domenici, former senator from New Mexico, and Warren F. "Pete" Miller, part time Research Professor at Texas A %26 M University and former assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, July 2012, "Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets," Bipartisan Policy Center, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf
Nuclear power technologies are distinct from other potential exports in energy or in other sectors
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, could help address concerns about the proliferation of uranium-enrichment capabilities).

Strong nuclear industry key to global leadership – loan guarantees are critical

Olga Belogolova, staff writer, 7-19-2012, "U.S. Nuclear Industry Seen Needing a Boost," National Journal Daily, Lexis.
A robust nuclear-energy industry should be a high priority for the country~’s energy
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were going slowly and they might not be willing to wait any longer.

New nuclear capacity is vital – slowing investment swamps all alt causes

Pete Domenici, former senator from New Mexico, and Warren F. "Pete" Miller, part time Research Professor at Texas A %26 M University and former assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, July 2012, "Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets," Bipartisan Policy Center, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf
As the world~’s largest commercial nuclear operator and dominant weapons state, the United States
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in domestic nuclear energy activities could erode U.S. international standing.

Civilian nuclear policy is modeled and spills over to global nuclear leadership

Scott D. Sagan, Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, 4-18-2011, "The International Security Implications Of U.S. Domestic Nuclear Power Decisions," http://cybercemetery.unt.edu/archive/brc/20120621005012/http://brc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sagan_brc_paper_final.pdf
Reasonable people may well disagree about the value of specific policy proposals regarding nuclear power
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fully appreciate how much our policies influence the decisions made by foreign governments.

Tournament: Emporia | Round: 1 | Opponent: Kansas DW | Judge: 

Case

NG

Avoiding short term tipping points is key – short run factors determine if we can stabilize in the long run.

Nina Rohbein, staff writer, 5-25-2012, "Methane leakage ’overshadows’ shale gas climate benefits," I%26PE, http://www.ipe.com/guest/methane-leakage-overshadows-shale-gas-climate-benefits_45687.php~~%23.UC7EN91lTYw
The leakage of greenhouse gas methane is clouding the climate benefits resulting from the expansion
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letting much of the benefit of switching from coal to gas slip away.

AT: Engineer Shortages

New programs mean sufficient engineers for the plan

World Nuclear News, 8-23-2012, "More options open for US workforce," WNN, http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-More_options_open_for_US_workforce-2308127.html-http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-More_options_open_for_US_workforce-2308127.html
Nuclear-trained ex-servicemen and women from the US Navy should be able
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of these are right for the Navy and the nation," he said.

Diseases don’t cause extinction

Matt Ridley, staff writer, 8-17-2012, "Apocalypse Not: Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Worry About End Times," Wired, http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/ff_apocalypsenot/all/
The truth is, a new global pandemic is growing less likely, not more
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genome and devise a vaccine or cure is getting better all the time.

Prolif

Yes Escalation – New Crises

New reactors will be light water reactors – only tech feasible commercially

David Hill et al, Laboratory Director for Science and Technology at the Idaho National Lab, Michael Sellman, president and CEO of Nuclear Management Co. and Chairman of Idaho National Lab Utility Advisory Board, Mano Nazar, Senior VP and Nuclear COO of Florida Power and Light Co. and Chairman of the EPRJ Nuclear Power Council, 5-28-2010, "Idaho National Laboratory/Nuclear Power Industry Strategic Plan for Light Water Reactor Research and Development," INL, www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/3881540.pdf
This strategy supports the drive for nuclear power growth by focusing on LWRs, which
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electricity, which, for the foreseeable future, will come from LWRs.

Waste cp

AT:  Meltdown/Disaster DAs

US nuclear adoption inevitable – development now key to increasing safety

Spencer Weart, PHD in physics, director of the center for history of physics at the American Instiute of Physics, 3-26-2012, "Shunning Nuclear Power," Yale Environment 360, http://e360.yale.edu/feature/shunning_new_nuclear_power_plants_will_lead_to_warmer_world/2510/
For the time being, economics is doing as much as public fears to prevent
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from staving off the all too real danger of a global climate disaster. 

No risk and their impact is academic garbage

NEI June 2012, Nuclear Energy Institute, "Myths %26 Facts About Nuclear Energy", June, http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/factsheet/myths—facts-about-nuclear-energy-january-2012/
Fact: If this claim were true, it would be dangerous to breathe air
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Academy of Pediatrics, numerous state departments of health and other independent studies.

State cp

2AC States CP

Perm do both – shields the link

Perm do the counterplan

Federal action is key – Scott says sends signal to investors

Federal action is key to getting skin in the game – reassures investors prohibitive regulations won’t get slapped on

Rod Adams, Publisher of Atomic insights. Was in the Navy for 33 years. Spent time at the Naval Academy. Has experience designing and running small nuclear plants, 1-29-2010, "Concrete Action to Follow Strongly Supportive Words On Building New Nuclear Power Plants," Atomic Insights, http://atomicinsights.com/2010/01/concrete-action-to-follow-strongly-supportive-words-on-building-new-nuclear-power-plants.html
Loan guarantees are important to the nuclear industry because the currently available models are large
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government on the hook for delays that come from bad bureaucratic decision making.

Federal credit is key to keep loans low cost – low interest rates and diverse portfolios

John Griffith, Policy Analyst with the Economic Policy Team at the Center for American Progress, and Richard Caperton, Director of Clean Energy Investment at the Center for American Progressed, 5-3-2012, "Major Analysis: Federal Loans And Loan Guarantees Have A Huge Benefit But A Low And Predicatable Cost," ThinkProgress, http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/03/475978/major-analysis-federal-loans-and-loan-guarantees-have-a-huge-benefit-but-a-low-and-predicatable-cost/?mobile=nc
The federal government is in a unique position to issue these loans and guarantees for
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to limit risks by regulating markets and ensuring compliance from lenders and borrowers.

Federal credit is key to keep loans low-risk

Karl Smith, Assistant Professor of Public Economics at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 4-12-2012, "In Praise of Federal Loan Guarantees (Yep, Just Like Solyndra’s)" The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/in-praise-of-federal-loan-guarantees-yep-just-like-solyndras/255721/
We may or may not question the wisdom of the federal government attempting to shape
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normal lending institution, the Federal Government has an easier time than ever.

States obviously still link to the election – they get perceived the same as the feds

50 state fiat is a voting issue – the damage has been done

Multiple actors make it impossible to generate offense

It’s utopian – 50 states have never operated together – that kills T spec edu

Single-state CPs solve all their offense

Feds have to take the lead – boosts our expertise and means countries consult us on their nuclear decisions – that’s Domenici and Miller

Elections

2AC Obama Good

Romney wins – up in the swing states

Susan Page, for USA Today, 10-15-2012, "Swing States poll: Women push Romney into lead," USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/10/15/swing-states-poll-women-voters-romney-obama/1634791/
9:06PM EDT October 15. 2012 - WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney leads President
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voters, 48%-49%, and leads by 8 points among men.

Public loves nukes

WNA, World Nuclear Association, August 2012, "US Nuclear Power Policy," http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41_US_nuclear_power_policy.html
Public opinion regarding nuclear power has generally been fairly positive, and has grown more
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and job creation; and 77% associate nuclear energy and clean air.

NRC will issue licenses for large reactors before the election

Mark Peters, deputy laboratory director for programs at Argonne National Laboratory, "The Future of Nuclear Energy," 6-25-2012, http://www.fas.org/blog/pir/2012/06/25/the-future-of-nuclear-energy/
NUCLEAR ENERGY SINCE THE LATE 1970s¶ Although the power of the "peaceful atom
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and operating license for the new reactors by the end of this year.)

National gas prices will stay high

Anthony Karge, writer for the Cheshire Patch, 10-9-2012, "Small Gas Price Drop In Connecticut, National Average Up" http://cheshire.patch.com/articles/small-gas-price-drop-in-connecticut-national-average-up-5b59cb27
The national gas price average went up in the past week, but the state’s
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where the average now stands 88c/gal higher than a year ago."

Thumps the election

Tom Whipple is a retired government analyst and has been following the peak oil issue for several years. 8-29-2012 http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/12495-the-peak-oil-crisis-summers-end.html
As the US Presidential election moves into high gear, it is conventional wisdom that
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region without interrupting the region’s oil exports is likely to become increasingly difficult.

No link – plan doesn’t happen till after the election

David Lightman and William Douglas 9-21-2012, "Unproductive Congress breaks until after November election", http://www.adn.com/2012/09/20/2633147/unproductive-congress-breaks-until.html_
Lawmakers spent Thursday pointing fingers and charging opponents with cynical political posturing. Among Congress’
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to Sept. 10. Congress is expected to return Nov. 13.

Other factors cancel each other out – only the economy matters

Mano Singham, PHD, theoretical physicist and director of UCITE, at U Cleveland, 3-8-2012, "What really matters in predicting presidential election outcomes," Free Thoughts Blog, http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2012/03/08/what-really-matters-in-predicting-presidential-election-outcomes/
A political scientist colleague of mine who tracks these things closely says that what they
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uproar, there is likely another who it drives to the Republican camp.

Winners win

Robert Creamer, political strategist for over four decades, 12-23-2011, "Why GOP Collapse on the Payroll Tax Could be a Turning Point Moment," Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-gop-collapse-on-the-p_b_1167491.html
2). Strength and victory are enormous political assets. Going into the New Year
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you have them on the run - that’s the time to chase them.

AT:  Russia

Romney wont tank relations – will shift to reconciliation

Eugene Ivanov, political commentator, 10-19-2011, "Mitt Romney: The no-apology candidate," Russia Beyond the Headline, http://rbth.ru/articles/2011/10/19/mitt_romney_the_no-apology_candidate_13598.html
It would be premature, however, to conclude that Romney’s current position vis-
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Putin and look into his soul? And make no apology for that.

Relations resilient and no risk of war – cold war proves

Richard Weitz, staff writer, 9-27-2011, "Global Insights: Putin not a Game-Changer for U.S.-Russia Ties," World Politics Review, http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties-http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties
Fifth, there will inevitably be areas of conflict between Russia and the United States
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of social communication, that will constrain whoever is in charge of Russia.

AIDS won’t cause extinction – even in high prevalence areas they aren’t affecting population growth.

Joseph Caldwell, PhD in mathmatics @ The University of North Carolina 2000, "The End of the World, and the New World Order," March 6, http://www.foundationwebsite.org/TheEndOfTheWorld.htm)KM
Disease could wipe out mankind.  It is clear that HIV/AIDS will not
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that accompanies globalization nevertheless increases the likelihood of global diseases to high levels.

Add Ons

2AC China Grid Add On

Nuclear expansion key to grid stability

Margaret Harding, president of 4Factor Consulting. She has worked in the nuclear industry for more than 30 years and advises clients on quality, regulatory, technical, and business issues within the nuclear industry, 2-8-2012, "Role of nuclear energy in creating smarter US grid networks," Nuclear Energy Insider, http://analysis.nuclearenergyinsider.com/operations-maintenance/role-nuclear-energy-creating-smarter-us-grid-networks
Nuclear consultant, Margaret Harding, offers her insights into how smart grid technologies can
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anchor points in regional grid structures that can keep power delivery to consumers.

Grid vulnerability allow China to launch cyberattacks and invade Taiwan

The next world war might not start with a bang, but with a blackout
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don’t know," Lewis says. "And I don’t like that answer."

Extinction

Straits Times (Singapore), June 25, 2000, No one gains in war over Taiwan
THE high-intensity scenario postulates a cross-strait war escalating into a full
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should that come to pass, we would see the destruction of civilisation. 

2AC Energy Security Add On

Nuclear is key to energy security – solves war

Ulrich Becker et al, MIT prof, physics, 2008, "A Perspective on the Future Energy Supply of the United States," MIT Faculty Newsletter, http://web.mit.edu/fnl/volume/212/milner.html
The reliable and affordable availability of energy is the lifeblood of human civilization in the
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, if we had to go to war to secure our energy supply.

Great Power War

Michael Klare, Professor of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College, 5-19-2008, "The New Geopolitics of Energy," http://www.thenation.com/article/new-geopolitics-energy
These and other efforts by Russia and China, combined with stepped-up US
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in the long run) and a better chance at overcoming global warming. 

Tournament: Emporia | Round: 4 | Opponent: UMKC CW | Judge: 

Case

Solvency

Nukes are scalable – we can deploy them quickly

Anne Winslow, researcher at Stanford University and the MonAme Scientific Research Center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 6-28-2011, "A Nuclear Renaissance: The Role of Nuclear Power in Mitigating Climate Change," American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings, EBSCO
Furthermore, nuclear energy is a scalable technology that is compatible with modern electricity grids
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net exporter of electricity, generating over 3 billion per year ~18~.

States:

2AC States CP
Perm do both – shields the link
Perm do the counterplan
Federal action is key – Scott says sends signal to investors
Federal action is key to getting skin in the game – reassures investors prohibitive regulations won’t get slapped on
Rod Adams, Publisher of Atomic insights. Was in the Navy for 33 years. Spent time at the Naval Academy. Has experience designing and running small nuclear plants, 1-29-2010, "Concrete Action to Follow Strongly Supportive Words On Building New Nuclear Power Plants," Atomic Insights, http://atomicinsights.com/2010/01/concrete-action-to-follow-strongly-supportive-words-on-building-new-nuclear-power-plants.html
Loan guarantees are important to the nuclear industry because the currently available models are large
AND
government on the hook for delays that come from bad bureaucratic decision making.
Federal credit is key to keep loans low cost – low interest rates and diverse portfolios
John Griffith, Policy Analyst with the Economic Policy Team at the Center for American Progress, and Richard Caperton, Director of Clean Energy Investment at the Center for American Progressed, 5-3-2012, "Major Analysis: Federal Loans And Loan Guarantees Have A Huge Benefit But A Low And Predicatable Cost," ThinkProgress, http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/03/475978/major-analysis-federal-loans-and-loan-guarantees-have-a-huge-benefit-but-a-low-and-predicatable-cost/?mobile=nc
The federal government is in a unique position to issue these loans and guarantees for
AND
to limit risks by regulating markets and ensuring compliance from lenders and borrowers.
Federal credit is key to keep loans low-risk
Karl Smith, Assistant Professor of Public Economics at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 4-12-2012, "In Praise of Federal Loan Guarantees (Yep, Just Like Solyndra’s)" The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/in-praise-of-federal-loan-guarantees-yep-just-like-solyndras/255721/
We may or may not question the wisdom of the federal government attempting to shape
AND
normal lending institution, the Federal Government has an easier time than ever.
States obviously still link to the election – they get perceived the same as the feds
50 state fiat is a voting issue – the damage has been done
a) Multiple actors make it impossible to generate offense
b) It’s utopian – 50 states have never operated together – that kills T spec edu
c) Single-state CPs solve all their offense
Feds have to take the lead – boosts our expertise and means countries consult us on their nuclear decisions – that’s Domenici and Miller

Waste CP

Perm do both

Perm do counterplan

Perm do the plan and reduce restrictions on evacuation zones and restrictions on modular installation of small modular reactors.

The solvency contention is offense against this CP – cost of capital means nuclear is impossible absent loan guarantees

Their solvency evidence is not remotely sufficient to remedy billion dollar nuclear plants – it’s talking about small-scale renewables innovation

Banning subsidies causes economic collapse

Paul Sullivan, professor of economics at National Defense University, 3-12-2012, "Dynamically Consider the Tradeoffs" National Journal, We are still in a fragile economy. Is this the best time to score some political points with part of the base at the cost of American jobs? I don’t think so.
There should be serious analyses of the potential first, second and third order effects
AND
the base at the cost of American jobs? I don’t think so.

Obviously links to politics – huge lobbies

David Roberts, energy and politics specialist, 1-8-2011, "Is it politically realistic to eliminate energy subsidies?" Grist, http://grist.org/article/2011-01-07-is-eliminating-energy-subsidies-politically-realistic/
Basically, Leonard asks, "if you care about the deficit, shouldn’t you
AND
, subsidies that are eliminated are likely to creep back in over time.

AT:  Meltdown/Disaster DAs

No risk and their impact is academic garbage

NEI June 2012, Nuclear Energy Institute, "Myths %26 Facts About Nuclear Energy", June, http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/factsheet/myths—facts-about-nuclear-energy-january-2012/
Fact: If this claim were true, it would be dangerous to breathe air
AND
Academy of Pediatrics, numerous state departments of health and other independent studies.

No risk of accidents – they’re rare, there’s no impact, and we’ve learned from mistakes

Charles Ferguson, president of the Federation of American Scientists, November 2011, "JAPAN MELTED DOWN. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE END OF THE ATOMIC AGE," Foreign Policy issue 189, EBSCO
IN HALF A CENTURY of operation, the global nuclear power industry has suffered three
AND
the fact that so far, we have avoided repeating any of them.

US nuclear expansion increases safety measures – reduces the risk of accidents and prolif

Paul Sullivan, prof of econ, national defense university, 10-20-2009, "Policy Uncertainty Plagues Industry," National Journal, http://energy.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/does-nuclear-fit-the-bill.php
Getting a better handle on the proliferation issues can also help on the financial,
AND
dangerous and vexing problems associated with the nuclear energy- nuclear weapons nexus.

New reactors will be light water reactors – already proven safe

David Hill et al, Laboratory Director for Science and Technology at the Idaho National Lab, Michael Sellman, president and CEO of Nuclear Management Co. and Chairman of Idaho National Lab Utility Advisory Board, Mano Nazar, Senior VP and Nuclear COO of Florida Power and Light Co. and Chairman of the EPRJ Nuclear Power Council, 5-28-2010, "Idaho National Laboratory/Nuclear Power Industry Strategic Plan for Light Water Reactor Research and Development," INL, www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/3881540.pdf
This strategy supports the drive for nuclear power growth by focusing on LWRs, which
AND
electricity, which, for the foreseeable future, will come from LWRs.

New reactors incapable of accidents

Spencer Weart, PHD in physics, director of the center for history of physics at the American Instiute of Physics, 3-26-2012, "Shunning Nuclear Power," Yale Environment 360, http://e360.yale.edu/feature/shunning_new_nuclear_power_plants_will_lead_to_warmer_world/2510/
For the time being, economics is doing as much as public fears to prevent
AND
from staving off the all too real danger of a global climate disaster. 

REE

2AC Rare Earth Elements DA

Obviously NG will outweigh on economy- fuel much more important in manufacturing

No REE shortage – high supply and low China demand

Eric Onstad, staff writer, 9-19-2012, "Analysis: Rare earth prices to erode on fresh supply, China," Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/19/us-rareearths-outlook-idUSBRE88I0O020120919
(Reuters) - Prices of rare earth elements, which tumbled after a speculative
AND
of Toronto-based Dundee Capital Markets said in a note to clients.

No impact – they aren’t rare and China doesn’t control supply

Stephen Robert Morse, writer, multimedia journalist, producer, digital strategist, and entrepreneur, 9-27-2012, "China’s Monopoly on Rare Earth Mining and Exports Erodes," The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/bank-of-america/archive/2012/09/chinas-monopoly-on-rare-earth-mining-and-exports-erodes/262938
What do your iPhone, your flat-screen TV, and your Toyota Prius
AND
is a misnomer, and the materials can be found with relative ease. 

Multiple alt causes and supply is sufficient

Marc Humphries, specialist in Energy Policies for Congressional Research Service, 6-8-2012, "Rare Earth Elements: The Global Supply Chain," CRS, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R41347.pdf
Some of the major end uses for rare earth elements include use in automotive catalytic
AND
expects that global reserves and undiscovered resources are large enough to meet demand.

Will have surplus by 2013

Amar Toor, journalist, 5-5-2011, "Global Rare Earth Supply Deficit Should Turn Into a Surplus by 2013, Goldman Sachs Says" WSJ, http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/global-rare-earth-supply-deficit-should-turn-into-a-surplus-by-2/
It looks like rare earth elements are getting slightly less rare. According to a
AND
But at least the horizon looks brighter than it has in recent months.

Ptx

2AC Obama Good

Romney’s will win- favorablility

Andrew Sullivan, editor in chief of the Daily Dish and noted writer for Newsweek, The New Republic, and The Atlantic, 10-19-2012, "Romney’s Net Favorables Now Exceed Obama’s," The Daily Dish, http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/10/romneys-net-favorables-now-exceed-obamas.html
It increasingly seems clear to me that the first debate’s impact on Romney’s personal image
AND
. In the Electoral College vote, here’s what Princeton has right now:

Public loves nukes

WNA, World Nuclear Association, August 2012, "US Nuclear Power Policy," http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41_US_nuclear_power_policy.html
Public opinion regarding nuclear power has generally been fairly positive, and has grown more
AND
and job creation; and 77% associate nuclear energy and clean air.

NRC will issue licenses for large reactors before the election

Mark Peters, deputy laboratory director for programs at Argonne National Laboratory, "The Future of Nuclear Energy," 6-25-2012, http://www.fas.org/blog/pir/2012/06/25/the-future-of-nuclear-energy/
NUCLEAR ENERGY SINCE THE LATE 1970s¶ Although the power of the "peaceful atom
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and operating license for the new reactors by the end of this year.)

National gas prices will stay high

Anthony Karge, writer for the Cheshire Patch, 10-9-2012, "Small Gas Price Drop In Connecticut, National Average Up" http://cheshire.patch.com/articles/small-gas-price-drop-in-connecticut-national-average-up-5b59cb27
The national gas price average went up in the past week, but the state’s
AND
where the average now stands 88c/gal higher than a year ago."

Thumps the election

Tom Whipple is a retired government analyst and has been following the peak oil issue for several years. 8-29-2012 http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/12495-the-peak-oil-crisis-summers-end.html
As the US Presidential election moves into high gear, it is conventional wisdom that
AND
region without interrupting the region’s oil exports is likely to become increasingly difficult.

No link – plan doesn’t happen till after the election

David Lightman and William Douglas 9-21-2012, "Unproductive Congress breaks until after November election", http://www.adn.com/2012/09/20/2633147/unproductive-congress-breaks-until.html_
Lawmakers spent Thursday pointing fingers and charging opponents with cynical political posturing. Among Congress’
AND
to Sept. 10. Congress is expected to return Nov. 13.

Other factors cancel each other out – only the economy matters

Mano Singham, PHD, theoretical physicist and director of UCITE, at U Cleveland, 3-8-2012, "What really matters in predicting presidential election outcomes," Free Thoughts Blog, http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2012/03/08/what-really-matters-in-predicting-presidential-election-outcomes/
A political scientist colleague of mine who tracks these things closely says that what they
AND
uproar, there is likely another who it drives to the Republican camp.

Winners win

Robert Creamer, political strategist for over four decades, 12-23-2011, "Why GOP Collapse on the Payroll Tax Could be a Turning Point Moment," Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-gop-collapse-on-the-p_b_1167491.html
2). Strength and victory are enormous political assets. Going into the New Year
AND
you have them on the run - that’s the time to chase them.

AT:  Russia

Romney wont tank relations – will shift to reconciliation

Eugene Ivanov, political commentator, 10-19-2011, "Mitt Romney: The no-apology candidate," Russia Beyond the Headline, http://rbth.ru/articles/2011/10/19/mitt_romney_the_no-apology_candidate_13598.html
It would be premature, however, to conclude that Romney’s current position vis-
AND
Putin and look into his soul? And make no apology for that.

Relations resilient and no risk of war – cold war proves

Richard Weitz, staff writer, 9-27-2011, "Global Insights: Putin not a Game-Changer for U.S.-Russia Ties," World Politics Review, http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties-http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties
Fifth, there will inevitably be areas of conflict between Russia and the United States
AND
of social communication, that will constrain whoever is in charge of Russia.

AT:  China Trade

No retaliation

Robert Scott, Economic Policy Institute, 10-7-2011,
http://www.epi.org/blog/currency-legislation-lead-trade-war-china/
On Wednesday, Senator Orrin Hatch claimed that the Currency Exchange Rate and Oversight Reform
AND
income families in China, who are very dependent on these basic commodities.

No risk

David Rothkopf, staff writer, 11-15-2011, "10 Reasons Why Obama Will Win in 2012," FP, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/11/15/10_reasons_why_obama_will_win_in_2012
It is possible that some of the views that were offered by likely nominee Mitt
AND
what happens between now and when the next president takes office will be. 

Romney’s China policies would have no practical effect

Daniel W. Drezner, Professor of International Politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, 5-25-2012, "Romney: Year One" http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/05/25/romney_year_one?page=full
DAY 1: The first day of a Romney presidency brings two major shifts in
AND
what happened when George W. Bush became president in 2001. Yawn.

Add On

2AC Nuclear Desalination – Water Wars

Nuclear power expansion’s key to global desalination

Saly T. Panicker and P.K. Tewari, Desalination Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 2011 "Nuclear Energy for Water Desalination" in "Nuclear Energy Encyclopedia: Science, Technology, and Applications", googlebooks
Water scarcity is one of the most pressing crises affecting our planet It is a
AND
UAE are exploring the potential of nuclear desalination in their countries or regions.

Global water scarcity’s inevitable – kills billions

Nitish Priyadarshi, lecturer in the department of environment and water management at Ranchi University in India, "War for water is not a far cry", 6-16-2012, http://www.cleangangaportal.org/node/44-http://www.cleangangaportal.org/node/44
The battles of yesterday were fought over land. Those of today are over energy
AND
 Tunisia: 2.1 million  Cuba :1.3 million

CPs don’t solve because need federal leadership for global expansion and key to prevent war because fed determines water rights conflicts

2AC Food Prices Add On

Energy price increases cause food price spikes

Robert Sands and Paul Westcott, USDA, August 2011, "Impacts of Higher Energy Prices on Agriculture and Rural Economies," Economic Research Service, http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/118256/err123_1_.pdf
Agricultural production consumes large amounts of energy, either directly through combustion of fossil fuels
AND
prices of agricultural products, and reduce farm income in the short run.

Destabilizes Pakistan

Laurie Garret, senior fellow for global health, CFR, Toni Johnson, senior staff writer, CFR, 2-4-2011, "Food Prices and Global Instability," CFR, http://www.cfr.org/health-science-and-technology/food-prices-global-instability/p24018
In the Middle East, it’s a very special set of grains that is essential
AND
of whether the consumer is in Nigeria, Argentina, or Los Angeles.

Nuke war

Stephen John Morgan, a former member of the British Labour Party Exectutive Committee. He is a political psychologist, researcher into Chaos/Complexity Theory, 2007, ""Better another Taliban Afghanistan, than a Taliban NUCLEAR Pakistan%21?"" Electirc Articles, http://www.electricarticles.com/display.aspx?id=639
Atomic Al Qaeda Should Pakistan break down completely, a Taliban-style government with
AND
in a new Cold War with China and Russia pitted against the US.

The CP doesn’t solve because LG key to keep prices low

Tournament: Emporia | Round: 6 | Opponent: Kansas GW | Judge: 

Case

NG

GW

Total consensus – it’s as established as gravity

Donald R. Prothero, Professor of Geology at Occidental College and Lecturer in Geobiology at the California Institute of Technology, 3-1-2012, "How We Know Global Warming is Real and Human Caused," Skeptic, vol 17 no 2, EBSCO
Thanks to all the noise and confusion over climate change, the general public has
AND
no interest in debating it since the evidence is so clear-cut.

States

2AC States CP
Perm do both – shields the link
Perm do the counterplan
Federal action is key – Scott says sends signal to investors
Federal action is key to getting skin in the game – reassures investors prohibitive regulations won’t get slapped on
Rod Adams, Publisher of Atomic insights. Was in the Navy for 33 years. Spent time at the Naval Academy. Has experience designing and running small nuclear plants, 1-29-2010, "Concrete Action to Follow Strongly Supportive Words On Building New Nuclear Power Plants," Atomic Insights, http://atomicinsights.com/2010/01/concrete-action-to-follow-strongly-supportive-words-on-building-new-nuclear-power-plants.html
Loan guarantees are important to the nuclear industry because the currently available models are large
AND
government on the hook for delays that come from bad bureaucratic decision making.
Federal credit is key to keep loans low cost – low interest rates and diverse portfolios
John Griffith, Policy Analyst with the Economic Policy Team at the Center for American Progress, and Richard Caperton, Director of Clean Energy Investment at the Center for American Progressed, 5-3-2012, "Major Analysis: Federal Loans And Loan Guarantees Have A Huge Benefit But A Low And Predicatable Cost," ThinkProgress, http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/05/03/475978/major-analysis-federal-loans-and-loan-guarantees-have-a-huge-benefit-but-a-low-and-predicatable-cost/?mobile=nc
The federal government is in a unique position to issue these loans and guarantees for
AND
to limit risks by regulating markets and ensuring compliance from lenders and borrowers.
Federal credit is key to keep loans low-risk
Karl Smith, Assistant Professor of Public Economics at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 4-12-2012, "In Praise of Federal Loan Guarantees (Yep, Just Like Solyndra’s)" The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/04/in-praise-of-federal-loan-guarantees-yep-just-like-solyndras/255721/
We may or may not question the wisdom of the federal government attempting to shape
AND
normal lending institution, the Federal Government has an easier time than ever.
States obviously still link to the election – they get perceived the same as the feds
50 state fiat is a voting issue – the damage has been done
a) Multiple actors make it impossible to generate offense
b) It’s utopian – 50 states have never operated together – that kills T spec edu
c) Single-state CPs solve all their offense
Feds have to take the lead – boosts our expertise and means countries consult us on their nuclear decisions – that’s Domenici and Miller

Consumption K

*Framework

2AC Framework

Plan focus is good – reject links not based off the plan text and non-policy alternatives

Key to aff ground – other frameworks moot the 1AC

Topic education – focusing on the resolution ensures ground changes yearly

Perm do both – double bind – either the alt can’t overcome the status quo or it can overcome residual link to the plan

Perm do the plan and all non-mutually exclusive parts of the alternative

2AC Alt Vague

It’s vague - voting issue

Spikes our offense – no way for aff to win

Skews 2AC time

Damage is done – 2NC clarification rewards them because 1AR will always be behind

Consumption Focus Ineffective

Alt Fails, Consumption focus doesn’t work – only supply side is effective

Hans-Werner Sinn, professor of economics at University of Munich, Feb. 2012, "A Supply-Side Approach to Global Warming" MIT, http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2%26tid=12810
The Earth is getting warmer. Yet, as Hans-Werner Sinn points out
AND
Sinn argues, will we have a chance of staving off climate disaster.

No Crunch – AT:  Non-Renewable Resource Shortages

Growth and production are sustainable – technological advances prove
William J Baumol, professor of economics at NYU, Robert E. Litan, Senior Fellow of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institute, and Carl J. Schramm, President and chief executive officer of the Kauffman Foundation," 2007, Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism, and the Economics of Growth and Prosperity
One line of skepticism about growth arises from individuals and groups who worry that as
AND
—and are able to grow far more food at the same time. 

Resource shortage is a myth

Bjorn Lomborg, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Aarhus, 2001, Environmental Conflict, p. 143
As should be abundantly clear, we are far from exhausting our raw material resources
AND
of important raw materials they have more years of consumption left than before. 

We won’t run out of non-renewable resources

Bjorn Lomborg, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Aarhus, 2001, Environmental Conflict, p. 140-142
The concern for running our of resources not only applies to energy but also the
AND
has quadrupled since 1950, and yet the price has been dropping slightly. 

Elections

2AC Obama Good

Romney wins – up in the swing states

Susan Page, for USA Today, 10-15-2012, "Swing States poll: Women push Romney into lead," USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2012/10/15/swing-states-poll-women-voters-romney-obama/1634791/
9:06PM EDT October 15. 2012 - WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney leads President
AND
voters, 48%-49%, and leads by 8 points among men.

Romney’s surging on favorable and Obama’s crashing

Andrew Sullivan, editor in chief of the Daily Dish and noted writer for Newsweek, The New Republic, and The Atlantic, 10-19-2012, "Romney’s Net Favorables Now Exceed Obama’s," The Daily Dish, http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/10/romneys-net-favorables-now-exceed-obamas.html
It increasingly seems clear to me that the first debate’s impact on Romney’s personal image
AND
. In the Electoral College vote, here’s what Princeton has right now:

Public loves nukes

WNA, World Nuclear Association, August 2012, "US Nuclear Power Policy," http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41_US_nuclear_power_policy.html
Public opinion regarding nuclear power has generally been fairly positive, and has grown more
AND
and job creation; and 77% associate nuclear energy and clean air.

Obama already increased loan guarantees for nuclear reactors

Jennifer Bendery, writer for the Huffington Post, 2-14-2012, "Obama’s Budget Nixes New Money For Program That Funded Solyndra" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/obama-budget-solyndra-program_n_1276605.html
Obama has regularly included huge increases to the program’s loan guarantee authority in his budget, though Congress has not approved his proposals. He provided a %2436 billion increase for nuclear reactors in his 2011 budget, and again in his 2012 budget. He also included %24200 million in credit subsidies for renewable and energy efficiency projects in his 2012 budget. This year, he provided nothing.

National gas prices will stay high

Anthony Karge, writer for the Cheshire Patch, 10-9-2012, "Small Gas Price Drop In Connecticut, National Average Up" http://cheshire.patch.com/articles/small-gas-price-drop-in-connecticut-national-average-up-5b59cb27
The national gas price average went up in the past week, but the state’s
AND
where the average now stands 88c/gal higher than a year ago."

Thumps the election

Tom Whipple is a retired government analyst and has been following the peak oil issue for several years. 8-29-2012 http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/12495-the-peak-oil-crisis-summers-end.html
As the US Presidential election moves into high gear, it is conventional wisdom that
AND
region without interrupting the region’s oil exports is likely to become increasingly difficult.

No link – plan doesn’t happen till after the election

David Lightman and William Douglas 9-21-2012, "Unproductive Congress breaks until after November election", http://www.adn.com/2012/09/20/2633147/unproductive-congress-breaks-until.html_
Lawmakers spent Thursday pointing fingers and charging opponents with cynical political posturing. Among Congress’
AND
to Sept. 10. Congress is expected to return Nov. 13.

Other factors cancel each other out – only the economy matters

Mano Singham, PHD, theoretical physicist and director of UCITE, at U Cleveland, 3-8-2012, "What really matters in predicting presidential election outcomes," Free Thoughts Blog, http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2012/03/08/what-really-matters-in-predicting-presidential-election-outcomes/
A political scientist colleague of mine who tracks these things closely says that what they
AND
uproar, there is likely another who it drives to the Republican camp.

Winners win

Robert Creamer, political strategist for over four decades, 12-23-2011, "Why GOP Collapse on the Payroll Tax Could be a Turning Point Moment," Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/why-gop-collapse-on-the-p_b_1167491.html
2). Strength and victory are enormous political assets. Going into the New Year
AND
you have them on the run - that’s the time to chase them.

AT:  Russia

Romney wont tank relations – will shift to reconciliation

Eugene Ivanov, political commentator, 10-19-2011, "Mitt Romney: The no-apology candidate," Russia Beyond the Headline, http://rbth.ru/articles/2011/10/19/mitt_romney_the_no-apology_candidate_13598.html
It would be premature, however, to conclude that Romney’s current position vis-
AND
Putin and look into his soul? And make no apology for that.

Relations resilient and no risk of war – cold war proves

Richard Weitz, staff writer, 9-27-2011, "Global Insights: Putin not a Game-Changer for U.S.-Russia Ties," World Politics Review, http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties-http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/10140/global-insights-putin-not-a-game-changer-for-u-s-russia-ties
Fifth, there will inevitably be areas of conflict between Russia and the United States
AND
of social communication, that will constrain whoever is in charge of Russia.

AT:  China Trade

No retaliation

Robert Scott, Economic Policy Institute, 10-7-2011,
http://www.epi.org/blog/currency-legislation-lead-trade-war-china/
On Wednesday, Senator Orrin Hatch claimed that the Currency Exchange Rate and Oversight Reform
AND
income families in China, who are very dependent on these basic commodities.

No risk

David Rothkopf, staff writer, 11-15-2011, "10 Reasons Why Obama Will Win in 2012," FP, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/11/15/10_reasons_why_obama_will_win_in_2012
It is possible that some of the views that were offered by likely nominee Mitt
AND
what happens between now and when the next president takes office will be. 

Romney’s China policies would have no practical effect

Daniel W. Drezner, Professor of International Politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, 5-25-2012, "Romney: Year One" http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/05/25/romney_year_one?page=full
DAY 1: The first day of a Romney presidency brings two major shifts in
AND
what happened when George W. Bush became president in 2001. Yawn.

Add ons

2AC China Grid Add On

Nuclear expansion key to grid stability

Margaret Harding, president of 4Factor Consulting. She has worked in the nuclear industry for more than 30 years and advises clients on quality, regulatory, technical, and business issues within the nuclear industry, 2-8-2012, "Role of nuclear energy in creating smarter US grid networks," Nuclear Energy Insider, http://analysis.nuclearenergyinsider.com/operations-maintenance/role-nuclear-energy-creating-smarter-us-grid-networks
Nuclear consultant, Margaret Harding, offers her insights into how smart grid technologies can
AND
anchor points in regional grid structures that can keep power delivery to consumers.

Grid vulnerability allow China to launch cyberattacks and invade Taiwan

The next world war might not start with a bang, but with a blackout
AND
don’t know," Lewis says. "And I don’t like that answer."

Extinction

Straits Times (Singapore), June 25, 2000, No one gains in war over Taiwan
THE high-intensity scenario postulates a cross-strait war escalating into a full
AND
should that come to pass, we would see the destruction of civilisation. 

CP can’t solve because states mean no coherent grid strategy, which increases vulnerability

2AC Nuclear Expertise – Nuclear Terror

New nukes boosts nuclear expertise

APS (American Physical Society), Report from the APS Panel on Public Affairs Committee on Energy and Environment, June 2008, Readiness of the U.S. Nuclear Workforce for 21st Century Challenges, http://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/upload/Nuclear-Readiness-Report-FINAL-2.pdf
The 21st century has brought a growing realization that it is time to reexamine the
AND
university reactors has dwindled from 63 to 25 during essentially the same period.

Key to nuclear forensics

Dr. Mtingwa, Chair of the POPA study on the Readiness of the U.S. Nuclear Workforce for 21st Century Challenges. He is an accelerator physicist and Senior Lecturer at MIT, January 2009 "Readiness of the U.S. Nuclear Workforce for 21st Century Challenges," January, http://www.aps.org/units/fps/newsletters/200901/mtingwa.cfm)
On another front, the tragedy of September 11, 2001, has brought an
AND
as exciting areas of research that present intellectually and financially rewarding career paths.

Effective nuclear forensics deters terrorism

Talmadge, IR %26 Government Prof-George Washington, PhD-MIT, Spring 2007, "Deterring a Nuclear 9/11," www.twq.com/07spring/docs/07spring_talmadge.pdf
Because terrorists lack return addresses, analysts have dismissed even more firmly the possibility of
AND
or passively assist terrorists in a nuclear attack on the United States.20 

Global nuclear war

Robert Ayson, Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington, 2010, "After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects," Studies in Conflict %26 Terrorism, Volume 33, Issue 7, July, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via InformaWorld)
A terrorist nuclear attack, and even the use of nuclear weapons in response by
AND
for the terrorists. This might not help the chances of nuclear restraint.

CP doesn’t solve because nuclear forensics is a federal program so federal investment in nuclear energy best fosters spillover of workers

Tournament: Northwestern | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge: 

1AC

Plan

The United States federal government should increase loan guarantees for nuclear power in the United States.

Gas Advantage

Natural gas is gaining market dominance – expansion of nuclear power avoids a bridge to nowhere

Jesse Jenkins, director of energy and climate policy at the Breakthrough Institute, previously worked as a Policy and Research Associate at the Renewable Northwest Project, 1-20-2012, "Avoiding a Natural Gas Bridge to Nowhere," The Energy Collective, http://theenergycollective.com/breakthroughinstitut/74658/avoiding-natural-gas-bridge-nowhere
Just as the history of unconventional natural gas production in America was fundamentally shaped by
AND
just like its past, depends on our willingness to invest in innovation.

Long term lock in is coming – building up alternatives is key

Christopher Jones, Ciriacy-Wantrup Fellow, University of California-Berkeley, 8-29-2012, "Natural Gas: Bridge or Dead End?" Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-f-jones/bridge-or-dead-end_b_1837015.html
Natural gas is often touted as a bridge fuel: an interim step between the
AND
simply about building a bridge, but also about building off-ramps. 

Using natural gas as a bridge to nowhere ensures a methane apocalypse – expansion of nuclear reduces the short run magnitude of emissions preventing the climate from crossing short run tipping points.

Bill Chameides, Dean, Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, 7-20-2012, "Natural Gas: A Bridge to a Low-Carbon Future or Not?" Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-chameides/-natural-gas-a-bridge-to_b_1690857.html
Not really, scientists like Bob Howarth of Cornell University, protested. Why?
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will recover once the methane is flushed from the atmosphere? Probably not.

Controlling methane emissions is more important than CO2 – methane hits us while we are vulnerable.

Joe Romm, Fellow at American Progress and is the editor of Climate Progress, acting assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy in 1997, PHD in physics from MIT, 4-9-2012, "Natural Gas Is A Bridge To Nowhere Absent A Carbon Price AND Strong Standards To Reduce Methane Leakage", http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/04/09/460384/natural-gas-is-a-bridge-to-nowhere-absent-a-carbon-price-and-strong-standards-to-reduce-methane-leakage/
A new journal article finds that methane leakage greatly undercuts or eliminates entirely the climate
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worse for the climate than coal for at least some period of time.

Methane release is insulated from the typical warming debate – unique threat

Clean Energy Educational Trust, energy and environmental analysts, 2001, "Runaway Methane Global Warming," Hydrogen NOW%21 Journal, http://www.hydrogen.co.uk/h2_now/journal/articles/3_Methane.htm
Core samples taken from old ocean sediment layers have been used to trace back in
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CO2 was the cause then the raised temperatures would last a lot longer.

Rapid climate shifts cause extinction

Max Mcclure, staff writer, 6-7-2012, "Earth may be approaching ’tipping point,’ Stanford scientist says," Stanford University News, http://news.stanford.edu/news/2012/june/earth-tipping-point-060712.html
It’s already established that global biological systems are capable of very rapid, wholesale shifts
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yet equipped with a flexible intergovernmental structure necessary to manage for this future."

Price spikes are inevitable

Rod Adams, Publisher of Atomic insights. Was in the Navy for 33 years. Spent time at the Naval Academy. Has experience designing and running small nuclear plants, 1-13-2013, "Correcting a journalist’s excessive pessimism about US nuclear industry prospects," Atomic Insights, http://atomicinsights.com/2013/01/correcting-a-journalists-excessive-pessimism-about-us-nuclear-industry-prospects.html
Though we are all having some difficulty competing against today’s North American natural gas prices
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American markets. That is a simple concept that nearly everyone should understand.

Stable energy prices are key to manufacturing

Shelly Schwartz, staff writer, 6-20-2012, "Can the Natural Gas Sector Save the US Economy?" CNBC, http://www.cnbc.com/id/47280026/Can_the_Natural_Gas_Sector_Save_the_US_Economy
Like most commodities, natural gas has been prone to dramatic price swings for decades
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.S. and Canada are now second only to the Middle East."

Manufacturing isn’t resilient – could totally collapse

Arvind Kaushal et al, partner with Booz and Co, Thomas Mayor, senior executive advisor, Patricia Riedel, principal at Booz and Co. Fall 2011, "Manufacturing’s Wake-Up Call" Booz and Co. http://booz.com/media/file/sb64-11306-Manufacturing~~~’s-Wake-Up-Call.pdf
Both the optimists and the pessimists are partially correct. U.S. manufacturing
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S. manufacturing capabilities could then erode past the point of no return.

Challengers are building up – manufacturing key to overall military superiority and deterrence

Mackenzie Eaglen et al, American Enterprise Institute, Rebecca Grant, IRIS Research, Robert P. Haffa, Haffa Defense Consulting, Michael O’Hanlon, The Brookings Institution, Peter W. Singer, The Brookings Institution, Martin Sullivan, Commonwealth Consulting, Barry Watts, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, January 2012, "The Arsenal of Democracy and How to Preserve It: Key Issues in Defense Industrial Policy, Brookings, http://www.brookings.edu/~~/media/research/files/papers/2012/1/26%20defense%20industrial%20base/0126_defense_industrial_base_ohanlon
Yet there are severe challenges that could result to the nation’s security interests even with
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difficulty restoring its ability to build nuclear submarines is a frequently cited example.)

Heg solves extinction

Stephen Brooks et. al., associate prof of government at Dartmouth, William Wohlforth, prof of government at Dartmouth at Dartmouth, and John Ikenberry et al, Prof of politics and International Affairs at Princeton, Jan/Feb 2013, "Lead Forward," Foreign Affairs, Vol. 92 Issue 1, p130-142, 13p, 1, Ebsco.
Of course, even if it is true that the costs of deep engagement fall
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international cooperation easier. Charting a different course would threaten all these benefits.

Nuclear build up insulates and diversifies energy production – protects against price spikes

Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA administrator and New Jersey governor, is the co-chair of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition which promotes the inclusion of nuclear power as part of a clean energy portfolio, 5-9-2012, "It’s dangerous to depend on natural gas," Fortune, http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/05/09/christine-whitman-nuclear-energy/
The United States needs an "all of the above" energy strategy that focuses
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if we are to secure a safe and sustainable portfolio of energy resources. 

Prolif Advantage

Nuclear leadership is declining – only revitalizing the nuclear industry gives us bargaining position and solves prolif

Michael Wallace and Sarah Williams, Michael is Senior Adviser at the U.S. Nuclear Energy Project at CSIS, Sarah is a Nuclear Policy Analyst at the Partnership for Global Security at CSIS, "Nuclear Energy in America: Preventing its Early Demise", October 2012, http://csis.org/files/publication/120417_gf_wallace_williams.pdf-http://csis.org/files/publication/120417_gf_wallace_williams.pdf
America’s nuclear energy industry is in decline. Low natural gas prices, financing hurdles
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.S. nuclear industry and take action to prevent its early demise.

Strong nuclear industry key to global leadership – loan guarantees are critical

Olga Belogolova, staff writer, 7-19-2012, "U.S. Nuclear Industry Seen Needing a Boost," National Journal Daily, Lexis.
A robust nuclear-energy industry should be a high priority for the country’s energy
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were going slowly and they might not be willing to wait any longer.

Prolif incentivizes aggression – that causes regional instability and increased conventional wars which escalate to global nuclear war

Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown and Fellow at CFR specializing in Nuclear Security, 5-26-2012, "The History of Proliferation Optimism:  Does It Have A Future?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1182andrtid=2
Regional instability: The spread of nuclear weapons also emboldens nuclear powers contributing to regional
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strike could very well lead to a wider war in the Middle East. 

New prolif causes crises – learning curves and past luck

Francois Heisbourg, Chairman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, 4-4-2012, "NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION – LOOKING BACK, THINKING AHEAD: HOW BAD WOULD THE FURTHER SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS BE?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1171andrtid=2
Nuclear archives, as other sensitive governmental archives, open up usually after an interval
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serious risks occurring on several occasions since the mid-1980s(17).

Future prolif will be rapid – tech diffusion speeds up the process

CFR 7-5-2012, "The Global Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime," Council on Foreign Relations, http://www.cfr.org/proliferation/global-nuclear-nonproliferation-regime/p18984
Nuclear weapons proliferation, whether by state or nonstate actors, poses one of the
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way for "the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."

Prolif begets prolif – history proves

Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown and Fellow at CFR specializing in Nuclear Security, 5-26-2012, "The History of Proliferation Optimism:  Does It Have A Future?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1182andrtid=2
Further proliferation.  Nuclear proliferation poses an additional threat to international peace and security because
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, giving us all good reason to fear the spread of nuclear weapons. 

Civilian nuclear power is key to nuclear leadership – that’s key to control prolif

Pete Domenici, former senator from New Mexico, and Warren F. "Pete" Miller, part time Research Professor at Texas A %26 M University and former assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, July 2012, "Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets," Bipartisan Policy Center, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf
Nuclear power technologies are distinct from other potential exports in energy or in other sectors
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, could help address concerns about the proliferation of uranium-enrichment capabilities).

Increased prolif ensures nuclear terrorism

Matthew Kroenig, Professor of Government at Georgetown and Fellow at CFR specializing in Nuclear Security, 5-26-2012, "The History of Proliferation Optimism:  Does It Have A Future?" Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, http://www.npolicy.org/article.php?aid=1182andrtid=2
Nuclear terrorism. The spread of nuclear weapons also increases the risk of nuclear terrorism
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in authority forced us to worry about the fate of Iran’s nuclear arsenal. 

Nuclear terror causes retal – global escalation

Robert Ayson, Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington, 2010, "After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects," Studies in Conflict %26 Terrorism, Volume 33, Issue 7, July, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via InformaWorld)
A terrorist nuclear attack, and even the use of nuclear weapons in response by
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for the terrorists. This might not help the chances of nuclear restraint.

It causes the same causalities as full scale nuke war

O. B. Toon, et al. department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, U Colorado Boulder, 4-19-2007, "Atmospheric effects and societal consequences of regional scale nuclear conflicts and acts of individual nuclear terrorism," Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 1973-2002.
To an increasing extent, people are congregating in the world’s great urban centers,
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should be carried out as well for the present scenarios and physical outcomes.

Solvency

Loan guarantees spur massive capitalization but squo program is underfunded

Institute for 21st Century Energy, Mission of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for 21st Century Energy is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind a common sense energy strategy to help keep America secure, prosperous, and clean, "Commit to and Expand Nuclear Energy Use", 2011 is copyright date, www.energyxxi.org/commit-and-expand-nuclear-energy-use
Nuclear power is currently an emissions-free source of 20% of America’s electricity
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time merged with the Clean Energy Bank of the United States discussed earlier. 

Loan Guarantees overcomes financial barriers – key hurdle

Kassia Yanosek, entrepreneur-in-residence at Stanford University’s Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance and a private equity investor in the energy sector as a principal at Quadrant Management and Founder of Tana Energy Capital LLC, Spring 2012, " Financing Nuclear Power in the US", energyclub.stanford.edu/index.php/Journal/Financing_Nuclear_Power_by_Kassia_Yanosek
Over the course of the last decade, it appeared that concerns about carbon emissions
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of tax credits and loan guarantees provided in the 2005 Energy Policy Act. 

Makes nuclear competitive – nuclear plants are cheap to operate

Charles Ferguson, president of the Federation of American Scientists, November 2011, "JAPAN MELTED DOWN. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE END OF THE ATOMIC AGE," Foreign Policy issue 189, EBSCO
IN FACT, NUCLEAR POWER plants are relatively cheap to operate. Averaging the costs
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a good deal, once you factor in the risks of climate change.

State incentives fail – capital costs too high

Ben Moshe, et al 2011 ~Kelley Michael Gale is the Finance Department Chair
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P. Rosenblatt, and Kelly D. Thomason, p. google~
A primary reason why the financing of a nuclear power project may resemble a Mega
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these financings, taking a seat at the table to customize each transaction.