Political Science 103A: CA Politics
Final Debate
For our in-class final on Thursday, September 4th, we will hold a series of
debates on the political reform proposals that are presented in the “What’s
Next California?” Deliberative Poll Participants Guide. I am randomly assigning you to a reform and to
either the “pro” or the “con” side (see the list below). At the debate, you need to do two things:
1. Be prepared to debate the student representing the other side about whether this reform would
improve or hurt the performance of California government. You will begin with a two-minute
opening statement (the pro side will go first). Next, you will ask your opponent one question
(this doesn’t have to be a factual question; it can use debating rhetoric in the attempt to get
them to address a weakness of their side, and they will have one minute to respond). Finally,
each side will have one-minute closing argument, in which you can address the arguments
made by your opponent and/or clarify your argument.
2. Hand in, at the beginning of class, a copy of your debate notes (no longer than two singlespaced pages) that lays out your research, your rhetoric, your question for your opponent, and
your responses to arguments that you anticipate your opponent making. I will be looking for
substance from these notes, not style or perfect grammar, so feel free to format them as you
like and feel less constrained by grammatical perfection than you were on the paper.
To research your position, you can draw on background material in the participants guide, on the pro/con
summaries in it (but you can’t get away with simply restating those), on the material from course readings
and lectures, and on anything else that you can research using authoritative sources such as those listed on
the “paper resources” web page. The highest grades will be given to debaters who use well-supported,
logical arguments, who craft clever questions for their opponents, and who are able to respond effectively
to the counter-arguments that their opponents make.
Proposal
A2d. Let legislature amend initiatives
A4. Implement PAYGO for initiatives
A7. Publish the Top 5 contributors
B2. Proportional representation
B1. Smaller Assembly districts
B3. Unicameral legislature
B4. Part-time legislature/part-time pay
C1. Transfer control of state services
to the local govt’s that supply them
D5a. Revise Prop. 13 by reassessing
commercial property values
“Pro” Side
Klein, Robert Nicholas
Amaya, Perla Janell
Mejia, Ernie Danny
Baradarannakhjavan, James
Christoph
Janet
Kelsey
Burden, Aaron David
“Con” Side
Mehra, Charulata
Bagnell, Anneliese Joy
Ricardo, Yvonne Anda
Bird, Alyssa Lynn
Fan, David Ian
Spotkaeff, Kirt
Kalasho, Jacob Latif
Ziff, Briana Nicole
Kei
Doyle, Ashley Jane