Tournament: Chattahoochee | Round: 1 | Opponent: Johns Creek DX | Judge: Scott Phillips
ADV 1: Clean Technology

Warming is real and anthropogenic –there is no other viable explanation
Braganza 2011 (Karl, Manager, Climate Monitor at the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia, The Bureau presently operates under the authority of the Meteorology Act 1955, which requires it to report on the state of the atmosphere and oceans in support of Australia's social, economic, cultural and environmental goals. His salary is not funded from any external sources or dependent on specially funded government climate change projects. Karl Braganza does not consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations “The greenhouse effect is real: here’s why,” http://theconversation.edu.au/the-greenhouse-effect-is-real-heres-why-1515,)NR

In public discussions of climate change... cause rapid future warming is irrefutable.

And, err on the side of consensus- 97 of scientists defend our claims- their authors are not qualified and paid-off
Plait 2013 (Phil Plait, astronomer, lecturer, and author, May 17, 2013. “New Study: Climate Scientists Overwhelmingly Agree Global Warming is Real and Our Fault.” http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy /2013/05/17/ global_warming_climate_scientists_overwhelmingly_agree_it_s_real_and_is.html)NR

A new study has just come ... far longer than that.

And, the best data and models err aff- carbon dioxide exacerbates warming
Muller 2012 (The New York Times, July 28, 2012, “The Conversion of a Climate Change Skeptic” Richard A. Muller, a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former MacArthur Foundation fellow, is the author, most recently, of “Energy for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines.” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/the-conversion-of-a-climate-change-skeptic.html?_r=1andpagewanted=all) NR

CALL me a converted skeptic... the known greenhouse gas increase. 

And, warming is nearing a tipping point - action now is critical
Chestney 2012 (Nina Chestney, Journalist at Reuters. Reuters is an international news agency headquartered in London that is a division of Thomas Reuters, March 26, 2012. “Global warming close to becoming irreversible-scientists.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/us-climate-thresholds-idUSBRE82P0UJ20120326)//NR

The world is close to ... global business environment.

Even if we temporarily cross the tipping point, we can still mitigate warming with rapid emission reductions
Matthews 2013 (H. Damon Matthews Associate professor and research fellow in Department of Geography Planning and Environment, B.Sc Environmental science, Ph.D in Earth and Ocean Sciences, Susan Solomon, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Science @ MIT, Ph.D Atmospheric Chemistry @ UC Berkeley, “Irreversible does not mean unavoidable”, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/340/6131/438.full.pdf? keytype=refandsiteid=sciandijkey=X0PL7KHfd92FH6) NR

Understanding how decreases ... decisions that lead to the reductions. 

Warming leads to extinction – mitigation is K2 check
Mazo 10 (PhD in Paleoclimatology from UCLA, Jeffrey Mazo, Managing Editor, Survival and Research Fellow for Environmental Security and Science Policy at the International Institute for Strategic  Studies in London, 3-2010, Climate Conflict: How global warming threatens security and what to do about it,? pg. 122)NR

The best estimates for global warming... profound social, cultural and political changes.

And, it’s the most likely scenario for extinction – triggers all other impacts.
Deibel 2007 (Terry L. Professor of IR @ National War College, 2007. “Foreign Affairs Strategy: Logic for American Statecraft”, Conclusion: American Foreign Affairs Strategy Today)NR

Finally, there is one major existential ... of life on this planet.

Even a 1 risk outweighs every other impact- it will accelerate quickly
Strom 2007 Robert, Prof. Emeritus Planetary Sciences @ U. Arizona and Former Dir. Space Imagery Center of NASA, “Hot House: Global Climate Change and the Human Condition”, Online: SpringerLink, p. 246NR

Keep in mind that the current ... for action is now.

And, clean tech investment is the critical lynchpin to check warming- efforts are modeled globally
Zervos et al 7 (European Renewable Energy Council and Climate and Energy Unit @ Greenpeace
Arthouros, and John, Climate and, “Increasing Renewable Energy in U.S. Can Solve Global Warming”, 1-24, http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/infocus/story?id=47208)//NR

The good news first ... on the global climate.

Independently, renewables are K2 long-term energy independence, but high prices prevent adoption- finite oil reserves are unsustainable
Reisser 2009 (Wesley Reisser, PhD student at University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Geography, 20 March, 2009. “The US cannot drill its way out of energy dependence.”http:www.theguardian.com/environment/cif-green/2009/mar/20/oil-america-energy-independence)NR

America knows its reliance... about where it comes from.

And, dependence on finite amounts of oil makes war inevitable- we’ve reached the peak- their turns are terminally non-unique
King 2008 (Neil King, Jr. “Peak Oil: A Survey of Security Concerns” CNAS Energy Security Visionaries Series. July 2008. http://www.aspousa.org/aspousa4/proceedings/_CNAS_King_Peak_Oil_WorkingPaper.pdf)//NR

Commentators in the United States... Artic could turn nasty.

But, the electric grid undermines renewable energy competitiveness – this prevents widespread adoption of clean tech.
Yeager 2009 (Kurt Yeager, Galvin Electricity Initiative, “Renewable Energy: A Smart Grid is a Green Grid.” http://www.galvinpower.org/sites/default/files/documents/Renewable_Energy.pdf)//NR

Upgrading the network of power plants... cost and performance requirements.

And, a smart grid system is K2 effective integration of renewable resources- overcomes all alternative causes
Chapman et al 2009 (Margaret Chapman and Allison Eckelkamp, writers for General Electric, “Empowering smarter energy choices.” http://www.itsyoursmartgrid.com/pdf/assets/resources/downloads/Renewables.pdf)//NR

Deploying a smarter grid can help us realize the great promise of renewable energy sources... where it’s needed when it’s needed.

And, no renewable cp’s – generating energy isn’t the issue- it’s the infrastructure. Only smart grid solves integration – it makes renewables competitive and is critical to widespread adoption.
Kulatilaka 2011 (Nalin Kulatilaka, Professor of Management and the co-director of the Clean Energy Initiative at Boston University. “A Smart Grid is Crucial.” September 21, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/09/20/why-isnt-the-us-a-leader-in-green-technology/a-smart-electricity-grid-is-crucial)//NR

The failure of clean energy efforts... leadership position in clean energy.

Specifically, smart grid forces industries to adopt renewable energy or collapse- it’s the only solvency mechanism
Bass 2013 (Devon Bass, June 5, 2013. Devon is the Founder of Vault Energy Solutions. Devon worked in the energy industry for 20 years for some of the largest energy companies. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Howard Payne University. “New Technologies and Approaches Will Change the Electric Grid Forever.” http://www.energybiz.com/article/13/06/new-technologies-and-approaches-will-change-electric-grid-forever)//NR

The old top-down utility ... you have the makings of a paradigm shift. 

Plan

Thus the plan: The United States federal government should substantially increase its US-Mexico joint investment in a North American smart grid system and increase its deployment of cross border integration, harmonization, and interoperability of electric grid systems.

ADV 2: Electricity Prices

The grid is the Achilles Heel of the nation–its vulnerability makes collapse inevitable
Thompson 2013 (Kalee Thompson, Journalist for Popsci, January 18, 2013. “How to Save the Electrical Grid.” http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-01/staying-power?page=1)//NR*We do not defend the ableist language in this card*

Extreme storms such ... to make the case.”

And that means electricity prices will rise in the status quo- 3 warrants:

First is transmission- Collapsing transmission infrastructure creates mass bottlenecks and congestion- spikes prices
Glover 2008 (J. Duncan Glover, writer and publisher for Thompson Learning company, 2008. “Power System Analysis and Design.”http:books.google.com/books?id=UVU8AAAAQBAJandpg=PA556andlpg=PA556anddq=The+U.S.+Department+of+Energy+(DOE)+National+Transmission+Grid+Study+5B45D+determined+that+congestion+in+the+U.S.+electricity+transmission+system+places+daily+constraints+on+electricity+trade,+increases+costs+to+consumers,+and+threatens+reliable+operations.+To+address+the+problems+of+transmission+congestion,+the+Secretary+of+Energy+chartered+an+Electricity+Advisory+Board+that+established+a+Transmission+Grid+Solution+Subcommittee.+The+report+from+this+subcommittee+defines+transmission+congestion+or+E2809CbottlenecksE2809D+as+follows:+E2809CBottlenecks+occur+when+the+system+is+constrained+such+that+it+cannot+accommodate+the+flow+of+electricity+and+systematically+inhibits+transactions.+Thus,+a+bottleneck+has+economic+and/or+reliability+impacts.E2809D+Nation+interest+transmission+E2809CbottlenecksE2809D+are+power+flow+constraints+on+regional+transmission+lines+that:andsource=blandots=aq3gtRzS7mandsig=VU98a9fs6-FoDdMXkoxtWLqZr-Aandhl=enandsa=Xandei=BtEsUpXyD4bk9gTgj4H4Bgandved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepageandqandf=false)NR

The U.S. Department of Energy ... to support the load. 

Second is storage- modernizing grid storage is integral to keep electricity prices low- the status quo ensures price spikes
DOE 2010 (U.S. Department of Energy, Office of energy Delivery and Energy Reliability, organized by Sandia National Laboratories, prepared by Nexight Group, December 2010. “Electric Power Industry Needs for Grid-Scale Storage Applications.” http://energy.tms.org/docs/pdfs/Electric_Power_Industry_Needs_2010.pdf)//NR

Reliable access to cost-effective... the stability and resiliency of the electric grid.

Third is blackouts- peak demand is coming and is unsustainable- leads to blackouts and exponentially increases prices
Orcutt 2010 (Mike Orcutt, writer for Popular Mechanics, August 6, 2010. “How a Smarter Grid can Prevent Blackouts – and Cut your Energy Bills.” http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/efficiency/how-a-smarter-grid-can-prevent-blackouts)//NR

Much of the electricity consumption ... they can lower energy significantly. 

Independently, Electricity prices will soar 400 without a smart grid
Barkat 2012 (Amiram Barkat, writer for Globes – an Israeli business agency- March 7, 2012. “Without a smart grid, electricity prices will soar.” http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000731341andfid=1724)//NR

Electricity prices in Western... strengthened the consumer.”

And, a smart grid solves- modernizes infrastructure and prevents price spikes
Bryant 2010 (Randal E. Bryant, Carnegie Mellon University, Chase Hensel, Computing Research Association, Randy H. Katz, University of California-Berkeley, Erwin P. Gianchandani, Computing Research Association, Computing Community Consortium, September 21, 2010. “From Data to Knowledge to Action: Enabling the Smart Grid.” http://www.cra.org/ccc/files/docs/init/Energy.pdf)//NR

Our nation’s infrastructure for generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity – “The Grid” – is a relic ... to realizing this vision.

Specifically, it’s key to long-term low energy prices- solves peak demand and drives down prices
Feisst 2008 (Christian Feisst, Dirk Schlesinger, and Wes Frye, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group, October 2008. “Smart Grid: The Role of Electricity Infrastructure in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac79/docs/wp/Utility_Smart_Grid_WP_REV1031_FINAL.pdf)//NR
Rising fuel costs, underinvestment ... gases that cause global warming.

And, the plan is a prerequisite to their cp’s- we have cheap energy, but unsustainable infrastructure makes price spikes inevitable
Pentland 2013 (William Pentland, writer for Forbes about energy and environmental issues, January 2, 2013. “Perverse Economics of the Electric Grid: Generation Gets Cheaper, Transmission Costs Soar.” http://www.forbes.com/sites/ william pent-land/2013/01/02/the-perverse-economics-of-the-electric-grid/)NR

Electrons are cheap – at least electrons are cheap to create... to a survey by the Edison Electric Institute.

And, high electricity prices short-circuit manufacturing- low energy prices are k2 resurgence
Perry 2012 (Mark, Prof of Economics @ Univ. of Michigan, "America's Energy Jackpot: Industrial Natural Gas Prices Fall to the Lowest Level in Recent History," http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/07/americas-energy-jackpot-industrial.html)//NR

Building petrochemical plants ... win situation to me. 

Energy is the critical focal point of manufacturing- recent trends have made manufacturing industries growth contingent on energy prices
James 2013 (Adam James, Research assistant for Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress and the Executive Director of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, April 3, 2013. “What would a Manufacturing Renaissance do to US energy Intensity?” http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/energy-intensity-combined-heat-and-power-and-the-manufacturing-renaissance)//NR 

There has been a lot of discussion ... is likely to rise. 

And, sustained growth spills over to advanced manufacturing
Lind and Freedman 2012 (Policy director of New America’s Economic Growth Program and a co-founder of the New America Foundation AND program associate in New America’s Economic Growth Program (Michael, Joshua, “Value Added: America’s Manufacturing Future”, New America, http://growth.newamerica.net/sites/ newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Lin d,20Michael20and20Freedman,20Joshua20-20NAF20-20Value20Added20 America27s 20 Manufacturing20Future.pdf)NR

Manufacturing, RandD and the U.S... percent in 2007 to 50 percent by 2020.33

Advanced manufacturing is K2 an effective defense industrial base
O’Hanlon et al 2012 (Mackenzie Eaglen, 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 “The Arsenal of Democracy and How to Preserve It: Key Issues in Defense Industrial Policy January 2012,” pg online @ http://www.brookings.edu/~/ media/research/files/ papers/2012/1/2620defense20industrial20base /0126_defense_industrial_base_ohanlon)NR

The current wave of defense cuts ... United States in a globalized marketplace.

That makes war obsolete – it’s the ultimate deterrent
Taylor 04 (Mark, Professor of Political Science – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “The Politics of Technological Change: International Relations versus Domestic Institutions”, 4-1, http://www.scribd.com/doc/46554792/Taylor)//NR

Technological innovation is of ... not exist in the first place.

Specifically, it’s key to deter Russia and China war
Watts 2008 (Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (Barry D., “The US Defense Industrial Base, Past, Present and Future”, CBA, http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publications/PubLibrary/R.20081015. _The_US_Defense_In /R .2008 1015._The_US_Defense_In.pdf, we don’t endorse gendered or ableist language)NR

Since the 1950s, the US ... decades ahead as it has been since the 1950s.

Independently, Deterrence is K2 prevent conflict escalation and check hot spots
Gerson 2009  (Michael S. Gerson is a research analyst in the Strategic Initiatives Group, where his research focuses on nuclear and conventional deterrence, nuclear strategy, arms control, missile defense, and WMD proliferation “Conventional Deterrence in the Second Nuclear Age”. Parameters, US Army War College Quarterly, Autumn 2009. http://www.carlisle.army.mil/usawc/parameters/Articles/09autumn/gerson.pdf)//NR

This article seeks to expand ... conventional aggression and coercion.

All hotspots risk escalation to global nuclear war- it’s very probable
Bosco 2006 (senior editor at Foreign Policy magazine (David, “Forum: Keeping an eye peeled for World War III” http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06211/709477-109.stm_)//NR

The understanding that ... Russia or China would respond militarily.

Solvency

Their DA’s have no link uniqueness-

Mexico is deeply invested in a smart grid
Lundin 2013 (Barbara Vergetis Lundin, editor of FierceMarkets’ Energy Group, researcher and editor on the energy industry with multiple published magazines and articles, July 31, 2013. “Mexico’s unprecedented smart grid opportunity” http://www.fiercesmartgrid.com/story/mexicos-unprecedented-smart-grid-opportunity/2013-07-31)//NR

Mexico is poised to become a major... with smart grid technology. 

So is the United States
DOE 2012 (United States Department of Energy, on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, July 2012. “Smart Grid Investment Program.” http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Smart20Grid20Investment20Grant20Program20-20Progress20Report20July202012.pdf)//NR

The Smart Grid Investment Grant ... for smart grid technologies and systems.

But, investment is insufficient- this creates a development gap that stagnates squo projects- privates alone cannot solve
McDonald et al 2013 (John McDonald, Committee Co-Chair for the Foundations for Innovation and a worker at General Electric, Mark McGranaghan, Co-Chair and worker for Electric Power Research Institute, March 2013. “Strategic RandD Opportunities for the Smart Grid.” http://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/upload/Final-Version-22-Mar-2013-Strategic-R-D-Opportunities-for-the-Smart-Grid.pdf)//NR

There is broad consensus...economical electricity system.

 The U.S. and Canada are electrically integrated- the plan only invests in Mexico
EIA 2013 (U.S. Energy Information Administration, May 17, 2013. “Mexico Week: U.S.-Mexico electricity trade is small, with tight regional focus.” http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=11311)//NR 

U.S. electricity trade...border from Southern California.

Tournament: Barkley Forum | Round: 2 | Opponent: Montgomery Bell Academy BR | Judge: Batterman
ADV 1: Energy Security

Domestic oil dependence is a myth- their evidence is based on false data
Cobb 2012 (Kurt Cobb, writer on energy and the environment for The Christian Science Monitor, Energy Bulletin, The Oil Drum, OilPrice.com, and Peak Oil review, also founding member of the Association for the study of peak oil and Gas-UAS, May 4, 2012. “The Oil Industries Deceitful Promise of American Energy Independence.” http://scitizen.com/future-energies/the-oil-industry-s-deceitful-promise-of-american-energy-independence_a-14-3746.html)//NR

The oil and gas industry would like you to believe... the public is falling for it.

We’ll isolate 2 scenarios:

Scenario 1 is China-

Collapsing domestic production forces US-Sino competition for oil- this undermines China’s ability to lockdown oil markets- perception is key
Lee 2012 (Dr. John Lee, Michael Hintze fellow and adjunct associate professor at the Centre for International Security Studies at Sydney University, senior scholar at the Hudson Institute, author of ‘China’s Geostrategic Search for Oil’, October 4, 2012. “The ‘Tragedy’ of China’s Energy Policy.” http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:P56djkhnZp8J:thediplomat.com/ 2012/10/the-tragedy-of-chinas-energy-policy/+andcd=1andhl=enandct=clnkandgl=us)NR

Back in July, the state-owned China... “irresponsible stakeholder” perception of China.

Specifically, finite capacity means China gets shut out of global markets- oil is zero-sum
Navarro 2008 - Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Paul Merage School of Business, University of California, Irvine, Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University (Peter, 4/28/08, “The Coming China Wars: Where They Will Be Fought and How They Can Be Won,”)

China’s Provocative “Zero Sum” ... “Just business, no political conditions.”

Unparalleled Chinese access to oil is crucial to sustain strong economic growth and CCP legitimacy
Lee 2012 (Dr. John Lee, Michael Hintze fellow and adjunct associate professor at the Centre for International Security Studies at Sydney University, senior scholar at the Hudson Institute, summer 2012. “China’s Geostrategic Search for Oil.” http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:iX8uPmuRQEsJ:csis.org/files/publication/twq12SummerLee.pdf+andcd=1andhl=enandct=clnkandgl=us)//NR

It is trite to mention that reliable supplies ... regime security, and national interest.

It’s reverse causal- failure to access oil short circuits China’s economy and crushes the CCP- energy is key
Zweig 2005 (David Zweig and Bi Jianhai, writers for foreign affairs, Council on Foreign Relations, October 2005. “China’s Global Hunt for Energy.”http:webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5WqDUbZDd-sJ:wiki.wooster.edu/download/attachments/31720575/Chinas2BGlobal2BHunt2Bfor2BEnergy2B2BZweig2Band2BJianhai2B2005.PDF3Fversion3D126modificationDate3D1295932445170+andcd=3andhl=enandct=clnkandgl=us0NR
AN UNPRECEDENTED need for resources... that of the rest of the world.

CCP Collapse causes nuclear and biological warfare- extinction
Renxing 2005 (San, Epic Times Staff Member, The CCP’s Last-ditch Gamble: Biological and Nuclear War, 8/5/5, The Epoch Times, http://english.epochtimes.com/news/5-8-5/30975.html)

As The Epoch Times’ Nine Commentaries ... hostage and gamble with their lives. 

And, Chinese economic decline collapses the East Asian economy
Ross 2005 Robert S. Ross is a professor of political science at Boston College, an associate of the John King Fairbank Center for East Asian Research at Harvard University and a fellow of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexis

China's economy has been ... of an East Asian economic system with China as its hub.

That causes great power wars- extinction
Auslin 2009 (Michael, Resident Scholar – AEI, Weekly Standard, “Averting Disaster Preventing the worst case scenario in Asia”, 2-6, http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/115jtnqw.asp)

AS THEY DEAL With a collapsing world economy... that any aggressor will be met with a united front.

Independently, Oil dependence makes US-China war inevitable
Klare 2010 (Michael Klare, professor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College, “Tomgram: Michael Klare, China Shakes the World,” September 19, 2010, http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175297/tomgram3A_michael_klare2C_ china_shakes_the_world, Sawyer)

Already, China’s efforts to ... China’s energy decisions will shake the world.

Scenario 2 is the Middle East:
Geopolitical tension makes oil disruptions inevitable in the Middle East – it’s on the brink
Whipple 2012 (Tom Whipple, writer for Falls Church News Press, December 12, 2012. “The Peak Oil Crisis: Chaos in the Middle East.” http://fcnp.com/2012/12/19/the-peak-oil-crisis-chaos-in-the-middle-east/)//NR

Nearly everywhere one looks in the Middle East ...the next 20 years as it has been for the last 50.

Extinction- oil dependence means any major disruption forces US intervention- escalates to nuclear war
Glaser 2011 (Professor of Political Science and International Relations Elliot School of International Affairs The George Washington University, “Reframing Energy Security: How Oil Dependence Influences U.S. National Security,” August 2011, http://depts.washington.edu/polsadvc/Blog20Links/Glaser_-_EnergySecurity-AUGUST-2011.docx)//NR

Energy dependence could draw ... or a conventional attack against their nuclear forces

Independently, peak oil means their turns are terminally non-unique – oil wars are inevitable
King 2008 (Neil King, Jr. “Peak Oil: A Survey of Security Concerns” CNAS Energy Security Visionaries Series. July 2008. http://www.aspousa.org/aspousa4/proceedings/_CNAS_King_Peak_Oil_WorkingPaper.pdf)//NR

Commentators in the United States and ... a scramble for assets in the Artic could turn nasty.

Plan

Thus the plan: The United States federal government should substantially increase its U.S.-Mexico cross border natural gas and petroleum infrastructure investment and increase its investment in Mexican production, extraction, drilling, and transportation of onshore shale and petroleum resources.

ADV 2: Manufacturing

The “shale gas boom” is a myth – US natural gas will be depleted in 5 years- their evidence is contrived and based on flawed studies
Siegel 2013 (Inventor, consultant, author (RP, “Shale Energy Bubble Threatens Second Economic Collapse”, Triple Pundit, 2/22/13, http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/02/shale-gas-bubble-threatens-second-economic-collapse/, we don’t endorse gendered or ableist language)

There has been more than a little..., so this doesn’t keep happening.

Cheap natural gas is fueling “the manufacturing renaissance”, but it’s a question of sustainability
Perry 2012 (Mark, Prof of Economics @ Univ. of Michigan, "America's Energy Jackpot: Industrial Natural Gas Prices Fall to the Lowest Level in Recent History," http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/07/americas-energy-jackpot-industrial.html)//NR

Building petrochemical plants could suddenly...seems like a win, win, win, win situation to me. 

Collapsing domestic supply and over-speculation undermine sustainability and force huge price spikes- that crushes domestic industry
Adams 2013 (Ron Adams, writer for the Energy Collective, writer on the nuclear industry in America, October 3, 2013. “How Painful Will the Coming Spike in Natural Gas Prices Be?” http://theenergycollective.com/ ansorg/283566/ how-painful-will-coming-spike-natural-gas-prices-be)NR

There is a good reason for ... easy path of increased natural gas dependence.

It’s reverse causal- sustained cheap natural gas prices are key to sustained manufacturing resurgence and onshoring- the plan is key
Baljko 2013 (Award-winning journalist (Jennifer, “Low-Cost Energy Tips Scales in Favor of US Manufacturing,” 07/25/13, http://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/2120/low-cost-energy-tips-scales-in-favor-of-us-manufacturing)//NR

Everyone talks about the rising ... already seen in the U.S. aerospace and automotive industries.”

Specifically, Energy is the critical focal point of manufacturing- cheap natural gas triggers exponential growth in all sectors
James 2013 (Adam James, Research assistant for Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress and the Executive Director of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, April 3, 2013. “What would a Manufacturing Renaissance do to US energy Intensity?” http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/energy-intensity-combined-heat-and-power-and-the-manufacturing-renaissance)//NR 

There has been a lot of discussion ... energy intensity is likely to rise. 

And, that sustained growth spills over to advanced manufacturing
Lind and Freedman 2012 (Policy director of New America’s Economic Growth Program and a co-founder of the New America Foundation AND program associate in New America’s Economic Growth Program (Michael, Joshua, “Value Added: America’s Manufacturing Future”, New America, http://growth.newamerica.net/sites/ newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Lin d,20Michael20and20Freedman,20Joshua20-20NAF20-20Value20Added20 America27s 20 Manufacturing20Future.pdf)NR

Manufacturing, RandD and the U.S. ... 20-30 percent in 2007 to 50 percent by 2020.33

Advanced manufacturing is K2 an effective defense industrial base
O’Hanlon et al 2012 (Mackenzie Eaglen, 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 “The Arsenal of Democracy and How to Preserve It: Key Issues in Defense Industrial Policy January 2012,” pg online @ http://www.brookings.edu/~/ media/research/files/ papers/2012/1/2620defense20industrial20base /0126_defense_industrial_base_ohanlon)NR

The current wave of ... United States in a globalized marketplace.

That makes war obsolete – it’s the ultimate deterrent
Taylor 04 (Mark, Professor of Political Science – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “The Politics of Technological Change: International Relations versus Domestic Institutions”, 4-1, http://www.scribd.com/doc/46554792/Taylor)//NR

Technological innovation is of central importance... would not exist in the first place.

Independently, natural gas volatility kills the chemical industry- low prices are k2 sustained growth
Stones 2009 (Edward, Director of Energy Risk Dow Chemical Company in a presentation to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, “The Role of Natural Gas in Mitigating Climate Change” 10/28/9 http://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=9b7877b6-e616-76f1-3513-0c3fe4cda514)//NR

When it comes to natural gas... industrial sector and all electricity users.

The chemical industry solves extinction- it’s an impact filter
Baum 1999 (Rudy M. Baum, CandEN Washington, Chemical and Engineering News, Millennium Special Report, 12-6-1999, http://pubs.acs.org/hotartcl/cenear/991206/7749spintro2.html0)//NR

Here is the fundamental challenge... for humanity's basic and not-so-basic needs.

Solvency

The plan solve energy independence-

a) It unlocks massive gas and oil reserves in Mexico- that’s crucial to US energy independence– the plan’s investment is key
Hill 2013 (Patrice Hill, writer for The Washington Times, September 12, 2013. “Mexico could make North America the world leader in oil production.” http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/12/mexico-could-make-north-america-the-world-leader-i/?page=all)//NR

Mexico is poised to join... prohibited by law from operating there. 

b) Specifically, the plan is key to long term North American energy integration and domestic energy security- Canada is already integrated, but Mexico is key
Nivola 2002 (Pietro S. Nivola, writer for the Brookings Institution, senior fellow emeritus and VP and director of Governance Studies from 2004-2008, Spring 2002. “Energy Independence or Interdependence? Integrating the North American Energy Market.” http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q= cache: uTAikhfuW80J:www.brookings.edu/ research/articles/2002/03/spring-energy-nivola+andcd=14andhl=enandct=clnkandgl=us)NR

NAFTA's Unfinished Business The energy markets ... to do business across our borders."

And, the plan solves manufacturing-

a) The plan allows for an integrated North American natural gas market guaranteeing supply and sustained cheap prices- Mexico is key
Wood 2013 (Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International for Scholars for 17 years, writer for Bloomberg, August 15, 2013. “Mexico’s gas fields are ripe for investment.” http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/08/14/5081428/mexicos-gas-fields-are-ripe-for.html)//NR

Mexican President Enrique ... approach to energy security. 

b) And, the plan is key to increased trade capacity, stabilized prices, and sustaining the natural gas boom- the status quo ensures a collapse
Handley 2013 (Meg Handley, Reporter for U.S. News and World Report, “Infrastructure Upgrades Needed to Fuel Domestic Energy Boom”, February 22, 2013)NR

In this June 27, 2012 ... have been feeling at the gas pump.

Mexico has enormous gas and petroleum reserves, but lack of investment and infrastructure stagnate development- recent infrastructure projects fail, but non-UQ your DA’s
Gómez 2013 (Christian Gómez, director of energy at the Council of the Americas, Americas Quarterly, October 10, 2013. “Natural Gas in Mexico: Unrealized Potential” http://www.americasquarterly.org/content/natural-gas-mexico-unrealized-potential)//NR

The natural gas situation in Mexico... natural gas sector reach its potential.

Their DA’s have zero link uniqueness- Recent Mexican energy reforms and the Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement disprove all of their offense, BUT lack of infrastructure means the plan is still inherent
Colman 2014
The oil and gas industry received ... a spokeswoman with the National Security Council.

Tournament: Florida Blue Keys | Round: 1 | Opponent: Jesuit SU | Judge: Jonathan Colon
(Same as Hooch 1AC- just with new blackouts scenario)

Independently, smart grid solves blackouts and grid collapse
Amin 2008 (Amin Massoud, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Minnesota, Phillip Schewe, chief science writer at the American Institute of Physics, “Preventing Blackouts: Building a Smarter Power Grid”, August 13, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=preventing-blackouts-power-gridandpage=5)//NR

A self-healing smart grid... flows were restored, the system would again start to self-optimize.

And, widespread blackouts are inevitable – the grid is on a crash course
Heyes 2012 (J.D. Heyes is a writer for Natural News.com August 15, 2012 Overloaded US power grid stretched to capacity; Will America follow in India's footsteps? http://www.naturalnews.com/036 808_power_grid_ collapse_ outages.html#ixzz23glXL83u)NR
Could the U.S. really suffer the kinds of widespread power outages... phone call when the electricity was out."

One blackout shuts down the entire grid and triggers chemical plant explosions- extinction
Latynina 2003 (Yulia Latynina, writer for the World Press Review: World Press Review (VOL. 50, No. 11). August 18, 2003. “America in the Dark.” www.worldpress.org/Americas/1579.cfm )NR
The scariest thing about the cascading power... drunken dispatcher or random lightning.

Grid collapse triggers widespread nuclear meltdown- extinction
IBT 2011 (International Business Times, Solar Flare Could Unleash Nuclear Holocaust Across Planet Earth, Forcing Hundreds of Nuclear Power Plants Into Total Meltdowns, http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/213249/20110914/solar-flare-could-unleash-nuclear-holocaust-across-planet-earth-forcing-hundreds-of-nuclear-power-pl.htm)//NR

What happens when there's no electricity? ... fraction of the total population.