Tournament: UGA | Round: 1 | Opponent: Chattahoochee MD | Judge: Reuben Lack
Plan
As part of the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue, the United States federal government should offer to facilitate improved efficiency and reduced congestion at Land Ports of Entry along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Manufacturing Advantage
Advantage One: Manufacturing
First, congestion at the U.S.-Mexico border hamstrings bilateral trade — infrastructure is antiquated.
Farnsworth 1/15 — Eric Farnsworth, Vice President of the Council of the Americas and Americas Society, formerly served in the White House Office of the Special Envoy for the Americas and the U.S. Department of State, holds an M.P.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, 2014 (“NAFTA at Twenty: Accomplishments, Challenges, and the Way Forward,” Testimony Before The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives, January 15th, Available Online at http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20140115/101650/HHRG-113-FA07-Wstate-FarnsworthE-20140115.pdf, Accessed 01-16-2014, p. 3-4)
But the World has Changed in the Past 20 Years, and NAFTA has Become Dated Since then, however, the world has changed dramatically… As trade increases, this picture will continue to get worse.
Second, an efficient border is vital to sustain millions of jobs — each minute of added wait time costs $166 million.
O’Rourke 9/18 — Beto O’Rourke, Member of the United States House of Representatives (D-TX), 2013 (“Interview: Rep. Beto O'Rourke on How to Build Jobs at the U.S.-Mexico Border,” Americas Society / Council of the Americas, September 18th, Available Online at http://www.as-coa.org/articles/interview-rep-beto-orourke-how-build-jobs-us-mexico-border, Accessed 09-23-2013)
AS/COA: At our conference last month, you expressed concern with perceptions that identify the U.S.-Mexico border as a security threat rather than as an economic opportunity… to ensure that we facilitate the secure flow of people, goods, and commerce through our ports of entry with Mexico.
Third, the plan effectively creates a 21st century U.S.-Mexico border. The framework already exists but bilateral engagement is key. This card is awesome, star it, it non-unique’s all DA’s.
Wilson 12/9 — Christopher E. Wilson, Associate at the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, previously served as a Mexico Analyst for the U.S. Military and as a researcher at American University’s Center for North American Studies, holds an M.A. in International Affairs from American University, 2013 (“Improving Security and Facilitating Commerce With Mexico At America’s Southern Border,” Testimony Before The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives, December 9th, Available Online at http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20131209/101563/HHRG-113-FA07-Wstate-WilsonC-20131209.pdf, Accessed 01-16-2014, p. 2-4)
In my judgement, the framework for border management currently in place is strong… The payoffs for each of these actions would be considerable.
Fourth, strong American manufacturing is vital to economic growth, competitiveness, and innovation.
Ezell 12 — Stephen Ezell, Senior Analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation—a non-partisan research and educational institute and think tank whose mission is to formulate and promote public policies to advance technological innovation and productivity, former head of the Global Service Innovation Consortium at Peer Insight—an innovation research and consulting firm, holds a B.S. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University with an Honors Certificate from Georgetown’s Landegger International Business Diplomacy program, 2012 (“Why the United States Needs a National Manufacturing Strategy,” Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, Volume 7, Number 3, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via Project MUSE, p. 179-183)
Why Manufacturing Matters to the U.S. Economy
A robust manufacturing sector is indispensable to the health of the U.S. economy for at least four critical reasons:… Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has introduced similar legislation (S. 751) in the Senate.25
Fifth, economic growth is crucial to address all global challenges — the impact is linear.
Silk 93 — Leonard Silk, Distinguished Professor of Economics at Pace University, Senior Research Fellow at the Ralph Bunche Institute on the United Nations at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and former Economics Columnist with the New York Times, 1993 (“Dangers of Slow Growth,” Foreign Affairs, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via Lexis-Nexis)
Like the Great Depression, the current economic slump has fanned the firs of nationalist, ethnic and religious hatred…and more liberal and open economies and societies.
Sixth, innovation is vital to maintain the defense industrial base and U.S. technological leadership.
Yudken 10 — Joel S. Yudken, Principal and Founder of High Road Strategies, LLC—a nationally known expert on industrial, energy, economic development, and technology policy issues, Sectoral Economist and Technology Policy Analyst in the Public Policy Department of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, former member of the National Research Council’s Board on Manufacturing and Engineering Design, holds an M.S. in Engineering-Economic Systems and a Ph.D. in Technology and Society from Stanford University, 2010 (“Conclusion,” Manufacturing Insecurity: America's Manufacturing Crisis and the Erosion of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, Report Prepared for the Industrial Union Council of the AFL-CIO, September, Available Online at http://www.aflcio.org/content/download/3665/38375/manuffull_092010.pdf, Accessed 09-01-2013)
The erosion and overseas migration of domestic manufacturing … those displaced workers, is being lost as well.
Seventh, a strong defense industrial base is necessary to deter global conflict.
Eaglen and Sayers 9 — Mackenzie Eaglen, Research Fellow for National Security Studies at The Heritage Foundation, served as the Principal Defense Adviser to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), former Presidential Management Fellow at the United States Department of Defense, holds an M.A. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and Eric Sayers, Research Assistant for National Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, holds a M.Sc. in Strategic Studies from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and an M.A. in Political Science from The University of Western Ontario, 2009 (“Maintaining the Superiority of America's Defense Industrial Base,” Heritage Foundation Backgrounder #2276, May 22nd, Available Online at http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/05/maintaining-the-superiority-of-americas-defense-industrial-base, Accessed 09-01-2013)
America's military strength remains vital to preserving the nation's interests… Maintaining these capabilities has enabled the soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine to remain adequately prepared for a full spectrum of potential operations.
Eighth, technological leadership is key to sustain overall U.S. leadership—theoretical models and 500 years of history.
Drezner 1 — Daniel Drezner, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, International Economist in the Office of International Banking and Securities at the Department of the Treasury, International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University, 2001 (“State Structure, Technological Leadership and The Maintenance Of Hegemony,” Review of International Studies, Volume 27, Issue 1, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via Cambridge Journals Online, p. 3-5)
The importance of economic growth to state power is undisputed by international relations scholars… innovation, economic growth, and global stability, it cannot explain why technological hegemons lose their lead over time.
Ninth, U.S. leadership is the lynchpin of global stability — withdrawal opens a power vacuum that spurs conflict.
Goure 13 — Daniel Goure, President of The Lexington Institute—a nonprofit public-policy research organization, Adjunct Professor in Graduate Programs at the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown University, Adjunct Professor at the National Defense University, former Deputy Director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has consulted for the Departments of State, Defense and Energy, has taught or lectured at the Johns Hopkins University, the Foreign Service Institute, the National War College, the Naval War College, the Air War College, and the Inter-American Defense College, holds Masters and Ph.D. degrees in International Relations and Russian Studies from Johns Hopkins University, 2013 (“How U.S. Military Power Holds the World Together,” inFocus Quarterly—the Jewish Policy Center's journal, Volume VII, Number 2, Summer, Available Online at http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/4397/us-military-power, Accessed 08-17-2013)
The Centrality of U.S. Power
There are three fundamental problems with the argument in favor of abandoning America's security role in the world. The first problem is that the United States cannot withdraw without sucking the air out of the system... ultimately, serious and growing threats to security at home.
Tenth, U.S. leadership is vital and sustainable — the right policies will prevent decline.
Lieber 13 — Robert J. Lieber, Professor of Government and International Affairs at Georgetown University, has held fellowships from the Guggenheim, Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Government at Harvard University, 2013 (“Against the Idea of American Decline,” inFocus Quarterly—the Jewish Policy Center's journal, Volume VII, Number 2, Summer, Available Online at http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/4398/american-decline, Accessed 08-17-2013)
The stakes are immense, and not only for America itself… provide the United States with a resilience that has proved invaluable in the past and is likely to do so in the future.
Eleventh, U.S. leadership structurally decreases the risk of every proximate cause of conflict — best data.
Owen 11 — John Owen, Associate Professor in the Department of Politics at the University of Virginia, Faculty Fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, holds a Ph.D. in international relations from Harvard University, 2011 (“Don’t Discount Hegemony,” Cato Unbound, February 11th, Available Online at http://www.cato-unbound.org/2011/02/11/john-owen/dont-discount-hegemony/, Accessed 04-14-2013)
Andrew Mack and his colleagues at the Human Security Report Project are to be congratulated...
the overall downward trend in wars and political deaths—then the decline in American hegemony many analysts are now seeing is about much more than the humbling of a superpower.
Finally, U.S. hegemony ensures global peace — there’s no replacement.
Thayer 13 — Bradley A. Thayer, Tenured Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Utah State University, former Professor of Political Science at Baylor University and Associate Professor of Defense and Strategic Studies at Missouri State University, holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago, 2013 (“Humans, Not Angels: Reasons to Doubt the Decline of War Thesis,” in “The Decline of War”—a Forum edited by Nils Petter Gleditsch, International Studies Review, Volume 15, Issue 3, September, Available Online to Subscribing Institutions via Wiley Online Library)
The Importance of the System and the Distribution of Power
Pinker adopts a unit level approach to his study, and so the influence of the system is neglected in his approach… there is reason to be concerned about the future as the distribution of relative power changes and not to the benefit of the United States.
Trade Leadership Advantage
Advantage Two: Trade Leadership
First, U.S. global trade leadership is waning. Reinvigorating NAFTA by investing in border infrastructure is necessary to reverse this trend.
McLarty 12/15 — Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty, former White House Chief of Staff for President Bill Clinton, recipient of the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal and the Center for the Study of the Presidency Distinguished Service Award, 2013 (“It's Time for NAFTA 2.0,” Wall Street Journal, December 15th, Available Online at http://thedialogue.org/page.cfm?pageID=32andpubID=3455, Accessed 01-14-2014)
Yet today the U.S. and the region are facing a changing international landscape for trade and investment… perhaps an opportunity for another bipartisan moment in Washington.
Second, border investment via the HLED builds trade momentum and reinvigorates trade leadership — it’s key to the success of the TPP and TTIP.
COA 1/10 — The Council of the Americas, 2014 (“Comments on the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue,” January 10th, Available Online at http://www.as-coa.org/articles/comments-us-mexico-high-level-economic-dialogue, Accessed 01-15-2014)
The Council of the Americas (Council) appreciates this opportunity to provide comments concerning the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED), particularly on the third pillar, Partnering for Regional and Global Leadership. The Council strongly supports the HLED process as a means to enhance North America’s global competitiveness and build out broader trade expansion initiatives in the region…
The Council thanks the Department of Commerce for the opportunity to submit these comments and offers itself as a continued resource for the HLED.
Third, U.S. global trade leadership is vital to global security. The certainty of the plan signals America’s commitment to free trade — it’s key to the economy, competitiveness, soft power, and transatlantic relations.
Heywood 10/15 — Marcela Heywood, Intern at the National Security Network, 2013 (“TPP, TTIP and Getting America's Competitiveness Back on Track,” Democracy Arsenal—a scholarly blog about foreign policy from the National Security Network, October 15th, Available Online at http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2013/10/tpp-ttip-and-getting-americas-competitiveness-back-on-track.html, Accessed 01-15-2014)
Last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali, Indonesia marked further progress for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)… in the face of considerable uncertainty regarding the structure of the international system in the 21st century.
Fourth, transatlantic relations provide an impact dampener that prevents catastrophic global impacts.
Stivachtis 10 — Yannis. A. Stivachtis, Director of the International Studies Program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, holds a Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations and an M.A. in International Relations and Strategic Studies from Lancaster University (UK), 2010 (“The Imperative for Transatlantic Cooperation,” Research Institute for European and American Studies, Available Online at http://www.rieas.gr/research-areas/global-issues/transatlantic-studies/78.html, Accessed 11-20-2013)
There is no doubt that US-European relations are in a period of transition…but the implications of success or failure will be global.
Fifth, any alternative to U.S. trade leadership collapses the international system and sparks nuclear war.
Panzner 7 — Michael J. Panzner, Faculty Member specializing in Equities, Trading, Global Capital Markets and Technical Analysis at the New York Institute of Finance, 25-year veteran of the global stock, bond, and currency markets who has worked in New York and London for HSBC, Soros Funds, ABN Amro, Dresdner Bank, and J.P. Morgan Chase, 2007 (“Geopolitics,” Financial Armageddon: Protecting Your Future from Four Impending Catastrophes, Published by Kaplan Publishing, ISBN 141959608X, p. 130-138)
With the United States losing its place at the head of the economic table… forcing many Americans to wonder when, or if, it will ever end.
Finally, trade leadership accesses every major impact — revitalizing NAFTA is key.
Dreier 1/15 — David Dreier, Chairman of The Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands—a commission promoting trade with an advisory board comprised of distinguished public servants and diplomats including Jon Huntsman—former U.S. Ambassador to China, Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty, III—former White House Chief of Staff, Madeleine Albright—former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger—former U.S. Secretary of State, and Robert Zoellick—former World Bank president, served as a Member of the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 2013 (R-CA), 2014 (“NAFTA at Twenty: Accomplishments, Challenges, and the Way Forward,” Testimony Before The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives, January 15th, Available Online at http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20140115/101650/HHRG-113-FA07-Wstate-DreierD-20140115.pdf, Accessed 01-16-2014, p. 2-3)
Mr. Chairman, today's hearing is timely… may determine how the promise of the 21st century plays out for our people and the world.