Paradigm

Michel Kaiser
American Heritage Palm Beach

Hey, I'm Mike Kaiser! I competed in Congress on the national circuit for 4 years and graduated in 2023; I'm now an undergraduate college student studying finance at the University of Florida.

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

I'm a trad judge, truth over tech, and do not like spreading. Please don't read nonsense. I need to see you engage in topic-relevant debate on some level. I reward speakers who not only explain why their arguments are true but also demonstrate that they are true. This means a good argument includes plenty of warranting (logic) behind it, solid evidence to prove it, and proper analysis to link it together. I will not vote on oppressive arguments.

I am not a fan of Ks, Theory, or ROBs, but whatever you decide to read, just tie the literature to the topic. I'm open to most types of framing, but if I can't flow/understand it, I won't evaluate it. In order for me to weigh your case, show me which framework is best and how you win under that framework. I like to have crystallization and voters in the 2AR and 2NR. Include refutation and show me how your argument outweighs.

If there is an email chain, add me to it: michel.kaiser@ahschool.com.

Congressional Debate

General Philosophy (and TLDR): I reward speakers who explain why their arguments are true as well as prove that they are true. This means a good argument includes plenty of warranting behind it, solid evidence to prove it, and proper analysis to link it together. I believe that every speaker has a unique role depending on how early or late the round is and I will rank the speakers that do the best job of fulfilling their roles (i.e. don't give a constructive as the last speech of the round). Finally, make sure that your speaking is engaging and passionate. In order to convince me that I should care about what you're saying, you have to sound like you care about what you're saying. Think of your round as an opportunity for me to get to know you, throw in a little personality.

Originality: As the great Zachary Wu once said, Congress is a game of raw persuasion. This just means that you don't have to abide by the conventions of Congress to be good; you just have to do the best job of convincing me why your argument is the most important in the round. I don't want you to give copy-paste speeches that you've given before, nor extensively rehearsed speeches that sound like ChatGPT. In fact, I would rather you write a speech from scratch in the round round if it means you will adapt to the round, include refutation, and explain your advocacy properly. I rank speeches that are good in the context of the round, not just good in isolation.

Humor: I love humor and will reward it if done properly. Humor in Congress is at its best when the jokes are professional, and the role of Congressperson is maintained. That being said, if you make me laugh with a "less-than-professional" joke, I will still reward you because I have a sense of humor.

Presiding Officers: If you want my 1, you better not make any mistakes. I rank presiding officers who are assertive, but not rude, and effectively manage the round. The best presiding officers are not yappers; they are quick and concise. Making a couple of mistakes will probably still land you in my ranks, depending on how you handle them.

Flipping:I love a balanced debate, so I reward people who flip. There is a caveat here that is fairly important: don't give a bad speech. Flipping will not automatically get you my 1, I still want to hear a good speech. In other words, don't give a terrible speech "for the sake of the debate." You will get points for flipping if your speech is good though.

Weighing: Do it, please. I'm a fan of weighing at any point in the round where it makes sense to do so, don't just leave this to the crystallization speech if you can fit it in earlier. The best debaters can weigh without using debate jargon, but I'll be happy with any weighing.

Refutation: Don't just tell me that someone is wrong, tell me why they're wrong and explain why you're right. Also, don't just namedrop a bunch of people and say they're all wrong. Either group their arguments or take them one by one.

Most importantly, have fun, be yourself, and don't be rude to anyone. And be confident.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me at michel.kaiser@ahschool.com.