On February 13–14, the Values & Capitalism project and Colorado Christian University cohosted an undergraduate debate tournament at AEI’s headquarters in Washington, DC in collaboration with the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). Parliamentary debate is a limited-preparation, policy-oriented competition that favors students who can think on their feet and have a broad knowledge of current events. Forty teams from fifteen colleges and universities attended this new event, which featured domestic, foreign, and economic policy resolutions as well as eighteen judges from the AEI scholar and staff community. After topics were announced for each round, teams had fifteen minutes to prepare a government or opposition case affirming or negating the resolution.
Resolutions included:
• The US Federal Government should raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.
• This House believes that apprenticeships are better than free community college for the disadvantaged in America.
• When in conflict, national curriculum standards ought to be valued above state standards.
• This House would promote marriage as a means of economic development.
• This House believes that the Constitution is in need of a rewrite.
The final round of Open Division competition included Nick Chera and Brianne Bode of Azusa Pacific University (government) and Thaddeus Tague and Jacob Van Ness of Patrick Henry College (opposition), who debated the resolution: “This House believes that habits of the heart are more important for the conservation of American greatness than its institutions.” Judges Toby Stock (AEI), Stan Veuger (AEI), and Daniel Hanson (Height Securities) ruled unanimously in favor of Patrick Henry College.
AEI’s motto states that “the competition of ideas is fundamental to a free society.” With this in mind, Values & Capitalism hopes to continue hosting similar events that will provide a training ground for college students to engage in spirited, research-driven dialogue.
Participating Schools:
• Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA)
• Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, MN)
• California Baptist University (Riverside, CA)
• Casper College (Casper, WY)
• Colorado Christian University (Lakewood, CO)
• Grove City College (Grove City, PA)
• Hillsdale College (Hillsdale, MI)
• Howard Payne University (Brownwood, TX)
• Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA)
• Oakton Community College (Des Plaines, IL)
• Patrick Henry College (Purcellville, VA)
• Point Loma Nazarene University (Point Loma, CA)
• St. Francis University (Loretto, PA)
• The King’s College (New York, NY)
• Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL)
Tournament Results:
Team Sweepstakes
1. Grove City College
2. Patrick Henry College
3. Azusa Pacific University
Open Division First Place: Thaddeus Teague & Jacob Van Ness, Patrick Henry college
Open Division Second Place: Nick Chera & Brianne Bode, Azusa Pacific University
Open Division Semifinalists
• Braxton Clark & Adam Jones, Howard Payne University
• Mark Mariani & Drew Brackbill, Grove City College
Open Division Quarterfinalists
• Kasey Graves & Nick Kjeldgaard, Point Loma Nazarene University
• Matt Phillips & Caleb Sutherlin, California Baptist University
• Nathan Heath & Robert Jones, Wheaton College
• Allen Hester & Kyle Petty, Casper College
Novice Division First Place: Claire Atwood & William Bock, Patrick Henry College
Novice Division Second Place: Micah Quigley & Calvin Kuntz, Grove City College
Open Division Speaker Awards
1. Nick Kjeldgaard, Point Loma Nazarene University
2. Drew Brackbill, Grove City College
3. Matt Phillips, California Baptist University
4. Jacob Van Ness, Patrick Henry College
5. Thaddeus Tague, Patrick Henry College
Novice Division Speaker Awards
1. William Bock, Patrick Henry College
2. Claire Atwood, Patrick Henry College
3. Montana Massone, Point Loma Nazarene University
4. Colin Freyvogel, Grove City College
5. Shayne Collins, Liberty University
