DDO TOC Round 1: Economics

1. The Economic Utlilization of the Grand Canyon a. My opponent asserts that the Grand Canyon would be mined following its privatization. What he does not say is that it is already being mined for limestone and uranium. . http://www.suite101.com... The government has obviously allowed for the abuse of the Grand Canyon for military purposes. Further, the process of mining would most likely be done underground, as the minerals can still be extracted while preserving the beauty of the Grand Canyon. . http://minerals.state.nv.us... (pg 50) The underground method would most likely be used so that the minerals would still be extracted while preserving the beauty of the Grand Canyon. b. My opponent also asserts that an increased tourist load would negatively affect the Grand Canyon by damage to the water supply, and the impacts of transportation. However, transportation in the Grand Canyon will be mostly mass transit (busses, light rail, etc. ) . http://www.cyberwest.com..., and an increase in tourism would not have a significant effect. Further, private companies would be more likely to install the proposed mass transit systems than the government, as the government has debated mass transit in the Grand Canyon for over a decade . http://www.grandcanyontreks.org..., and shows no signs of being adopted. . http://www.mindbird.com... The private sector would certainly meet new demand much more quickly and efficiently, for it would be in the interest of profit. Also, my opponent claims that further damage would happen to the water supply. According to my opponent's source, however, tourism has a very minor effect on water consumption . http://www.rff.org... (page 6), and a 20% increase in just the Grand Canyon, therefore, would not be something to worry about. c. My opponent claims that my source does not justify an increase in income due to marketing. This claim is unwarranted, as my source states: "Every business benefits from a professional, strategic marketing plan to act as a guideline for their marketing and sales strategies. " . http://hcsmsd.com... d. My opponent makes the largely unwarranted claim that the Cato Institute makes unwarranted claims. Not only is this statement by Cato warranted, it is referring to the privatization of the Grand Canyon in particular. 2. Companies maximize profits -My opponent has essentially conceded my contention; however, he has tried to steer it in a different direction. a. I have also already argued how tourist traffic will have minimal negative impact, and how industrialization is likely to happen in a way that most preserves the Grand Canyon. b. My opponent concedes that the tourism company that owns the Grand Canyon will protect all of the areas accessible to tourists. Because the entire Grand Canyon is accessible to tourists, my opponent has conceded that the Grand Canyon would be protected by a tourism company in the interest of profits. 3. a. My opponent asserts that my case did not warrant my conclusion. This assertion is unwarranted, as my case shows how government ownership of the Grand Canyon is unnecessary and even undesirable. b. My opponent claims that I stated that my case was a wash. Upon examination of my statement, I was stating that IF the situation was a wash, the auctioning of the GC would still be preferable. Further, the sale price I mentioned was an estimate. The exact value is irrelevant. c. My opponent claims that my two statements are not warranted. However, they are (upon examination): -Public demand for the Grand Canyon would be more effectively met I am sorry: I was assuming that my opponent had a grasp of economics. Contention 2 outlined how a company would naturally make decisions to increase profit. In order to do this in a capitalist society, demand must be met. -More revenue would be attracted into the Unted States from foreign countries I incorrectly assumed that my opponent was capable of deductive logic. 17% of tourists are foreign. . http://www.nau.edu... Adding marketing would increase visitors. (Contention 1) So, more tourists would come into America. These tourists bring money. . http://www.nau.edu... Therefore, more money enters the country. So, my claims were not unwarranted; my opponent just found that saying that they were was the quickest way to brush them under the rug. My case still stands. 1. "The Grand Canyon is a National Park of vast geologic, cultural and ecological significance. " -The problem with this statement is that it does not call for government to intervene. Disney World has vast cultural significance. The Mississippi River has vast geological and ecological significance. So, should the government be put in charge of them? a. My opponent implies that scientific research in the Grand Canyon can not occur if the Grand Canyon is privately owned. In the same manner, one might say that research cannot be done in private universities. The logic is simply flawed. b. My opponent then repeats his same point. c. My opponent's third point assumes that a privatized GC would not protect wildlife. In the interest of maximizing tourism and therefore profits, every aspect of the nature would be desirable to preserve. Further, underground mines pose little threat to wildlife. Underground mines can not even cause subsidence to the surface. . http://www.ens-newswire.com... 2. A foreign sale? Just as one cannot decide that all of their land is governed by one country or another, the privatization of the Grand Canyon can not lead to another country owning it. I now actually have to define a word: bidder- someone who makes an offer . http://www.thefreedictionary.com... Government is not a "someone"; it is a "something". Further, when an individual purchases land in the United States, he can not turn it over to a foreign government, for it is still under the jurisdiction of the US Gov't. Source: Senate Document 43 of the 73rd Congress . http://www.supremelaw.org... 3. "The sale violates the rights of Indian reservations. " -GCNP exists entirely separate of Indian reservations. . http://www.americansouthwest.net... -Water rights would be respected with or without government ownership. An increased tourist population, again, will only cause a relatively small increase in water use. . http://www.rff.org... -My opponent makes the unwarranted claim that underground mining causes pollution. 4. "Grand Canyon National Park is a U. S. asset. " -Government has many other means of collecting revenue. -Government currently collects less than $800 million from GCNP (my first contention). -The USFG's budget's revenue is $2.7 trillion . http://en.wikipedia.org... Therefore, the Grand Canyon is not necessary as a means of collecting revenue.