BeIR/webis-touche2020 huggingface dataset:
Summary

The motion in debate calls for the proposition to defend that in general, the sole owner of and provider for water should be the state. They have failed. There is no piece of evidence they presented that I didn’t either successfully debunk or accepted and then used against the motion. Some of their points weren’t supported by analysis or evidence. They said companies can’t be trusted to justify the proposal but in their rebuttal they accepted that governments, like Venezuela’s, can’t be trusted either. They said that the government is the only proper agent because of having the budget and the political support. I demonstrated that there are huge private companies and that there is growing discontent with state monopolies and growing acceptance of privatization (like in Scotland) and that a policy’s popularity is different than it’s quality. They proved that fresh water is dwindling, but failed at explaining why that means the motion should be approved. I countered by showing how by giving away water, you could cause it to dwindle faster. They conceded that there can be some privates amongst suppliers Prop We stand that the state should CONTROL the process in those cases where private industries supply the resource, to avoid speculation in emergency situations. Prop. contradicted itself. First they said that prop one cannot play with supply and demand with something as important as water. Privatize water would be like privatize air. We need them equally and the state should provide enough for everyone. And then, in another point they said prop We are not suggesting giving free bottle water to everyone but the company that provides this product should be owned by the state. So on one hand water should be free or near free (no supply and demand games) and on the other they say they are not suggesting free bottled water. And does a bottled water company enter the category of need? No. I provided a framework for analysis for the examples of both State being successful and privately owned companies failing: they’re isolated examples. I provided evidence that proves state owned is a bad idea because it usually fails. I explained why they usually fail. Political abuses, lack of innovation (when innovative technologies like desalination are crucial), too cheap prices creating a high demand. Also, I linked the examples of private failings to them being protected by the government’s dealings with lobbyists and pressure groups. Lastly I provided spaces the poor to still get water while keeping the quality for everyone else. For this reasons, I think this policy should be opposed.
Our health will not be in their hands

This point says that you cannot trust private companies. I do not call for users to blindly trust anyone.It's better when the public pressures suppliers, to get them to publish lab tests of their water and that the consumer groups double check them. But even state mandated test could work, maybe. I would be glad if my own state-owned water company would publish the results of the water going into my building's pipes. Many barrios in Caracas illegally connect water from the pipes to their houses, and many times the paying costumers get contaminated water because of this. Since my government needs the votes it does nothing about it. I use a filter to feel good enough about the water I pay (very little) for. The people that get contaminated by food in the US is not really of relevance. Most of those cases are of bacteria and parasites linked to the consumption of meat and the bad preparation of foods. The cases that are related to companies being irresponsible should be punished by civil suits as harshly as possible, instead of protected by lobbies. I'm delighted that Prop. brought the example of PG&E (or for moviegoers, Erin Brockovich). In the movie you could see how Erin (Julia) goes to the Water Board of the area and how, despite sitting on documents that evidence foul play, the State employee does nothing; he is being payed to keep his mouth shut. Another infuriating thing: when the lawyers filed a suit against PG&E there were regulations that kept each victim from being able to sue the heck out of the company on his own. 300$ millions was too little. And some PG&E people should be in jail. But they're protected by the State. On the DMZ example: sorry, but that it's about a private water bottling company, whose angle is that the water is so pure it should be on the most expensive-bottled-water list. At best this phrase: "We worked it all with the military" signals that sometimes there is need for minimal state intervention, for securing the workers' life (as it's their duty) as they work perilously close to North Korea. About "the great country of Scotland" loving it's state owned Scottish Water, I lament prop didn't look for evidence. A short search turned out the fact that Scotland is now very less happy with it than 10 years ago [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3566939.stm]], that they are arguing about semi-privatizing it and that "The current situation is probably unsustainable for Scottish Water." [[http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/corporate-sme/futures-trust-argues-for-3-5bn-privatisation-of-scottish-water-1.1041921]]
SUMMATION

As debate began, the prop team pointed out the importance of water in human lives. It is is the most essential element, next to air, to human life; the body usually cannot survive longer than several days without water. People have survive a hunger strike and have last several weeks, but without water a person would only last approximately a week. Since water is such an important component to us, it would make sense that the quality of the water should be just as important as the quantity. Drinking water should always be clean and free of contaminants to ensure proper health and wellness. Basically, the consumption of clean water is a human right, as well as a health issue and team supports the complete ownership and supply to be from states. The main reason is because governments are everywhere, caring for their people and not worrying for investors, profit and income goals. This team understands the real situation with the resource. The availability of water is decreasing and the originals sources of water in the world are slowly disappearing. Until technology is accessible to everyone, governments should guaranteed the supply of water to the people. The opp team kept defending the idea that privatization was the answer of the problem, because it would give a better quality service and will have the opportunity to choose from different choices, depending on the prices the can afford. The opp insist that monopoly is not an option but already 40% of the water belong to 2 big companies. But we don´t think is as simple as that. Corporations can have access to technology and they may have better ways to get invest in it, but the reality is that the pursue a profit and when there is no business, there is no progress. States should have the option of taking some control over this possession and make it a deal for everyone needed. This problem is very important and we are dealing with it today. Maybe in a couple of years, thing will change but in the present, human lives will never loose against corporate profits. That´s why prop wan this debate.
State owning water is a frightening idea

The idea of ownership by the State of such an important thing is simply fear-inducing. Water sources property of the State! This is a bad idea if only for the mentality it would create. A better one is that natural resources are every citizen’s. The State is a server and has the minimum power it needs to protect citizens from violence, not an owner of anything. The image of a State having the power to give and take away water is one that shouldn’t be encouraged amongst citizens, they should feel that the power is in their hands. The ownership-of-water concept could end up in the government giving away a country’s water to another in other to gain influence and recognition. Of course the example that illustrates this is the way Venezuelan Government, because they “own” the oil resources, feel free to give it as a gift to the poor citizens of the world's only super-power. [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4461946.stm]] All the while, in Venezuela there is no money to invest to prevent water shortages. I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be any State involvement, but it should be limited by necessity. For example a country’s army needs to insure some stock of water for an emergency, a war, a natural catastrophe. I will develop more about the mixing of systems on another point. If a State is the “owner” it could forbid the uses of water that it considers frivolous, like a swimming pool. But the bureaucrats of a state are far from able to decide on what is needed or not by millions of people. A swimming pool can be both a frivolous luxury or a necessity if a wounded person needs physiotherapy. Or be the place were children spend all the extra calories from eating too much fast-food. Or a place to relax after a long day’s work. Lastly if you can give and take you can use that power for political gain. This runs the gamut from using water investments to gain popularity, to castigating opponents. For years in Venezuela, you couldn’t get a job with the government if you had voted “no” in the referendum on Chavez: “At a cabinet meeting, Chavez said his government had been using a list to determine who to hire and fire and called for an end to the practice. ``There are still places that use Tascon's List to determine who gets a job and who doesn't,'' Chavez told his ministers that day...``That's over. Bury Tascon's List. Surely it had an important role at one time, but not now.'”'[[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=abASlsAyXgoE&refer=latin_america-redirectoldpage]]. It would be terrible to have someone's service removed because he appears on the list.
Water is a human right

Water is essential for human life and it is directly related with the right to life. If water is privatized; people would have to pay to live, while a minority is making profit out of it. On 2008, The Human Rights council adopted a resolution on the right of water and sanitation. This resolution recognizes the responsibility of the governments and expresses the people’s trust in their representatives. The only way of taking this forward is to engage with this important issue and make nations to commit and perform better practices of distributing this resource all over their countries. The private industry doesn’t have the opportunities of taking the right steps to make it possible as fast as it can. The right of water is being used to make a difference in human lives and many countries have begun their sustainable projects in order to make equitable access to all.
A mixed system: let’s have the best of both worlds

The notion that the prop. presents, that the only way to insure that people don’t die of thirst is to create a monopoly is preposterous. I don’t deny that there are some people that need water very much and can’t afford it, but most people over the world is getting along at the very least with their basic needs. The State can certainly provide vouchers to very poor and disadvantaged people, so they can use it to pay the company. If there is a remote village that is not being covered by a water company, there are many solutions. The State could help find a solution for very sparsely populated areas. The best solution wouldn’t be to force the private water company to get them a connection to the main supply, it doesn’t matter if we are talking about a private or state owned company, to take water pipes to 10 cabins at the top of the mountain would be a waste. Maybe there is a nearer water source available. For a bigger but still remote area, the inhabitants could create a Co-op to find underground aquifers and such. In cases of a war or a natural catastrophe, there is indeed a place for State emergency intervention. The State should have an emergency water supply. We would still have the competition drive, the innovation of private companies and they could pay a tax on their revenues, making it easier for the State to actually give vouchers to people that sorely need them.
The ownership and distribution of water is a natural monopoly

When we talk about a natural and essential for living resource like water, distribution should be guaranteed. Private companies are not interested in common good but in market share and incomes. They tend to find the way of gaining lots of money with little investments. The people of a country can’t wait for a business to start or for a company’s decision of distributing in remote locations because it is not rentable. The state should control the whole process and distribution to make sure it gets to every single person of a country.
Our health will not be in their hands

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. Each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos, due to personal tastes or due to dietary reasons that may be more or less healthful. Due to this concern, a standardized "Nutrition Facts" label was introduced as part of regulations and in some countries became mandatory for most prepackaged food products. This was done because nobody could really trust in what they were consuming and the state had to find a way to control this. Each year, 76 million people in the U.S. get sick from contaminated food. The most common include bacteria, parasites and viruses. How could we trust that we are receiving the best product by huge powerful companies if it’s even not controlled by our representatives? Erin Brockovich just comes to our minds when we think about enterprises letting people get contaminated and trying to defend themselves just by being an important company, or what happened years ago in Venezuela with Dog Chow from Purina, where many pets where killed by food poisoning and the corporation decided to response at the very last minute. What will happen if people die because of water? Are big companies still going to defend their assets and incomes while people are intoxicated? Great countries like Scotland know the risk is too high and prefer to provide the water on their own, with their quality standards to avoid painful situation. Others should do the same. We encourage the solutions of DMZ in Korea and we are sure that without government support, particularly in this zone, it wouldn’t be possible, but Lee Sang-hyo spokesman for the Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co began which sells DMZ 2km water says "We decided on water from the DMZ because it's different and the environment there is untouched, so many people think it's clean." We are not sure that what people “think” is the best way of describing a well done product. [[ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/09/korea-bottles-water%5D%5D
It's great to have a supplier motivated by money OR: dollars vs. votes

The prop. totally agree with the issue being mathematical and points thats technological advances are needed but even the same article posted by the opp states that” As global warming heats the world, and its population continues to grow, there is less water for everyone”. At some critical point, who cares about the good service, all they need is water. Sadly, there is where Venezuela stands. Chavez’s managements are all gut driven and not well thought. He only thinks about himself but it is not the situation of every developing country. Even though the Israeli’s invention is an idea that was created thousands of years ago, how come it isn’t available yesterday? How much would it cost a normal low class family to own one before one of their kids die from an infected water disease? What if it doesn’t provide enough for a family? Will them get their money back? Don’t think so. Have you ever though why exactly are Florida, Texas and California the states investing in these purpose? To make it short, rising heat, crops, industries and population boom. Pure math. Do this investmenst have anything to do with the state. Of course. Pure poltics. [[ http://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/#TX%5D%5D The U.S state decided in 2005 that if they didn’t invest in water, it could become a crisis in the nearly future. [[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21494919/]] “We just passed a crossroads. The chief water sources are basically gone,” said John Mulliken, director of water supply for the South Florida Water Management District. “We really are at a critical moment in Florida history.” The desalination plants are not creating new water sources for helping other people, but trying to keep up with the demand that exists in countries like the United States. We agree on the water waste, it is also an educational issue to make people understand the importance of water efficiency and proper use, but as we said before, it is a matter of state. In less educated populations, supply and demand are concepts that are totally intuitive. If there’s no water, the next time I will save and use as much as I can because I do not know when will have it available again. It is educational but human as well. They may not understand exactly who difficult it is to provide it for them, but they surely know it is needed. Will that give less votes? Probably but if they do it right… they also deserve them.
State as sole supplier is a bad idea

You say you are against monopolies but affirm that the 40% percent of the world's water supply is brought to people by TWO corporations. The prop. doesn’t propose to create a monopoly, we just know it is so, as you well confirmed. It IS a natural monopoly because only few have access to it. For us irt would be just perfect that everyone had access to clean and fresh water to survive but sadly it isn’t like that. We stand that the state should CONTROL the process in those cases where private industries supply the resource, to avoid speculation in emergency situations. Only by applying some control, the state could guarantee that distribution to remote locations are being done and subsidize when need it. It is a state major concern that the population is healthy and safe. Sadly, not the corporations concern. As you said above, Nationalize water would be like closing private schools to ensure education”well, If a person is not happy with their education, it is a personal decision to do something about it. There are books and people that can help them improve their knowledge. Many of the great characters of our history are well known for being self-taught, but no child in history have survive without the concern of someone in giving the water and food that is needed to live and make to a point where the child can decide by himself what does he want for his future.
Water is a health issue.

I congratulate the prop. on correctly identifying the problems with water supply. But the analysis of why this problem can be only resolved by the State is sorely lacking. Prop. stated that governments are more capable to provide water, that only states are big enough, but fail to give evidence. 40% percent of the world's water supply is brought to people by two corporations [[http://www.righttowater.info/code/legal_4.asp]]. They are in every sense bigger than the water supply capabilities of many small countries. Evidently they are very capable as well since they are still open for business. Saying that people need water is of course not proof that government need to tax citizens to get water to every part of the land and be the sole provider. Just as need it's not an justification for forcing everyone to have only socialized medicine and forcing part of the population to pay for others.
Big government and the bad state owned and the bad private owned water companies.

Of course Canada is content. Not by the alarming numbers that the opp. Gladly brought to our attention but because they understand the critical situation of the resource. Former US ambassador to Canada, Paul Celluci, said once: "Canada has probably one of the largest resources of fresh water in the world." Unmentioned was America's aim - control to privatize it, Celluci saying it's "odd (that) Canada is so willing to sell oil and natural gas and uranium and coal (but) talking about water is off the table¨ The most important Prairie rivers are fed by mountain glaciers, and they're melting at an alarming rate. The British science journal, Nature, noted that "The consequences of these hydrological changes for water availability....are likely to be severe." Celluci's comment was as close as "any high-profile American (had) come to (admitting) what many Canadians have long suspected - Washington wants our water." In fact, Maclean's magazine ran a cover story arguing that Canada should sell it before America takes it. Responsible Canadians disagree. According to Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences: "Its a huge problem. These glaciers are basically toast. They won't be around by the end of the century, or they'll be around in such insignificant amounts that it won't be a big source of water. You've got to start thinking about adaptation here." Basically, they will do whatever it takes to keep it with them. [[http://baltimorechronicle.com/2010/030910Lendman.shtml]] On the other hand, the US government protects BP because they allowed offshore drilling on the first place. Yes, the big governments can do something wrong but good governments take responsibility as well and provide safety to their citizens. The negociated amount that BP has to pay is for the cleanup of the shores, water and even the fauna that are victims of this disaster. Many environmentalists claim that BP have refuse the help of the Russians who have expertise on this matter and that are already balking at some of the monetary claims and the US should collect from BP the two trillion dollars now; before BP moves all their assets into another corporation and/or in-cumbers their assets to try to save themselves. Big companies can also do wrong, but the history tells us that they tend to escape or avoid their responsibilities to remain their incomes and profit. When they risk... they just can´t be trusted. [[http://na.oceana.org/en/blog/2010/06/on-the-cleaning-process-for-oiled-birds]]