Government policy is a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action and funding priorities promulgated by governmental bodies. It determines who gets what, when and how, and shapes public life, as well as societal trends and historical trajectory. Effective policies support societal demands and encourage civic engagement; ineffective ones create disillusionment with political institutions, which then fuels social movements seeking change.
Governments develop policy through a complex process, from agenda setting and problem identification to analysis, implementation and evaluation. They must consider the influence of political parties, national interests and the needs of a diverse population, as well as engage stakeholders in co-creating policy.
Policy decisions can take the form of taxes, subsidies, spending plans and regulations, all designed to achieve certain economic and social objectives. These objectives may be as simple as promoting economic growth, improving education or increasing social safety nets. They can also be as complex as reducing crime rates or safeguarding the environment.
A policy debate is a structured argument that involves two teams. One team affirms (supports) the resolution and the other team negates (opposes) it. Both teams have two constructive speeches and a rebuttal. They use a formal evidence structure called “cards” with full citations. Each team has a judge who votes for which team did the better debating. The affirmative speaks first, followed by the negative, who then asks questions. The positive then gives a rebuttal to the negative’s rebuttal, and so on.