Guidelines for Matter Briefs

1. Keep them short and easy to read.
2. Compose with a prepping team in mind - include parallel examples, or similar historical instances that can be used to thicken analysis, or perhaps examples of helpful frames to be used
3. Don't forget the basics, but also don't focus on the basics. This is especially true for those who are updating older matter briefs, or are dealing with big issues that people are likely to have a general idea about already.
4. Unleash an armada of arguments & matter weapons that can be handily blasted against the opposing teams and reduce them to ashes.



A: What's Wrong with the United States

The Financial Crisis - Why it's happening, What/Who it's affecting, What to do about it, Conflicting economic views and their defense

The US Elections - Campaign techniques, Sticking issues & states to win, Support-demographic s, Stands on major issues

B: What's Wrong with Europe

Russia, Georgia, and the Satellites - What's happened post-ceasefire, What is the standing of Abkhazia&S.Ossetia (has anyone recognized them besides Russia?), regional tension and how it has manifested itself NATO and the Security of Western Europe

C: What's Wrong with the Philippines

Mindanao - MILF, expanded ARMM/the BJE, recent government and rebel movement, displaced citizens

Bribery and the Justice System - What's happened? Who were the whistleblowers, what did they whistleblow, involvement of major family clans (Lopez-owned Meralco?), and the gravity of the cases in contention

D: What's Wrong with the Rest of Asia
Reworking the Subcontinent: The spread of terror through Pakistan and India, Actions against this, Relations between the two countries
Where next for China: What issues came up during & post-Olympics, lessons learned, etc.

E: What's Wrong with Africa
Effective Power-sharing - What's happened with Zimbabwe and Kenya, what are the successes/failures of this system, effects on the region&continent
International Intervention - Has the effectiveness of Western pressure diminished? Where still is involvement necessary and where is it existing - (French peace keepers in Algeria? etc?)

F: What's Wrong (or Right!) in Medicine
The balance between patients, doctors, and the state - right of patient to deny medical treatment (where exists, applies to which procedures, how about DNR and euthanasia?) , right of doctor to refuse to perform certain treatments (where exists, what contexts, where overturned), when have states intervened?
Property Rights and Medicine - the rise of generics, ex. Cheaper Med. Bill, states disregarding IPR for medicine - in what contexts, what consequences would they be expected to pay, etc.



Special thanks to Gica Mangahas:P