ABSTRACT
Academic debate is rarely used as a method to critically examine real-world arguments even though the topoi of academic debate theory appear in public. Because of its thorough interrogation of arguments, scholars have called for application of academic debate theory to public policy discussions. In this essay, I use academic debate as a method for engaging arguments about the 2013 budget sequestration. I use President Obama and Speaker Boehner’s statements to construct and evaluate their arguments from an academic debate perspective. I also problematize the role of the decision-making debater in public policy.
