SD Liberty Circle Meetup Group & San Diego County Libertarian Party Presents

“Small Government” vs. “No Government”

Debate & Forum

Featuring: Michael Benoit & Wes Bertrand

(Hosted and Organized by Joey Hill and moderated by Jeff Kugel)

This is the long awaited debate between Mike Benoit and Wes Bertrand, Limited Constitutional Government vs Anarcho-Capitalism.

Location:
The Debate will be held at the Joyce Beers Community Center on Vermont Street, Building #M-100 in Hillcrest, San Diego, CA, 92103 on Saturday May, 9th starting @ 7: pm. www.ronpaul.meetup.com/93/ & www.sdlp.org ([masked])

Please come join us for what should be a lively and informative Debate and Discussion between former Congressional Candidate and long time Libertarian Michael Benoit from San Diego’s 52nd District &
Local Anarcho-Capitalist Author and entrepreneur Wes Bertrand Saturday May 9th!!!!

JBC debate outline - by jeff kugel, moderator
I. structure of debate

1. intros - debaters define each others positions followed by comments and clarifications, and finally agreed upon definitions are presented formally

2. coin flip (preferably gold!) determines first up for details/arguments; winner may defer

3. there are no preset questions. debaters will argue positions and question each other. opponents will graciously yield upon own volition.

4. time will be monitored for each debater but there is no set limit. i will ask for a yield if i feel it is time. over the course of the debate i will attempt to even out the total time given to each participant

5. break for 5-10min after 1 hour. Debaters can review arguments, plan for closing, and comment on my performance

6. debate will continue for another 30-40 minutes, if necessary,then questions

7. audience, including me, can direct questions to a particular debater or both.

8. if question is directed to only one, the other may signal me that they would like to comment as well.

9. closing remarks

10.informal audience voting on performance and substance. lynching of loser [or perhaps just a little friendly tarring and feathering? w.b. ;].

II. biases -
1. i have known mike for longer, but have not researched either position; currently on the fence...

2. i will ask audience to notify me if they perceive bias in my moderating

III. audience participation -
1. only clarifications during debate period, questions afterward.

2. i will have pencils/paper available to audience and debaters for notes

IV. advice to debaters
1. facts vs. opinion - be prepared to cite provable facts

2. analogies are acceptable but not recommended - they tend to obfuscate instead of clarify

3. causality vs. correlation - be careful!

4. i may comment if i feel something is not provable but is being presented as so

5. being an educational forum, i expect participants to be respectful and gracious; set a good example

V. supply references for further research; send me a reading list and i will print copies for
the audience [i've posted my list on this meetup's board w.b.]

VI. some suggested topics to cover
1. explain potential impacts/benefits with regards to production and trade, defense or outside threats, law enforcement, human spirit, ecological/resource stewardship

2. how to realize the vision, i.e. steps to move towards new societal structure

3. historical precedence