Four Debate Abusers
The Spiraling Statesperson
This member can be recognized by their predilection for endlessly repeating themselves and may introduce their comments with a list and callout to all the speakers before them that they agree with, and those they do not agree with. Their arguments are disorganized and they may spend much of their debate time aimlessly searching for a point to make. They tend to cover several important but tangential topics that are not germane to the assembly's task of deciding how to vote.
Solution: The presiding officer must be strong enough to interrupt the Spiraling Statesperson the instant the Statesperson takes a breath, and immediately inquire,
"Do you have any information that this body has not heard yet?"
"Are you speaking for or against the motion?"
"Do you wish to amend (or postpone, or refer) the motion?"
Any response that sounds in the negative should be followed by the presiding officer saying: "Thank you for your comments. The chair now recognizes..."
So often in political organizations, there is a tendency to want to give everyone their allotted time to speak, even if the vote result is clear or little is to be gained. Remember, your job as a presiding officer is to make sure the meetings are fair and efficient. The key to good debate is making sure all possible substance is given without a lot of fluff.
Care must be taken when interrupting a speaker, but if properly approached, your efforts will be appreciated, if not by the speaker, by the body at large. Getting your body into the habit of not parroting previous speakers is a great way to expedite your meetings and reduce the stress of endless debating. In addition, if members know that they cannot just rely on repeating the arguments of others, they will be thinking of better ways to participate, making them better at engaging in meaningful debate.