Monday, April 15, the UTM Philosophy Forum hosted a panel discussion between members of UTM’s College Democrats and members of the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL).
The discussion focused on each party’s platforms on five major issues: the role of government, economics, health care, social issues and the just distribution of resources.
The YAL started off the event with panelists Tyler Davidson, a junior Political Science major from Linden and current president of the organization; Cheyenne Deweese, a sophomore Natural Resources Management – Wildlife and Fisheries major from Camden and current vice president of the organization; and Sam Anderson, a senior History major from Jackson and the night’s representative for the College Republicans.
The panel for the College Democrats consisted of current club president Luke Winters, a senior Health and Human Performance major from Carbondale, Illinois; current Vice-President Richard Underwood, a junior Criminal Justice major from Troy; and Rana Jaradat, a sophomore Integrated Studies major.
Dealing with the role of government, Anderson stated that the Republican party believes they’re there to protect the safety and freedoms of the people of this nation.
Davidson further clarified that the YAL and the Libertarian Party believe that the government should not reflect the ideals of any party and should focus on protecting the rights of all people equally.
The College Democrats’ representative Underwood stated that the government should take on the role of respect for all people’s rights and should be used as a tool to solve social problems like social security and public education.
Winters stated that the government’s role should be more hands-on to benefit the majority of people, “like college students and those less fortunate. “
The College Democrats then tackled the role of economics from their party’s standards.
Underwood clarified that Democrats do still believe in the use of a capitalistic system, but the system should be regulated so that everyone benefits from it instead of how, currently, only a few do.
Winters continued by stating that spending into the smaller groups within the economy would benefit the economy as a whole.
They addressed the raising of minimum-wage, a platform that their party is known for, and how it could benefit the economy in the long-run if done correctly.
Anderson stated how they believe in a laissez-faire approach to the economy and that all production is privately owned and each individual has the right to produce and sell as they see fit. Per their platform, the right to own private property is given to them via inalienable rights.
Anderson addressed that though raising the minimum wage sounds like a great idea, it does not necessarily raise the quality of service and may not have the end-result desired.
Davidson stated how some of the taxes we pay may end up in places that were not specified and the government should have a more open-door policy on where our taxes are going.
For the discussion on healthcare, Anderson stated his party’s belief in the free market with safety nets in place to assist where it is necessary.
“It is completely tyrannical and
Davidson, a veteran, stated that he was against any kind of federal healthcare due to his own personal experience with the US Army healthcare system.
The College Democrats said they want universal healthcare and healthcare for all individuals of the nation. They referenced the many successes around the world concerning healthcare as well as the economic benefit that arises from single-payer healthcare.
One of Underwood’s major points was the ability to tackle the death rate that has arisen in this country from preventable issues that people did not take care of due to the lack of or the financial burden of healthcare.
Winters added to this with his own personal story dealing with the healthcare system.
He emphasized the need for healthcare-for all and stated that healthcare can only emphasize and assist our inalienable rights as citizens.
Jaradat finished up the discussion on healthcare by stating that the Democrats agree that Obamacare needs some work, but the overall idea is what this country should be striving for.
Underwood next tackled the subject of social issues and stated that their party firmly believes in the legalization of marijuana for recreational and medical use. He stated their pro-immigration platform is not necessarily a call for illegal immigration, but a call for legal immigration.
Winters backed him and stated how the U.S. was built from immigrants and that we must accept that.
Underwood then stated that a strong social issue that is rarely addressed is the need for rehabilitation of inmates in order to control the prison population and how it is had success in many other countries.
Anderson stated that social issues are one of the few platforms that he shares in common with the Democratic Party. He agrees in the decriminalization of many different substances, prostitution and a change in the legal drinking age.
Anderson also stated his party’s desire for free birth control without prescriptions.
“We believe that a gay couple should be able to get married, grow their weed, and shoot anybody who tries to steal it,” said Davidson about his social views.
Davidson also stated how laws should make a difference in peoples’ lives as well as make a difference in protecting their rights and liberties. He pushed this with how they have pushed many policies through office.
The just distribution of resources, as stated by Anderson, can only be achieved when private property rights for all people are respected and goods and services are traded through a free market. “The state should not be where distributions come from,” he said.
Income inequality, according to Anderson, is not much of an issue. It is an issue of opportunity not outcome. The state should not have the right to overtax or seize property without consent.
Davidson stated the distribution of wealth is like a business deal. Being as such, those who pay into something must be reaping some rewards or know what they are buying into.
Deweese stated that some taxation, when the people know what it is going into, should be how all taxation is. When this is achieved, according to her, is how the distribution of wealth is fine.
Underwood stated that the democratic party believes that equal opportunity should be the goal of the government and it can only be achieved through the redistribution of wealth. By assisting those less fortunate, income inequality will cease and the economy will be assisted, he stated.
He says that their party focuses on assisting those less fortunate than those around them and that includes the redistribution of wealth.
“We are the party of equal opportunities,” stated Winters.
They next opened the floor for questions where there was some clarification on their stances for issues as well as a discussion on the issue of where the line is drawn between religious freedom and discrimination.
The UTM Philosophy Forum hopes for many more panel discussions like this one and hopes to expand onto more topics as the panels grow.
