Respectful discussion, philosophical or historical points of contention and even blame seem to always be a part of political debates. But when it comes to tangible solutions, we fall short.

During the debate between Syracuse University’s College Republicans and Democrats on Thursday, we saw much of the same — long winded explanations of concepts which only, if at all, differ from the typical party line by nuance.

Both the representatives from the left and right were respectful, knowledgeable and well spoken. But aside from the Republicans advocating for putting money toward trade and community college, I was left wanting specifics.

The debate did show civility from each side. But that doesn’t excuse the lack of thought or specificity in the conversation.

The Republican side shored up their positions in a more succinct and clear manor, focusing on education reform as a means to accessing common benefits with Democrats, stating that personalization and accountability in the higher education system are ways to fix it.

On the other hand, the Democrats did a better job of identifying issues in our society. One of their strongest points was arguably President Donald Trump taking credit for the results of some Barack Obama-era policies. Even so, if they talked more about these ideas with specifics, the Republicans could’ve used this point to refute and suggest specific policies in the same vein.

“I thought it was a good start to a public conversation about income inequality… I was left hopeful that the debate started a campus-wide conversation on how to ameliorate this national crisis,” said Steven Kemp, a sophomore College of Arts and Sciences and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications dual major.

The event was both refreshing and provided a true glimpse into the current state of political discourse in America. The fact that we can still be civil while disagreeing — despite what others on both the left or right may have you believe — is crucial and refreshing to see at the college level.

Harrison Garfinkle is a communication and rhetorical studies major. His column runs bi-weekly. He can be reached at hgarfink@syr.edu.

Published on March 22, 2019 at 6:36 pm