Second Student Debate Tackles Divisive Issues

Dylan Tulk

He/Him

Staff Writer

10/26/24

Student Republicans and Democrats gathered again in the Silver Center Smith Recital Hall for their second and final debate ahead of the November 5th election. The event was moderated by Jason Charrette and Eden Bowditch, who introduced the teams to a robust audience of locals and students from the Plymouth community.

The PSU Democrats were represented by The Clock News Editor James Kelly, Editor-in-Chief Kay Bailey, and PSU Democrats President Oscar Lakowicz. Representatives for the PSU Republicans were USSB Trustee Ethan Dupuis and Micheal Toronto.

In the Democrats’ opening answer, Bailey declared that the Democrats are the best party to protect Americans’ rights. Republicans put barriers between people pursuing their rights, such as with New Hampshire’s voter affidavit law signed this election season. She asserted that the Harris/Walz administration will protect healthcare rights and bodily autonomy for all, no matter what. Bailey added that the Republican party will leave your rights up to the states. “We don’t vote on free speech state-to-state, so why should we ask that our bodily autonomy is voted on state-to-state?” she said.

Dupuis said Republicans are all about common sense and keeping the government off your back. He said the Republican Party is “the party of everybody,” claiming that the Democratic Party has “systematically alienated men,”anddisparagedtheHarris/Walz campaign for endorsements from Taylor Swift. Dupuis said a Trump presidency would ensure no taxes on tips, overtime, or social security. He strongly urged voters to “kick out this worn out old donkey that is the Democratic Party.”

On the topic of reproductive rights, the Republican and Democratic parties took opposite stances.

Dupuis began by saying the Democrats are “the extreme ones” when it comes to protecting abortion rights. He later said that the Republican Party “is the party for women,” and that it’s okay for different states to have different abortion laws. The people are voting for what they want. According to Dupuis, Democrats are using abortion rights to “play into your emotions as women and make you vote Democratic.” He demanded of those on the stage, and his audience, “where’s the line between women’s rights and human rights?”

“Women’s rights are human rights,” Bailey responded. “I’m a woman, I’m a human.” She also said that if Republicans say Democrats are fear mongering about abortion rights, there is no such thing; the fear is real. Bailey said that as a woman, there’s a real risk of her rights being taken away under a Republican administration. She said abortion rights apply to more than half of the voters in our country, and that geography should not determine access to healthcare.

When questioned on trans healthcare, the Republicans claimed they had sympathy for those suffering with gender dysphoria, but that that sympathy should not affect policy. Dupuis said the Republican party has issues with applying “the gender ideology” to healthcare. He added there are just “feminine boys and masculine girls.” Dupuis said that many trans people have suicidal ideation and go on to commit suicide.

He criticized people for pushing hormones on kids. “Why are we saying it’s a healthy lifestyle?” he said. “It’s not.” He condemned girls competing in school sports with biological males, admitting although this was an “unpopular topic,” he had to make his point. “People are getting broken noses in a volleyball match.” Dupuis denounced gender affirming care as well, saying therapists are not meant to affirm what’s wrong with someone, they’re meant to fix you.

The Democrats argued that trans people are humans, deserving of human rights. Lakowicz said conversations about what we do with our bodies should stay in the privacy of a doctor’s office and with the parents of trans kids. Lakowicz encouraged people to trust doctors and scientists to make the right decisions. Bailey added that doctors are not “these evil figures” the Republican party is making them out to be. Both Bailey and Lakowicz said Republicans are fear-mongering with statistics. Lakowicz protested the “destructive” way Republicans go after trans people with their “us and them” mindset. If the Republican party actually is a party for everyone, they should instead “uplift as many members of our community as possible,” he said.

One thing both parties could agree on in a divided debate was supporting legal immigration.

Lakowicz said that Republicans and Democrats wanted to find a solution to strengthen the border and deescalate the immigration crisis together, but Trump “shot down” the bill that would’ve enabled that. Kelly, Bailey and Lakowicz said immigrants aren’t coming to America to commit crimes, they’re seeking refuge. Republicans continually demonize them. Lakowicz pointed out naturalized American citizens are causing more destruction through gun violence.

Dupuis and Toronto took issue with the fact that when illegal immigrants are “caught,” the government does not deport them but instead releases them. Dupuis said that released illegal immigrants go out into the community and cause havoc. He reiterated his point with an example

of the sexual assault and murdering of a 12-year-old girl in Texas. “It’s not safe,” Dupuis said, claiming the Biden/Harris Administration has blood on their hands for allowing these crimes to happen.

Toward the end of the event, Kelly asked Dupuis the yes-or-no question Vance was asked by the New York Times in an earlier interview, but did not answer: Did Trump win the 2016 election? “Yes, I believe Trump lost the election,” Dupuis eventually admitted. Kelly responded saying Dupuis was therefore opposed to his own party’s platform. If Dupuis disagreed with Trump, then he didn’t know how it was possible for any Republican to believe that Trump would protect democratic institutions.

This is a historic election, and it is your right as an American to get to the polls on November 5 and fill out your ballot. If there’s one thing the government doesn’t have control over, it’s your voice in this election. Take advantage of this privilege. Your vote will make a difference.