 "Photo: Mary Kang/The Daily Texan")
The words flew Thursday night as members of College Republicans and University Democrats debated health care reform, but some students in the audience were unimpressed.
The two groups met in the Graduate School of Business to debate what changes, if any, should be made to the U.S. health care system.
University Democrats argued for swift reform to make health care accessible to every American, while College Republicans argued for more delay to discuss the implications of new reforms.
University Democrats debater Doug Luippold said health care is such a big issue because no one knows when he or she may need treatment or what it would cost.
The College Republicans argued that the public option, which would be open to some Americans without insurance, would undermine competition from private insurance companies and the free-market system.
“We do need reform, but not the public option,” said College Republicans debater Colin Harris. “Competition works.”
The debaters’ passion did not necessarily translate into informative commentary, according to students in the audience. Management senior Alex Ferraro, who has followed the national health care debate closely, said he did not learn much from the debate.
But psychology sophomore Arielle Ennis said the debate was helpful for each side to strengthen its stances.
“It’s important to get the opposing side’s view because then you are better equipped to argue with them,” she said.
The Democrats argued that there are several industries in which private companies flourish despite having public competition, including education and mail delivery.
“Republicans want to delay change, delay reform,” said University Democrats debater Grace Zheng. “They don’t want to piss off businesses.”
Garrett Mize, a University Democrats debater, said military health care coverage, which is free or subsidized to all members, is the “golden standard” by which all government-run agencies should be measured.
Both groups agreed that the government can efficiently run a medical coverage plan, but Republicans voiced concerns about taxing the wealthiest members of society to pay for health insurance.
Republican debater Christian Collins said the government should not force some Americans to pay more to enact health care reform because the terms “rich” and “poor” are subjective.
“It is fair that wealthy people who have benefited the most from society should have to give back to it at a greater level,” Luippold said.
The Republicans argued for the revision of laws regarding medical malpractice. If doctors don’t have to worry about being sued, they will perform more efficiently and at a lower cost, Republicans said.
Tort reform laws have already been put in place, and only reduced medical care spending by one-half percent, Democrats said.
Many of the students at the debate will soon be buying their own health insurance for the first time, said David Warner, a UT health and social policy professor.
Warner said it is important for students to debate health care because “they’ll be paying for it.”
