Spring Break
College Democrats debate URI GOP, score higher in two of three rounds
Jeff Sullivan
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
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For the Democrats, Shelby Sullivan-Venice defended the universal health care system by saying that the capitalist mode of health care inherently leaves out poor and low-income families, and also that the free-market system so far has not been an incentive to innovation, but rather a mode of price regulation on the side of the pharmaceutical and insurance companies. The introduction of so-called copycat drugs inflate the market with different name brands for essentially the same drugs and ingredients, she said.
"It's not really a question of their capacity to create new drugs, and the market economy isn't driving innovation, it's driving prices," she said. "They're controlling prices, and if [universal health care] is federalized, that control will be in the hands of the people rather than the board members."
The issue of gay marriage has been coming up in Rhode Island lately, most notably in a motion by gay rights activists to legalize same-sex divorce before legalizing gay marriage.
The Democrats argued that marriage is the institution of a loving relationship and it does not matter what sex those two people are; they should be entitled to the same benefits as heterosexual couples.
"Issues like economic benefits, tax breaks, guardianship, inheritance issues; for instance if I lived with my partner for 20 years in a house, if I was not willed the house, there is no legal backing that could allow me to inherit the house," said Amanda Clarke for the Democrats. "This is clearly a violation of [separation of] church and state because the definition of marriage is always cited from a religious standpoint."
The Republicans stated that marriage has always been defined in state constitutions as being between a man and a woman, and that as long as there are laws there will be those who are discriminated against.
"The arguments from the left state that people should redefine marriage as love is all you need to be married," said Jon Hansen, first vice-chairman for the Republicans. "That can't be true because there are no boundaries on marriage whatsoever. Polygamists could legally get married; someone who loves their dog could get married, a bisexual could marry both a man and woman."
He also said that no matter what, it is still a religious issue. The five major religions of the world are against same-sex marriages, and according to Hansen, 80 percent of Americans are Christian, deeming it a factor that cannot be ignored.
He claimed that, for instance, if same-sex marriage were legalized in Rhode Island, for churches to keep their tax-exempt status they would legally have to abide regardless of their position on the issue.
"You can't enforce your views onto other religions," Hansen said. "You're forcing these churches that may oppose this to basically change their religion."
The Pre-Law Society hosted yesterday's debate.
"It's not really a question of their capacity to create new drugs, and the market economy isn't driving innovation, it's driving prices," she said. "They're controlling prices, and if [universal health care] is federalized, that control will be in the hands of the people rather than the board members."
The issue of gay marriage has been coming up in Rhode Island lately, most notably in a motion by gay rights activists to legalize same-sex divorce before legalizing gay marriage.
The Democrats argued that marriage is the institution of a loving relationship and it does not matter what sex those two people are; they should be entitled to the same benefits as heterosexual couples.
"Issues like economic benefits, tax breaks, guardianship, inheritance issues; for instance if I lived with my partner for 20 years in a house, if I was not willed the house, there is no legal backing that could allow me to inherit the house," said Amanda Clarke for the Democrats. "This is clearly a violation of [separation of] church and state because the definition of marriage is always cited from a religious standpoint."
The Republicans stated that marriage has always been defined in state constitutions as being between a man and a woman, and that as long as there are laws there will be those who are discriminated against.
"The arguments from the left state that people should redefine marriage as love is all you need to be married," said Jon Hansen, first vice-chairman for the Republicans. "That can't be true because there are no boundaries on marriage whatsoever. Polygamists could legally get married; someone who loves their dog could get married, a bisexual could marry both a man and woman."
He also said that no matter what, it is still a religious issue. The five major religions of the world are against same-sex marriages, and according to Hansen, 80 percent of Americans are Christian, deeming it a factor that cannot be ignored.
He claimed that, for instance, if same-sex marriage were legalized in Rhode Island, for churches to keep their tax-exempt status they would legally have to abide regardless of their position on the issue.
"You can't enforce your views onto other religions," Hansen said. "You're forcing these churches that may oppose this to basically change their religion."
The Pre-Law Society hosted yesterday's debate.
