Siena College Students Debate Health Care

Health care continues to be a topic of concern in all corners of the country. It is being debated everywhere from the halls of Congress to Siena College.
 

Earlier this week, Siena Democrats Mike Ellement ’10, Ben Thomas ’12 and John Daley ’11 squared off against Siena College Republican Club members Ed Biagini ’12, Brian Dorrian ’12 and Francis Stanton ’10 in an hour long debate that was moderated by a member of the Political Science Society.
 

Each side passionately fielded questions about their party’s health care platform. They fired back and forth about the ideas for funding health care for small businesses, care for the elderly and non-citizens, abortion and a public health care option.

Democrat John Daley said providing a public health care option goes along with core American values and will save lives. “Lives from this Earth that can never come back because they didn’t have health insurance,” he said.
 

Republican Ed Biagini disagreed. He said the public option is a “stacked deck” against private insurance. He also questioned the government’s ability to manage a health care system.
 

“The government cannot be the referee and a player in the same game,” Biagini said.  
 

Regardless of their point of view, organizers said the debate was a wonderful opportunity for bipartisan collaboration.
 

“I think both clubs did an outstanding job. It was a good opportunity for the Siena Community to get informed on an issue that will affect us and our future,” said Siena College Republican Club President, Ridge Harris ’11.
 

“We’re really trying to help more students become more aware of the issues going on within the country and decrease apathy,” said Siena Democrats President Kathleen Digan ’10.
 

The Siena Demorats and Siena College Republican Club are hoping to schedule more collaborative events as the school year progresses.