Students take part in political switcharoo

Two liberal students - co-director of the Princeton Chapter of Students for Barack Obama Jason Anton '10 and former Whig Party chair Daniel Rauch '10 - argued the conservative viewpoint. On the other side, College Republicans Johnny Love '09 and Brian Stephan '11 argued on behalf of the liberals. Rauch is also a member of The Daily Princetonian's editorial board.

The debate covered issues ranging from state involvement in sexuality, the war in Iraq, nuclear weapons in Iran, entitlement programs, education policy, tax cuts and global warming.

In interviews before the debate, all of the debaters stressed the need to understand each side's strongest arguments. All four denied, however, that constructing arguments in support of the political opponent's position required undergoing a substantial change of heart.

Love noted that one of the greatest challenges he encountered in arguing on behalf of the liberals was "not being sarcastic."

"Usually, the rule I use when I'm practicing [is that] whatever pops into my mind for any issue, just say the opposite, but without sarcasm," he explained.

Rauch compared arguing the conservative side to "knowing how the movie ends but still having to go along with the script."

Stephan said he hoped the audience would "be able to see that there are strong arguments on either side."

"You really need to put yourself in the other's shoes in order to understand your own position," Stephan added.

Anton stressed, however, that Princeton liberals and conservatives were not divided so much by "a radical difference in belief ... but [by] which issues should be prioritized."

Foreign policy was one highly prioritized issue in the debate last night.

Stephan advocated withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, claiming the war "has given no benefit to America" and calling withdrawal one of the only ways that "Mr. Bush can salvage what's left of his legacy."

Rauch countered that though America may save money in the short run by leaving Iraq, "backslide and chaos" would result and "radical factions would subvert [the] new government."

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"We at least offer a chance of progress and a chance to move forward, and I fear that you offer us nothing but destruction," Rauch said to the "liberals."

Rauch's co-"conservative" debater, Anton, noted that the United States has met 12 of the 13 landmarks it set for itself.

Iran also figured in the foreign policy discussion.

The "conservatives" advocated an attack on Iran in the case that the United States learns that Iran possesses nuclear weapons.

Love, though, called such an attack on Iran "just irresponsible."

The debaters also clashed on the issue of education policy, with Love arguing for increasing teachers' salaries and job security.

"We show teachers how much we value them by how much we pay them," Stephan said.

Rauch, however, criticized the "liberals" for "talk[ing] incessantly about incentives to get the best people possible," adding that liberals make it too difficult to fire bad teachers.

"Unless they're caught with four little girls, a video camera and a goat, they won't be fired," he said. "This isn't job security, this is idiocy."

Stephan reacted to Rauch's example by accusing Rauch of discriminating against other "valid" forms of love, pointing out that "the goat has every human right to love."

Rauch countered by noting that love must take place within a marriage between heterosexuals.

The event was sponsored by Princeton Progressive Nation, the College Democrats and the College Republicans.