Student-Run Debate Covers Wide Variety of Political Races

Press Release

Student-run debate covers wide variety of political races

By JOSHUA RILEY
Staff Writer

Students at one high school showed that they can be a part of the democratic process despite not being old enough to vote.

The Junior States of America's Freehold Township High School chapter hosted a candidate forum that spanned presidential, congressional and Senate races as well as the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties.

The completely student-run organization came up with the idea during the final months of the 2007-08 school year, club president Josh Lipson said.

Originally, JSA's goal was to host a local political forum, Lipson said. "But, it became a much larger-scale event than we had originally conceived," he said.

Lipson and JSA member Alex Buffer welcomed the crowd of 116 to the forum and introduced cardboard cutouts of presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.

"We would have had them speak, but apparently they're all tied up," Lipson joked.

Each candidate or their surrogate was introduced before he or she spoke. After the speakers delivered campaign messages, students put them in the hot seat with their questions.

The students had an opportunity to hear a voice that is not often given the same coverage as those of the two main parties.

And that is exactly what Libertarian Senate candidate Jason Scheurer's problem is with the two-party system.

He said that this system constrains voters' leads to unfair elections. Libertarian candidates are not given an equal amount of government funding for campaigning as candidates from the two main parties are.

"Democracy can only function when all parties are heard," Scheurer said. "And Republicans and Democrats agree on one thing only: They don't want competition."

Scheurer also explained his party's stance: "The Libertarian Party is fiscally conservative and socially liberal," he said.

Lipson, who evidently had done his homework, introduced Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth, a surrogate candidate for McCain. O'Scanlon lost a 2005 election by the smallest margin ever recorded in the Assembly race, 65 votes, and came back to win the seat in 2007.

O'Scanlon defended the two-party system from Scheurer's attacks, arguing that the two parties force politicians into moderate views. This gives stability to the government as opposed to the rocky roads of Italy's multiparty system, he said.

Freehold Township student Scott Lief questioned O'Scanlon on McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin.

"(This choice) demonstrates pandering to key demographics," Lief said. "Is Palin the best choice? And why should I not be scared (that she could potentially become president)?"

Fielding a question as to whether a vote for McCain is a vote for "another four years of Bush," O'Scanlon said, "Don't buy into (this) contention."

When O'Scanlon's podium time was up, Lipson publicly thanked him for attending.

"On behalf of the entire Freehold Township High School chapter of JSA, I would like to thank you profoundly," he said.

Also behind the podium that night, Old Bridge Councilman Patrick Gillespie, a Democrat, represented incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J. Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, R-Monmouth, represented Republican Senate candidate Dick Zimmer; Niki Shah of South Asians for Obama spoke on behalf of the Democratic presidential candidate; Monmouth County Freeholder John D'Amico, a Democrat, spoke on behalf of incumbent Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J.; and congressional candidate Alan Bateman, a Republican running in the 12th District, addressed the students.

Lipson and Buffer offered the night's closing remarks before the JSA president banged his gavel, ending the forum.

"(This event) is right at the heart of JSA," Lipson said.

JSA secretary Gayatri Oruganti said that the organization feels its calling is to get more students into and informed about the political process.

"Ignorance is very prevalent among high school students," she said, adding that one study shows that 60 percent of high school students can point out neither Iraq nor Afghanistan on a map.

Students like herself need to be politically involved to understand the problems they will face as they become the nation's leaders and autonomous citizens, she said. "We need to think of solutions now."

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