OU students channel presidential candidates at debate forum

Editor’s Note: Editor-in-Chief Cat Hofacker and Managing Editor Lindsey Curnutte moderated the event at the request of the participants due to the publication’s nonpartisan nature. TNP’s involvement was limited to providing questions and facilitating discussion. None of the viewpoints expressed during the event represent those of TNP or its editorial team.

Representatives from Ohio University College Democrats, College Republicans, Students for Liberty and the Athens chapter of the International Socialist Organization gathered Wednesday in Clippinger Laboratories to debate. The event was created by Ryan Powers, treasurer for ISO. Powers reached out to the presidents of each organization and together they worked out a framework, time and place. Cat Hofacker, editor-in-chief of The New Political, and Lindsey Curnutte, managing editor of TNP, moderated the event.

“A lot of people are hungry for political alternatives right now,” Powers said about why he recruited his political peers to debate. “We just wanted to be able to have the opportunity to talk to an audience about what we mean by socialism and what the Democrats and Republicans are.”

Although the debaters differed on issues ranging from the legalization of marijuana, whether Russian President Vladimir Putin can be a evil and a strong leader or the right pronunciation of Iran, they all agreed on the importance of voting. “If you really want something to change, you all can make it happen,” said President Sam Miller of College Democrats. Who do you think won the debate? Let us know at #OUDebates.https://twitter.com/TheNewPolitical/status/793994718782877696