Last night the debate between the Young Democrats and the College Republicans was a politically charged hit for the approximately 120 students who attended.

The debate started at 7 p.m. and lasted an hour and a half. The topics covered were Bush’s tax cuts and fence-building on the U.S./Mexico border.

The mood was light as moderator Sam Al-Khoury, who said he had never seen a debate between the two organizations before, explained the rules and structure. Sameer Kanal, a member of the Young Democrats, took the podium, calling Bush’s tax cuts inequitable and said they encouraged deficit spending.

College Republicans President Dan Murdock opened his cross-examination of Kanal with a sarcastic comment that the Young Democrats were “spiffy dressers.” This opened a heated, aggressive verbal volley involving Murdock, Kanal and their debate partners: James Foxcurran, vice president of the College Republicans and Alex Bond, vice president of membership for the Young Democrats.

Throughout the debate on Bush’s tax cuts, Foxcurran argued that the tax cut package “benefits 80 percent of American businesses,” particularly small businesses. He also said the tax cuts reduced unemployment, benefited families and fostered investments by allowing individuals to retain money to invest.

“Basically you’re saying people getting richer is bad, and I don’t get your logic,” Murdock said.

Murdock challenged Kanal and Bond to help the government deficit by sending in money to the Bureau of the Public Debt.

Bond replied that everyone benefits from government funding, including the wealthy, as evidence by their good education, good health and police protection.

The second debate on fence building opened with Shaun O’Neil, an executive of the College Republicans on the state level, and Tom Walker, the College Republicans’ political chair. O’Neil argued that immigration and border patrol were both broken systems that needed fixing and building physical barriers was a viable option.

“We can find a fence that will work,” Walker said, adding that a wall will cut down on illegal immigration.

The United States is “not going to reward a group of people because they share a border with us,” Walker said. “We’ll send the message that there’s a legal process for everyone.”

First-time Young Democrat debaters Garrett Troy and Rohan Singh argued that a fence was the result of xenophobia and racism. They brought up issues of cost, the environment, Native American treaties and effectiveness. A fence would work like Prohibition, Rohan said — it wouldn’t stop people from wanting to come over.

One of the highlights of the debates was the antagonism between members of the two groups.

“It was interesting to see personalities interact,” Al-Khoury said. “It was a tough call when to draw the line.”

Reporter Kass Bessert: news@thedailywashington.edu